If you could have a certain societal status: beauty, wealth, intellect, power, fame etc. - what would you choose?

[noname223]

I think this forum teaches us that a societal status usually does not mean much. We are often at the low of those spectrums. But with many of these status there is something perverted. We easily take things for granted when we enjoy some of them since our birth. I read something very interested about money. Rich people can really say they don't care that much about money. The thing is especially when you live in poverty you get reminded every single day which restrictions you have to endure. Rich people don't have to ruminate how to pay the bills. I think it is well known that if the material needs of a human are satisfied they search for a higher purpose in life.

My personal remarks: beauty - not that important to me. When I dated a girl which did not care much about outer appearance we could be way less superifical. I think the outer appearance should not be the first priority when you search for a significant other.

wealth - I never really had the goal to become rich. I think we early in life I understood that material needs don't nurture your soul. At the same time I think poverty will drive me to commit suicide. I enjoy to satisfy my material needs as long as possible. I could live very well in the (lower) middle class. I would fight for such a life like a dog which is sort of what I am doing. But it is hopeless. I don't think being a millionaire is everything in life. There are many rich people who commit suicide and who would trade all their money for some happiness.

intellect - I think this is something I worship. And I think I would like to be much smarter. However I think very intelligent people might be less concerned about IQ etc. I met an extremely smart professor. I am quite sure he is almost always the smartest guy in the room. He was humble, the opposite of conceited and thankful for his good (material) life. He suffered from mental illness and I think he did not prioritize intelligence when interacting with other people. He hated me and my obsession of intelligence. For some people high intelligence can be a similar to a curse. For example people with autism can be pretty intelligent and skilled in certain areas but suffer because of the stigma and the impact of other effects of their illness.

power - something I craved for as a young teenager. A response to my abuse. I wanted to be powerful and rule over other people. Lol. I changed my mind on that. Sacrificing your life just for politics can be pretty unthankful. Many private lives were destroyed by that. A career can feel pretty shallow. One works like a slave and in the end there will always be people in higher positions who treat you like shit.

fame - The thing I absolutely don't care on this list. I think fame is a double-edged sword. It did not save Chester Bennington and so many others from committing suicide. I think fame can ruin people.

Happiness? - well that is not an option because it is no societal status. But I think it is something most people would like to choose over the other options. Or a good health.

So what would you choose?

 

[TheAntithesis]

Wealth. With wealth, everything will come after, Although for me, its probably a trauma response. My father is a monster, a psychopathic narcissistic monster that tore apart my family, and ruined my life. He's now on the verge of doing the same to my sister. He's extremely charismatic and cunning, and his job is his life. Or was, when we were growing up.

We are past the age of innovation and progress, we are rapidly approaching a deadlock. Our generation and the ones to come are lambs to the slaughter in the machine that has been created for us, and the key fuel that will allow someone to attain anything they want in it is money.

With money, I can pay all my debts, and not have to worry about them hanging over my head. With money, I don't need to worry about losing my apartment, or becoming homeless. With money, I can go out to as many city skylines as I want, and gaze at the view for as long as I like. With money, I don't need to suffer alone with my thoughts at work and try to force a fake smile as they wreak havoc on my mind and body. With money, I can explore any hobby, any passion, or talent without fear of losing my basic human rights.

Now, I've heard plenty of arguments that money cannot buy happiness, and I feel that you need to be born rich to think that. If we get down to the basic nub of its meaning, to pure semantics, then yes. Money does not equal happiness, but money can be used to buy or chase the things that make us happy.

I proposed this to a friend. A couple months ago, he met a couple of people at a bar he became very good friends with. They regularly hang out now, and are still friends to this day. They are much happier now, as beforehand they were upset about feeling alone alot of the time. Now, we are ignoring a key factor here.

He got to that bar with his car. This car costed him money. The gas in his tank that the car used to get there costed him money. The drinks that they ordered to reach the state of inebriation to loosen up and talk about themselves more costed money.

Money will make, and unmake us.

The only difference between that homeless person you see on the street, and you, yourself is that you have money. He does not.

Wealth, is God.

 

[savoytruffle]

Wealth. 70% of why im going is the classist trap im stuck in. stuck in generations of poverty, theres no way im breaking that cycle, not with my kind of sick brain that's unable to converse or hold a job or just function in society at all. but it wouldn't matter with money. i could be in a comatose state, literally useless to society, and it wouldn't matter if i were rich.

if i somehow got a hold of a lot of money it would literally flip a switch and that would be it. nothing else matters to me

 

[Rocinante]

Beauty
Looks are everything. All the other aforementioned statuses are more easily acquired through looks, bar power.
Attractive looking people will automatically be assumed to be good/over achieving(halo effect), thus better benefit in social interactions and relationships, in the career field, etc.. If you have an ugly appearance the opposite is applicable. Every aspect of your life would improve tenfold by being attractive.
There's nothing an attractive person could do that would make people despise them. E.g. Ramirez. His crimes didn't stop him from having thousands of fangirls, even worse yet, marriage.


