Greed is never happy unless it's consuming, and that kind of happiness is not only false as it's caused by outside influences instead of internal, but is detrimental to the well being of others.
These Socialists suck!..........
- Thread starter Zizkov
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Yeah, your argument had no merit. It's best that you avoid it.
You are probably better served jumping on the spaghetti monster idiocy.
Whatever, I live in German town, which is full of Lutherans...
"Idle hands are the devil's workshop" .. is often repeated.
Greed is not happy period.
In your paradigm, I could imagine it would be happy hoarding ... not consuming. Greed wants more. When it starts consuming, it depises the loss and can't enjoy it since it lusts to replenish (and increase). But if it were only hoarding, it could not be happy while watching others consume while it cannot.
Therefore, it can never be happy.
Greed is just an intense desire for something--usually money or power, but not always (intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food). By that definition, an intense selfish desire for happiness is, in fact, greed.
Edit: I guess "something" should probably be read as "something tangible". In that sense, the pursuit of happiness could not constitute greed.
I look at it this way, there are activities that I like to engage in. Some of those activities require money. I can either change my passions, which would require me to reform my definition of the activities which make me happy, to something which doesn't cost money; or I can earn enough money to pursue those activities. Now, I have to balance the manner in which I earn the money against the happiness derived from those activities that I like to pursue. I happen to like my job most days, which lends to my overall happiness. Therefore, I obtain happiness by earning money and happiness by pursuing my interests. So long as I keep that balance, and maintain a great relationship with my spouse and children (some of my pursuits are also those of my children), I like to think I'm truly happy.
Your argument seems to be that if my pursuits of happiness didn't require money, I could work less and would be even happier. You also seem to suggest my pursuits don't bring me real happiness because they cost money. I think that is short-sighted and challenge that thought (unless I'm completely misreading it).
Taste me, you will see
More is all you need
You're dedicated to
How I'm killing you
Love me some Metallica.
Take the money out of the equation. Completely. Some people can't make themselves happy without outside influence, this is why there's greed, sex addicts, shopping addicts, drunks, religious freaks and drug addicts. They're looking for happiness from exterior influence, when it's just another base emotion and internal.
Plus, that type of happiness is fleeting. As soon as the money is gone, or the drugs, or the beer, or the sex, the happiness is too. Better to control it like one does any other emotion. True happiness needs nothing to make it happen. It's important to all of us to be happy, but most don't know how. They seek it at the bottom of a bottle, or a bong, or between someone's legs, or in a bank account, when, it's nothing more than a choice. Sometimes a hard choice but nonetheless a choice.
So, by those terms, if you are truly happy, are you truly happy all the time? You can always choose to be happy regardless of the circumstances?
Why can there never be a discussion?
If I am wrong, make a fool of me for all to see.
I can take it. If I have posted something inaccurate or foolish, let all see.
I enjoy a good debate and have learned a lot as a result, but all I here is they are lazy, four legs good, two legs bad.
There is no perfect system. I like one that benefits the most, without restricting the greedy.
No that's not it. The point is that we constantly chest thump about how great we are, "American Exceptionalism" and it's just not that true anymore. We are still probably the best country in the world, and it's only because we have more resource and money but we have many, many faults that calling anything we do exceptional, (except the stock pile of weapons we have made in fear and to expand our corporate interests) is ridiculous. And then considering that we have all that resource and we squander it mostly for corporate profit and other superficial and greedy endeavors, and will do whatever it takes including invading sovereign nations under the pretense of freedom, makes us the utter douchebags of the world.
Our schooling sucks. It's fallen behind to many euro nations. Our employment obligations border on medieval, while the euros are as concerned about their people (especially children) as their profit, because they realize that the people cause the profit. We waste everything. Everything.
Tell me that you would mind a 70% work schedule and four to six weeks of vacation that no one gets upset about if you take it? Do you know how much more life I could live if I only had to work 28 hours a week? And, that is all I would work. I don't need the money, I have more than enough. I really don't care that much about material things, never have. I have everything I need and most of what I need is free.
