Life is all about money it's sad

[Miljonar]

Its not only money! Falling in love is not for sale.
I'm afraid to go out of the house and have the curtain closed all day.
My shadow makes me panic and when the doorbell rings I jump into my bed and cover myself shaking.

 

[Dean]

I have money and it hasn't done much for me. I think that money is one of those things that people convince themselves they need to be happy. Blame it on our capitalistic culture. We spend years being told that if we work hard we will get promoted, be rich, and have our own American dream.

 

[WaitingForTheBus]

If I had a choice between money or love, I would choose love every time.

 

[EpidemicOfDenial]

Many here, including me, want to ctb because we don't have enough money, or don't have a financial future.

It's sad and twisted and evil that life is all about money.
If you don't earn enough money, you don't even have what to eat or where to live.

The only thing that doesn't cost money in this life is air to breath.
Eveeything else costs money.

I have been enjoying frugalist living for some time, supported by my parents, I've spent about $15 the past two weeks.

However the interesting aspect of society is that every aspect of living is in some manner or another interconnected with finances. Family relations are interconnected with inheritance, romantic relationships with marriage, friendships with social networking (obtaining job opportunities & such).

Education exists for the sake of signalling potential employers, for example, there is no such thing as a "good education," many individuals (autodidacts) learn strictly from books and such.

So why is, say, Harvard, considered a "better education" than the University of Florida?

It is not because they do more difficult coursework, but they do more total work. I remember in the schools I went to, honors classes were not difficult but extensive, more homework and such. This invariably signals to potential employers that the prospect is willing to be the end-recipient of as much sodomy as is necessary to appease the boss.

Even basic ice-breaker conversation between strangers is for the sake of signalling economic status, for example, "What do you do for a living?" Or "What's your major?"

That question is an indirect investigation of a person's financial wealth, as, professions are highly correlated with salary. For example, if I were to respond as, "I'm a farmer," or "I'm majoring in agriculture," the interviewer would move on, however if I were to answer "I'm an orthopedic surgeon," or "I'm in medical school," you can expect more interest.

It is even more extensive than that, physical appearance is also highly correlated with wealth. Clothes are worn as status symbols, an individual with a suit, tie, and gold watch will be treated much better than an individual with sweatpants and such.

In a capitalist war of radical individualism, individuals seeking economic prosperity must find allies and being so upfront would be especially rude, thus, subtle tactics of intrigue are utilized, mostly intuitively, as, people who do it don't realize that they do.

I personally would have no qualms with working as a grocery store cashier, as I prefer frugalism, however, what deters me from doing so is the subsequent abuse against low-income individuals by the greater society. It is disappointing how low-income individuals are abused, and how society actively denies such an obvious disservice.

 

[Final Escape]

Except for the fact that they don't have medical care, have no access to education or law enforcement, have no sanitation, only can rely on what food they can find and grow themselves and there are no pensions and benefits and most people die in young years. Life in the West isn't great for sure, however these people's lives aren't either.
There is always going to be some kind of problem in life, unfortunately :/

People privately with no government still find solutions to all this trust me. A lot of these services that people think the government provides can totally be accomplished without a government. The most prosperous time in American history is when gov was very limited and couldn't control the people so much. People still solved problems just fine. Government run healthcare is actually more dangerous than free market healthcare. When government takes over they alter the incentive structure so the treatments get rationed, or become more invasive like with all the pills and radiation pushed on people. So rich people can afford good health care but average people cannot get the best care under government. You can get basic care like if u have an injury or easy to treat infection but beyond that good luck affording cancer treatment or something more serious like mental healthcare. This would not occur in free market though. Quality and timely care would be affordable and accessible to the majority of people.

 

[EpidemicOfDenial]

I have money and it hasn't done much for me. I think that money is one of those things that people convince themselves they need to be happy. Blame it on our capitalistic culture. We spend years being told that if we work hard we will get promoted, be rich, and have our own American dream.

Except for the fact that they don't have medical care, have no access to education or law enforcement, have no sanitation, only can rely on what food they can find and grow themselves and there are no pensions and benefits and most people die in young years. Life in the West isn't great for sure, however these people's lives aren't either.
There is always going to be some kind of problem in life, unfortunately :/

I am currently residing in Africa, a dual citizen of both the US & a country in Africa (deliberately not disclosing which).

