Are the best things in life free

[Lao Tzu]

I read the book The High Price of Materialism not too long ago. They had several surveys and studies that show extrinsic goals (goals whose accomplishment comes from impressing others) resulted in alot less mental stability and happiness, even for those who attained them while individuals whose goals were intrinsic (goals whose accomplishment comes from personal growth) were much happier when their goals were obtained.

Intrinsic goals -
good relationships with family, friends, kids
community relationships
charity work
personal growth

extrinsic goals -
being attractive
being wealthy
being famous
being powerful

The difference is that the extrinsic goals involve impressing others while intrinsic involve building fulfilling relationships with yourself and others. However i don't fully agree with this as i know many people who have lost weight saying it has caused major personality changes in them. Losing weight is an extrinsic goal. Money can also cause happiness (if you're household makes under 30k that is) because under 30k you have trouble providing the basics. The book seemed to imply that trying to be attractive didn't result in long term happiness and instead resulted in feelings of inadequacy and jealousy, which sapped happiness.

The book was partial propaganda as it had some 'getting back to mother nature' crap in it that i didn't agree with, but i think the overall message that extrinsic goals tend to result in less personal fulfillment than intrinsic goals. Intrinsic goals are free, extrinsic goals usually require money.

So what do you think?

 

[jubei]

I recently stole $5,000.00 worth of liquor so i would have to agree with you. Scotch anyone?

 

[SoreArms]

a little from column A and a little from column B

 

[Lao Tzu]

I recently stole $5,000.00 worth of liquor so i would have to agree with you. Scotch anyone?

Was it a gas tanker filled with natural ice?

 

[Razorguns]

No they're not.

next question?

 

[jubei]

It was a liquor store and a pickup truck.

 

[starfish]

Yes.... the VERY best things in life are free. It's too bad 99.9999% of the world doesn't get it.


All the other "stuff" is just trimming.

 

[presguy]

the very best life has to offer is free, but if you got some scratch you can buy some real cool shat.

 

[MattTheSkywalker]

Yes, the best things in life are free: someone who loves you, someone to love, kids if you want, and good relationships with family and friends.

All free.

They are just a hell of a lot easier to get when you have money.

 

[Dougly]

Yes, the best things in life are free: someone who loves you, someone to love, kids if you want, and good relationships with family and friends.

All free.

They are just a hell of a lot easier to get when you have money.

That is signature worthy.

 

[hardrock]

Well you can grow weed outdoors just by planting a seed, but it will most likely be shitty. So yes and no. Have to pay for the best.

Gettin laid can be free. if ya aint gotta feed her first or buy her drinks.

Other than that no.

 

[plornive]

A relationship is usually based on cooperation in obtaining extrinsic things.

Relationships are cyclical unless you are building a long-term social network in which case you are definitely obtaining something extrinsic.

Building extrinsic things can serve intrinsic goals, such as when a person makes progress by gaining an advantageous reputation and an advantageous social network, allowing him/her to obtain the necessary materials to fulfill his/her intrinsic goals.

Most of our thoughts are derived from communication and thus relationships. Improving one's self is likely to be derived from social thought and thus extrinsic elements (see above).

Being a follower seems like it leads to problems, because people inherently expect what is not possible - and if it becomes possible, they expect another impossibility.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

I recently stole $5,000.00 worth of liquor so i would have to agree with you. Scotch anyone?

Not cool.

 

[jubei]

God, it was a joke. Don't cry.

 

[slickdadd]

The best things themselves in life are free, but the acquirement of those things takes money in most cases. They are not present or allowable to enjoy without money.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

God, it was a joke. Don't cry.

 

[jubei]

Kleenex?

 

[wootoom]

aside friends,family, and my old lady NO!!!!!

 

[Lao Tzu]

The best things themselves in life are free, but the acquirement of those things takes money in most cases. They are not present or allowable to enjoy without money.

I dont agree with that. Good relationships with the community, self, family, friends, religion are not relative to money.

Personal growth and a sense of meaning and helping others are not tied into money either.

