Hello Jack,
No, I disagree. There is so much more to life than money. Money is definitely NOT the reason I get out of bed in the morning.
Love is the reason.
Sharing good times with good people.
Money is just what you need to enjoy life. It doesn't take a lot of money to enjoy life. If you can't be happy with a basic comfortable life, there is no way you will be happy with a life of riches.
Once you have achieved the basic comforts of life you are really as happy as you are ever going to be. More money after that does not equal more happiness.
Happiness comes from within. It can't be purchased.
It's all inside your head.
You think: 'Oh, if I just had that thing it would make me happy.'
So you work and you earn and you get that thing. And it makes you happy.
But then a strange thing happens. That happiness of having that thing you wanted so bad? It fades. You no longer desire that thing; because you already have it.
So you set your sights on something else. And you think if you just had that other thing THAT would make you happy.
You're caught in a loop, don't you see?
It is a loop of desire, acquisition, reward, and shifting desires.
It's all inside your head.
It's not really the things that are making you happy; it is the people you seek the approval of for getting those things. It's the love, the interaction with other people.
Love is the reason.
All the money and the things? That's all replaceable. The special times with special people? A shared experience? That's unique. That's what adds color to your life. That's what enriches your life.
Money is just money. There's nothing special about money. It's not about the money. Money is just what you use to get things.
Things are not the end-all be-all of life. It's who you share them with.
The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
People and love are more important for that than things or money.
Personal Ignore Policy PIP: I like civil discourse. I will give you all the respect in the world if you respect me. Mouth off to me, or express overt racism, you will be PERMANENTLY Ignore Listed. Zero tolerance. No exceptions. I'll never read a word you write, even if quoted by another, nor respond to you, nor participate in your threads. ... Ignore the shallow. Cherish the thoughtful. Long Live Civil Discourse, Mutual Respect, and Good Debate! ps: Feel free to adopt my PIP. It works well.
christiefan915 (08-18-2018), Controlled Opposition (08-18-2018), Life is Golden (08-18-2018), ThatOwlWoman (08-18-2018)
Some people are 'collectors', they like to 'acquire' stuff. Not everyone is like YOU purport to be. Some people are 'status seekers' (Manafort and his peacock jacket come to mind). Why does Jim Cramer still hawk his schtick on TV, he has enough money to go play golf and lay on a beach somewhere, he enjoys what he does, it's a 'game'. Making money is 'fun', especially if it doesn't require manual labor, you know, actual physical work. We're all on different levels of the 'economic totem pole'. Many at the bottom 'run' all their lives just to survive, it's a hand-to-mouth existence. Many at the top could easily live off their Bond income stream for the rest of their lives, why don't they? People in the middle are happily fed and devour the Madison Avenue line "Keep up with the Joneses". So, your view, is simply that ... YOUR view.
!. "No, I disagree. There is so much more to life than money. Money is definitely NOT the reason I get out of bed in the morning."
Jack: That's easy to say when you HAVE money. If you were broke, had a wife and 5 hungry kids, would you tell them your theory about 'Love' to quench their empty bellies?
Hello Jack,
It is true that some people enjoy growing their wealth. That is how they enjoy life. Ahh, but then sooner or later they have to do something else with their time because they get tired of doing the same thing all the time. And when they look to interacting with another human? They are seeking love.
Stephen Paddock had lots of money. It wasn't enough for him. He went crazy and decided that the thing to do was to mow down a field of concert-goers.
He had lots of money but he had no love. His life was meaningless. Money didn't make him happy.
Somebody who loves other people would never do such a thing.
Of course, if one has nothing, then the very basics such as food and shelter are the things sought. And getting those things will cause happiness. Happiness to be together with that family and enjoy the security of having those basic needs. That happiness will never fade as long as that togetherness lasts, as long as those basics are met. That is basic happiness. The acquisition of more things above that will produce more happiness but it becomes a cycle of reduced reward. The happiness of acquisition beyond the basic needs is fleeting. And that is why it is said that money doesn't equal happiness. It must come from within.
Personal Ignore Policy PIP: I like civil discourse. I will give you all the respect in the world if you respect me. Mouth off to me, or express overt racism, you will be PERMANENTLY Ignore Listed. Zero tolerance. No exceptions. I'll never read a word you write, even if quoted by another, nor respond to you, nor participate in your threads. ... Ignore the shallow. Cherish the thoughtful. Long Live Civil Discourse, Mutual Respect, and Good Debate! ps: Feel free to adopt my PIP. It works well.
