Catkill23

Is there a group of people that depend on something other than people or things? It seems there are alot of individuals that rely on material things or beings. Seems like people want things. I would like to look into the group of people and see what they see.

Thanks

dreamstones

The next questions will focus on politics and religion I bet!

I've always been an observer or people my whole life and have worked in various jobs from blue to white collar and you have folks on extreme sides of the "material fence", as well as floating somewhere in the middle. It's hard to determine what causes the distinction. We come into this world with nothing and we're going to leave it with nothing, that is the way I look at it.

Pelican

I noticed you didn't post this question in the Alcoholism's Forum.

Why?

ElegantlyWasted

Not sure exactly where you're comming from.. As humans I believe we are communal creatures and rely on each other in mutually beneficial ways. Some people are introverted recluses who lead rich healthy inner lives, yet don't interact much with other people. Even for them they do need other people who people who produce goods and services to survive (for the most part). We thrive not in spite of our differences, but rather because we do have differences. Collectively societies have always place high value on some materialist things, fastest human, horse, car, plane, etc. We are inherently curious creatures that are wired to seek novelty whether it
a material possession or something created in our own minds. I think it's all about balance and growth for any individual, you don't have to be 'and shouldn't feel compelled to be anything you aren't.
Buddahism comes close, yet it also reflects the diversity of the human condition in that they produce nothing material, yet rely on others who who do for basic food and shelter. Commerce and communial behavior has to happen unless you buy a tent and eat roots for the rest of you life. I'm getting visions of Ted Kazinski....

sailorjohn

Buddhists.

cmc

I keep thinking of what the Beatles had to say:
"You can't buy me love."

dollydo

When I was a child I had nothing, my mother and I lived in the back of a store, had a 1/2 bath, no shower or tub. We slept on a hide a bed and ate there too, quite a situation. We then moved to a boarding house, had a shared bathroom, lots of weird guys there.
Then onto an apartment, we had our own bath, it was heaven.

So, eventually I moved on and built my own life. I strived to have a nice home, nice car, nice, nice everything. I achieved sucess, and lived that dream for many years. Then I got bored with whole deal, the big house, the fancy cars, and, I downsized. Went from a 4000 sq ft house to 850 sq ft, sold the cars and bought an SUV, which I still drive.

I went back to my roots, simple, affordable and peaceful, no keeping up with the Jones's,
no need to hob nob with the Jones's. Best decision I ever made, I am happy!

ElegantlyWasted

Dolly really hit on something for me and it applies to the first post of this thread as well. All decent sudies of happiness in every country of the world tell the same story. Once we have the basics (food, a free relatively democratic government that ensures personal freedom, and decent income) our level of happiness) flatlines. There is a diminishing return on happiness for each unit of wealth accumulated when you start getting over about $ 50 here in the states (obviously adjust for cola, I could barely survive in NYC on that though I would love to live there). When people make there existence soly about the accumulation of material things it shuts down other important aspects of human potential and growth. Ideally wealth/money should be the byproduct of some thing else a HP if you will, something that genuinely reaRs us on a level deeper than using money to keep score against the Jonez next door (who for all we know did something stupid and took out a 3rd mortgage to get that shiney new Lexus). Accumulation of excess wealth can be a very addictive drug in itself. Having worked in finance for the last two economic cycles, I've seen brokers, traders and Deal makers literally get high from closing that last deal which gives them a check. Party afterwards with booz and we have a social conditioning mechanism that explains the reality of economic/financial bubbles to a T and is also a factory for creating meglomaniac addicts. So in conclusion, we get out of everything what we put into it; a little self reflection on what we really need as opposed to what we think we want can go a long way to giving meaning and purpose to someone who is predisposed to addiction. Off to close another deal... Balance baby, balance.