Eviction moratorium ends

[Cypress]

I do agree that Trump has awful taste in interior design and décor, but who am I to judge?

I can afford a good micro brew beer whenever I want it, or buy a new vehicle occasionally (I tend to keep mine and drive them into the ground while flogging them hard for their entire service life). In fact, my current pick up is coming up on 10 years and 100,000 miles now and my mechanic tells me the V-6 model like I have has a water pump that goes at about 120,000 and costs a couple of thousand to replace due to it being an internal design (I hate those). Anyway, I think it's better to plunk down $25,000 to $30,000 on a new one that runs for another 10+ years rather than put more money into the one I have. But I have at least another year on it. My other, older (22 years--it's old enough to buy a beer!) with over 250,000 miles is a keeper. That one is simple to work on, and runs great.
Anyway, I think this sums things up nicely:



It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you got...

I read that Warren Buffet lives in a modest house in Omaha and drives a mid range sedan.

I was always surprised at how many self-professed multi-millionaires with three vacation homes jpp.com was supposedly able to attract. Confessions of modesty and frugality were seemingly always scant.


Trump's brand of ostentatious display is a character flaw in my book, but any form of attachment to inordinately expensive material possession strikes me as a form of weakness. And I believe authentic Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian doctrine are on the same page here.

[Doc Dutch]

I read that Warren Buffet lives in a modest house in Omaha and drives a mid range sedan.

I was always surprised at how many self-professed multi-millionaires with three vacation homes jpp.com was supposedly able to attract. Confessions of modesty and frugality were seemingly always scant.


Trump's brand of ostentatious display is a character flaw in my book, but any form of attachment to inordinately expensive material possession strikes me as a form of weakness. And I believe authentic Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian doctrine are on the same page here.

Agreed on character flaw and weakness. Since everything physical is impermanent, then any attachment to physical things is doomed to failure.

Trump worships money which is why it was no surprise that he appointed a blasphemous "Prosperity Christian" as his spiritual leader. Their choice, but I think it limits growth of their soul.

[Cypress]

Agreed on character flaw and weakness. Since everything physical is impermanent, then any attachment to physical things is doomed to failure.

Trump worships money which is why it was no surprise that he appointed a blasphemous "Prosperity Christian" as his spiritual leader. Their choice, but I think it limits growth of their soul.

[Doc Dutch]

Amish

Getting a 75k Tesla is excessive materialism

By the way u dont "need" a computer of smart phone, so stop using them

There is nothing I wrote which even remotely implies anyone has to live like the Amish.

I keep it simple, that is my choice.

I drive an 18 year old car even though I could afford a new one. I do not own a PC or fancy laptop, my tablet cost me 40 dollars, I had an old fashioned flip up phone until 18 months ago when I received an 80 dollar android as a present.

I don't have cable TV, a fancy sound system, 800 dollar golf clubs.

I have a canoe and kayak rather than a power boat or jet ski.

My guitar is a cheap Mexican knock off copy of a Fender stratocaster, and I don't buy designer beer..

Most of my books and video content comes from the public library

I have a half way decent TV and I occasionally indulge in premium vodka. I spend significant sums on travel and education

Moral of the story: I do not have golden toilets, gold-plated penthouses, and this does not appeal to me in the least:

Obviously the Trumpers think materialistic displays of wealth prove they are good, successful people. Like you, I disagree on ostentatious displays of wealth.

My wife and I happily live within our means but have the cash to do whatever we like such as travel.

I liked your post about how Warren Buffet lives. Enjoy life for itself and not trying to impress others with materialistic displays of wealth.

[Cypress]

Obviously the Trumpers think materialistic displays of wealth prove they are good, successful people. Like you, I disagree on ostentatious displays of wealth.

My wife and I happily live within our means but have the cash to do whatever we like such as travel.

I liked your post about how Warren Buffet lives. Enjoy life for itself and not trying to impress others with materialistic displays of wealth.

I have never heard a credible explanation for the need to impress strangers with ostentatious display of material possessions.

I had a friend who used to work at a car rental at the local airport. Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam came through, and he rented the cheapest little economy car they had.

[Doc Dutch]

I have never heard a credible explanation for the need to impress strangers with ostentatious display of material possessions.

I had a friend who used to work at a car rental at the local airport. Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam came through, and he rented the cheapest little economy car they had.

A credible Christian explanation doesn’t exist IMO. Sociologically, it’s displayed as status within their monkey troop.

There’s obvious social reasons along those lines why people do it, but there’s genetic evidence that a person’s perceived status can turn on/off genes affecting their health. At a guess, from an evolutionary POV, that’s good. The higher status indicates higher intelligence and/or strength. Healthier monkeys means a healthier level of reproductions. The species benefits by smarter, stronger monkeys.

At some level, people must be affected by this same phenomenon too since the rules of evolution are the same.

The problem, IMO, is that mankind continually strives to dominate his territory to the point the territory is damaged and ceases to function optimally. One example is that stupid people often remove themselves from the gene pool but if society protects stupid people, too many for too long, would an Idiocracy be mankind’s fate until it all falls apart and begins anew?

https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0409164428.htm

Changes in monkeys' social status affect their genes

A female's social status affects how her genes turn on and off, and those who rank higher tend to be healthier -- so long as their social status doesn't decline, according to a study of rhesus macaques published in the April 9 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[T. A. Gardner]

Agreed on character flaw and weakness. Since everything physical is impermanent, then any attachment to physical things is doomed to failure.

Trump worships money which is why it was no surprise that he appointed a blasphemous "Prosperity Christian" as his spiritual leader. Their choice, but I think it limits growth of their soul.

That's why I think it's important to make and do things that will last beyond your own lifetime. It's a way of giving something a bit more permanent to the world, even if it's only in small ways.

