http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070125/hl_nm/..._consumerism_dc Good article - but the use of atheists was flat out wrong... a far higher percentage of lefty atheists are a bit more than 'at the back of my mind' concerned about the environment than probably most other groups... though the gungho 'materialist/consumerist' atheists are out there.
The way I'd phrase it is, If you want more stuff than you can afford, you are more likely to have those problems. For many years I had enough money for the basic necessities, and virtually nothing else. But I lived in rural North Dakota, where I wanted to be, and I was content. Then there was a decade or so when I could afford a few nice things. I had to choose carfully, though, because my "luxury fund" was very limited. I was content. It was nice to have a few nice things, but I didn't obsess about getting more. Now I've got plenty and I am spending it and having fun. I do not spend much time thinking about the things that are still beyond my reach. It's not whether you place high value on things. It's whether you can live within your means. And if you really want peace of mind, live below your means, so that you always have a comfortable reserve.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mirza @ Jan 25 2007, 07:01 PM) [snapback]380870[/snapback]</div> Yup. Good article. I agree with the use of sex addicted money grubbing atheists as an example of unhappiness. Shouldn't this be juxtaposed to the sex addicted money grubbing religious zealots? http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/05/haggard.a...ions/index.html
man. isn't that the truth. i am surrounded by kids with rich parents... let me tell you that their learned thought process is amazing. i can't be around them, it's infectious. first you hear about how their year-old couch is no longer good enough, they need a new one. and the the chair no longer matches so they need another one of those. then they go on about how their recent model year car is just going to fall apart any day now, they need a new one. and this is how they justify it. meanwhile, we did splurge a bit setting up house, but we got things that we knew would last through many years. and now that we have very little disposable income... we're still happy because we have our basic needs and we are comfortable in our own home. sure, i'd like to have some things we don't have but they're not necessary. and i don't fret about it.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Jan 26 2007, 06:47 AM) [snapback]381060[/snapback]</div> Back when Leonardo was alive (he looked a lot like my avatar, which is why I picked it) I bought a "new" couch at the thrift store for about $10 about every three years. That was how long it took him to demolish the old one. I also bought a new easy chair for about $5 on a similar schedule. I figure it didn't cost much more than a scratching post, and saved the exasperation of trying to train him. The sofa and easy chair were always very comfortable, and had the added advantage of having cat hair all over them.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Jan 26 2007, 09:47 AM) [snapback]381060[/snapback]</div> One look at the Pottery Barn Teen catalog is all it takes to recognize affluenza. And I'll be that folks of all faiths -- and none at all -- buy things from it, too (in response to an earlier poster).
Thankfully, I have escaped this disease. Monetary things really don't mean much to me anymore. We splurge in the area of our food, the environment and our pets and that's about it. We try to structure all of our purchases to that which we need, not to just what we want. I don't necessarily think that indulging leads to depression. I think it may be the other way around.....depressed or inadequate feeling people often try to fill their void by shopping.
