Bernanke acknowledged he wouldn't tell Princeton graduates that money doesn't matter — they wouldn't believe him, and for too many people worldwide, money is literally a life-or-death proposition. But for those fortunate enough to have choices, he offered a sharp distinction: money is a means, not an end. Coming from someone who had left a comfortable academic career at Princeton to take on one of the most consequential and stressful jobs in government, the advice reflected personal experience rather than empty platitude.