The Symmetry of Wealth: Why 5 Isn't Enough

Not the Stanford, Silicon Valley way

Photo by Wojtek Pacześ

With the COVID headache bearing down on me, I could do nothing.    Every time I approached writing - ruin approached, chaos approached.  I could not write.  I got up. I drank water.  I drank green tea. I did Qigong gall bladder exercises.  But all I could do was push it off for a moment. It made it impossible for me to do anything.

But why repeat this over and over again?   I was dry out of ideas, all spent.

Finally I took a nap and had a chocolate-spread sandwich.  That broke through my writer's block.  

This week's chapter of Anti-Design Patterns will happen after all.

TL;DR

Wealth, like the universe, thrives on symmetry. Sahil Bloom's new book promises a fresh take on wealth with 5 dimensions, but here's why I think he's missing the mark.

The Eightfold Way—whether in Buddhism or physics—teaches us that true understanding requires balance and symmetry. So, can 5 types of wealth really capture the full spectrum?

Let’s explore why a more symmetrical model might be the key to lasting satisfaction and happiness

Is wealth more than money?

Sahil Bloom has a new book coming out redefining wealth as more than money.   The 5 types of wealth (according to Sahil Bloom) are time, social, mental, physical, financial.   I pre-ordered the book and look forward to reading it in a few months when it comes out.

Believing that wealth has time,social, mental, physical, financial dimensions makes sense. It’s a nice step in the right direction towards a better definition of wealth. But something about this really bothered me, and that was the number 5 and lack of symmetry.

Our beliefs are our way of understanding the universe and the human brain. 

The human brain is the most complex structure in the universe, and it is governed by the laws of physics just like the rest of the  universe.

Some physics laws are very well understood (like classical mechanics).   Other laws are pretty well understood and supported by empirical evidence like quantum mechanics for small distances.   Other laws of physics are probably wrong,  and still other models (like String theory) cannot be validated by experiment.

Professor Haim Sompolinsky pioneered new theoretical approaches to computational neuroscience based on concepts from statistical physics and dynamical systems theory. He developed the field of "neurophysics," which applies rigorous methods from theoretical physics to study neural networks and brain function.

Our religious beliefs are our way of giving meaning to the laws of physics. 

They don’t replace  the laws  of physics that govern the physical universe.  You can believe that the universe was created with “Let there be light” and map that to the Big Bang theory of creation.    If that makes you happy, then I am happy for you, but Loop Quantum Gravity and String theory are attempts by physicists to create a more complete understanding of the physical universe.  

The laws of physics are not there to help you strengthen your belief  in God.  

Neurophysics researchers like Sompolinski are now investigating how to adapt deep learning and language models to be more biologically plausible, not to be more religiously plausible.

The universe is based on symmetry.

Perception of wealth is a physical attribute of our brain.

The idea that there are 5 types of wealth is a sort of religious belief designed to help us feel better about ourselves and balance our priorities between making money and spending time with our family and friends, working out, doing yoga and running marathons.

5 types of something are not symmetrical.

That bothered me.

Symmetry is a guiding principle for modeling the underlying structure and behavior of physical systems. 

It’s used by physicists as a method to build and validate a model.

If you don’t have symmetry, the model is probably not valid.

Symmetry is central to  the universe

Let’s look at 2 examples of how symmetry is central to the laws of physics that govern the universe.

Conservation Laws

• Translational Symmetry (the laws of physics are the same everywhere in space) leads to the conservation of linear momentum.

• Rotational Symmetry (the laws of physics are the same in all directions) leads to the conservation of angular momentum.

• Time Translation Symmetry (the laws of physics do not change over time) leads to the conservation of energy.

The unification of space and time into spacetime

• Special relativity is based on Lorentz symmetry, which states that the laws of physics are the same for all observers moving at constant velocities relative to each other. This leads to the unification of space and time into spacetime.

5 types of something in our brain (‘wealth’) is not a symmetrical model.    Lacking symmetry means that Sahil Bloom’s 5 types of wealth  model is at best, incomplete, as we’ll see later in this essay.

The Eightfold Way

The Eightfold Way is a classification scheme for organizing and understanding the particles known as hadrons (which include protons, neutrons, and pions) based on their symmetry properties. It was introduced by physicists Murray Gell-Mann and Yuval Ne'eman in the early 1960s and is closely related to the mathematical concept of symmetry, particularly the symmetry group SU(3).

Symmetry and SU(3)

SU(3) Symmetry: The Eightfold Way is based on the group SU(3), which stands for "Special Unitary Group of degree 3." SU(3) is a mathematical group that describes a certain type of symmetry, specifically in a three-dimensional complex vector space.

Predictive Power

The Eightfold Way had predictive power. For example, it predicted the existence and properties of the Ω- particle, which was later discovered in 1964, providing strong evidence for the validity of the model.

The Eightfold Way explains the structure of hadrons in terms of quarks. The quark model provided a physical basis for the SU(3) symmetry of the Eightfold Way, showing that hadrons are composed of quarks bound together by the strong force.

Color Charge and QCD: Later developments in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) expanded on these ideas, introducing the concept of color charge (a different type of SU(3) symmetry) to describe how quarks are held together by gluons within hadrons.

