Psychology 101 For Anyone Who Asks "Why are players so concerned with money?"

[bAdbUd]

This is 'rubbish', because it implies that somehow you are immune to a fundamental part of human psychological anthropology.
It is also human to tell yourself whatever narrative makes you feel better about your base motivations, if the reality is less than ideal.

Again, everyone has their individual tolerances with regard to carrot/stick mechanisms. But to imply that you - or anyone for that matter - are not in any way subject to a basic universal human trait, just seems intellectually dishonest, naive, or full of denialism.
I'm not saying there are not monastic Buddhists who spend their entire existence trying to resist inherent human motivations. I'm just saying the odds are not in favor of you being one of them.

I've actually been there, in a Buddhist Community, although I didn't actually renounce all worldly goods.

I haven't said money isn't a driver, what I have said it's not a main, or even significant driver for me. I've spent hours in many systems exploring trying to find all astronomical objects that it contains. Again you earn some credits for that, but not that many to make it a justifiable career progression route. I do it for the sake of finding that star that's millions of light seconds away and that is my reward in that situation.

 

[Morbad]

but when it has nothing to do with the intended goal of the game, it really doesn't have any objective meaning - it's just some sort of a personal preference.

All progression is personal preference and "intended goal of the game" is every bit as subjective as any personal goals we set for ourselves.

A game is what you make of it.

This is 'rubbish', because it implies that somehow you are immune to a fundamental part of human psychological anthropology.
It is also human to tell yourself whatever narrative makes you feel better about your base motivations, if the reality is less than ideal.

Again, everyone has their individual tolerances with regard to carrot/stick mechanisms. But to imply that you - or anyone for that matter - are not in any way subject to a basic universal human trait, just seems intellectually dishonest, naive, or full of denialism.
I'm not saying there are not monastic Buddhists who spend their entire existence trying to resist inherent human motivations. I'm just saying the odds are not in favor of you being one of them.

There are no universal human traits, just broad generalizations. Everyone of the fundamentals you mention is merely a tendency or trend, and no matter how widespread these are, they are all but defined by their numerous exceptions.

Assuming that any of these traits applies to everyone is just as naive as dismissing their existence entirely.

 

[khaitom]

I'm just flying about, a long haired hippy, bumbling around the black with a hold full of narcotics (Wots the problem officer, i's only a bit o' percy?) and scoping free fuel from stars. No working for the man or grindstoning here.

I'm spending the rest of the time playing Elite.