Our readers are divided in this Idea vs Wealth discussion in order to be successful. Some put their buck on wealth, while some have lit up on ideas, and a few more say both idea and money are important if one is to get success in this wealth-driven, idea-crazy 21st Century world!

 I think both idea and money are important for success because if I were to have an idea to build a palace, tower, building, garden, shop, school, wall, or toilet to make the world more beautiful, gorgeous, and attractive, and I didn’t have any money, I could ask my friends or the bank for a loan so I could make the idea happen. And if I have one million dollars and have no idea, I would pay other people to give me their ideas — I would use my money so they could make their ideas happen. For example, if they wanted to make a homework machine, I would buy them the materials and help them advertise it so we could make more money. This is why I think both money and idea are important.

— Mini Tamang

 Success is not by luck or by chance; it must be a choice to achieve. So for me to be successful, idea is everything. A man without an idea is just like flower without fragrance. Trying to achieve success without a good idea is just like trying to cross a deep river without knowing how to swim. Thus in the absence of idea; wealth is hellish. So the idea is a must to earn wealth.

— Deepesh Adhikari, Pokhara-8

 Though wealth is regarded as dirt of hand, without it nothing is possible in this kali yug. Everywhere we go, there is need of money to fulfil our necessities from basic needs to education to travelling to ideas. Every rich person says wealth is nothing, idea is everything as they already have wealth. But to the poor, ideas do not provide food, clothes and medicine. However, ideas can be the source to earn wealth, but ideas also require wealth for those to be implemented. This is my story — although being a talented scholar with innovative ideas along with the capability to change the whole world, I am surviving as a walking corpse, all my dreams decaying because of financial scarcity.

— Deepa Adhikari, Pokhara-6

 An individual needs to have an idea in order to become successful in life, and wealth comes naturally after that. In this world, we can see clearly that all people who have become successful, popular and great are those who have been supported by good ideas. Ideas help to make sure how intelligent any person is. Wealth is one thing which has to be earned through hard work. Wealth comes and goes according to the passage of time but our ideas remain with us. On the other hand, there’s a high possibility of wealth being either robbed or stolen but it’s simply not the case with ideas. Our ideas always remain with us because they make others know who we are. Hence, it’s mainly the ideas which have to be given comparatively more emphasis than wealth although the latter is also needed.

— Pratik Shrestha, Buddhanagar, Baneshwore

 For becoming successful, idea and wealth are both equally ineluctable but I believe wealth has more load. One cannot turn an idea into reality unless sound capital is executed on it. Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates have implement their idea only in the sector of computer and information technology where less capital is needed to start a business; but if we are on some other page, especially food industries, movie industries, or small scale business, we need at least a certain capital as per the size of business. From expenditure to buying goods, operation and liability to insurance, everything requires wealth or capital. Moreover, in a country where there is unavailability of loans and any aid from government, it depicts the need for wealth foremost. Mostly, idea sparks only when there is capital, determination which provides you the intuition and will power to start an idea. For instance, the DDC company wouldn’t have been established if they didn’t have processing equipment, installation costs, vision and manpower — all were in operation because of the capital.

— Razu Thapa, USA

 In the contemporary world, money is needed in every step that we take. How big or brilliant the idea is, it cannot be converted to reality unless money is involved. No doubt that Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs had game changing ideas which have reshaped the world. However, have we ever thought how much money they might have spent on experimenting on their ideas? Did those ideas become reality overnight? The answer is no. No idea can be converted to reality unless we experiment and develop it, and we need money for that. We read in newspapers that students from Pokhara made a solar car which cost them a few lakh rupees. If they did not have money to work on their idea, would they have been able to make solar car?

Therefore, since lots of research and development work need to be done to convert an idea into reality, and since money is required to do all these works, money is everything in today’s world.

— Nabin Kadariya, Chabahil-7

 Idea or money is always an issue. Nothing goes further without money in this 21st Century. Everything in this modern society is based on money. As the saying goes, money makes the world go around. Being rich allows you to do what you want. Money is the most significant thing in life. However, if you have money but are completely clueless about how to use it or how to keep it, you will no longer be rich for long. So, idea is more important and useful in life than money for me. I can use my idea to earn money. One can be born rich, however one has to learn and discover one’s abilities to balance one’s prosperity.

