what is the good life

[Lao Tzu]

What do you consider to be 'the good life'?

For me, i don't view it as a nice car, or a nice wife, or a house that is 200% more expensive than a 'normal' house. You have to take into account that emotions & intellect are aberations in existence at large, and probably only exist on earth. So i guess the good life for me would be one where people knew enough about existence to control ourselves & the world around us. To manipulate our own minds to the point of almost total freedom.

 

[MattTheSkywalker]

Complete mastery of all your time.

When you have this, you have everything.

 

[rjl296]

true

 

[Testosterone boy]

What do you consider to be 'the good life'?

For me, i don't view it as a nice car, or a nice wife, or a house that is 200% more expensive than a 'normal' house. You have to take into account that emotions & intellect are aberations in existence at large, and probably only exist on earth. So i guess the good life for me would be one where people knew enough about existence to control ourselves & the world around us. To manipulate our own minds to the point of almost total freedom.

I know that the good life is not what most people think it is. Castro led the good life. Our media prevents US citizens from living really large.

 

[TxArmyGuy]

I agree Matt

I can only imagine all the things I could get done if this were possible

 

[Lao Tzu]

Re: Re: what is the good life

I know that the good life is not what most people think it is. Castro led the good life. Our media prevents US citizens from living really large.

Are you serious or joking? i don't see how castro led the good life (i don't know much about him). all i know is he was a lawyer turned revolutionary. Not much else.



What is so great about controlling your time out of curiosity? you have 168 hours a week, most people spend 40 of them working, about 5-10 commutting, leaving 118-123 hours a week to do whatever you want.

 

[Rockafella Skank]

Complete mastery of all your time.

Good luck with that.

 

[Testosterone boy]

Re: Re: Re: what is the good life

Are you serious or joking? i don't see how castro led the good life (i don't know much about him). all i know is he was a lawyer turned revolutionary. Not much else.



What is so great about controlling your time out of curiosity? you have 168 hours a week, most people spend 40 of them working, about 5-10 commutting, leaving 118-123 hours a week to do whatever you want.

Castro did and does whatever he pleases with absolute impunity. Matt might say he controls all his time.

 

[Lao Tzu]

Re: Re: Re: Re: what is the good life

Castro did and does whatever he pleases with absolute impunity.

I seriously doubt that, he is a figurehead & a statesman, he is hostage to his image & job. Besides, so what. What is he gonna do all day, watch movies & play nintendo?

I think Saddam Hussein's sons were free in that sense (i.e., they aren't held accountable by the law). That would be a nice feeling.

 

[Testosterone boy]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: what is the good life

I seriously doubt that, he is a figurehead & a statesman, he is hostage to his image & job. Besides, so what. What is he gonna do all day, watch movies & play nintendo?

I think Saddam Hussein's sons were free in that sense (i.e., they aren't held accountable by the law). That would be a nice feeling.

It is my impression that dictators can do what they want. Castro enjoys a beautiful country and tremendous health until recently. Everyone knows that Cuban women are shit hot in bed too.

 

[edgecrusher]

I think the good life is finding a passion and making it your life. To do this, we can look at Matt's theory of mastery of time. Almost no one in the world can not afford to do absolutely nothing. We all must have some form of income. So ,is mastery of your time being able to work from home and begin work whenever they like. Or is it having a job that you enjoy doing everyday. Think about it would working 60 hours a week be a chore, if everyday you woke up and where excited about doing your job.

I think the underlying meaning to the good life revolves aropund emotional fulfillment and overall happiness. If we can accomplish those things, then I think we have found the so called "Good Life."

 

[Lao Tzu]

You make it sound like happiness is purely psychological. Read about jerry Stahl, both his parents were chronically depressed, his dad killed himself, even though he was very accomplished. Ex-mayor of philidelphia, ex attorney general of pennsylvania. He killed himself in his car via CO gas.

Right now i'm on SAM-e, supposedly the drug works by donating methyl groups to your neurotransmitters so they can function more efficiently. All the money on earth wouldn't buy me that.

Also, i still feel a job is a 40 hour a week thing, you still have 75% of the week to do your own thing. The only real drawback is being tied to one place because of your job. You can't move around or anything. And, if you don't have constructive, meaningful projects to occupy your time, then you will feel bored & unfulfilled w/o something to do daily. Money could bring happiness if you were in a dead end job and wanted to accomplish something your job wouldn't let you, but aside from that i doubt that it can

 

[flex123]

What's a good life?

A life where you are happy.

Ask more complicated questions next time -- but i'll define the bigger question of what is "happy".

Material goods and Technology services make our lives easier, but the fundamental human EMOTIONS are just as sensitive now as they were 200 years ago.

People 200 years ago didn't have the internet or cell phoens -- yet they still coudl achieve happiness. While someonw tih 2 cars a house and 3 computers and a wife can still be horribly depressed and unhappy. Why is that?

Happiness is the pursuit of what YOU value in life. For most people it is FREEDOM. The FREEDOM to do what you wish in life.

When you work as a monkey 9-5 -- you are comfy in your "comfort zone", your "bubble of a paycheck", but you are merely going by. If happiness for you is leaving on a beautiful day to go sit by the beach -- you don't have the FREEDOM to do that. If layoffs start coming, you don't have the FREEDOM to not worry about it and could care less -- cuz you have rents and bills to pay, and have to start looking.

FREEDOM for most people is what gives them happiness. And usually it's MONEY which allows them to break the bonds, stop worrying about little things in life -- and have lotsa of free time to use that FREEDOM to do things like a) spend more time with family and kids b) see the world c) read books d) spend more time with nature, etc. etc.

Happiness is Freedom. Freedom is the ability to do whatever you feel you will make you happy. So ultimately happiness is up to you.

I sound like such a professor. Good god.

-= nav =-

good explanation. works in my book!

 

[Pamela]

The good life for me is being healthy enough to get
up every morning to workout. (Even if it is to walk..)
Not having a job that I have to work myself to death.
So I can enjoy my free time with my family and friends.

I don't need much and I don't want much.
I want to enjoy life!

 

[plornive]

The good life:
An unlimited selection and supply of material possesions.
A strong, attractive body with flawless health.
A cold demeanor. Not too sensitive.
A dynamic, challenging and varietous environment.

 

[Puc]

for me it is freedom. but, i am like many others my age, fiercely independent.

 

[theoak01]

One where I am breathing. If you try hard enough you can find the good in anything

 

[b fold the truth]

I really believe that Tim McGraw describes "The Good Life" in a lot of his music...honestly.

B True

 

[dballer]

I am with Test Boy and Supernav...

But to me the good life is having enough to get by without stressing over bills and having someone that you can trust to share it all with. I am one of those people that wants the little house in the country and a wife that likes to make pies and a few sons that are in the Boy Scouts.

and drag cars.. of course.