Materialism

[Gyakuto]

I thought this video by philosopher, Alain de Bouton was very interesting and diametrically opposite Frank Zappa’s statement that “…people like stuff” Essentially, de Bouton suggests that we are pushed into accumulating money and hence material things. If we are unable to become a millionaire and associated material stuff, be feel like failures when in fact we should be content with our ordinariness and that will make us happy. What do you think?

 

[Fungus]

If we are unable to become a millionaire and associated material stuff, be feel like failures

I think there is certainly something pathological about in this.

If one sees only on material richness as success, I wonder if the flip side is a very pover intellectual or philosophical view of the world.

 

[Gyakuto]

I think what de Boutin was talking about was materialism mixed with ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. The people he’s pointing at in particular are those who wouldn’t particularly desire a Bugatti Veyron unless there were others around to exclaim ‘Wow! [I envy you]’.

 

[Fungus]

I think what de Boutin was talking about was materialism mixed with ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. The people he’s pointing at in particular are those who wouldn’t particularly desire a Bugatti Veyron unless there were others around to exclaim ‘Wow! [I envy you]’.

Sounds like a question of where you have your self confidence rooted. If it's all supported by your social environment, and you live in a material world, then that's what you get.

Then I think you have see two problems there.
- Your live in a unhealthy social environment
- You are too dependent on others

To change the environment and culture is more a political issue I think, but to change yourself is probably what to focus on. If you feel you are nothing but how other people define you, then that's the disease I referred to.

Another disease is that of culture. But if we all try to change ourselves, then in 100 years maybe culture will change too.

If his point was that the toxic environment creates the second disease, then maybe... but I think it's only if we allow it to happen.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I have never aspired to riches or greatness. I wanted to earn enough money to take care of myself and my family and to be able to do things I like to do. I'm not rich and I'm not great. Some would even say I'm not even successful, but it depends upon whose yardstick I am measured against. I'm not in the 1%, but... I drive an old car (1994), I live in a modest house (1200 square feet) in a working-class surburban neighborhood. I don't save a lot of money, but I'm doing my best here at the end of my working time to have enough to be comfortable in whatever time I have left.

I did what I wanted for the most part. Most of it incomprehensible to coworkers or managers or relatives. They don't understand why I prefer cheeseburgers to steak or why I tinker with old electronics and vacuum tubes and old cars and motorcycles and karate and gardening and photography.

I've never cared. Somehow I am missing that gene that needs approval by others. I do have 'stuff' in abundance, but it's stuff I wanted, and most of it's cheap and not worth a great deal. It wasn't to impress anyone.

As to what I do, I'm a Linux engineer. It's something I lucked into because it was a hobby before I became employed to do it, I find it interesting, and I'm really very good at it. I'm a clever little monkey at solving problems others can't, and it gives me great satisfaction.

I am very nearly self-contained. Approve of me or not, it's the same to me; in fact, I have spent most of my life not fitting in and not caring much about that. As it happens, I have a lot of people who like me, and I like them. Believe me, it's not because I'm such an impressive figure or make so much money or have so many connections to the rich and powerful. Must be my winning smile and charming personality. Heh.

 

[HighKick]

Read a Bible lately? This is not new news.

 

[Gyakuto]

Read a Bible lately? This is not new news.