Rev7 Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I have been talking about this at school in my Language Arts class, and I want to know what you all think. Is more ever enough? I think that there are many different types of answers to this question (If that is even possible). There is the technological aspect, physical aspect, ect. Some people live in the middle of no-where in a small house and practically nothing, but live a happy life. While in our 'modern' world, it seems like more can never be enough. Everybody wants to get the newest clothing, cell phones, technology, ect. So, what do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mur'phon Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 When it comes to things that make us live longer, I'd say we can never have enough. As for other things, it's individual. For example, some people love dreaming about/using a new gaget, and to those, it'll never be enough. Others might love the good feeling they get when they work for a charity, not caring what they have, so long as they have the "necessities" of life. In short, both answers are correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Achilles Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Unfortunately I cannot recall the title of the survey or who conducted it, however there was a study published within the last year that showed that people with money were more concerned about acquiring more than those that did not. The rationale was that while lower class people are simply concerned with getting by and the middle class tend to be more concerned about keeping what they have, the upper class feel as though they are in heavy competition with one another. So within this context it would seem that more is never enough. To the larger theme you've presented; I do think that consumerism is completely out of hand and that one or two Western cultures could probably benefit from some form of a reality check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pho3nix Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Depends on the person, of course. I voted for the 2nd option though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcesious Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I always tend to want things... More money, more games, a 'better' life... It really just depends on what you want. Humans always have had greed, and jealousy. For me, it's jealousy. But honestly, I think you can have enough. It's that 'jealously, that 'curiousity' that we humans have- a driving force. It is that driving force that gives us the 'need' to have more and become more than we are, even if it's in the corrupt form, greed. We can have enough. Not all of us want to admit it, but, in the end, you still would never truly have everything. What would always be missing would be mastery over your possessions. We can't let trivial technological things and other possessions 'rule' our lives. The only way you can ever have everything, is realize that you need nothing. I pick option 1, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Achilles Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 We can't let trivial technological things and other possessions 'rule' our lives. The only way you can ever have everything, is realize that you need nothing."The things you own end up owning you" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev7 Posted May 31, 2008 Author Share Posted May 31, 2008 If you look at it from a certain point of view, you can NEVER have enough. In my Language Arts class, we read, "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck. That is how this question originated. If you have read this story, you know that Kino found the "Pearl of the World", and knew that it would change his life. In fact it did. He went to sell it, and the dealers would give him very little money for it. Kino went to the capital to get the story staightened out, but ended up killing someone, in self defense. Trackers were after him, and to sum up the story, the trackers shot Kino's baby in the head, because they thought that they heard the wimper of a coyote. In the end, Kino threw the Pearl back in the ocean. My point is that Kino wanted to have his 'normal' life back. He wanted more. Even in everyday life, you want more. You want to improve your home, you want an extra scoop of ice cream, ect. However, I think that both answers are correct. It really depends on the situation, and your perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Yuthura Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 If there is a limited supply, then there must be a time when one has enough. Taking more than you need is greedy and often wasteful. There is more than enough out there for Americans, but that only comes because we have been spoiled by past practices. If we start living with only basic needs, then we'll start being satisfied with a lot less than we currently have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totenkopf Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 It is all somewhat relative. Sometimes you can have too much, not just more or enough. I rather doubt that living with only servicing our basic needs is going to make us satisfied. If that were true, most civilizations would stagnate early on in their development. It's kind of funny, but Achilles and the Pope are in basic agreement that consumerism is a big problem in western culture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relenzo2 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Achilles and the Pope are in basic agreement that consumerism is a big problem in western culture. Doesn't seem funny to me. The Pope could use a few more people agreeing with him. By the by, who is this "Achilles"? Not the character from Greek mythos, I take it, with all the talking about Western Culture? Well, technically, then Greece WAS western culture, but.... yeah... anyhow. If you can have enough, than you do. If you can't, you don't. So, think about it! Better yet, play it on a cassette in your sleep over and over and mess up your head! EDIT: Waiaait a minute. Totenkopf. That's the bad guy from SKY CAPTAIN! Hooray! Calling Sky Captain, come in Sky Captain! Good boy, Benny! (Or whoever it was.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Yuthura Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 The word used is 'enough.' One must first define that. Enough to live? Yeah there's more than enough for the entire population indefinitely. Enough to sustain our lifestyles as they are? Not likely. Because of the nature of humans, then we can never have enough. If we became very rational creatures, then I would say yes. It is POSSIBLE, but not likely. We must understand that more is preferable to less in almost all retrospects. More means a greater chance of survival, but if one takes too much, it detracts from the whole. If we came to realize that our success comes at another's failure, then we would see that there is a point when taking too much is hurtful... we just don't see outside ourselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totenkopf Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 By the by, who is this "Achilles"? Actually, Achilles is our rabid "atheist in chief" in LF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev7 Posted June 13, 2008 Author Share Posted June 13, 2008 By the by, who is this "Achilles"? Check out post number 6. If there is a limited supply, then there must be a time when one has enough. Taking more than you need is greedy and often wasteful. There is more than enough out there for Americans, but that only comes because we have been spoiled by past practices. If we start living with only basic needs, then we'll start being satisfied with a lot less than we currently have. Yes this is true, but as Totenkopf pointed out, many wouldn't be satisfied with that lifestyle. After being 'exposed' to the way things are now, that would be a very hard thing to do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnderWiggin Posted June 14, 2008 Share Posted June 14, 2008 By the by, who is this "Achilles"? Read any single thread in this forum (and most in the JK Senate Chambers.) He shouldn't be that hard to find _EW_ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Det. Bart Lasiter Posted June 14, 2008 Share Posted June 14, 2008 "The things you own end up owning you"Not if I own them harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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