"I was talking to my mom about her recent visit with our extended family, specifically my father's cousins, all now over 80. She mentioned their continued, almost heightened, focus on money. Even though their children and grandchildren are financially secure, they remain meticulously calculative about every expense. This behavior, understandable when they faced resource scarcity, seems out of place now. Their families want them to relax, enjoy their lives, and accept help, but they cling to their possessions and routines. They resist moving in with their children, deeply attached to their homes and belongings.
This observation resonates with my own mother-in-law, who, in her late sixties, continues to work, finding satisfaction in meticulously tracking her daily earnings. She, like my father's cousins, exemplifies a strong attachment to material possessions. This contrasts sharply with our generation, where finances are largely digital, and the daily accumulation of cash is foreign.
The irony is that these individuals often preach detachment. Yet, their actions demonstrate the opposite. Their reluctance to relinquish control and trust their families, their insistence on maintaining their routines, and their focus on material wealth seem incongruous with their age and circumstances. Why, instead of embracing a life of service or simply enjoying their retirement, do they cling so tightly to material things? Is it normal for attachment to material possessions to intensify with age, rather than diminish? I'm genuinely curious to understand the psychological or sociological factors that contribute to this phenomenon."
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