I have recently gone back to college at the age of 47.

Most of my classes include students 25 years younger than me.

They do play video games, watch TV, and drink beer on occasion.

They are also concerned with creating a sustainable world for all cultures not just 
the most powerful.

Some are motivated by money and others are motivated by a sense of justice.

The youth that I have encountered are concerned about the world they live in and are 
committed to play an active part in shaping that world.

As with all age groups, there are those that choose not to participate and just cruise 
by.


>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 07/23/03 12:59PM >>>
Jeff,

No disagreement here... but until a person turns off the TV/video game and 
sets about becoming useful and productive no one will ever know what type 
they are. 

In my view, most of our cultural messages (TV, print, etc), picked up very 
quickly by teens, gives them type A aspirations without a sense of how 
power and wealth are aquired, so in my mind, kids with questionable roll 
models are left with questionable cultural ambitions as a guide. I just saw the 
original quote as an antidote to most pop-culture materialism / sloth.

Ben Petersen



On 22 Jul 2003, at 13:28, Jeff Ward wrote:

> Ben,
> 
> I did say it makes some interesting points, especially not being one to sit
> around on my a$$.
> 
> However, in my experience there are two types of people who get off their 
> butts:
> 
> 1. The Type A - primarily motivated by money, power, greed and the need to
> control. Bill Gates for example. As successful as he gets it will never be
> enough because money, like all material things, is an illusion. It will not fill
> the void, it will not make you happy and in essence it becomes a false and
> controlling god. These people end up with cancer, heart attacks, divorced,
> bitter, suspicious etc...
> 
> 2. The spiritual person - primarily motivated by the higher good for all. 
> Ted Turner, who I used to think along with Bill was another massive waste 
> of skin, came to the realization that more money was just that and no more - but
> more money. He gave (is giving) 1 billion to the UN to assist 3rd world
> countries. The spiritual person is calm, knows that there is something more than
> this Earth, has infectious happiness and is willing to share the means of
> getting there.
> 
> If a person chooses to get of their ass for reason number one I would 
> rather they sit right back down. Mother Theresa was far richer than Bill Gates.
> 
> Jeff
> 

Reply via email to