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AbridgingInfinity · 09-02-2007, 06:10 PM

Sir Arthur, You should look into Buddhism (as a philosophy) a bit if you haven't already; it has some main elements you seem to agree with. First, that desire is suffering; wanting that new ipod just makes you suffer, and there is no real joy when you buy it (but there is more suffering when the new ipod comes out.) And thus, many of the Buddhists have nothing, want nothing, and seem to be happy. I strongly respect this part of Buddhism

However, I don't agree with a lot of what was said. I doubt rich people are sadder if even equal to anyone else on average, and if you think so, I'd recommend donating everything you don't NEED to charity. Believe it or not, but material items (which money can buy) can bring plenty of happiness. For example, I am listening to great music every minute, and loving it. Argue that everything I have is fake; that's OK. But what is real? Friends? Family? Our technology helps with both. Thousands of years ago you could only know the people directly around you with no other communication.

And when you said that in the future we will be less happy, well, I'm sorry but I just found that comical. Because I can't prove anything in the future because I don't know the future, I think it would be easy to argue this in terms of the past. And, now that I think about it, go back say, 500 years. Can you really argue that times were better than? Disease everywhere, short lifespans, and many, many people liked to kill each other. I don't feel like wasting much time with that.

Sorry if I come off hard or anything. But I plan to major in engineering and have a really tough time believing that engineering has hurt our planet (which has more or less made it into what you complain about). Engineering gives us choices. You can buy the Ipod, or you can not buy the IPOD. But it isn't Apple's fault for making you suffer because you happened to have seen an add for it, and are now miserable without it.

09-02-2007, 06:10 PM	#9 (permalink)
AbridgingInfinity Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: New York Posts: 3	Adjustments Sir Arthur, You should look into Buddhism (as a philosophy) a bit if you haven't already; it has some main elements you seem to agree with. First, that desire is suffering; wanting that new ipod just makes you suffer, and there is no real joy when you buy it (but there is more suffering when the new ipod comes out.) And thus, many of the Buddhists have nothing, want nothing, and seem to be happy. I strongly respect this part of Buddhism However, I don't agree with a lot of what was said. I doubt rich people are sadder if even equal to anyone else on average, and if you think so, I'd recommend donating everything you don't NEED to charity. Believe it or not, but material items (which money can buy) can bring plenty of happiness. For example, I am listening to great music every minute, and loving it. Argue that everything I have is fake; that's OK. But what is real? Friends? Family? Our technology helps with both. Thousands of years ago you could only know the people directly around you with no other communication. And when you said that in the future we will be less happy, well, I'm sorry but I just found that comical. Because I can't prove anything in the future because I don't know the future, I think it would be easy to argue this in terms of the past. And, now that I think about it, go back say, 500 years. Can you really argue that times were better than? Disease everywhere, short lifespans, and many, many people liked to kill each other. I don't feel like wasting much time with that. Sorry if I come off hard or anything. But I plan to major in engineering and have a really tough time believing that engineering has hurt our planet (which has more or less made it into what you complain about). Engineering gives us choices. You can buy the Ipod, or you can not buy the IPOD. But it isn't Apple's fault for making you suffer because you happened to have seen an add for it, and are now miserable without it.