Rene Descartes, a highly influential French Philosopher known as the ‘Father of Modern Philosophy’ coined the phrase borrowing from Latin ‘Cogito, ergo sum’ which means ‘I think therefore, I am’. I found this phrase applicable here in terms of comparing idea and money. Money can be influential but I believe that idea matters the most. Even if you have million dollars and you were not smart enough to invest or spend it wisely, you could end up with nothing very quickly.

Many people could object that people with a lot of knowledge do not have a lot of money. Being a son of woodcutter, Bill Gates developed PC Software, founded Microsoft. He utilised his idea of developing software in a positive sense and he became successful on it. Nevertheless, these days a poor wise man with a lot of potential can just sell his ideas to the so-called rich for his existence. This also shows idea is important. Without idea, no rich can sustain. And it is much easier to retain ideas than money.

— Rabu Ranjit

 I know money has become the basic need nowadays.  If we look at history, we can see lots of great personalities who have achieved success in life. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg are some of them. Money is power. But idea is as powerful as money. A rich person may not be rich forever. But with idea even a poor person can make lots of money. All the above mentioned personalities have become rich because of their brilliant ideas. Idea brings solution to problems, so it does make sense. A person having no idea about how to utilise and save money is worthless. Idea can buy money, but money cannot buy idea.

— Subhamitta

 For me, to be successful it’s 90 per cent idea, and the remaining is money. Because it’s all about ideas that makes a person victorious. There is a saying: An idea can change your life. Ideas can make money which means getting paid over and over again which is quite different from earning money. For instance, author JK Rowling is making money again and again through her idea of Harry Potter books. Similarly idea of inventing something and creating a product that the market wants frequently like creating a play for a TV so that you get paid each time it is played, et cetera are some brilliant ideas that can make money for a lifetime and make a person successful.  I think for an individual to be great, ideas are important because any company in the world will be ready to invest in an extraordinary idea, but to make those ideas become reality, at last it is money which is required.

— Aashish Adhikari, Gharipatan, Pokhara

 People who travel often, take interest in what is happening around the world and those who are always searching for things on the Internet, come up with great ideas. Also, people who are facing problems or those who can see others’ problems and struggles, can develop ideas to solve those problems. Great ideas can result in great inventions and revolutions in the world.

But only ideas are not enough for you to become a successful person. The most important part is implementation. We have to start working with our idea or imagination. For an example, if you want to build an Android app then you have to start coding as soon as you can. As Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg did, they coded day and night with full focus. For coding, sure you need a new generation computer, you need Internet and you need to learn programming either by yourself taking help from the Internet or by training. All of these materials cost you money. You need to be able to afford your requirements. Once you have all your materials, you just need to work hard to accomplish your idea. You need to make strategies, toil day and night and have patience to achieve your goal.

— Ranjana Kushwaha, Pulchowk

 Nothing in this world lasts forever. Wealth once gained is lost easily but not ideas. So to have success, idea is the most important. Idea makes a person lead his path towards perfection. But wealth is such a sword that ends every relation of humanity making a person richly poor.

— Dinanath Bastola, Purunchour-3, Kaski

 Idea is a more important factor than wealth. Wealth does not give you a brain full of ideas. When ideas pop up, then plans hit your mind to get success. When one gets knowledge, he can run his life accordingly and lead a happy and successful life.

— Tulip Gyawali, Minbhawan

 Idea is the brainchild behind every creation, innovation or discovery. Every great thinker, like a philosopher, social reformer, scientist, inventor, explorer, writer, artist, politician, filmmaker or journalist all have contributed significantly building on that initial idea or thought process; without which no new innovation or discovery can ever happen. It is well-known that the famous organic chemist Kekule visualised two snakes devouring one another with the tail of the one in the mouth of the other in his dream to elucidate the resonating structure of benzene ring, a fundamental discovery that shaped the path of modern Chemistry. However, one also has to agree that great ideas also need financial support. Legendary scientist like Sir JC Bose or literary giants like Edgar Allan Poe all had to suffer serious financial crisis at one point of their life that had significant impacts on their ground breaking work. Hence, it is important to appreciate the value of novel ideas for sure; but in this world of harsh economy and globalisation dominated by giant multi-national corporations, it is indeed quite challenging to move forward with ideas without some form of financial support to execute those ideas or to make them happen or feasible.