[Cypress]

A credible Christian explanation doesn’t exist IMO. Sociologically, it’s displayed as status within their monkey troop.

There’s obvious social reasons along those lines why people do it, but there’s genetic evidence that a person’s perceived status can turn on/off genes affecting their health. At a guess, from an evolutionary POV, that’s good. The higher status indicates higher intelligence and/or strength. Healthier monkeys means a healthier level of reproductions. The species benefits by smarter, stronger monkeys.

At some level, people must be affected by this same phenomenon too since the rules of evolution are the same.

The problem, IMO, is that mankind continually strives to dominate his territory to the point the territory is damaged and ceases to function optimally. One example is that stupid people often remove themselves from the gene pool but if society protects stupid people, too many for too long, would an Idiocracy be mankind’s fate until it all falls apart and begins anew?

https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0409164428.htm

Changes in monkeys' social status affect their genes

A female's social status affects how her genes turn on and off, and those who rank higher tend to be healthier -- so long as their social status doesn't decline, according to a study of rhesus macaques published in the April 9 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A remote connection between evolutionary biology and the drive to display luxury yachts and gold-plated penthouses seems possibly plausible.

On the flipside, I thought that as modern, ethical human beings capable of introspection and reflection, we would be in a position to move beyond the law of the jungle.

As for me personally, if I was worth billions of dollars, I really would not want strangers knowing about it. I would prefer to be off the radar.

[Doc Dutch]

That's why I think it's important to make and do things that will last beyond your own lifetime. It's a way of giving something a bit more permanent to the world, even if it's only in small ways.

Such as? While I think it’s important to leave a mark, leaving a physical mark is not in my goals.

I never had children by choice. After living the results of a dependent child seeing his father go to war for two 1-year tours, I consciously made the decision to avoid putting my own kid through that experience*. My wife asked me if I regretted it and mentioned about the joy of raising a child, leaving something behind. I said “No. I have over 2500 flight students in the Coast Guard, Marines and Navy who are carrying a part of me out there.” Later, it became airline First Officers.

Everyone impacts the lives of everyone they meet. Some good, some bad. I try to be good even though not all agree with my methods.


*only dated women who couldn’t have children. I was retired military when I met my wife.

[T. A. Gardner]

Such as? While I think it’s important to leave a mark, leaving a physical mark is not in my goals.

I never had children by choice. After living the results of a dependent child seeing his father go to war for two 1-year tours, I consciously made the decision to avoid putting my own kid through that experience*. My wife asked me if I regretted it and mentioned about the joy of raising a child, leaving something behind. I said “No. I have over 2500 flight students in the Coast Guard, Marines and Navy who are carrying a part of me out there.” Later, it became airline First Officers.
Everyone impacts the lives of everyone they meet. Some good, some bad. I try to be good even though not all agree with my methods.
*only dated women who couldn’t have children. I was retired military when I met my wife.

Progeny is one way, but you can do it in others. Those who wrote books and literature did it through their contributions. Those who build buildings and other construction do it in that way too. There are many ways to leave something that lasts beyond yourself. I think that's how viable and vibrant societies grow.

[Micawber]

Two sides to this issue in deep conflict. Absolute necessity for business pragmatism versus extremely serious humanitarian issues.


At some point we cannot provide free housing for the same reason we cannot stay in Afghanistan in perpetuity.

[Doc Dutch]

A remote connection between evolutionary biology and the drive to display luxury yachts and gold-plated penthouses seems possibly plausible.

On the flipside, I thought that as modern, ethical human beings capable of introspection and reflection, we would be in a position to move beyond the law of the jungle.

As for me personally, if I was worth billions of dollars, I really would not want strangers knowing about it. I would prefer to be off the radar.

Many people older and wiser than me have commented about the “thin veneer of civilization” on the Naked Ape*.

As this link points out, MS-DOS came out in 1983. When Windows came out it was just layered on top of MS-DOS. This continued until Windows Me.

Human beings are the same way. We see the evolution, the layering, in the development of a fetus. Maybe in the future, by turning on and off genes, guys can keep the gills and lose the nipples. LOL


*Desmond Morris.

[Doc Dutch]

Two sides to this issue in deep conflict. Absolute necessity for business pragmatism versus extremely serious humanitarian issues.


At some point we cannot provide free housing for the same reason we cannot stay in Afghanistan in perpetuity.

I’m a major proponent of the “better to teach a man to fish” ideology. Teach them so they can work and then they can buy their own houses.

[Doc Dutch]

Progeny is one way, but you can do it in others. Those who wrote books and literature did it through their contributions. Those who build buildings and other construction do it in that way too. There are many ways to leave something that lasts beyond yourself. I think that's how viable and vibrant societies grow.

Agreed on books and literature. It’s a way to learn from someone long gone or translated from a different culture.

Passing knowledge onto others, IMO, is both far better and longer lasting than a concrete structure.

Anonymous Greek Proverb — 'Society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.’

[Diesel]

I have never heard a credible explanation for the need to impress strangers with ostentatious display of material possessions.

I had a friend who used to work at a car rental at the local airport. Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam came through, and he rented the cheapest little economy car they had.

It's a really strange form of insecurity, I think. I have some friends who get their skin faded every seven days. They plan for their haircuts like they plan for work. They wear $200 sneakers ten times or so, carefully scrubbing them for thirty minutes or more after every wear, until they get a scuff they can't remove and throw the shoes away. I know someone who is delinquent on his mortgage but bought a Porsche two weeks ago. I might not be the most situationally aware person in the world, but even when I notice a stranger who is dressed in expensive clothes, wearing expensive cologne/perfume, wearing expensive jewelry, parking their six figure car, I can't say that I'm impressed. Luxury is one thing, but ostentatiousness is rather repulsive to me.