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-- Which would you rather? Financial wealth or social wealth?
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Originally posted by Halcyon+On+On To ascribe a term such as 'wealth' implies only perpetuation of personal interest. If we are to speak of the economics of society, it must be realized that competition is not something exclusive to mere capitalism, though it is the very flagship of the philosophy. Rather, 'wealth' denotes a comparison of achievement or status; a competitive advantage when it comes to innate aims of our physiology such as individual and group perpetuation of integrity by means of reproductive propensity, maintenance of the individual/group ego, and, ultimately, perpetuation of the doctrine itself. So long as competition exists, there will be wealth, and so long as wealth exists, in any sense, there shall be jealousy, malice, suffering, and defeat. But this competitive existence lends itself to positive avenues as well: hope, fulfillment, gratification of impulse, something to look forward to or to temper the individual to the point of being successful within their realm. In this sense, I would say that the risk defines the reward. But I must express my displeasure at the lofty vision of a perfect Utopian society. Of course it's impossible. That's not the point of this thread. But to use this vision as a cornerstone of the very hope we would compete for not only taints the very elements of dismissing such distress, it is flawed to the point where the reality of it negates even the hypocrisy. A 'better lifestyle' is the very essence of economy, social or financial. What you are suggesting is that a decision is to be made, parsing the exchange of imaginary currency in contrast to imaginary empathic connections. You wish people cared less about money and instead cared more for one another, and I am saying that society and money are practically the same damn thing. True, the affordability of cash does not necessarily grant meaningful social connections just as having a large network of social relations does not pay your electric bill. Were fiscal currency to be abolished, there would still be no such thing as free luxury. Money is merely a placeholder for intention; a script written to establish a commonality amongst people's competitive status within society and used to connect the imaginary world we are under tacit contract of with the dangerous, material world looming over our mortality with equal intention. And does a vigilant and empathetic society comfort you? Does it fill you with the same hope for connection that financial competition does? I think so. I feel it is merely greed of a different sort; tangerine dreams of enlightenment and the plush embrace of conviction in ones ability to better the crowd by dissolving identity. No thanks. I don't share this dream. Some days, I wake up and feel like my "fellow man" can burn. That the essence of competition is one of the purest ideals [un]known to sentience and that the feigning of social fulfillment is only a lubricant prescribed to the weak by those who wish to profit from them. No, I don't wish a better lifestyle for anyone save for those whom I love, and the extent of this does not require vigilance nor the proselytization into insect mechanics. So to answer your question, I would prefer Financial wealth, if there is to exist such a division. For if there why this is a story all about how my life became flipped and turned upside down. And I want to take a minute while you are seated to relate to you how I became accepted into the Royal elite as Prince of a town known as Bel-Air. I was born and raised in the western side of Philadelphia, spending much of my time on the grounds allocated to juvenile play. I was quite partial to basketball in those days, until a band of Ruffians no doubt up to no good began making trouble in my neighbourhood. After only a single fight, my mother grew frightful and decided it would be in my own best interest to be sent to live with my distant family of Bel-Air. When I whistled for a carriage and it came near to me, I noticed the license plate said "Fresh" and that a pair of fuzzy dice hung upon the driver's mirror, obviously indicating his temperamental rarity. When we arrived at my destination, I noticed the obvious opulence of the house in which I was to dwell and rule. I proceeded to exit the vehicle and express my displeasure at the cab-driver's putrid musk, but my true distractions lie before me: for little did I know at this point I was to become Prince of this Bel-Air establishment.

This. This is the best post.

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Originally posted by Halcyon+On+On This really is no laughing matter, you schlep.

She wasn't laughing at you. She was laughing because someone was tickling her asshole at the time.

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Originally posted by Renzo She wasn't laughing at you. She was laughing because someone was tickling her asshole at the time.

Being the very tickler of said asshole, I believe I am quite within my position to tell her that she's not allowed to laugh. It makes her spider button quiver and pucker with furious paroxysm, and is simply not conducive to my finger being near said balloon knot.

No, I was definitely laughing at you, Hal.

Financial wealth. Plain and simple. I don't need a long, well thought out post just to give my answer.

This is not a thesis paper to write!!!!

Financial. Definitely financial.

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Originally posted by jennypie No, I was definitely laughing at you, Hal.

I have to ask you directly: how did you become so notorious for being a slut/whore/penis receptacle? What's the backstory for jennypie and her asshole?

If she's not around to tell the tale, can someone else tell it for her? This is how interested I am:

That kermit the frog pic is over the top. A+

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Originally posted by Akridrot What's the backstory for jennypie and her asshole?

I see what you did there.

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Originally posted by jennypie I see what you did there.

I hope this answers your question, Akridot.

I think this might be relevant to the discussion going on in this thread:

Haha, masturbating is so awesome.

Where is the room for a smart person to shine in a utopian society?
I'm smarter than most people, hence I make more money and live better than them, if you never have to strive for anything genuine, be that friendship, recognition or money, then it really has no value simply being given.

Give someone friendship for no reason, then its just as false as lying to them.
I can quite comfortably say that I have very few friends as I've never needed someone else's approval to justify myself.

Oh come on Lilith, it's because you're a cunt.

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Originally posted by jennypie Oh come on Lilith, it's because you're a cunt.

and

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Originally posted by jennypie Haha, masturbating is so awesome.

give me the money, anyone that says otherwise is a liar

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Originally posted by XaNaX anyone that says otherwise is a liar

I don't get it. Why do some people think their opinion is universal? I would understand if you thought you were right, but if people have said they don't think alike, why do you still think they all deep inside agree with you?

haha. yeah me neither lira

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Originally posted by Lilith I can quite comfortably say that I have very few friends as I've never needed someone else's approval to justify myself.

