What is prosperity?

[PoorlyAged]

Merriam-Webster can provide a definition of 'prosperity'. But the meaning of 'prosperity' is as varied as humanity, as we each get to determine what constitutes 'prosperity' for ourselves. If someone values wealth and money, then 'prosperity' may mean having a lot of property and money. If someone values family, then 'prosperity' may be a passel of people who claim to be related to each other. The meaning of 'prosperity' is simply based on what each person values and how much of that valued 'thing' they possess.

 

But even each individuals meaning of 'prosperity' is nebulous, as our individual meaning of prosperity changes over time. As our perspective on the world changes, what we value changes to match our new cosmology. The things we valued as children are not the things we value as teens, are not the things we value as adults nor are they the things we value as pensioners. And even that is variable because the things we value may cycle in and out of our lives.

 

By way of example; a teenaged male may subscribe to the "the one who dies with the most toys wins" philosophy and value the techno-toys, where as an adult male may subscribe to the "everything for the wife and kids" philosophy and will subjugate their desires to support their family. But, the old man may find a new joy in that old "most toys" ideology and revert to a passion for gadgets.

 

TL:DR. The meaning of 'prosperity' is a matter of what an individual values and their perspective on the world.