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The Real Luxuries In Life

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Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#51

Post by sersi »

smokel wrote: post #34

Time seems to be one of the most valuable luxuries. AFAIK it is not entirely clear why time seems to pass faster when one grows older. One argument is that the older brain does not form memories as intricate as in the younger brain. Has anyone experimented with actively making more complex memories to make time pass slower? Seems like the best approach to living longer, at least in experience.

I've found that traveling and discovering new things make time seem to pass slower because I have a lot of memories of those new places. On the other hand when I'm in a routine and keep doing the same thing everyday, it feels that time passes slower at the moment (because I'm bored) but looking back then time seems to have flown by

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#52

Post by turzmo »

themacguffinman wrote: post #25
Liftyee wrote: post #2

True. Money is just an instrumental goal. I was thinking about how some have 1000x more money but not 1000x more happiness. Enjoyment doesn't scale.

It just doesn't scale linearly. There's substantial evidence that happiness scales logarithmically with income. https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/contra-pritchard-on-liberal...

I don't know, self-reported happiness seems like an awfully unreliable metric. For one, I've noticed that projecting unhappiness is much more of a faux pas in rich circles. On its own this could account for much of this relationship.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#53

Post by jmspring »

The school year, across the US used to be labor day to Memorial Day. No longer the case. My step daughter’s former district started at the beginning of August, her freshman year of college last weekend.

At least here in the states, districts because they pay teachers shit, are getting pushback to add required meetings and learning on the end of the day. Instead there are “short days” for the kids.

It’s no longer an issue for me, but seriously annoying how little k-12 are actually in school these days.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#55

Post by turzmo »

stackghost wrote: post #27
mmaunder wrote: post #22

Health determines the quality and quantity of time, so put that at the top above all else.

As with many things, it's easier to stay healthy if you are wealthy. You can buy personal training services, workout gear, a home in traffic-calmed neighborhoods where you aren't jogging or cycling along rural highways, a pool, etc. You can buy fresh fruit and vegetables instead of highly-processed food. If you're American you can buy imported or certified organic meat instead of the hormone-filled shit on the shelve…

Personal training services? Workout gear? Not sure you should have lead with that, these are expensive things with minimal impact.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#57

Post by bheadmaster »

thousand_nights wrote: post #11
Multiplayer wrote: post #5

Time with my young adult children. They are all out of the house, recently, and there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING more valuable/meaningful to us than when they come home for a visit or we spend time out in the world. It's incredible.

this is nice to know as someone who is the adult child. i used to argue a lot with my parents when i was still living with them, but ever since i moved out and we only see each other once every few months, our relationship has improved so much, and we're always happy to see each other in smaller doses

It's because we're no longer a burden.

Many parents would gasp at this sentence, but the same parents would likely complain to anyone who'd listen about how negatively their children are affecting their lives.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#58

Post by tmnvix »

sersi wrote: post #51
smokel wrote: post #34

Time seems to be one of the most valuable luxuries. AFAIK it is not entirely clear why time seems to pass faster when one grows older. One argument is that the older brain does not form memories as intricate as in the younger brain. Has anyone experimented with actively making more complex memories to make time pass slower? Seems like the best approach to living longer, at least in experience.

I've found that traveling and discovering new things make time seem to pass slower because I have a lot of memories of those new places. On the other hand when I'm in a routine and keep doing the same thing everyday, it feels that time passes slower at the moment (because I'm bored) but looking back then time seems to have flown by

Exactly my experience and fits with my idea of how time is perceived in general. Ask a young child what they did this last week and they can likely rattle off a whole bunch of things that they've learned/experienced/discovered for the first time - a lot of 'memory milestones'. Ask your average adult and you'll often just get "same same" - no new 'memory milestones' because the week was pretty much just a repeat of a regular routine.

As for how it feels at the time. There's a lot of truth in the sayings "time flies when you're having fun" and "a watched pot never boils".

It's a paradox.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#59

Post by Jeaye »

malux85 wrote: post #12

40. The luxuries I am grateful for: Sleeping in as much as I need Working on something meaningful that pushes at the edge of my self actualization Not ever having to worry about bills The love from my partner Having the ability to help others selflessly The wisdom I have gained over the last 20 years of life The incredible people around me

Would you mind sharing an example of "Working on something meaningful that pushes at the edge of my self actualization"? In my experience, work, even when meaningful, is quite separate from self actualization. I'm interested to hear how you're combining them.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#60

Post by cafebeen »

Detrytus wrote: post #8

The cynic in me thinks: most of the things on that list are most easily acquired if you have money.

I agree, for at least some listed, though many people blow past the amount of money actually needed. Money starts as a proxy measure for attaining these things, but it eventually replaces them as the goal, per Goodhart's law.
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