What if money were no object?
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Thanks for posting that
A teacher freind of mine tells her pupils i dare you to be who you want to be
A teacher freind of mine tells her pupils i dare you to be who you want to be
Elen Sentier
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oh yes! This is how I was brought up, do what makes your heart sing 
. I kept thinking "I recognise that voice" then saw it was Alan Watts, met him long, long ago when I was at college. He's just so absolutely right! \Most of the disease and crime and misery in the world comes about because people don't do what makes their heart sing but struggle to fit themselves into someone else's script, the script of "being normal". It's hard to be yourself, do what makes your heart sing, because there's so muh pressure to conform, but when you do it really does work
. I kept thinking "I recognise that voice" then saw it was Alan Watts, met him long, long ago when I was at college. He's just so absolutely right! \Most of the disease and crime and misery in the world comes about because people don't do what makes their heart sing but struggle to fit themselves into someone else's script, the script of "being normal". It's hard to be yourself, do what makes your heart sing, because there's so muh pressure to conform, but when you do it really does work
Elen Sentier
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nice one
, and sooooo good for the children. I use it in counselling practice too.When he asks " how would I like to spend my life if money were no object" does he mean I've inherited millions or that I follow my dreams & desires, using other peoples money, hoping that one day I may earn a living from it. ?..................... & if everyone was sky diving or bimbling through the daisy fields, who's going to do all the boring stuff like running a country ?......................maybe he's just addressing the elite..
My trouble is after 48 years I still don't know what i want to do. Years ago I thought I knew what I wanted to do and then realised I didn't want to do it. Have been searching ever since!
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"If we had some bacon we could have bacon and eggs, if we had some eggs"
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"If we had some bacon we could have bacon and eggs, if we had some eggs"
When he asks " how would I like to spend my life if money were no object" does he mean I've inherited millions or that I follow my dreams & desires, using other peoples money, hoping that one day I may earn a living from it. ?..................... & if everyone was sky diving or bimbling through the daisy fields, who's going to do all the boring stuff like running a country ?......................maybe he's just addressing the elite..
+ 1 to that. Like most idealists, he has no sense of the practicalities of life. Anyway I'm content with my lot, worked hard to get here and I'm happy.
It's an interesting starting point for a discussion, but those three minutes are not much more than repetition of "if you don't think about money all the time, you'll be happier than if you did".
That's fine if you have enough to satisfy your immediate material needs and can look beyond avaricious desires to accumulate more and more possessions. I'm happy and contented in my life at the moment; I have easily more than enough for my immediate needs nowadays. But I remember what life was like when I was quite literally living from hand to mouth. I had confidence back then that I would get out of that existence, and so I could tolerate it as a temporary condition.
Now I have a lot of understanding for people whose parents lived hand to mouth, are themselves living hand to mouth, and see no other future for their own children than the same destiny. But at the same time as having some sympathy for them I think that in Occidental civilisations each individual can change his or her life and make it better, at the same time as making an improvement to society as a whole. We have enough freedom to be able to do that.
In The Aviator there is a scene where a young Howard Hughes is in the Hepburn family home and is reprimanded for talking about money. He retorts that it's easy to not have to think about money when you have so much of it, while he is obsessed with finding funding for his films... but for Hughes the money is a means to an end, not an end in itself, and this is in my opinion a very important distinction that is not made clear enough in the three minute video.
Watts wants to turn people away from the pursuit of money as an end in itself, taking an enormous short-cut when he says that if you choose a profession you enjoy you will become an expert in it and will therefore be able to command a high fee. I think that this is true, but at the same time this may require an almost monastic existence while becoming an expert.
That's fine if you have enough to satisfy your immediate material needs and can look beyond avaricious desires to accumulate more and more possessions. I'm happy and contented in my life at the moment; I have easily more than enough for my immediate needs nowadays. But I remember what life was like when I was quite literally living from hand to mouth. I had confidence back then that I would get out of that existence, and so I could tolerate it as a temporary condition.
Now I have a lot of understanding for people whose parents lived hand to mouth, are themselves living hand to mouth, and see no other future for their own children than the same destiny. But at the same time as having some sympathy for them I think that in Occidental civilisations each individual can change his or her life and make it better, at the same time as making an improvement to society as a whole. We have enough freedom to be able to do that.
