Yes- we do sink into our own experience and understanding and I am sorry if my question sounded elitish or snobbish because that was not its intent. In the back of my mind were the family farms that are no longer able to compete with corporations or the miserable property taxes for those who have retired, lost jobs, etc. Money is moveable- land/property is not so sometimes one feels captive.
I learned more being broke- it really spurred creativity and a healthy survival instinct. My library card was my "credit card". Again, those years at a boarding school taught some valuable lessons regarding a simple life that was in total contrast to my parent's lifestyle. I pretty much depend on my children learning how to be self-sufficient though that has had some consequences- but mostly positive. But we are not captains of our own ships, are we? When I think of dire straits, I think of Pakistan floods or Haiti's earthquake or Austrailia's floods, etc. It is Nature that seems the harshest foe to come up against. My parents came from large (what is "massive" :-) ) families and they were the "success stories"- except for all the unhappiness- but that is another story. Anyway- good for you and your own journey! On Dec 31 2010, 7:14 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > What has happend to the concept of family fortunes? I think that > concept is still strong, alive and kicking in those who's family have > had money for generations. > > Myself I come from a massive family, and because it is massive it is > also poor. I grew up in real poverty and so as you might expect I > have worked hard, and now findmyself quite well off indeed thank you > very much. > > From my POV, and I would guess my feelings are similar to those from a > similar background, the lesson for my kids is work hard to get what > you desire. So when it comes to inherantance they will be gettting a > little, but the majority I'll probaly leave to charity. > > That is the thing with concepts, we will view them differant dependant > on our view which of course comes larglye from our upbring and lifes > experiances. > > On Dec 31, 12:52 pm, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > What has happened to the concept of family fortunes and the desire to > > provide for future progeny? It's become a pariah within the liberal- > > socialist agenda of equalizing the population. My feeling is if > > someone earns the money it is his-after taxes. tithing or whatever his > > nature or conscience drive him to distribute. It is not the public's > > business to determine how others spend their money- most likely it > > springs from envy- however, the government's greed and waste are valid > > concerns. > > > On Dec 28, 5:05 pm, BB47 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > On Dec 22, 5:35 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > > > You've had enough? Have people been calling you greedy and you > > > > disagree with them? > > > > No, just wanted some clarification on the use of the word is all. > > > > > Greed is the desire for more than you need. You are correct I think, > > > > that ones needs can only really be suitably defined by the person in > > > > need. Art I think must be treated differanlty than say food. > > > > > If you have enough food and yet desire more, this is greed, easpecily > > > > when you have so much that most gets wasted. > > > > > Perhaps then we should talk in terms of supply and waste. If it your > > > > goal to accumilate so much money that you cannot hope to spend it all > > > > in your lifetime, then I would also call that greed. So intent, > > > > supply, and waste. > > > > Sounds reasonable. > > > > > On Dec 12, 9:55 am, BB47 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > The word “greed” is tossed out so often and it always intrigues me > > > > > just what people mean by it. Just what is “greed?” Some people (no > > > > > names) toss this word off their fingertips all the time and frankly I > > > > > HAVE HAD ENOUGH. > > > > > > Webster defines this word as… > > > > > : a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than > > > > > is needed. > > > > > > Ok, let’s take a more careful look at that definition. Let’s say a > > > > > very rich person spends a million dollars on a painting that he just > > > > > loves. He thinks this painting is so remarkable, so beautiful, that > > > > > he is willing to buy it for a million dollars so he can look at it > > > > > every day in his house. Me personally? I would never spend a > > > > > million dollars on a painting, but that is just me. That painting, or > > > > > ANY painting, is not something I am interested in buying at that > > > > > price, even if I was filthy rich. But the things that I buy would > > > > > curl your hair as they might seem so “strange” to YOU, but not to me. > > > > > Everybody is different, and this is a very important thing to > > > > > consider. NOBODY can judge what another person finds important, > > > > > interesting, beautiful, desirable, or worthwhile. (Just look at your > > > > > hairstyle…smily thingee goes here) > > > > > > The question is…is that greed? I don’t think so. Is buying anything > > > > > that one does not “need” greed? Hell no! you better check your > > > > > inventory of your life if that is the case, you would find that every > > > > > human on earth is greedy, and therefore the definition is rendered > > > > > meaningless. The definition clearly states “an EXCESSIVE desire for > > > > > MORE of SOMETHING” > > > > > > This says to me that greed is only achieved when you already HAVE > > > > > “enough” of this particular “thing” and yet you want more anyway. You > > > > > want more than you can actually “benefit” from because you already > > > > > have “it” THAT is greed. When you “hoard” something for no reason, > > > > > and NOT when you simply “want” something that you don’t have. Wanting > > > > > something IS NOT GREED. Get that through your fricking head. Wanting > > > > > something that is not “needed” is not greed. Wanting something you > > > > > already have plenty of is greed. > > > > > > Which brings us, inevitably, to money. Money can be turned into > > > > > ANYTHING, so one cannot say that you have a quantity of this > > > > > particular one “thing” that meets the classic definition of greed, > > > > > UNTIL YOU CLARIFY IT. It is not “one thing” it is “anything I can > > > > > think of” so it must be treated slightly differently. Now, if you > > > > > want a billion dollars but your actual, realistic “wants and needs” > > > > > are only a million dollars, then you are greedy. But if you have > > > > > reasonable plans for every single dollar? THAT IS NOT GREED, THAT IS > > > > > PERFECTLY NORMAL GODDAMIT.- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text -