Hey Pol,
I'll give you MY view. At the subsistence level, you're a squirrel in a squirrel cage, just running to stay in one spot.
As you accumulate MORE money and actually have 'disposable income' you get to make decisions on what to DO with that money. Maybe you invest it in Stocks, maybe you buy a house, maybe you look for Love in all the wrong places, maybe you go to France? So, just to make this somewhat brief, let's say you've added a few chapters to your 'Book of Life', ... you've gone to France, banged a few babes, found one that's accommodating, bought a house and invested in stocks.
Let's assume no setbacks as far as health problems, divorce, job loss. Hey ... you've arrived. Now what? Where do you set your Priorities NOW? Bigger House? Newer car? Pool for the kids? Vacation in France? Yes, yes, yes, ... love is in the air ... but what do YOU do with the cash that's accumulating under your bed?
PoliTalker: "But then a strange thing happens. That happiness of having that thing you wanted so bad? It fades. You no longer desire that thing; because you already have it. So you set your sights on something else. And you think if you just had that other thing THAT would make you happy. You're caught in a loop, don't you see?"
Jack: Yes. I agree with that. You HAVE a house, ... and then you want a BIGGER house. You HAVE a car, ... then you want a NEWER car. It's all about the MONEY.
You know, it's that age old question "How many Yachts do you need?"
... and the answer 'Depends on how many boat docks you have at your numerous estates".
Hello Jack,
Very interesting conversation. Thanks for your view.
But at some point one has to cease efforts to accumulate more wealth and actually enjoy what one has accumulated, if at least, temporarily. Otherwise, the worth of a life can simply be expressed as a number? As if life is nothing more than a contest to see who can accumulate the biggest number? That doesn't seem like much of a reason to strive. I actually feel sorry for those people who spend their whole life accumulating wealth, and they never stop to enjoy it.
What would be the point of having all those yachts and estates if one never took the time to go and enjoy them?
If the time spent accumulating the wealth exceeds the time spent enjoying it, then there comes a trade-off. The average human only lives for so many hours, so many days. If one has already accumulated enough wealth to have all needs met, then further attempts to accumulate more wealth come at the expense of time which could be spent enjoying what has already been accumulated.
How many times have you seen somebody reach the non-working self-sufficiency point (interest on accumulated wealth supports the lifestyle,) but they don't stop working. He gets to retirement age, She is looking forward to spending some time together, but he has second thoughts. He LIKES running the business and doesn't know what he would do with himself if he wasn't the honcho. Then he announces he is not going to retire, and she feels betrayed.
I've seen so many people spend their whole lives earning money, taking very little time for anything else, and then when they retire, they think they are going to buy a yacht or whatever and know what to do with it. But if somebody spent his whole lives messing with money, his knowledge of boats is dwarfed by somebody who spent his whole life messing about with boats. Experience is something which has to be earned. It can't be purchased. It's not like you could simply go into a store and say: "Hey. I want that great golfer experience package, there." Then they simply buy this thing and presto they are a scratch golfer. That's not going to happen.
The scratch golfer had to put in lots of time to accomplish that level. The scratch golfer didn't buy that. No amount of money can give someone the feeling of empowerment that scratch golfer enjoys. That is a happiness which has to be earned with the investment of time and dedication. Money is not the end-all be-all of life. Neither is conspicuous accumulation. Jimmy Carter was right. A man's character is not measured by what he owns. It is measured by what he does. Our society has become too obsessed with money and image. And along the way substance is lost.
Personal Ignore Policy PIP: I like civil discourse. I will give you all the respect in the world if you respect me. Mouth off to me, or express overt racism, you will be PERMANENTLY Ignore Listed. Zero tolerance. No exceptions. I'll never read a word you write, even if quoted by another, nor respond to you, nor participate in your threads. ... Ignore the shallow. Cherish the thoughtful. Long Live Civil Discourse, Mutual Respect, and Good Debate! ps: Feel free to adopt my PIP. It works well.
Jack (08-18-2018), Life is Golden (08-18-2018)
Hey Pol,
I'll give you two examples that I am personally acquainted with.