All tribal economic systems have died off with the rise of capitalism. For example, the Maasai were a nomadic tribe, however they cannot be so any longer due to the fact that unpermitted presence on another property is now considered trespassing. It must be especially odd to them, imagine being alive at a point in time where land was land, and no one owned any land, until one day an individual pays for land, and by some intricate system, armed men defend it for that individual.

Imagine if someone owned the moon? Would that not be especially odd?

But the point is that, life at it's best is terrible, financial wealth will not make it any more desirable after a certain point (e.g. $20,000/year), and it is far more likely to become worse than become better, as, there is a lot more which can go wrong (e.g. cancer, leg breakage, natural disasters, etc) than can go right (World Peace, Lions and Gazelles make amends, Dogs and Squirrels sign a unilateral ceasefire, etc)

 

[EpidemicOfDenial]

People privately with no government still find solutions to all this trust me. A lot of these services that people think the government provides can totally be accomplished without a government. The most prosperous time in American history is when gov was very limited and couldn't control the people so much. People still solved problems just fine.

I don't mean to debate, but this is actually not true. The government is malicious, however at the time of zero government economic regulation, six year olds were putting in full-time work weeks at a time when 8 hour work days did not exist.

 

[EpidemicOfDenial]

If they want survival of the fittest, let's see how all the rich folks fare when a zombie apocalypse/alien invasion happens.
See how much of that cash can stop you from getting your brain sucked out and body mutilated.

This is not a mere abstract thought, but a reality which may one day occur. There are three realistic outcomes that ends humanity.

1. Global Warming

2. Robot Apocalypse

3. Nuclear War

These are not mutually exclusive by the way. If and when this happens, I'll be laying down, smiling in the midst of it all, watching all those who've mocked us despair in the misery they've subjected us to for so long.

I would love to see a pro-life psychiatrist, who puts patients on suicide watch, one day commit suicide.

 

[Final Escape]

I don't mean to debate, but this is actually not true. The government is malicious, however at the time of zero government economic regulation, six year olds were putting in full-time work weeks at a time when 8 hour work days did not exist.

What's wrong with kids working? I mean it makes them economically more valuable to parents rather than these days kids are a massive economic drain because they can't contribute for such a extended time due to the laws. Of course the conditions matter and how much work but traditionally kids have helped parents to accomplish stuff once they were old enough to do so. One reason people now are not having kids is because they can't afford to. People always say that I don't want my kids to have to care for me when I'm old but that was exactly how it worked in the past. Adults cared for kids and in return u were helped out by your kids as your health deteriorated and u needed help in old age. Now people think it's a crime to hope your kids will be around to help u in old age. But kids also bonded better with parents back then, not like now where other unrelated people or the state raises and bonds with your kid which makes them sometimes not respect or have much loyalty to their parents down the road.

 

[EpidemicOfDenial]

What's wrong with kids working? I mean it makes them economically more valuable to parents rather than these days kids are a massive economic drain bc they can't contribute for a long time. Of course the conditions matter and how much work but traditionally kids have helped parents to accomplish stuff once they were old enough to do so.

The time period I was referencing was in the mid-late 1800s & early 1900s when industrial production had been occuring within what is now the first world nations, today such acts are outsourced to what are third world nations, and the first world economy is based upon unproductive, service sector work.

I cannot necessarily specify what is "wrong" with kids working, it depends wholly on the context.

In a realistic, ideal situation, individuals would not work until they've completed their education as far as they desired to go. If it is complete at sixtee, they may begin work at sixteen, if thirty, begin at thirty.

Edit: Changed "Private Sector Work," to "Service Sector"

 

[creationisdeath]

Many here, including me, want to ctb because we don't have enough money, or don't have a financial future.

It's sad and twisted and evil that life is all about money.
If you don't earn enough money, you don't even have what to eat or where to live.

The only thing that doesn't cost money in this life is air to breath.
Everything else costs money.

