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Eliza
Joined: Jul 29, 2001
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How important is money anyway?
August 20, 2001 - 05:34 AM
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What do we all think?
Personally, it rates very low on my importance scale. Sixteen years of too much money has mean that for me, I would be perfectly happy to live out the next sixty years with significantly less than I've ever materially had access to - and even with what our society would call 'not a lot of money', I would still be within the top 10% of the world's richest people. (NB - owning a CAR puts you in that top 10%. Access to running water? That puts you in the top 20%.)
Helen Keller said "I would rather be blind than have sight and no vision." I would rather have nothing, and know that people I will never meet are alive because of what I have been able to give them, than have "everything" materially, and realise at the end of my life that I have done nothing except use the gifts that God has given me - for me.
At the same time - I want to go to Uni. Get a good job. Travel. Have access to todays 'perks' - basic stuff, like a TV, CD player, computer...
That's my question. Where do we draw the line, between bettering ourselves, and bettering the lives of others who can't make it without our help? If you've never thought about it ~ now is the time. There is no other time.
This is heavy stuff, but hey - you didn't have to read it. And ignoring it doesn't make it go away for them, only for us.
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Eliza
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Re: How important is money anyway?
August 20, 2001 - 05:38 AM
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umm...huh?
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Eliza
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I know!
August 20, 2001 - 07:48 AM
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Laura, I agree that it's extremely important globally, but not so important personally. I mean, I want to earn lots of money. Heaps of money. Loads and loads of money. But I want to give it all away and live simply. At the moment, however, although my parents make heaps, personally I can't afford to buy my friend's home-made magazine for 50 cents (she's an incredible artist) cause I'm broke!
And yes, I love being one of the first people to access the website when for everyone else it's 1am! : ) Although you'd be surprised who's still up! Or maybe you wouldn't...
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Michael Furdyk
Joined: Aug 12, 2000
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Sorry :)
August 20, 2001 - 09:47 AM
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Vittoria's comments were posted before you wrote your update, because I was playing around last night coding the new updates feature, and she posted a comment on one of my updates, which I deleted. When you went along and posted your update, it posted with the same ID as mine had, and her comments became associated with yours.
To make a long story short, I'm going to make it so that when you delete an update (noooo! don't delete updates!), it will also delete the comments people have posted on it 
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j
Joined: Jul 24, 2001
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how much is enough......
August 21, 2001 - 08:08 AM
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Food, clothing, hygeine, warmth, clean water, access to medical help if needed, reasonable transport..... this money can buy....and there should be enough for all!! But The other stuff - the really vital gear - that ain't for sale.... smart/interesting/ethical friends, meaningful passtimes, loving significant others/role models, safety, equity, religious freedom, connectedness to the rest of the globe, great learning opportunities, laughter.... etc etc
I watched the sunrise over a beautiful right hand surf break this morning - through the mist of a dull day - still and perfect - I guess enough money brought me to the point where I was there to see it.... hard call!
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Derek Martin
Joined: Sep 29, 2000
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importance of $money
August 22, 2001 - 11:21 AM
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>>At the same time - I want to go to Uni. ... Have access to todays 'perks' - basic stuff, like a TV, CD player, computer...
Well, I have a university degree, and a post-grad certificate, and a whoopass computer, and so do all of my university friends.... BUT, and here's the good part, while I'm working and having a great time at TIG all of my friends are either jobless or miserable at their $50,000/year jobs.
>>Where do we draw the line, between bettering ourselves, and bettering the lives of others
I don't think there's a difference there. Working to develop your own knowledge in order to help other is also bettering yourself. The difference is in the previous paragraph. Getting a enw cd player or tv or whatever isn't bettering *you*, it is just bettering your net worth.
I can be the best person I can possibly be, even if my bank account is $0. Just ask the guy who is always on the corner of bay & bloor... his quote to me was "I'm happier than a pig in shit. I sit here in the day and watch the people go by until I get $20, which is enough for 2 filling meals, and everything's perfect. I don't have enough money to get mixed up in the drugs & alcohol anymore, and my life is better for it. I have everything I could ever need right here in my backpack."
He has nothing, and at the same time he has everything that matters.
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Eliza
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Makes you wonder why we don't all live like that...
August 23, 2001 - 06:56 AM
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I like what you're saying. And I know that things that improve my life, improve my ability to help others, at least to some extent - I guess that's (in part) the answer that I was looking for, to help me feel less guilty more than everything.
I live in a mansion. Not by choice. Literally.
I think the best thing that it's done for me is made me *less* ambitious. I don't want to live in a big house when I move out, don't need an indoor pool, and have no aspiration towards a home theatre. I've had them all already.
I do want a kick-ass stereo system though.
It's just made me appreciate what I do have in a way that I never could have if I looked up to others in a jealous/covetous way. I honestly think that material possessions mean very little, in terms of happiness. Sooner or later you start to take them for granted - even if initially you had nothing - and it only takes a person to say something for us to lose that contentedness with what we have. You can have the simplest life in terms of belongings, and one wonderful friend, and be the happiest person alive.
But for me...
If I didn't know that I had the ability to change things, I could be happy with just that, just a simple life and a good friend. Now, knowing myself as I can and do, I know that I have to be using what I have, doing what I can to change things for people who can't change things for themselves. Otherwise, I may as well not be here.
(Sorry, I just realised how cliched that sounded. It's still true - just abominably cliched. *shrugs* what can you do?!)
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Jason Atkins
Joined: Aug 10, 2001
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$
August 25, 2001 - 08:12 AM
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Everyone has priorities, values, and time. Everyone regards them differently. So, naturally attitudes toward money vary greatly from person to person. Society and popular culture does place tremendous emphasis on money. Unfortunately, many people today let money control their lives instead of controlling their own money. In the United States personal debt is very high, and not many people save. People are constantly bombarded with things to buy, buy, buy. Advertisers and corporations want people to consume things, and conserve hardly anything. That is part of the problem. To me, money itself is not that important, but the impact people allow it to have on them is important. Money itself is neither good or bad. It only has power in the hands of its user.
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Peculiar
Joined: Sep 3, 2004
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Money
September 14, 2004 - 09:46 AM
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Na serious matter oooo
Huuuu-----uuuu
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