 

[biteme]

Being a follower seems like it leads to problems, because people inherently expect what is not possible - and if it becomes possible, they expect another impossibility.[/QUOTE]

Why I am essentially a loner. I'm not a follower or a leader. Just stuck in the middle.

 

[buddy28]

I say yes. Without peace, one has nothing.

I think money can magnify the joy thats already inside, but it can't give you something that wasnt there to begin with.

 

[Ulcasterdropout]

Hell no...

 

[solidg]

free is good

 

[Taps]

From personal experience, money helps a lot.

This year, thanks to luck and a small amount of skill on my part I will more than quadruple my 2003 income (which was barely enough to get by on), and it will grow even more in future years. I'm not saying this to brag, but to illustrate a point -- I've been poor before and it sucks. It's horrible. Having a great family, great friends, and a rewarding spiritual life means very little when you live paycheck to paycheck.

I won't lie, money is great. I love having money, but mostly I love the stability and relief it provides. I can do big things now that I could never afford to do before, and that's great, but it's the little things that make the biggest difference. I can see two movies a week now. I can eat out whenever I want. I can fill my car with premium gas. I can buy decent clothes. lol In short, I can spend money and not feel guilty or worry about it. My life isn't exponentially better now that I'm making a decent amount of cash, but it's much, much easier and less stressful.

(and god help me, I caught myself daydreaming about a BMW the other day)

 

[plornive]

I dont agree with that. Good relationships with the community, self, family, friends, religion are not relative to money.

Personal growth and a sense of meaning and helping others are not tied into money either.

If you believe Freud's and perhaps Jung's theories of psychoanalysis, you might conclude that extrinsic goals are less direct methods of fulfilling intrinsic goals. How "intrinsic" do you want to go, and isn't interpretation and perception important in defining what exactly are the goals?

Nietzsche seems to always comment that one of the most common mistakes people make is forgetting what exactly they set out to do. For instance, what if you set out to obtain a sexual relationship, which leads you to attempt to get rich, which leads you into the academic world, and finally you begin to care about both making money and improving your reputation through better research and instruction of students? You will have forgotten your initial goal: obtaining a sexual relationship.

All goals should rationally be intrinsic. I think that if you can keep your perspective and be controlled by the initial objects of your internal desires instead of subsequent diversions, you will reap many benefits.

 

[Lao Tzu]

From personal experience, money helps a lot.

This year, thanks to luck and a small amount of skill on my part I will more than quadruple my 2003 income (which was barely enough to get by on), and it will grow even more in future years. I'm not saying this to brag, but to illustrate a point -- I've been poor before and it sucks. It's horrible. Having a great family, great friends, and a rewarding spiritual life means very little when you live paycheck to paycheck.

I won't lie, money is great. I love having money, but mostly I love the stability and relief it provides. I can do big things now that I could never afford to do before, and that's great, but it's the little things that make the biggest difference. I can see two movies a week now. I can eat out whenever I want. I can fill my car with premium gas. I can buy decent clothes. lol In short, I can spend money and not feel guilty or worry about it. My life isn't exponentially better now that I'm making a decent amount of cash, but it's much, much easier and less stressful.

(and god help me, I caught myself daydreaming about a BMW the other day)

Even the book, which was biased, said having money was necessary for mental health. It just said that after a point where you can provide for your basic needs money stopped mattering. If you go from 15k-30k a year you will get major changes, but going from 30k-90k will bring only minor changes.

Its probably the same with being attractive, there is a difference between going from ugly/forgettable to attractive, but beyond that not much more of a difference.

 

[Taps]

Honestly, I'd be perfectly comfortable making 30-40K/year. Heck, most people would be greatful for a job with that salary range.

Then again, income can be seen as a reflection of a persons value. If a company is willing to pay you $120,000/year, thats one hell of a compliment to your abilites (not to mention a great ego boost).

 

[Lao Tzu]

I only agree within reason. Here in the US individuals with a 1 year vocational degree who join labor unions make around $25-35 an hour (electrician, carpenter, HVAC, plumbing, etc) while people working on graduate degrees can expect to earn around $8/hr if they do research and teaching at the university level.