You can buy air now too. :) Wealthy Asians really do that because they killed nature..

I couldn't agree more. Everything is a product. Sometimes the currency is not money but status or primitive urges. In an ideal world this would change. Real people..

Everything revolves around power and dominance. We might just be the most primitive species to ever live. We torture for no reason at all. People who have it all still want more and have no issues with making millions suffer for it. Just to increase a number that has lost all its meaning to them anyway.

But who am I kidding. People wrote about this in the 18th century and earlier and it only got worse and worse. Inequality is as high as never before; no king was ever as distant to his peasants as today's billionaires are to us. Our modern chains are bank accounts and debt. We couldn't even stage a rebellion anymore.

And I can't even afford to buy the damn N. Bittersweet irony.

 

[Final Escape]

You can buy air now too. :) Wealthy Asians really do that because they killed nature..

I couldn't agree more. Everything is a product. Sometimes the currency is not money but status or primitive urges. In an ideal world this would change. Real people..

Everything revolves around power and dominance. We might just be the most primitive species to ever live. We torture for no reason at all. People who have it all still want more and have no issues with making millions suffer for it. Just to increase a number that has lost all its meaning to them anyway.

But who am I kidding. People wrote about this in the 18th century and earlier and it only got worse and worse. Inequality is as high as never before; no king was ever as distant to his peasants as today's billionaires are to us. Our modern chains are bank accounts and debt. We couldn't even stage a rebellion anymore.

And I can't even afford to buy the damn N. Bittersweet irony.

Society does not revolve around power and dominance although it may appear this way as the government became more powerful and larger. Actually society is functional at all because of competence. Unfortunately not everybody has the same level of competence which is why you need to identify competent people and exploit their talents, compensate them well so that the rest of the population benefits. This is how government comes in and undermines this with taxation, public schooling, taking over areas of the economy where its extremely important for the rest of us to benefit from competent people being able to be in the right places where they can be of most benefit. Public schooling focuses on equal outcome vs equal opportunity. There's no such thing as equal people or equal outcomes and if the government could respect this and quit interfering we will all be better off. Suprisingly the more equal u try to make women and men, the worse the inequality gets because men and women are significantly different at the extremes like iq for example. The smartest people have been men even though men tend to be all over the bell curve in iq variation. Women tend to cluster at average IQ with few women above or below average. Not to mention race, there's dramatic differences in iq in the different ethnic groups.

 

[creationisdeath]

Society does not revolve around power and dominance although it may appear this way as the government became more powerful and larger. Actually society is functional at all because of competence. Unfortunately not everybody has the same level of competence which is why you need to identify competent people and exploit their talents, compensate them well so that the rest of the population benefits. This is how government comes in and undermines this with taxation, public schooling, taking over areas of the economy where its extremely important for the rest of us to benefit from competent people being able to be in the right places where they can be of most benefit. Public schooling focuses on equal outcome vs equal opportunity. There's no such thing as equal people or equal outcomes and if the government could respect this and quit interfering we will all be better off.

Buy some Premium Air Deluxe™ collected by talented exploiters who deserve their compensation and relax.

Couldn't help myself, sorry.

 

[sadsoul]

Controversial opinion: government and free market are both bad

 

[Empty Smile]

I wouldn't say I'm financially secure. I have just enough in the bank to last 5 or 6 months, but I'm good at stretching it out to last longer.

Money is nothing to me and has no value for me. I don't go out, I hate shopping, and I don't buy shit online. The last thing I bought online was a 8mm rope I was planning to use to ctb, but as of now, I'm uncertain on my method.

Money is shit....

 

[Final Escape]

I am currently residing in Africa, a dual citizen of both the US & a country in Africa (deliberately not disclosing which).

All tribal economic systems have died off with the rise of capitalism. For example, the Maasai were a nomadic tribe, however they cannot be so any longer due to the fact that unpermitted presence on another property is now considered trespassing. It must be especially odd to them, imagine being alive at a point in time where land was land, and no one owned any land, until one day an individual pays for land, and by some intricate system, armed men defend it for that individual.

Imagine if someone owned the moon? Would that not be especially odd?