The Eightfold Way is a powerful framework that uses the concept of symmetry, specifically SU(3) symmetry, to organize and understand hadrons. It played a crucial role in the development of the quark model and deepened our understanding of the fundamental structure of matter. 

The pseudoscalar meson octet. Particles along the same horizontal line share the same strangeness, s, while those on the same left-leaning diagonals share the same charge, q (given as multiples of the elementary charge).

You can see the symmetry in the picture

Visual symmetry is a powerful way of checking if your model is correct.

The name "Eightfold Way" itself was inspired by the Buddhist eightfold path, reflecting the model's elegant and orderly structure.

The Buddhist eightfold path.

The Buddhist Eightfold Path is a fundamental teaching in Buddhism, outlining the path to end suffering and achieve enlightenment, known as Nirvana. 

The Eightfold Path is often depicted as a wheel with eight spokes, symbolizing the interconnectedness and balance of its components. Each "fold" or step in the path represents a practice or principle that contributes to ethical conduct, mental discipline, and wisdom.

1. Right View (Samma Ditthi): 

This involves understanding the true nature of reality; the Four Noble Truths:

•  The truth of suffering (Dukkha)

•  The cause of suffering (Tanha, or craving)

• The cessation of suffering (Nirvana)

• The path to the cessation of suffering (the Eightfold Path itself).

2. Right Intention (Samma Sängkappa):

• This step focuses on cultivating the right intentions or motivations, which are aligned with the principles of renunciation, goodwill, and harmlessness.

• It involves letting go of desires and negative emotions like hatred and embracing a mindset that fosters compassion and non-attachment.

3. Right Speech (Samma Vaca):

• Right Speech involves speaking truthfully, avoiding lying, gossip, harsh words, and idle chatter.

• It emphasizes the importance of communication that is beneficial, kind, and in alignment with ethical principles.

4. Right Action (Samma Kammanta):

• This step focuses on ethical conduct and behavior. It encourages abstaining from actions that cause harm, such as killing, stealing, and engaging in sexual misconduct.

• Right Action promotes living in a way that respects and protects life and the well-being of others.

5. Right Livelihood (Samma Ajiva):

• Right Livelihood involves choosing an occupation that does not harm others and is consistent with ethical principles.

• It encourages work that contributes positively to society and does not violate moral precepts, such as avoiding professions that involve killing, dishonesty, or exploitation.

6. Right Effort (Samma Vayama):

• This principle is about cultivating positive states of mind and preventing or overcoming negative states.

• Right Effort involves diligent practice in developing qualities like patience, enthusiasm, and self-discipline while working to reduce unwholesome tendencies like greed and anger.

7. Right Mindfulness (Samma Sati):

• Right Mindfulness is the practice of being fully aware of one's body, feelings, thoughts, and mental states.

• It involves maintaining a clear focus on the present moment, developing awareness and insight into the true nature of phenomena, and fostering concentration.

8. Right Concentration (Samma Samadhi):

• This final step involves developing deep concentration and mental focus, particularly through meditation.

• Right Concentration is often associated with achieving the four stages of meditative absorption (jhanas), which lead to a calm, collected, and unified mind.

 The Purpose and Practice of the Eightfold Path

The eight aspects of the path are not sequential steps to be followed one after the other but are interconnected and practiced simultaneously. Each supports the others, leading to a balanced and harmonious way of life.

Middle Way: The Eightfold Path is also known as the Middle Way, as it avoids the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification. It advocates a balanced approach to spiritual practice.

Significantly, the Jewish philosopher, Maimonides used the same term; the “Middle Way” as a central tenet as a balanced approach to life.

The Eightfold Path provides practical guidance for living a life that leads to spiritual awakening and the end of suffering. It is a holistic approach that integrates wisdom, ethical conduct, and mental discipline, all of which are essential for personal development and enlightenment.

The Eightfold Path 

To be fair, Sahil Bloom’s book is not out yet and we’re still guessing how the 5 types of wealth (Time, Social, Mental, Physical, and Financial) will “lead to a durable satisfaction and happiness you can build and maintain across the seasons of your life”  (as it says in the promotion for the book).

My first observation is that 5 is not a good number because it lacks symmetry.   You can’t graph it visually in a symmetrical way like the eightfold way in Buddhism and physics.

My second observation is that  4 out of 5 ( Time, Mental, Physical, and Financial ) are self-focused. 

This is consistent with Western, and Silicon Valley culture in particular, where we optimize for personal performance as opposed to balance and harmony for the individual, community and the universe.

We’ll have to wait until the book comes out to know how good a 5 attribute model can be in describing one of the more important attributes of the human brain - our perception of what wealth means.

I’ll conclude with the classical Jewish definition of wealth:

The Jewish Path

Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers), is a compilation of ethical teachings and maxims from the Mishnaic period. 

"Who is rich? He who is happy with his lot."

(Pirkei Avot 4:1)

This teaching emphasizes the idea that true wealth is not measured by material possessions or external success but by inner contentment and the ability to appreciate what one has. 

It's a reminder that happiness and satisfaction come from within, and a person who finds contentment in their current circumstances is truly rich.

And that sounds just like the Buddhist eightfold way.   

Not the Silicon Valley way.