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I sincerely envy people who're happy working their asses off to buy fancy cars and even houses, as it's a relatively affordable ideal. Those of us whose ideal i
by _yosefk 11y ago
I sincerely envy people who're happy working their asses off to buy fancy cars and even houses, as it's a relatively affordable ideal. Those of us whose ideal it is to do what we please with our time are desiring something that seems to be more expensive on average.
- matwood 11y agoQuote time :) It is only possible to succeed at second-rate pursuits -- like becoming a millionaire or a prime minister, winning a war, seducing beautiful women, flying through the stratosphere, or landing on the moon. First-rate pursuits -- involving, as they must, trying to understand what life is about and trying to convey that understanding -- inevitably result in a sense of failure. A Napoleon, a Churchill, or a Roosevelt can feel himself to be successful, but never a Socrates, a Pascal, or a Blake. Understanding is forever unattainable. --Malcom Muggeridge
- lawnpuppies 11y agoI'd imagine a Socrates, a Pascal, or a Blake would see a life of understanding as a journey, which doesn't imply failure.
- ra1n85 11y agoInteresting. By more expensive on average, would this mean pursuing personal interests, with the price being the opportunity cost of hours of labor that could have been exchanged for salary? If so, this resonates with me. I would add that there's another component to this equation that I found personally valuable: challenge. The challenges that I have faced in professional roles (some unpleasant) have often forced me to grow. During long periods spent away from work, I often came to miss that.
- mtrimpe 11y agoIt sounds like you're describing Flow (as defined by the book [1]; not popular culture.) For me that does indeed seem to be the most common denominator of 'proper' happiness. [1] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/66354.Flow https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/66354.Flow