Word up...
This is coming to you after my win against highest rated opponent I've played in chess. I won on time...
When I played chess I really hardly cared about money at all. I would spend hours just studying and playing. I just liked the challenge and flow.
But you can't really live as a chessplayer in the UK. I know Grandmasters, smart people who've dedicated their lives to the game... basically living in poverty. And the sad thing is... there will be 12 year olds who are better players than them now...
These days... if I'm not being paid for it I don't feel 'obliged' to do or say anything. Truth is, I actually have enough money to do what I want really... but I'm still tight with money...
Because I remember how hard I had to work to get it. All those of years of 'education'. Knowing what I do about the world now, I wouldn't have gone to uni at 18. And it's like... before I wrote my novel I would buy LOADS of books...
Then I finished my novel and saw that not many people were buying it... and I stopped buying books really. It would have to be a VERY HIGH quality book for me to buy it now, something like Cornwell...
And I would do that partly because he's been generous enough with his time to talk with me a bit... no other famous proper writer has done that really...
It's like these days I will think how much will it cost me in petrol to get there?
And maybe I should loosen that up A BIT... because it's interesting to go to new places... but still keep it in mind...
Because materialism provides worth in some way. You need money to eat. Anyone can say anything to you... but if someone values you in some way they will pay you money in a job...
Ha... so yeah... materialism provides value.