1. There's this Greek seaman, he's sailed all his life, never leaves the ship except to get a haircut and put money in the Bank. He seems driven to save money. He sleeps on the ship, he eats on the ship, never goes ashore when in Port. Now, what do you think this guy is going to do when his sailing days are over? My thoughts? ... he's going to be down at McDonalds stealing ketchup packets. He's going to die with lots of money in the Bank. All his life he's been a spendthrift, when he retires (even with a fortune in the Bank), he's still going to be a spendthrift.
2. Construction guy gets hurt on the job, after a lengthy time, there's a settlement, the guy hits the jack pot. He's about 30, married, has a kid, been a drone worker all his life. So what's he do? Buys a house (gets a 30 year mortgage), begins buying every fucking toy he lays his eye on, boat, 3-Wheeler, new car, jet ski, go-kart, etc.. Has lots of friends, a very popular guy. Three years later, ... he's broke, no friends, wife left him, lost the house and all the toys.
So, that is my view of how different people embrace life. One guy values the paper currency above anything else, the other guy values material possessions above anything else.
Do you think you could preach YOUR 'Love Message' to either of these guys? Why do that? Let them live their own life, let them choose their goal.
I have a 'third' person in mind, a better example of how to live a life. He's a Trust Fund baby. Not constrained by the tedious necessity of providing himself sustenance, he travels the world, experiencing Life.
He likes Indonesia, he likes the food, he likes the weather, he likes dressing in shorts and sandals, he likes the low cost of housing. He tells stories of South Africa and, unlike here where people will come up to you and produce a knife and say "Give me you money", there they just run up to you and stab you and take your money. Stories of India, different out of the way places.
Like the Trust Fund baby, you seem to have reached a point in life where you're not bound by 'Survival Constraints'. That's the ideal goal. At that point, you get to choose what you want to do with your Life.
Some Trust Fund babies volunteer, others join the work force even though they don't have too, some become creative and paint or write (or at least give it a try), some travel the world.
You could preach your 'Love Message' to those guys, but I doubt they would heed YOUR message over their OWN personal desire.
It's interesting the personal philosophy of each individual, we all like hearing about different outlooks. Probably it's not JUST about economic stage in life but about 'age'. I know when I was young, I could care less about money and just wanted to 'experience life'. As I got older my 'life experience folder' began to fill and I began to look more and more at my 'empty bank account folder'.
Always nice talking to you. PoliTalker.
Personal Ignore Policy PIP: I like civil discourse. I will give you all the respect in the world if you respect me. Mouth off to me, or express overt racism, you will be PERMANENTLY Ignore Listed. Zero tolerance. No exceptions. I'll never read a word you write, even if quoted by another, nor respond to you, nor participate in your threads. ... Ignore the shallow. Cherish the thoughtful. Long Live Civil Discourse, Mutual Respect, and Good Debate! ps: Feel free to adopt my PIP. It works well.
Jack (08-18-2018)
the right likes economic ditches
that is why they create them on purpose
the wealthy benefit from a boom and bust society
war is also good for business
so they dupe people into backing war and economic stupidity that creates a boom and bust society that the wealthy can benefit from
PoliTalker (08-19-2018), ThatOwlWoman (08-19-2018)
your party lied about the Iraq war
you lied to her and all of us asshole
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert...tor_of_the_FBI
The Senate unanimously confirmed Mueller as FBI director on August 2, 2001, voting 98–0 in favor of his appointment.[36] He had previously served as acting deputy attorney general of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) for several months before officially becoming the FBI director on September 4, 2001, just one week before the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.[7]
Mueller with President George Bush and Attorney General John Ashcroft, August 6, 2002
On February 11, 2003, one month before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, Mueller gave testimony to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Mueller informed the American public that "[s]even countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism—Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Cuba and North Korea—remain active in the United States and continue to support terrorist groups that have targeted Americans. As Director Tenet has pointed out, Secretary Powell presented evidence last week that Baghdad has failed to disarm its weapons of mass destruction, willfully attempting to evade and deceive the international community. Our particular concern is that Saddam Hussein may supply terrorists with biological, chemical or radiological material."[37][38] Highlighting this worry in February 2003, FBI Special Agent Coleen Rowley wrote an open letter to Mueller in which she warned her superior that "the bureau will [not] be able to stem the flood of terrorism that will likely head our way in the wake of an attack on Iraq"[39][40] and encouraged Mueller to "share [her concerns] with the President and Attorney General."[40]
ThatOwlWoman (08-19-2018)
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