I see what you're saying, but I don't use my friends for approval...friends do have other uses besides that.

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Originally posted by Lira I don't get it. Why do some people think their opinion is universal? I would understand if you thought you were right, but if people have said they don't think alike, why do you still think they all deep inside agree with you?

This is an interesting aspect to the thread, maybe we should start addressing this, because I'd like to understand it too. My mother is the same way. She has extremely strong convictions about money and various social issues: everything ever is about money; everyone in the world wants to win the lottery -- and you are a gigantic, lying idiot if you don't (but in her mind, you secretly do); she thinks that Muslims are bad people and that any sane, normal person would back her up she thinks that all women, no exceptions, want to be equal with men (the only ones who aren't are just weak to her) and that who successful women who occasionally embrace a very submissive side behind closed doors do not exist, or that they don't have an iota of intelligence. The main theme behind all her convictions is that she believes with complete certainty that everyone else backs her up and that anyone who doesn't is crazy, stupid, or lying.

Most people aren't big on critical thinking. I hate to say something so general, but that's just a statement I'm making to illustrate what I am trying to get across. I think that ideas such "Being rich is the most important thing," spread so easily because they're good at spreading... not because they're good ideas. Like a gene can be good at spreading, even if it's not good for the species. Here's an explanation selfish gene theory. (It might be wrong in some contexts [ NY Times article: A Challenge to Gene Theory, a Tougher Look at Biotech ], but the concept is still useful)

Again, ideas don't really spread because they're good, but because they're good at spreading. The people who buy into the the material wealth the most (and therefore, spread the idea the best) tend to make statements like: "You're lying if you don't agree with me," "Everyone wants to be rich, who doesn't?" They just put those statements out there, and they all agree with each other and they all try to make it look like you already agree with their opinion even if you don't. That tactic doesn't work on everyone, but I don't doubt that it's worked on lots of people throughout history. It's a powerful concept.

If most people share a viewpoint and ostracize, mock, or lash out towards anyone who simply disagrees with them, then I'm willing to bet that you will begin to share it too if you don't think critically about things. Either that, or you just don't want to take the risk of people behaving negatively towards you, so you conform to what society does. You will just go with the flow, even if in the long run, accepting the popular opinion simply because it's popular doesn't benefit you that much. Just following the crowd opinion simply because it's the crowds opinion, most certainly benefits others more than it benefits you. How many people are willing to seriously ask themselves why so many feel so strongly about a topic? I think those of us who don't wholeheartedly agree with the financial wealth have the ability to entertain a thought without accepting it, and never accept ideas that are popular unless we make sure that... we actually accept those ideas. Unlike most people who will just see everyone all riled up or excited about one thing and will get riled up and excited themselves.

It's like society is one big mob. You know how that goes.

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Originally posted by Lira I don't get it. Why do some people think their opinion is universal? I would understand if you thought you were right, but if people have said they don't think alike, why do you still think they all deep inside agree with you?

put $100 million in cold hard cash in front of someone and then tell them they can either keep that money or trade it for what is behind door number 3 which is a life of financial poverty but they get to have "social wealth". nobody can see the choice you are making and nobody will judge you.

what percentage of people do you think are going to pass up the money?

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Originally posted by XaNaX put $100 million in cold hard cash in front of someone and then tell them they can either keep that money or trade it for what is behind door number 3 which is a life of financial poverty but they get to have "social wealth". nobody can see the choice you are making and nobody will judge you. what percentage of people do you think are going to pass up the money?

I'm not saying the percentage would be low. Rather, I'm just saying it wouldn't be 100%, so it's unfair to say that everyone with a divergent opinion is lying.

Personally, given the choice between the hard cold cash and the opportunity to have a mega-social life behind door #3, I think I'd decide to stick with neither.

quote:

Originally posted by Akridrot This is an interesting aspect to the thread, maybe we should start addressing this, because I'd like to understand it too. My mother is the same way. She has extremely strong convictions about money and various social issues: everything ever is about money; everyone in the world wants to win the lottery -- and you are a gigantic, lying idiot if you don't (but in her mind, you secretly do); she thinks that Muslims are bad people and that any sane, normal person would back her up she thinks that all women, no exceptions, want to be equal with men (the only ones who aren't are just weak to her) and that who successful women who occasionally embrace a very submissive side behind closed doors do not exist, or that they don't have an iota of intelligence. The main theme behind all her convictions is that she believes with complete certainty that everyone else backs her up and that anyone who doesn't is crazy, stupid, or lying.

This deserves a thread of its own... I'm working on that, hold on

It's easier to make yourself a social life than to make yourself ultra wealthy

quote:

Originally posted by XaNaX put $100 million in cold hard cash in front of someone and then tell them they can either keep that money or trade it for what is behind door number 3 which is a life of financial poverty but they get to have "social wealth". nobody can see the choice you are making and nobody will judge you. what percentage of people do you think are going to pass up the money?

The thing is that it is an unfair question...who wants to live a life of financial poverty?
If you were to say �100 million in cash or you can trade it for being comfortable financially (a decent well paid job), and 'social wealth'...then you would get a different set of answers.

By the way, have you any idea what �100 million would look like in cash? Would need to be a pretty big room that this decision takes place in

I tend to think financial and social wealth come hand in hand.

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