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The Real Luxuries In Life

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Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#231

Post by tonyedgecombe »

anon3949494 wrote: post #108
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 agree with the gist what you're saying, like ditching the ego, the status chasing, etc. But dragging stuff like staying connected, being knowledgable, enjoying good food, and travel is where this goes a bit too far. A rock has zero dependencies, but nobody wants to be a rock.

I have mixed feelings about travel. Simply because so much of it seems to be about status chasing. Then you have the whole commercial world trying to convince you it is important. You never see them suggesting you take a ten mile hike from your front door.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#232

Post by zelphirkalt »

seizethecheese wrote: post #16
Detrytus wrote: post #8

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

“People who love you back” is harder if you truly have money.

I think often it takes time to build relationships with others, so that they can love you back. And that is much easier, when you have a lot of money.

What's more is, many people looking for a partner are looking for a social step upwards, and these days the perceived social level is a lot about money. You got no job and no income? Good luck finding a partner! In that situation you usually simply aren't given even a chance to build a relationship. Cut off before there is even a chance for the other person to love you back.

Money also enables you to have many great shared memories more easily than in other ways. That wonderful vacation trip you shared to your partner's $dream-location costs money. Traveling simply costs money, but can also be a chance to get out of a dead sea and meet people who think differently and behave differently, which might more align with you.

The only risk is, if others find out about your money and want you for your money. Other than that I don't see how having more money would reduce your chances of having people who love you back.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#235

Post by tonyedgecombe »

eyepea2007 wrote: post #44
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.

Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, is on the record saying he is 'not often happy.' Somehow I doubt he'd give up half his wealth to double his happiness, though that's just a guess based on his other obvious character flaws ;)

He should get off Twitter, that place can make you miserable.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#236

Post by tonyedgecombe »

Avicebron wrote: post #10
Detrytus wrote: post #8

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

Well yea, it's the luxury that underpins most of the other ones on this list. The real luxury is not having to worry about money so you can focus on things like this. A luxury that is increasingly out of reach..

Everybody worries about money no matter how much they have got. I remember some study where people were asked how much they would need to feel comfortable. No matter where they were on the wealth scale the answer was always about 50% more than they have now.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#237

Post by tonyedgecombe »

cynicalsecurity wrote: post #6

Good luck enjoying a slow morning without a job. So much free time, so much joy. Old people give the most ridiculous and unsolicited advice.

The unemployed people I know all enjoy slow mornings. It's the rich that seem to be working themselves to the bone.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#238

Post by jjav »

phoghed wrote: post #144
nradov wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would I want a slow morning? That sounds miserable, like the opposite of luxury.

Yeah why would anyone want to chill, I want my boss shaking me awake at 5am shoving adderall into my mouth

> I want my boss shaking me awake at 5am shoving adderall into my mouth

Nicely expressed.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#239

Post by throwaway2037 »

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…

    > need to taste foods from around the world
Since the 2000s, in most highly developed countries, you are spoiled for choice if you live within 20km of a medium-/large-sized city. You don't need to travel more than a few km to enjoy cuisine from outside your region.

    > need to be loved by someone
Jesus: Tell me you are a man without telling me you are a man. Few women I know would ever say something like that.

Re: The Real Luxuries In Life

#240

Post by throwaway2037 »

rickyyean wrote: post #179

My friend wrote something similar recently. Here's her take as a 30-something. https://argentumaspicio806903.substack.com/p/luxuries-as-an-...

I started reading this blog post in good faith. At the end of the first paragraph I stumbled across this sentence:

    > In the morning, the air in Mongolia is soooooo crisp that it cleanses your soul, and you feel like you’re breathing for the first time.
The irony: UNICEF says: "Ulaanbaatar (capital city of Mongolia) is one of the most polluted capital cities in the world, particularly during freezing winter months when particulate matter levels can soar over 100 times safe limits."

This means the author probably lived/lives in a big Mongolian city, suffers from severe air pollution all week for several months per year, then maybe drives into the countryside on the weekend for some horse riding.

The list at the end of the article is insufferable: She sounds like someone who is incredibly lucky and very financially comfortable.

    > 7. Having no debt. No student loans.

    > 8. Buying fun (alcoholic?) drinks without doing the math first.
What will she say to a girlfriend who saddled with 100-200K USD in debt from her university degree? Sheesh.
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