Never wanted fame, never wanted riches. I'd much rather do things I love to do around the people I love. I hate work, to me it's just another evil necessity. But, I am happy, very, happiest I've ever been in life, mostly because I became wise enough in my years to choose to be and I have a partner who understands that and doesn't get in the way. Life is too short to always want, sometimes it's just good to sit back and enjoy what I have. Which is daily.
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Do you ever get angry? Do you ever control that anger and make it stop? All you're doing is making choices.. with or against the chemicals being released. When you feel threatened, and the adrenaline hits you, you choose to let it and become angry, or use reasoning to control that anger because it's stupid and a waste of time and then literally chose to no longer be angry.
Happiness is an emotion, it can be controlled like any other emotion but most don't think it's internal, nor do they have the will to control it. They believe "things" make people happy especially money or power. I've never wanted either. Too much hassle. Citing the examples you guys have given "buying dead tickets" to "pursue" happiness. It doesn't need to be pursued. It's just needs to be chosen, regardless of circumstance. And, no it's not always easy, just as controlling anger is not always easy.
btw - this is fundamental and core concept of Buddhism. Proper thought.
Side note, before I get to my query - I seem to recall a post you made when you still lived in 'murica that you needed a damn vacation, but didn't know when you could take one. Funny remembering that now, when you seemingly are on a permanent vacation....
To the question - I am a liberal sumbitch, and think that higher pay and less work with more time off sounds great. But - how do they pay for it? I'm too lazy to look it up - do they have a value-added tax, where everything they buy has an added tax at every step of production of that good or service?
Productivity increases if your employees like their job. And, it's far easier to like a job when it's only 32 hours and you get a month or more of actual, stress free, vacation. I've been called at least four times a day this week. Not much of a vacation if I have to f'king do my job by phone. and, they act like I'm somehow screwing them over by taking it. If I don't answer my phone, then I'll get treated like shit when I go back, or better said, I will be treated even shittier.
No, that's not the answer, because the premise of the reduced work week and more free time scenario is that the worker produces the same amount, just under different circumstances.
So, something like 60 hour work weeks x 40% productivity = 40 hour work weeks x 60% productivity. That's simplistic, and just to illustrate what I'm saying, which is that the total output is the same per worker.
My real question is how do the European Union member countries afford to have the programs that Ziz and the article mentioned? Under my assumption of economic productivity - the EU country workers aren't producing in total more than 'merican workers. But, they get 14 weeks of maternity leave (I like that) and two pension funds (I like that too) and free health care (I like that, too). I'm just suggesting then that the difference is something else, and I want to know what that is.
My guess is that they pay value added taxes on what they buy, but, again, I'm too lazy to look it up. Oh, and they probably have a health care system that makes sense. Someone else mentioned the defense budget, and I think there's merit to that argument - what percentage of 'murican GDP is taken up by defense spending? Just think if even half of that was available for social programs and entitlements, like taking care of our citizenry....and in Zizkovville they aren't paying that, nor are the Swiss, because they don't have too - 'murica picks up that tab.
My latest favorite corporate America trick: instead of limiting the year's vacation time to 2 weeks in the year, the new vibe is now to give the employee "unlimited" vacation time. Meaning, go ahead. Help yourself. We know you won't actually take any vacation time, because that won't play well with your year end review, and because none of your other colleagues you are competing with are taking any vacation time. everyone is too scared to take any vacation time. It's too risky! Won't play well with the bosses and the higher ups. But help yourself to whatever time off you want. Totally bullllshit.
Freedom aids aren't cheap ya know.. even though they're completely useless in the current extreme.
Another reason it's good to be the boss (or one of eleven bosses). I have goals but not set hours. I can come and go as I please, can work from home if I want and work odd hours. My team, which consists of two new mothers, and two more experienced women, have the same freedom. My paralegal only comes to the office one day a week. Both my associates regularly take Fridays off. Millennials demand flexibility.
the only remaining question is
what do you not think you know rabbit man?
well, maybe there is another question or 2 but they are insignificant
Aw, are you offended because you lost the genetic lottery? It's not completely your fault, but mostly your parents. Here's the ticket. Eat more fatty food, drink more beer and for god sake don't get up off the couch and actually experience life, you might miss your favorite TV show.
