Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

The Real Luxuries In Life

feld.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

171–180 of 257 posts

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#171

Post by criddell »

hbarka wrote: post #168
zkmon wrote: post #64

Time, quiet mind, slow mornings, rest without guilt, calm and boring days - are all the same thing - escape from being busy. This assumes being busy is common, which is actually not that common for an age of 60+. The real luxury, for any age, in general, is in not having dependencies and needs. The need to impress someone, the need to know every ugly news from around globe, the need to read everything and be knowledg…

Just give me a place with safe dense public transportation, walkable places to eat, and nature to relax.

Just give me some land outside of the city, where I can’t really see or hear my neighbors, where I have enough space for an enormous garden, lots of native plants for the butterflies and bees, and a giant workshop. Starry skies at night shared with my wife and a dog or two.

And since I have the space, maybe a sauna and cold plunge would be nice. You know, stretch goals.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#172

Post by darth_avocado »

cejast wrote: post #104
zkmon wrote: post #64

Time, quiet mind, slow mornings, rest without guilt, calm and boring days - are all the same thing - escape from being busy. This assumes being busy is common, which is actually not that common for an age of 60+. The real luxury, for any age, in general, is in not having dependencies and needs. The need to impress someone, the need to know every ugly news from around globe, the need to read everything and be knowledg…

I have to regularly travel to rural villages in Asia and the people that live in these places have only the most basic human desires. They barely know what an LLM is let alone interact with them. They're some of the happiest people I've ever met. Of course they'll complain about work or money, and they assume that a Western salary buys me freedom. But they get to live through these luxuries on a daily basis. I'd be l…

But is that true though? This seems bit of a romanticism. Having lived in rural villages in Asia, I can tell you people are about as happy as anywhere else. They worry about not being able to afford or have access to basic healthcare. They worry about one off season rain destroying their livelihoods for the season. Depending on where you are, some worry about a sudden onset of escalating violence. Plenty of people don’t even have access to drinking water. Some worry about their land and only source of income taken away by larger interests.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#173

Post by ericmcer »

zkmon wrote: post #64

Time, quiet mind, slow mornings, rest without guilt, calm and boring days - are all the same thing - escape from being busy. This assumes being busy is common, which is actually not that common for an age of 60+. The real luxury, for any age, in general, is in not having dependencies and needs. The need to impress someone, the need to know every ugly news from around globe, the need to read everything and be knowledg…

That is a nice list for someone in their 20s with no responsibilities.

Once you get a partner, kids, elderly parents, pets, mortgage, etc. you won't be worrying about your needs anymore trust me.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#174

Post by ericmcer »

cejast wrote: post #143
satyrnein wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to be glib, but I assume you're not quitting your Western job and moving there. So isn't this romanticizing it?

I have my own family dependencies that aren't too keen on the idea of living the village life. Otherwise I'd already be there.

I saw a video of a guy in his 50s living in a small city in Vietnam. He claimed $800/mo was more than enough, and $1000/mo would let him live lavishly. He just did the math and as soon as his predicted months of life left * 1000 I think about that a lot because I have already hit that number easily, my family would definitely suffer though and not be into it.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#175

Post by AndrewKemendo »

jimmydddd wrote: post #87
ivolimmen wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I lived a short time in my 20s with friends a few blocks from my parents. When I returned to live with my parents for a short period the entire dynamic changed. You leave the house so you don't go to your room, you visit. I started talking more and listening to music with them. I really appreciated my parents more. I hope my relationship with my children will be the same.

What do you mean by listening to music with them? Like, sitting around in the living room playing each other's favorite songs? I don't think I've ever done that with my parents, my kids, or anyone really.

I currently do that with my kids (Older teens almost to college) pretty regularly

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#176

Post by teaearlgraycold »

ericmcer wrote: post #173
zkmon wrote: post #64

Time, quiet mind, slow mornings, rest without guilt, calm and boring days - are all the same thing - escape from being busy. This assumes being busy is common, which is actually not that common for an age of 60+. The real luxury, for any age, in general, is in not having dependencies and needs. The need to impress someone, the need to know every ugly news from around globe, the need to read everything and be knowledg…

That is a nice list for someone in their 20s with no responsibilities. Once you get a partner, kids, elderly parents, pets, mortgage, etc. you won't be worrying about your needs anymore trust me.

As someone in my 30s I'm not sure I need the things on your list. Can't escape the aging of my parents but I'm lucky they will be able to financially support themselves through retirement. If I do add complications to my life I'll be careful to do my best ensuring it's a net benefit to my stability and peace.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#177

Post by khazhoux »

zkmon wrote: post #64

Time, quiet mind, slow mornings, rest without guilt, calm and boring days - are all the same thing - escape from being busy. This assumes being busy is common, which is actually not that common for an age of 60+. The real luxury, for any age, in general, is in not having dependencies and needs. The need to impress someone, the need to know every ugly news from around globe, the need to read everything and be knowledg…

So true.

I know a couple, retired, who are constantly traveling to Europe and Japan. When they’re not traveling, they spend all their time reading or visiting with their kids and grandkids.

I often want to tell them: You fools! You’ll never find happiness if all you do is give in to these weaknesses!

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#178

Post by retired »

hbarka wrote: post #168
zkmon wrote: post #64

Time, quiet mind, slow mornings, rest without guilt, calm and boring days - are all the same thing - escape from being busy. This assumes being busy is common, which is actually not that common for an age of 60+. The real luxury, for any age, in general, is in not having dependencies and needs. The need to impress someone, the need to know every ugly news from around globe, the need to read everything and be knowledg…

Just give me a place with safe dense public transportation, walkable places to eat, and nature to relax.

Haven't used public transport in a long time. I used it to commute in the past but stopped using it during COVID.

Can't say I miss it. Prefer to just leave when I want, go where I want and stay there as long as I want. All while not enjoying other peoples music and smell or waiting at a platform for ages.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#180

Post by teaearlgraycold »

ElProlactin wrote: post #128
zkmon wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Being loved is not a weakness. But a strong requirement to be loved is a weakness because that means you don't have strength to be happy without being loved.

This is actually a sad comment. How did you ever come to believe that wanting to feel loved, which is a fundamental desire (if not "need") for the vast majority of human beings, could ever be construed as a weakness resulting from a lack of "strength"?

Charitably interpreted, GP is already loved and takes it for granted while arguing about a straw man. Or perhaps GP is specifically talking about someone who has trouble loving themself without a romantic partner.
Post reply on HN