In The Aviator there is a scene where a young Howard Hughes is in the Hepburn family home and is reprimanded for talking about money. He retorts that it's easy to not have to think about money when you have so much of it, while he is obsessed with finding funding for his films... but for Hughes the money is a means to an end, not an end in itself, and this is in my opinion a very important distinction that is not made clear enough in the three minute video.
Watts wants to turn people away from the pursuit of money as an end in itself, taking an enormous short-cut when he says that if you choose a profession you enjoy you will become an expert in it and will therefore be able to command a high fee. I think that this is true, but at the same time this may require an almost monastic existence while becoming an expert.
"Money doesn't change people, it just enables them to be the person they always were" Abe Simpson
It's interesting how these threads always come round to a discussion og Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.
At any rate I agree money cain't buy happiness; but it's much more comfortable to cry in a limosine than on a bicycle.
At any rate I agree money cain't buy happiness; but it's much more comfortable to cry in a limosine than on a bicycle.
True... I ended up explaining Maslow's hierarchy, and also the "Augmented product", to my son a few weeks ago, when his English homework was about advertising. I wonder how long it will be before we get on to Ansoff's matrix.
I'm afraid I live in the real world..........
And if you live in the real world, and have responsibilities - family and children being the most important - then this sort of stuff is - quite frankly - irrelevant. For example: if my daughter needed back surgery (or hip replacement in my case) to give her a good quality of life, then instead of waiting 5 years on the NHS is not an option. But that costs money to fast-track privately.
In Utopia, of course, it is never an issue, because everyone lives healthy and happy lives, food and shelter is free and plentiful, as is gas, water and electricity. No need for police, or armed forces, or road-building, or hospitals, or schools, or buses or trains or aircraft. No need for a safety net to protect those who can't protect themselves.
No responsibilities? Fine, then do what you want. Just don't expect me to fund you lifestyle choices.
And if you live in the real world, and have responsibilities - family and children being the most important - then this sort of stuff is - quite frankly - irrelevant. For example: if my daughter needed back surgery (or hip replacement in my case) to give her a good quality of life, then instead of waiting 5 years on the NHS is not an option. But that costs money to fast-track privately.
In Utopia, of course, it is never an issue, because everyone lives healthy and happy lives, food and shelter is free and plentiful, as is gas, water and electricity. No need for police, or armed forces, or road-building, or hospitals, or schools, or buses or trains or aircraft. No need for a safety net to protect those who can't protect themselves.
No responsibilities? Fine, then do what you want. Just don't expect me to fund you lifestyle choices.
Not seen the video yet, only read the thread title. What do you mean "IF money were no object" is the treasure room in the west wing running low? Or too far to walk to check?
Not seen the video yet, only read the thread title. What do you mean "IF money were no object" is the treasure room in the west wing running low? Or too far to walk to check?
I'll ask the butler to send one of the servants to check...
robin wood
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
yep I like it defo not a million miles from my own philosophy and personally for me it does work in the real world complete with responsibilities kids etc. What bigger responsibility than showing kids that they can live a good fulfilling life and follow their dreams? Wider responsibility should come into it too, I feel responsibility not to spoil others potential for fulfilling lives whilst I enjoy mine and to try to leave the planet no worse a place than I came into it and living in 21st century in the Western world that is very difficult.
i find this quite an interesting discussion, i'm a professional juggler (almost 20 years at it), and it's what i love. i've not followed the path of my peers and often had to forgo stuff or not fit into social groups over the years, and as i've gone on i've seen many people who wanted to do it but they've gradually fallen by the wayside when times are hard. those who are still in the business are used to living hand to mouth, but as you go on, (passed the first decade,) it does get easier. if i won the lottery i'd set up a practice space for other performers, and other than that, money to family and a bit of land (with woods) so i never had to pay rent again. so i guess i can understand the video, but what's right for me, and i quote keith_beef, "this may require an almost monastic existence while becoming an expert", is not the path to happiness for everyone.
ps my lifestyle has lead me to enjoy all the free things, knowledge and sitting under a tree, something that we all enjoy on this site.
ps my lifestyle has lead me to enjoy all the free things, knowledge and sitting under a tree, something that we all enjoy on this site.
