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Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerburg never need to work another day in their lives. Are you arguing they are miserable, self destructive, have lost purpos

Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerburg never need to work another day in their lives. Are you arguing they are miserable, self destructive, have lost purpose and will soon die? People don't need a Sword of Damocles hanging over their head threatening them with homelessness, loss of medical treatment and hunger solely because they didn't find purpose in life. How is being miserable and self destructive and losing purpose, as a worst case scenario, worse than homelessness, drug addiction, loss of friendship, family, self respect, health and medical treatment? I mean, I don't see the connection. Are you saying that unless people are literally threatened with homelessness, starvation and death they won't find purpose on their own?

WalterBright 6y ago
Some people do find purpose on their own. Many do not. I recall a story about a guy in his 90's who got a job as a Walmart greeter. The reporter asked him why not just enjoy his golden years? The fellow said he needed a reason to get up in the morning. He worked at that Walmart until he died, living many more (by all reports happy) years.
- landryraccoon 6y ago
  I don’t get it. Why would having his basic needs met stop him from being a Walmart greeter? If someone wants to be a Walmart greeter they can still do that. Basic income and social support doesn’t stop that.
  - WalterBright 6y ago
    Imagine your 30 year old son is living in your basement playing video games, which is all he's done since high school. You can easily afford to continue to support him - but how would you feel about it?
    - throwanem 6y ago
      Applying the logic of household economics to government never, of course, goes wrong.
    - landryraccoon 6y ago
      It's funny you mention that, because using video games as an example says more about the era you were brought up in than anything else. The top video game streamers in the world today make millions of dollars a year: https://www.esportsbets.com/news/highest-paid-twitch-streamers/ https://www.esportsbets.com/news/highest-paid-twitch-streame... I'm guessing you wouldn't look down on your son for playing football hard in High School and trying to go pro. Would you berate your child for dreaming of playing for the NFL if they had some talent for the game? Well, nowadays, your son could go pro in video games. Tyler Bevins, for example, from the article, was entertaining over 14 million fans and was making over $500K per month. If it's between my kids dreaming of going pro in eSports vs being a quiet Walmart greeter for 30 years - you can bet I'd encourage them to get good at those games. Play that Nintendo, son.
      - WalterBright 6y ago
        > football hard I'd council him that football is a career with a very small chance of success, with a high probability of brain injury and/or other debilitating injuries, and a profession you're forced out of young. > Play that Nintendo, son. If he's 30, still living in your basement and hasn't made a dime yet, that ship sailed long ago. > a quiet Walmart greeter for 30 years Somehow I escaped being a Walmart greeter :-) Hey, you can advise or support your son however you wish. But don't ask others to pay for his Nintendo dreams.
- andrekandre 6y ago
  its true, a lot of people need something to do, or to find some meaning in life i guess the point is, at least as i understand it, we should be able to find the mission in life without that "sword of damocles" as the other poster said maybe we can have jobs, or communites, or organizations that we serve in and contribute to them without necessarily needing to be compensated by them, but because we believe in them we contribute (our time, mind, effort etc) also, the "need for purpose" might be a very mondern concept, i wonder how traditional societies (sorry for the loaded word) go a about life in that respect...
  - WalterBright 6y ago
    > the "need for purpose" might be a very mondern concept You'll find it in religious work ethics, too, as well as "idle hands", etc.

WalterBright 6y ago

Some people do find purpose on their own. Many do not. I recall a story about a guy in his 90's who got a job as a Walmart greeter. The reporter asked him why not just enjoy his golden years? The fellow said he needed a reason to get up in the morning. He worked at that Walmart until he died, living many more (by all reports happy) years.

landryraccoon 6y ago
I don’t get it. Why would having his basic needs met stop him from being a Walmart greeter? If someone wants to be a Walmart greeter they can still do that. Basic income and social support doesn’t stop that.
- WalterBright 6y ago
  Imagine your 30 year old son is living in your basement playing video games, which is all he's done since high school. You can easily afford to continue to support him - but how would you feel about it?
  - throwanem 6y ago
    Applying the logic of household economics to government never, of course, goes wrong.
  - landryraccoon 6y ago
    It's funny you mention that, because using video games as an example says more about the era you were brought up in than anything else. The top video game streamers in the world today make millions of dollars a year: https://www.esportsbets.com/news/highest-paid-twitch-streamers/ https://www.esportsbets.com/news/highest-paid-twitch-streame... I'm guessing you wouldn't look down on your son for playing football hard in High School and trying to go pro. Would you berate your child for dreaming of playing for the NFL if they had some talent for the game? Well, nowadays, your son could go pro in video games. Tyler Bevins, for example, from the article, was entertaining over 14 million fans and was making over $500K per month. If it's between my kids dreaming of going pro in eSports vs being a quiet Walmart greeter for 30 years - you can bet I'd encourage them to get good at those games. Play that Nintendo, son.
    - WalterBright 6y ago
      > football hard I'd council him that football is a career with a very small chance of success, with a high probability of brain injury and/or other debilitating injuries, and a profession you're forced out of young. > Play that Nintendo, son. If he's 30, still living in your basement and hasn't made a dime yet, that ship sailed long ago. > a quiet Walmart greeter for 30 years Somehow I escaped being a Walmart greeter :-) Hey, you can advise or support your son however you wish. But don't ask others to pay for his Nintendo dreams.
andrekandre 6y ago
its true, a lot of people need something to do, or to find some meaning in life i guess the point is, at least as i understand it, we should be able to find the mission in life without that "sword of damocles" as the other poster said maybe we can have jobs, or communites, or organizations that we serve in and contribute to them without necessarily needing to be compensated by them, but because we believe in them we contribute (our time, mind, effort etc) also, the "need for purpose" might be a very mondern concept, i wonder how traditional societies (sorry for the loaded word) go a about life in that respect...
- WalterBright 6y ago
  > the "need for purpose" might be a very mondern concept You'll find it in religious work ethics, too, as well as "idle hands", etc.