Why are so many attached to wealth?

[Wandering Monk]

You forgot the graphs about how all those changes to humans have resulted in human overpopulation, unprecedented ecocide, a sixth mass extinction event, and global climate change. No change comes without tradeoffs.

In any case, there really isn't any measure of morality seeing as how morality is personally/culturally determined (though I suppose there are those who believe morality is objective somehow).

 

[Revoltingest]

View attachment 28333

What are the projections based upon?

 

[Wandering Monk]

What are the projections based upon?

Demographic Components of Future Population Growth - United Nations Population Division | Department of Economic and Social Affairs

 

[Quintessence]

@Wandering Monk

You are very selective in your presentation of data. That's fine, I guess.

This is better:

... though it doesn't present the global ecocide and mass extinction consequences.

 

[Dan Mellis]

In the world today it seems like if you are not wealthy, good job and wife and kids, then you are not a happy or liked person? Why has the world become so obsessed with physical wealth?
Personally i have never been a rich person, but t has not bothered me because that is not what i seek.
But to me it look like so many people only seek wealth and big house, huge cars, and rich friends.
Why has it become like this?

For me, its almost like addiction. Spending it releases endorphins, which we know are addictive.

Having said that, having money makes everything easier. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I could quit my job and live extremely comfortably for the rest of my life. That is good for my animal need to avoid pain and find comfort.

Although, I'm coming from a position which would require you to accept that humans are animals, and I know you don't, so I wouldn't be offended if my view doesn't vibe

 

[Wandering Monk]

@Wandering Monk

You are very selective in your presentation of data. That's fine, I guess.

This is better:

... though it doesn't present the global ecocide and mass extinction consequences.

Are you one of these guys:

Climate activists glued to Corbyn's home

 

[Wandering Monk]

For me, its almost like addiction. Spending it releases endorphins, which we know are addictive.

Having said that, having money makes everything easier. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I could quit my job and live extremely comfortably for the rest of my life. That is good for my animal need to avoid pain and find comfort.

Although, I'm coming from a position which would require you to accept that humans are animals, and I know you don't, so I wouldn't be offended if my view doesn't vibe

What about the need to accomplish something and leave a legacy?

 

[dianaiad]

As Beatrice Kaufman said, "I've been poor and I've been rich. Rich is better."

I've been struggling financially most of my life; worried about the mortgage, about bills, about educating my kids, taking care of my husband in his last days, some days just trying to figure out how to feed five kids on three boxes of mac and cheese while trying to decide whether it will be cheaper to let the electricity get shut off or the gas, because it was less expensive to pay the fees to get one turned back on than the other.

I have absolutely no patience for people who go on and on about the moral joys of poverty. I HAVE noticed that the only people who do that are those who don't really have a clue what it's like to be poor.

I would so much rather be wealthy, with my problems being which charity to hand over my excess funds to, than dealing with that.

If I had a chance to be wealthy enough to pay off the mortgage, get my oldest daughter and her husband a house to live in so they don't have to live with me, and my brother a place to live so HE doesn't have to live with me, to hire someone to help me take care of my parents, and get a car that would allow me to take said parents to their appointments in some comfort, trust me, I wouldn't turn the opportunity down.

AND I would buy Coach handbags (the one my daughters gave me for Christmas two years ago still looks new!) and shop somewhere other than WalMart for my clothes, and I wouldn't feel one bit guilty for doing so.

There is nothing immoral about having money. The immorality comes in what one does with it, and whether one confuses the means to obtain things with character.

 

[sayak83]

In the world today it seems like if you are not wealthy, good job and wife and kids, then you are not a happy or liked person? Why has the world become so obsessed with physical wealth?
Personally i have never been a rich person, but t has not bothered me because that is not what i seek.
But to me it look like so many people only seek wealth and big house, huge cars, and rich friends.
Why has it become like this?

Its associated with the increasing collapse of the middle class, the end of opportunities of upward mobility and rising stratification of wealth. Maybe the society is returning to the pre-industrial ten thousand year status-quo of a few living lavishly and in control of everything and the rest barely living half-fed day in and day out.

 

[Duke_Leto]

Its associated with the increasing collapse of the middle class, the end of opportunities of upward mobility and rising stratification of wealth. Maybe the society is returning to the pre-industrial ten thousand year status-quo of a few living lavishly and in control of everything and the rest barely living half-fed day in and day out.

Maybe? We're already at that point.

 

[Yerda]

Why has the world become so obsessed with physical wealth?

Wealth can give people many of the things they need and almost all of the things they think they want.

 

[Dan Mellis]

What about the need to accomplish something and leave a legacy?

I think that's probably more of a cultural adaptation, but I concede the point

 

[sayak83]

Maybe? We're already at that point.

Not yet.

 

[Yerda]

I have absolutely no patience for people who go on and on about the moral joys of poverty.

Hi, I think your post was really good. Who goes on about the moral joys of poverty?

 

[Duke_Leto]

I think that's probably more of a cultural adaptation, but I concede the point

What country do you live in?

 

[Thief]

Why has it become like this?

yeah ….and I hear wealthy people are often unhappy

but.....I would like to try it for myself


just to be sure money is the problem

 

[Wandering Monk]

I seem to remember a survey done years ago that showed that, regardless of their income level, people believed they would be happiest with about 20% more income.

 

[sayak83]

Are you one of these guys:

Climate activists glued to Corbyn's home

Do you think global warming is a hoax?
Are you from US? If so, this is the data that should be of relevance.
The U.S. Does Poorly On Yet Another Metric of Economic Mobility

The U.S. is one of only four high income economies amongst 50 economies with the lowest rates of relative upward mobility.

 

[dianaiad]

Hi, I think your post was really good. Who goes on about the moral joys of poverty?

Folks who don't HAVE to live in it, that's who.

 

[Wandering Monk]

Do you think global warming is a hoax?
Are you from US? If so, this is the data that should be of relevance.
The U.S. Does Poorly On Yet Another Metric of Economic Mobility

The U.S. is one of only four high income economies amongst 50 economies with the lowest rates of relative upward mobility.

I live in the US. I believe in global warming.

The data I posted earlier all have the GLOBAL aggregate. As nations become wealthier, they have the economic means to clean up their environment. Whether they do or not depends on the strength of the will of the people.