So agree. I would love for kids at a fairly early age to be able to go on affordable trips to other countries. Partly to see all the great history and culture and partly to do some type of charity work on disadvantaged areas.
*Stands up, begins the slow clap, encourages everyone else to join*
Beautiful man.....just beautiful....
The US spends 3.5% of GDP on defense, an amount that is pretty steady over the post war era. That spending subsidizes the defense budgets of a lot of the rest of the world. It also creates a security umbrella which provides enormous influence politically and economically worldwide.
A lot of talk about guaranteed benefits in Europe. Not much talk about the very stubborn and challenging unemployment rates, particularly among younger people. Everything has trade offs, no free lunch just because a govt dictates.
A lot of talk about guaranteed benefits in Europe. Not much talk about the very stubborn and challenging unemployment rates, particularly among younger people. Everything has trade offs, no free lunch just because a govt dictates.
I didn't say there couldn't be discussion.
My sole point was to highlight that you support the Beast.
1. An easy to read post showing Ziz's full support of Europe.
2. An easy to read post stating Europe is the Beast.
Any more detail and I'd lose these idiots.
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Now then, do I support less work and the rich paying their share for living in a country that affords them that life-style? fYeah!
The poor can be poor anywhere. If you wanna be rich and live the life with all the amenities that America provides, you have to pay more than the poor guy.
Self employment is probably the best way to go. I envy you that you don't have to put up with corporate idiocy.
I'm one bad CT scan away from knowing it's almost over... but I'm extremely happy. It is absolutely a choice.
Man, keep your faith (whatever it is) and keep fighting.
You probably know this better than all of us.
I'm right there with you scribe. I was diagnosed with liver cancer in February and was just added to the transplant list last Monday. I have always been a happy person and I refuse to let this get me down either, that isn't to say I wasn't sad when I found out my prognosis, I just made the decision to stay positive and live my remaining days happy like I always have.
Keep up the good fight and good luck.
That's kind of misleading when presented as a percentage of GDP. Better to show it as which portion of our taxes per year go into defense. Which is around 15 to 20% of the budget. Which is ridiculous. We have more weapons than all of europe (sans Russian Fed) combined. For what? What do we need F-22's for? Terrorists don't have jets. Why do we send tanks to current war zones to start their engines once a day and do nothing else? Why do we need troops garrisoned in over 150 countries? Why are tax payers arming a military that's being used as a corporate arm? We could spend half of that and still be the most powerful (by far) military in the world.
We have so much surplus that our Police is probably the 2nd most well armed military in the world. (Not really, but I bet they are top ten.)
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It really is undeniably stupid how much we spend on defense. We're like the playground bully flexing his muscle for intimidation while the nerdy weaklings focus on education and actually set themselves up for a future. We're so far behind other developed countries it's comical.
I don't necessarily disagree with you. However the defense budget is really just a major govt funded jobs program. If you look at it, by far the largest amount of that budget is personnel costs. Not just the obvious, like uniformed service members, but also 800k civilian employees, and likely even more contractors and sub contractors. Then the ancillary economic impact of cities all over the country that are supported by those federal dollars.
The amount spent on actually buying weapons is only about 1/6th of the defense budget.
It's the closest thing to socialism that we have in the US. Last I read about 5 million households nationwide receive income related to the DOD. And millions others do so indirectly ( owning a business in a military town).
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It's because we have no real clout in diplomacy anymore. Same thing happened before the fall of the Roman Empire, and British Empire. If you need troops to protect your interests, you have already lost.
Good point. Who could blame the rest of the world....we're a douchy, fratboy, football jock borrowing off his parents wealth....thinking what he says matters most.
When do you think the fall will occur? In 20 years? 50? 100?
The fall of what? Collapse of American civilization?
All this assumes that someone else in the world is doing it a lot better. I'm not seeing that. The Greece spectacle has shown the fallacy of a European union. China is a total economic house of cards. Russia is pinning its future on a return to the cold war, upping military spending to nearly triple ours, proportionally to size of their economy.
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