But the point is that, life at it's best is terrible, financial wealth will not make it any more desirable after a certain point (e.g. $20,000/year), and it is far more likely to become worse than become better, as, there is a lot more which can go wrong (e.g. cancer, leg breakage, natural disasters, etc) than can go right (World Peace, Lions and Gazelles make amends, Dogs and Squirrels sign a unilateral ceasefire, etc)

Only part I disagree with is it's the fault of capitalism. Socialism(slavery) is more commonly the problem. Socialism can be very gradual so people don't notice right away that it's the problem. People don't tolerate slavery well or bad incentive structures.

 

[EpidemicOfDenial]

Only part I disagree with is it's the fault of capitalism. Socialism(slavery) is more commonly the problem. Socialism can be very gradual so people don't notice right away that it's the problem. People don't tolerate slavery well or bad incentive structures.

I highly discourage you from speaking on subjects to which you evidently know very little about. I will not debate with you as I don't expect any progression to be made, but honestly speaking what is your goal of making such vague statements?

 

[Empty Smile]

I highly discourage you from speaking on subjects to which you evidently know very little about. I will not debate with you as I don't expect any progression to be made, but honestly speaking what is your goal of making such vague statements?

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, whether or not they know a lot, or very little about something. We aren't judgemental here.

 

[AndyCurious]

Yeah, money sucks.. I am broke now, fortunately I do have pasta, but eating pasta for 2 more weeks?.. Ugh...

 

[Empty Smile]

Yeah, money sucks.. I am broke now, fortunately I do have pasta, but eating pasta for 2 more weeks?.. Ugh...

I know that feeling. I hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2008 and ramen noodles start tasting shitty after a week of it.

 

[AndyCurious]

I know that feeling. I hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2008 and ramen noodles start tasting shitty after a week of it.

I believe you.. I don't mind eating pasta, just don't want to get tired of it...

 

[Threads]

Only part I disagree with is it's the fault of capitalism. Socialism(slavery) is more commonly the problem. Socialism can be very gradual so people don't notice right away that it's the problem. People don't tolerate slavery well or bad incentive structures.

I highly discourage you from speaking on subjects to which you evidently know very little about. I will not debate with you as I don't expect any progression to be made, but honestly speaking what is your goal of making such vague statements?

At the current state humanity is in, both socialism and capitalism are equally and inherently flawed.

There is no inherently flawed or superior economic system that can undo the ravages that are being done and have been done to our planet.

 

[Empty Smile]

I believe you.. I don't mind eating pasta, just don't want to get tired of it...

I hear ya. I can eat the hell out of spaghetti. Lol

 

[AndyCurious]

I hear ya. I can eat the hell out of spaghetti. Lol

Me too, two days or so :p

 

[Empty Smile]

Me too, two days or so :p

Yep, after two days, it starts losing it's taste.

 

[EpidemicOfDenial]

At the current state humanity is in, both socialism and capitalism are equally and inherently flawed.

There is no inherently flawed or superior economic system that can undo the ravages are being done and have been done to our planet.

Define "Socialism," Define "Capitalism" & explain why both are equally flawed.

 

[AndyCurious]

Yep, after two days, it starts losing it's taste.

Unfortunately yes...

 

[EpidemicOfDenial]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, whether or not they know a lot, or very little about something. We aren't judgemental here.

What does it mean to be "entitled to" an opinion?

An individual is still entitled to their opinion if they keep it to themselves.

 

[Threads]

Define "Socialism," Define "Capitalism" & explain why both are equally flawed.

I don't need to define anything. I'm just telling you, as a Marxist and as someone who grew up as a believer in the free market.

Any and all forms of economic systems and systems of governments are inherently and equally flawed. There is no changing the course we're on given the damage we've done to our ecosystem, and the damage that we will continue to do.

 

[EpidemicOfDenial]

I don't need to define anything. I'm just telling you, as a Marxist and as someone who grew up as a believer in the free market.

Any and all forms of economic systems and systems of governments are inherently and equally flawed. There is no changing the course we're on given the damage we've done to our ecosystem, and the damage that we will continue to do.

Assuming ecological destruction is inevitable, why are all forms of government equally flawed?