We like to think the reasons for seeking wealth are universal. Humans, by nature, like to be comfortable, like to have power and like to have the choices and freedoms offered by lots of stuff and money.

人們總愛認(rèn)為世界各地的人們追求財富的原因是一致的。按天性，人們喜歡過得舒適，喜歡擁有權(quán)力，喜歡由大量的物質(zhì)和金錢而帶來的選擇和自由。

Yet it turns out there are some regional variations in the meaning of wealth around the world.

然而事實上，對于財富的意義，世界各地的人們都有著不同的觀念。

The new Barclay's Wealth Insights study, released this morning from Barclay's Wealth and Ledbury Research, finds that the emerging-market rich view wealth very differently from the older-money Europeans and the slightly less nouveaux Americans.

最近由巴克萊財富和萊德伯里研究所（Barclay's Wealth and Ledbury Research）新公布的巴克萊財富洞察研究報告（Barclay's Wealth Insights）中指出，新興市場國家的富人，相對于富裕史更長的歐洲有錢人以及富裕史沒有那么長的美國有錢人對于財富的看法非常的不同。

The study surveyed 2,000 people from 20 countries with investible assets of $1.5 million or more. They shared some common themes: a vast majority of rich people from all regions agreed that wealth enables them to buy the best products and that wealth gives them freedom of choice in their life. Most also agreed that wealth is a reward for hard work.

這項研究共調(diào)查了20個國家的2000位擁有150萬美元以上可投資資產(chǎn)的富人。他們擁有一些共識：即，來自世界各地區(qū)的絕大多數(shù)富人認(rèn)為，財富使他們買得起最好的產(chǎn)品，也使他們在生活中擁有了選擇的自由。而且大多數(shù)人也認(rèn)為財富是對辛勤工作的一種回報。

But the differences are more interesting:

但他們觀點(diǎn)的差異性則更為有趣：

Respect-Asians and Latin Americans were more likely (49% and 47%) to say that wealth 'allows me to get respect from friends and family.' Only 28% of Europeans and 38% of Americans said respect was a byproduct of wealth.

尊重-亞洲和拉丁美洲富人更可能（分別占49％和47％）說，財富“可以讓我獲得朋友和家人的尊重?！敝挥?8％的歐洲人和38％的美國人說，獲得尊重是財富帶來的一種的副產(chǎn)品。

Happiness-About two thirds of Europeans and Americans said wealth made them happy. But it had a greater happiness affect in emerging markets, with 76% of Asians and Latin Americans saying wealth made them happy.

快樂-大約有三分之二的歐洲和美國富人說財富能給他們帶來快樂。但在新興市場國家里，財富對幸福感的影響更大，有76%的亞洲和拉丁美洲富人說財富給他們帶來了快樂。

Role Models-Less than half of Americans and Europeans say the wealthy 'set an important example to others to be successful.' That compares with 71% of Latin Americans and 61% of Asians.

榜樣-不到一半的美國和歐洲的富人說，富人“給他人樹立了獲取成功的重要榜樣?！毕啾戎拢?1%的拉丁美洲以及61％％的亞洲富人也是這樣認(rèn)為的。

Spending-Wealthy Europeans are far more likely to spend their dough on travel and interior decorating. Latin Americans seem to put the highest spending priority on education, while the U.S. surges above the rest in philanthropy (which the report counts as spending).

花錢-歐洲的富人把錢花在旅游以及家庭布置方面的可能性大大超出其它地區(qū)的富人。拉丁美洲的富人似乎在教育方面最慷慨解囊，而美國人在慈善事業(yè)上的貢獻(xiàn)則大大超過世界任何地區(qū)的富人。（該報告將慈善作為開支項目）。

We can read several things into the differences. Most obviously, the U.S. has a more formalized and tax-favorable system of philanthropy than the rest of the world. (It is too sweeping to say Americans are the most 'generous.')

從這些差異中我們可以讀懂幾個現(xiàn)象。最明顯的是，在慈善事業(yè)方面，美國有比世界其他地區(qū)更正規(guī)且更優(yōu)惠的稅收制度。 （說美國人最“慷慨”未免過于籠統(tǒng)了。）

What is more, the global financial crisis may have tarnished the image of the wealthy-even among the wealthy. And finally, the longer a country has wealth, the less it craves the attention and respect wealth brings.

還有，全球金融危機(jī)可能已損害了富人的形像，即使在富人圈里也是如此。最后一點(diǎn)是，一個國家的富裕史越長，其國人就越不渴望財富能吸引別人的眼球和敬重。

What patterns or explanations do you see in the regional differences?

你還能從這些地區(qū)差異中讀出什么規(guī)律或解釋呢？