 — Saikat Kumar Basu

 Wealth gives one a much broader range of choices and opens many doors for one that would otherwise be closed. We can gain power to change world for the better through wealth. In that sense, money is the platform for any idea. Despite very rare exceptions, we cannot deny the fact that famous persons who have been known to be great like Helen Keller, Albert Einstein or Bill Gates were born in   good families that could support their education and ideas. They all had ample opportunities and access to money that made them drive the world in their way. Wealth is only the means that leads you to knowledge and ideas. Life is dynamic and the only thing that can be useful constantly in life is wealth which is equally important to get, develop, explore, launch and support idea of any person.

— Prayash Paudel, Pokhara

 Although ideas are the first priority, without money those can’t be implemented. I believe both these things should go simultaneously in the present scenario. With reference to many dignitaries whose ideas have evolved as the biggest achievements for human civilisation, the significance of ideas in life can be understood. These ideas ultimately have contributed to the economic development both directly or indirectly, explaining the importance of money. So both are important for success.

— Anonymous

 I believe that idea is the most important factor. There are people who say that without adequate money, an idea will never become a reality no matter how superior it is. They also believe that there are myriad people with ideas that can conquer the world, whose dreams of seeing their idea standing tall comes to an end because of no money.

However, I believe that success knocks on the door only when money is used in an ideal way. Even the invention of money was an idea. Without proper idea, money is nothing but a complete waste. A good idea is the most important factor to reach at the peak of success. For instance Mark Zukerberg, an ordinary student became a billionaire with his master idea. Idea is what makes money, not the other way round. With a good idea, a person can make money and even conquer the world.

— Prashna Dhakal

 Success is a variable factor of life. People perceive success differently. It varies from person to person. It depends upon the passion to achieve something.

The big three names — Bill, Steve and Mark are successful and what people commonly judge them is by their money. What everyone misses is the passion they have in their fields. Those people are passionate about their ideas. They worked hard which resulted in success.

— Anonymous

 A great idea without money is just a waste, no matter how great it is. The ideas of the world’s famous personalities like Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Albert Einstein and many more would have been just a waste had they lacked money. Nonetheless, mammoth sum of money is worthless if one lacks realistic and creditable ideas. Hence, I believe that both ideas and money are equally important if unrealistic goals (as they say) are to be achieved.

My point is money is not enough in the absence of innovative ideas. People today compare everything to money which I find irritating. A perfect mixture of innovative idea and necessary sum (money) is an infallible way to realise the unfathomable mystery of this planet.

— Sanjog Karki, Palpa

 In my view, idea is more important than money. There should be some great ideas for spending money in right place. Only having money is not sufficient, having better ideas makes the money  more valuable. One having ideas can easily earn money but one having money cannot buy ideas. Ideas help to make a person successful

and brighter in society. So, yes money is also needed to implement the ideas but ideas are more necessary.

— Shivang Dutta

 Idea is the path to success. Without idea we cannot be a successful person. It is the idea which brought barbaric society to civilised society. Wealth is paper which is valuable but idea is creativity which is so expensive that no one can buy it.

For instance, Bill Gates in the beginning didn’t have a penny but now he is a successful person in his life. It was his idea which brought him forward. Idea is the mother of success. What is the use of the money where there is no idea to invest in? Wealth will be with you for sometime but idea will remain with you forever which helps to get success in life.

— Urusha Thapa

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

The City is gearing up for Shiva Ratri with devotees getting ready to flock to this city of Pashupatinath in droves. Shiva Ratri means different things to different people from smoking weed to all nighters at Pashupati to long queues for a

darshan. The way we look at Shiva Ratri is subjective, coloured by our

experiences and maybe mishaps, or observations. So, whether you celebrate it or not, what is Shiva Ratri for you? What is its importance in your life?

­Send your replies in not more than 200 words by Friday, February 24, 2:00 pm to Features, The Himalayan Times, e-mail:  features@thehimalayantimes.com