To me, rich is being enable to work on the things I wouldn't otherwise be able to do without capital. If I wanted to start a company on the off chance that an out-there research topic works, I'd need up front capital. Unless I get loans from friends and live off ramen for months on end, working well beyond full time, such a plan will not pan out because I simply don't have the money up front to invest in equipment and support a living situation comparable to working a 9 to 5 job on a less interesting project. I like communal living, and I would love to give back to the cause. I'd love to buy one of the many large houses in the area and open it up as democratic and affordable housing. But unless I have hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars, I can't. And such an endeavor would likely bankrupt me. I'd love to work on a video game. I'd love to explore teaching through engaging interactions with a computer. But the risk involved would bankrupt me if my plan didn't pan out. I'm not exactly pursuing a career that I hate with the sole intent of sustaining myself on money, but if price was not an object, I definitely would take more projects that would be risky to my current self.
I'll tell you from experience that eating ramen for months on end in pursuit of a career you really enjoy is well worth it (I'll still eat ramen sometimes even though I don't have to anymore; it never really leaves you, I guess). There's nothing better than getting paid for doing what you love. And don't forget that a business bankruptcy isn't a personal bankruptcy; losing a business won't ruin you life, even if it would be depressing.