Life begins when you're either 1. 7.25 on the decile scale 2. a celebrity 3. Multimillionaire

Wealth would be meaningless to me if I didn't earn it. I'd rather wage two years straight 12 hours a day for a mere .50 cents than be handed millions of dollars.

 

[loyalskateboard]

Wealth for sure. If happiness is an option though I'd choose that.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I think you should add confidence to your list. I think I would have done better in life with more confidence.

I'd probably say intelligence- because having that plus confidence- I imagine you could ascertain wealth and all the power/ fame you felt comfortable with. I'd say that emotional intelligence is just as important to me as rational intellect though- maybe more important. I'd also say that- for the sort of person I'd go for in terms of relationships- both romantic and friendship- emotional intelligence (kindness, empathy, consideration) would be more important than looks and hopefully vice versa.

 

[winamp]

intellect but then I would be worried about becoming too self aware or thinking too much and too deeply about everything but I would still like to have it but I would profit off from it I would just use it to be more creative and improve my social skills

beauty isn't really important to me but it would be interesting to have beauty of any kind and it would make me think that I would have a chance to be less self aware and to stop overthinking things but also I think beauty would make you think more about if the people around you are genuine or not because I think a lot of beautiful people's downfall comes from the people around them or the industries where they focus on beauty there's so much to think about when it comes to it

and now as an adult when I look at or think of beauty it becomes boring to me it doesn't even matter what form of beauty it is
or I see it as dangerous or scary or I think about all of the documentaries and tabloids from the 00s or films like The Neon Demon

also maybe beauty and fame intertwine I don't know it's a lot to talk about

 

[lotus11]

Agee with the person who said looks are everything. If you were given the superpower to be an insanely good-looking person naturally no matter what, I swear everyone would be so nice to you you would have so many friends, a partner, good job etc just by being very good looking

 

[stressedmess]

Wealth. Wealth. Wealth. Wealth.

I can fix my ugly face with wealth. I can pay off my debts with wealth. I don't want to be smart and aware of how terrible the world is. I don't want power because that's too much responsibility. I don't want fame because I want to be alone.

 

[Anonymoususer1234]

I'd choose wealth. I could buy myself independence and some pets to keep me company. I wouldn't ever have to worry about working hard or securing a steady future for myself. I would already have everything I could possibly need.

 

[Kattt]

Just what I have.
I am fortunate enough to live in a country with universal healthcare and a welfare state. I have my own front door that I can lock, a warm bed, food in the fridge and good parents.
We grew up poor and homeless at times. I've never had luxuries but I know they won't bring me happiness.

 

[NumbItAll]

I'll go with looks honestly... fame and power do not interest me. Money is good but I mostly just care about financial security, not interested in obscene wealth. Intellect is good but I'm satisfied where I'm at and I think once you reach a certain point it just becomes alienating anyway. Beauty comes with a lot of social benefits and would help me the most I think. Or maybe not because still no one would like me and it might make me feel even worse. Hmm...

 

[Shepherd's boy]

Serenity

 

[angel31]

I see flaws with all the points exept intellect actually. Beauty would be nice but I dont really care.
Wealth is complicated. People say money cant buy happiness and I believe this is right but I do believe that lack of money causes unhappiness, if that makes sense. But I already am wealthy enough (I was born into that and I am really thankful for that, I am so happy that I never had to really care a lot about not having enough money for rent or food etc. and I believe that it is terrible that our society allows shit like that to happen especially to people who dont deserve it)
Intellect would be nice but wouldnt make me "happy" or anything but why not
Power is just a bit scary to me, because I dont want to fuck up and I would fuck up and then everyone blames me.
And last and probably least: fame
Fuck that shit that would be stressful as hell lol

 

[eatantz]

Wealth!!!!!!!!! Money can buy me beauty and happiness. Money can set me free from my hellish life.

 

[Praestat_Mori]

Wealth - Money is the fuel that drives society and the world we live in but there are still many things that money can't buy but it makes a lot of things easier.

 

[Havnis]

Power specifically presidential finding

 

[BooGirl]

Wealth, easily. It would make everything else so much easier.

 

[sash]

Wealth.
While my purchase of a private island goes through (there'll be loads going cheap soon, needing deep cleaning) ill pop to a private doc & see what pain they can sort.
Live on the island for a year or two while digging a secret hiding place/building a furnace.
Then go in peace.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

Give me power, so much that I wouldn't even need any of the others. Looks and beauty will fade. Wealth depreciates. Intellect comes with its own limitations like when you have boundless knowledge and nothing to do with it. Fame isn't that special without any of the other things. It just puts pressure on you to be perfect otherwise you'll just wind up as a target for other people.

Power is really hard to obtain though and even harder to keep unless you have enough charisma and maybe some of these other aspects to start with.