Money itself is not "trivial", it depends on who's spending it.
The way the world has been shaped, and especially in America where all of the emphasis is on economy and finances, it's impossible for people to look away and not worry about how much they are spending.
There are some that use money for good, and others that use it for their own selfish reasons.
People have been conditioned to believe that if you don't have a nice car, if you don't have a perfect body, if you don't live a dream life, than you are unsuccessful and will never amount to anything.
So, people alter every aspect about themselves, and still they are unhappy.
A sickening example of American's emphasis on looking good and having wealth is Paris Hilton.
She contributes nothing to society other than having her creepy face plastered all over every billboard, every fashion magazine, and on practically every tv show, all because she is the "epitome of wealth and beauty".
Well, that's great, but how does that help Americans who are mere mortals and weren't born into a bottomless sack of billions of dollars? The media and corporations try to underplay the real issues in the world by making people self-conscious.
Bottom line, it doesn't matter how much money you have, but what kind of person you are, how you judge yourself based on how much money you make, and how you spend the money you earn.