|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 10/31/2009
Posts: 3,742
Points: 7,777
Location: here and there
|
26letters wrote:
'Further to km - although I'm sure I will never be as wise as you'
This sentence was uncalled for. I did not engage you in any way did I? But yes, I found it rather odd that Biblical scriptures would be used here. It is a shame that we have to discuss whether the people dying on the streets of hunger and lack of basic amenities are happy. It is a GIVEN that any human being or perhaps any living thing, when in a situation of which he cannot get out, will try to accustom himself and find happiness. But that is a kind of pseudo happiness. The very basic requirements of life are shelter, food and medicines. If one doesn't have all that in even the scantiest amounts, then life is not even worth living. Because there is nothing to sustain life with the absence of sustenance. Which is why I had said that up to a certain extent, money = happiness. Beyond that, yes, it all becomes a case of jealousy and comparison. A 50,000 bucks earning fella may feel jealous of one earning a few more zeroes after the 5. But that person CAN be happy because he has at least a little more beyond the basic sustenance. To give him that luxury of enjoying life.
And the reason why I object to biblical scriptures is that this is a business and finance section. Here, we should discuss everything using statistical observations, data like figures, tables, piecharts, bar diagrams or other statistical measures like correlation, dispersion or central tendencies. Mine was based on simple (sample) observations only. Also the observations need to be up do date, not outdated and extinct. Biblical scriptures are of no use in the present context, since they are extremely old and poverty and richness and their repercussions and causes have become more diverse and complicated than ever. So, however 'wise' the men in biblical references may have been, their observations throw little light on the present scenario.
(this is to both you and the other person who first made the scriptural reference. This is obviously my opinion, others may and will differ, but to each his own as they say).
Gotcha, bud, again
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 10/15/2009
Posts: 1,570
Points: 4,778
Location: United States
|
26letters, you are definitely smart, so don't sell yourself short. It is clear to me that you have strong analytical skills, and I do agree with your interpretations of the scripture you have quoted.
Your repost has some good arguments in it, and I never said that the Bible was worthless, by the way. There are a whole bunch of valuable lessons and morals to be learned inside it (as I said in my previous post). I don't really have a good way to describe it, but I guess my distaste for quoting things as an argument is that it feels like when a person quotes anything as their argument, they are being lazy and not thinking for themselves (this obviously does not apply to everyone who quotes scripture). And the more I think about it, if you had slipped a line or two of scripture in at your parentheses saying "these lines/adages come to mind" I actually wouldn't have minded at all. I think the thing that tends to be off-putting about Biblical scripture is that a lot of people that use it tend to preach it to people (as that is how it is oftentimes delivered to them in church, albeit I stopped going around the time I was 10). Getting preached/lectured at about something you don't care about can be very off-putting, but simply mentioning a line that is relevant to an idea you have within the conversation is not a bad thing. The thing I like to see on forums are people thinking for themselves (and we all obviously have our influences which have shaped our outlook, morals, etc.), but if you are only using other people's words, it doesn't let your own self shine through. I think that's the best way I can put it.
KM, money never equates to happiness. Having the bare essentials may prevent someone from being miserable or stressed out, but that alone will never make someone happy. Being filthy rich will not make someone truly happy, either. Happiness comes from fulfillment in very different areas of one's life, and money can never give you that, it can only remove obstacles to finding happiness.
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 10/31/2009
Posts: 3,742
Points: 7,777
Location: here and there
|
nooblet wrote:
KM, money never equates to happiness. Having the bare essentials may prevent someone from being miserable or stressed out, but that alone will never make someone happy. Being filthy rich will not make someone truly happy, either. Happiness comes from fulfillment in very different areas of one's life, and money can never give you that, it can only remove obstacles to finding happiness.
Well, by equating what I meant is that without a certain amount of money, you CANNOT be happy. I wasn't (or trying to) implying that with money, happiness will come. However, there are different kinds of happiness. The basic joy or happiness for being alive all the time WILL come when one has a little more than the basic amenities. I am sorry I strongly disagree with you if you disagree with this. Life starts becoming life as we know it, after you have a certain extent of basic amenities. As for analytical skills, I wonder what is the right measuring yardstick for it. Some people are self-proclaimed analysts/intelligent people, while others may tend to think of them as otherwise.
Gotcha, bud, again
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 5/25/2009
Posts: 680
Points: 2,050
Location: Your keyboard. (USA)
|
Thank you nooblet for the encouragement - I will try to incorporate your suggestions. I know you have an open mind.
km, you could have let me savor the joy of a small bit of commendation, before reminding me that I'm the stupid person that I always felt like I was. I don't usually allow myself to believe a compliment anyway - knowing that I will surely be cut down shortly. Sure enough. Oh well.
Anyway, I'm sorry I made that comment that was uncalled for. Would you like me to edit it out?
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 10/31/2009
Posts: 3,742
Points: 7,777
Location: here and there
|
26letters, I am weak in English and I am very bad with sarcasms and rhetoric. But yours is oozing out, so I guess I will just have to back off for the moment.
Gotcha, bud, again
|
|
Rank: Newbie
Joined: 6/7/2010
Posts: 4
Points: 12
Location: Greece
|
iciek wrote:Happiness just as any other state of mind is a matter of choice and has nothing to do with the physical. It is pure perception which has it's roots in the imagination. Yes sure but imagination can not give you food when you are hungry, neither medicines when you are ill, or maybe education-when you have the brains but still can not go to a university. I really believe that when someone experiences a problem like 'poverty' he/she finds himself dealing with problems that appear every single day and trust me this is not something easy to do. We got used to observe problems while being from outside and we think that this makes us legitimate to judge a situation. Well this is not the case!I can admit though that i am one of the people that observe without really doing anything. This is not what i should or other people with some (even limited) power should do.
