There is this popular notion amongst Nigerians; 'you never know a person until he has money'. Another one goes 'money changes people'. On surface level, these seem to be true. But a deeper scrutiny may prove otherwise.
A really important question to ask ourselves is: does money actually change people, or does it give them the opportunity to become who they truly are? A lot of times, I've had people say that money makes people proud and arrogant. The truth is, a man who suddenly seems arrogant when he gets money, has always been arrogant. The only difference is, he was in a state of lack before. And we all know that when someone is in need, he has to swallow his pride in order to receive aid.
But when he becomes successful, and can afford most of his needs, there is no need to swallow any pride. Hence, making a naturally proud person revert to his nature. With every man, there is who he appears to be and who he truly is. Certain factors however determine which face he wears.
True humility, does not require the presence or absence of money. But true humility is a tad difficult to attain. Most people who seem humble, are 'forced' to be. It's not innate, it is just merely a form of adaptation. The weird thing is, a lot of people cannot tell the difference, even in themselves.
When I say humility, I do not mean the absence of pride, but rather the ability to channel and control that pride. After all, every man should have a measure of pride. A man who is genuinely humble and nice, remains the same, irrespective of his financial status. Do not be deceived by those who act nice and are eager to please in order to gain favours. These set of people are not nice; a nice person does not have to try to convince you.
The thing with money is that, it is a confidence booster. And as such, it allows us become ourselves with no apologies. It enhances our true self, and allows us shed whatever mask that we may have had on.
So, no. The truth for me is that money does not change people. I would however like to know what you think..