I know a wealthy man who is financially free. He has absolute wealth, but he always stays at home reading books, never travels, and rarely attends parties or enjoys food.

I asked him why he did this, and he explained:

"In the real world, there are not many opportunities to meet smart people. Most people are ordinary people and don't have any unique insights. But books are different. They are full of sparks of wisdom. Today I can communicate with Confucius, Mencius, Li Bai, and Su Dongpo, and tomorrow I can understand the thoughts of Roosevelt, Churchill, Socrates, and Plato, and I can also study the achievements of Newton and Maxwell, as well as the philosophy of Descartes.

In contrast, traveling, partying, and enjoying food cannot be compared with the gains brought by reading."