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 10/31/2009
Posts: 3,742
Points: 7,777
Location: here and there
|
That's a very balanced post, Xanthippe. Well put.
Gotcha, bud, again
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 4/10/2010
Posts: 800
Points: 2,211
Location: American
|
26letters:  I thoroughly enjoyed your posts. You quoted the Bible to support your beliefs in a very calm and intelligent way.
I am careful about the Bible because I don't trust that man has not "spinned" the writings for his own benefit along the way. Even so, I find so much truth about human behavior in the Bible which I find fascinating. You are just as entitled to your opinion as any one else, and should be able to express it without being bullied in response. Truth is truth, regardless of whether its appearance is in the Bible, the Torah, the Qur'an, etc. Or someone's personal musing.
The fatal pedagogical error is to throw answers, like stones, at the heads of those who have not yet asked the questions. – Paul Tillich
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 4/10/2010
Posts: 800
Points: 2,211
Location: American
|
Found this article in my "save" folder from 2006:
http://www.livescience.com/health/060227_happiness_keys.html
The fatal pedagogical error is to throw answers, like stones, at the heads of those who have not yet asked the questions. – Paul Tillich
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 5/25/2009
Posts: 680
Points: 2,050
Location: Your keyboard. (USA)
|
Cat Posted: Monday, June 28, 2010 12:53:01 PM
26letters: I thoroughly enjoyed your posts. You quoted the Bible to support your beliefs in a very calm and intelligent way.
I am careful about the Bible because I don't trust that man has not "spinned" the writings for his own benefit along the way. Even so, I find so much truth about human behavior in the Bible which I find fascinating. You are just as entitled to your opinion as any one else, and should be able to express it without being bullied in response. Truth is truth, regardless of whether its appearance is in the Bible, the Torah, the Qur'an, etc. Or someone's personal musing.
26letters writes: Thank you Cat, for your support. I can understand your apprehension. It's best to be sure that what one is putting faith and hope in, is worthy of it. I look forward to reading the article that you posted. :)
|
|
Rank: Member
Joined: 6/7/2010
Posts: 30
Points: 95
Location: United States
|
Does money buy happiness ?
NO, but it makes life easier.
Playsure
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 12/29/2009
Posts: 4,005
Points: 12,261
Location: India
|
I jusr read this story and fount it apt for this thread. So I am shairng this story with you all. The 99 CLUB Once upon a time, there lived a King who, despite his luxurious lifestyle, was neither happy nor content. One day, the King came upon a servant who was singing happily while he worked. This fascinated the King; why was he, the Supreme Ruler of the Land, unhappy and gloomy, while a lowly servant had so much joy. The King asked the servant, "Why are you so happy?" The man replied, "Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but my family and I don't need too much - just a roof over our heads and warm food to fill our tummies." The king was not satisfied with that reply. Later in the day, he sought the advice of his most trusted advisor. After hearing the King's woes and the servant's story, the advisor said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the servant has not been made part of The 99 Club." "The 99 Club? And what exactly is that?" the King inquired. The advisor replied, "Your Majesty, to truly know what The 99 Club is, place 99 Gold coins in a bag and leave it at this servant's doorstep." When the servant saw the bag, he took it into his house. When he opened the bag, he let out a great shout of joy... so many gold coins! He began to count them. After several counts, he was at last convinced that there were 99 coins. He wondered, "What could've happened to that last gold coin? Surely, no one would leave 99 coins!" He looked everywhere he could, but that final coin was elusive. Finally, exhausted, he decided that he was going to have to work harder than ever to earn that gold coin and complete his collection. From that day, the servant's life was changed. He was overworked, horribly grumpy, and castigated his family for not helping him make that 100th gold coin. He stopped singing while he worked. Witnessing this drastic transformation, the King was puzzled. When he sought his advisor's help, the advisor said, "Your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined The 99 Club." He continued, "The 99 Club is a name given to those people who have enough to be happy but are never contented, because they're always yearning and striving for that extra 1 telling to themselves: "Let me get that one final thing and then I will be happy for life." We can be happy, even with very little in our lives, but the minute we're given something bigger and better, we want even more! We lose our sleep, our happiness, we hurt the people around us; all these as a price for our growing needs and desires. That's what joining The 99 Club is all about."
We are responsible for what we are, and whatever we wish ourselves to be, we have the power to make ourselves. ~ Swami Vivekanand
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 3/19/2010
Posts: 64
Points: 146
Location: Philippines
|
nice story..in this story you will see people dont have contentment on what they have..yet still money can't buy happiness.. thanks for the great story..
If I die, I forgive you, if I recover, we shall see
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 8/7/2010
Posts: 44
Points: 135
Location: Singapore
|
Whether money can bring happiness or not really depending on the financial status of individuals. Let me give an example: If you have a lot of money but contracted a incurable disease which money can not bring back your health - we may then say money doesn't bring happiness. However, if another contracted a serious but curable disease and have no money to go for treatment - his happiness really depends on money and we may then conclude that money brings happiness. So, it is a matter of needs. When one's need is met, money becomes diminishing return in value.
Others may be greedy for money for which he or she will not likely be satisfied with all the money possessed. Thus money issue is very subjective and really no point to debate about it as there will never be a verdict to that end.
Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it." -- Mahatma Gandhi
|
|
|
Guest |