The cost of butter is rising! $20. a pound in Norway- they are giving it as Christmas presents!!! (I pay $2. at Aldi).
Contentment is a blessing though I shouldn't take it back to Eden, James. I bounced between my mother's extravagance and boarding school and the latter had a lasting effect- though I wouldn't have made a good nun. :-) Take this week's assignment- for my youngest son who loves a vegetarian: make something edible from a block of tofu and send him some recipes. I failed- from broiled to Chinese to Mexican and the result went into the food processor to use with tostadas or burritos as I hate to throw out or waste food but the whole endeavor was a penance. On the other hand, I happened on two small lamb shanks which I roasted with vegetables and felt sinful. :-) On Dec 9, 2:46 am, James Lynch <[email protected]> wrote: > Like Monkebus I think greed as we define it is mainly due to language, > and like Vam think there are genetic motives for the behavior > (physiological/psychological). Like other animals we seek to secure > our survival by responding to our perceived environment, not > necessarily to the world at hand but the psychological response to > environmental pressures. > > I've been watching the squirrels gathering various resources to fare > our Michigan winter and pondering what it is like to feel the > instinctual motive to respond to the change of seasons, for them I > mean (qualia). Perhaps it starts with an urge, a compulsive behavior > programmed into them that rewards them with peace or happiness to > accomplish their preparations like collecting a store of fruits and > nuts and to build their nest of leaves, grass and sticks in a tree. > Perhaps it is more to assuage the anxiety of dissonance, perhaps they > mostly exist in a panicky state as we would call it. A person who > behaved as erratically as a squirrel would be institutionalized, the > squirrel is in it's element near the woods, what natural ends I wonder > that we might be seeking in our behaviors. I haven't read Kostler's > Ghost in the Machine yet but I think this is what he referred to, > these fundamental human imperatives that arise and remind us that you > can take the ape out of the jungle but not visa-versa. It is obvious > that the squirrel is doing what it needs to do to survive, and if it > collects two times the needed nuts to do so it greatly improves it's > survival short or overworking itself thus burning more energy and > shortening it's life or to other chain effects. > > Our insecurities can be manipulated, or our needs left ignored our > capacities allow our sense of want, insecurity, and anxieties to > create unending feelings of desire. We can breed all year, we can > think very very far ahead. It brings into question what environment > would be most beneficial for us- nature is reckless but effective. If > greed is a problem I think it isn't due to flawed human beings as much > as the failure to take what we know of the world and ourselves and > apply it our societies in a sensible manner. The cost of convenience > is rising, we've been riding high on the waste hog for a very long > time. It will probably get a bit worse, people are willing to cling to > false security, we've invested too much in this hand to fold, we are > narcissistic, arrogant and full of pride. The only thing left to do it > actually find some solutions. > > A return to Eden, the noble savage and such isn't where I'm headed > with this, that sounds a bit too nostalgic and I don't think would fit > the long term cultural/technological/evolutionary requirements for > survival. Sorry this turned out a little longwinded PSK, but I enjoy > the exercise. :) > > > > On Tue, Nov 29, 2011 at 11:26 AM, pol.science kid <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Hey everyone... i have been very dull of late with little mind > > activity... but.. today i was just going through Hind Swaraj.... and > > well its not about the book.. in the review pages.. i read something > > about Greed.. and it got me thinking.... only humans have greed > > right... i find it very peculiar.. the most common vice one is taught > > against from childhood...What is the nature of it... is there or can > > there be a why?... when does wanting enough turn to greed.... the > > dictionary defines it as wanting more than is necessary.... well.. > > that appplies to everything then!.. we always have and want more than > > necessary or required... is being careful and cautious greedy(in > > wanting enough and more)... is being ambitious greedy.... why is being > > greedy wrong? ....very simplistic questions.. but i want to know what > > everyone thinks about this....- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text -
