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You have described a much more "realistic" model for this - it's a spectrum of risk-aversion, not a binary attribute. A complementary attribute is the level of

You have described a much more "realistic" model for this - it's a spectrum of risk-aversion, not a binary attribute. A complementary attribute is the level of "abundance mentality" present in the person. The difficult thing, though, which is what everyone glosses over, is that it is difficult to achieve abundance mentality. It's a good metric to look at, but there is much, much more work necessary to improve it. And that work is actually not at all trivial, unfortunately, and hard to pick up on the Internet, as it is highly personalized.

sigs 14y ago
Abundance mentality is an excellent term, I'll happily rip it and use it from now on. Indeed, the "safe" route could be called survivor mentality; to maximize the chances of not dying without offspring. What about a world where you are not really in danger? When you already have food, clothing and a house, and no one is preventing you from procreating at will? Those who in that position still want a bigger house, more food, a yacht, expensive sports car and a harem; they're still in survival mode _after already having survived_ past any meaningful definition of survival. They're over-survivers; and indeed, it's not a binary thing but a spectrum. Hence, try to enjoy the abundance, and let others enjoy it; develop your attitude towards abundance mentality. We all have already survived.
- javert 14y ago
  Those who in that position still want a bigger house, more food, a yacht, expensive sports car and a harem; they're still in survival mode _after already having survived_ past any meaningful definition of survival. I don't know that I agree with you at all on this. I don't think a healthy person ("abundance mentality") can ever have too much of whatever it is they value. That's not to say that you're not happy with what you have or always unsatisfied. Only that you're always seeking to expand your "life," whatever that means to you. To make your life abundant. For many healthy people, that might include yachts, cars, more travel, more pursuit of hobbies, growing their business, improving their love life (for this, having a harem is probably not a great strategy), improving the world's political situation, expanding knowledge, etc. I think the viewpoint you're advocating really just reduces to giving up on values, i.e., asceticism.

sigs 14y ago

Abundance mentality is an excellent term, I'll happily rip it and use it from now on. Indeed, the "safe" route could be called survivor mentality; to maximize the chances of not dying without offspring. What about a world where you are not really in danger? When you already have food, clothing and a house, and no one is preventing you from procreating at will? Those who in that position still want a bigger house, more food, a yacht, expensive sports car and a harem; they're still in survival mode _after already having survived_ past any meaningful definition of survival. They're over-survivers; and indeed, it's not a binary thing but a spectrum. Hence, try to enjoy the abundance, and let others enjoy it; develop your attitude towards abundance mentality. We all have already survived.

javert 14y ago
Those who in that position still want a bigger house, more food, a yacht, expensive sports car and a harem; they're still in survival mode _after already having survived_ past any meaningful definition of survival. I don't know that I agree with you at all on this. I don't think a healthy person ("abundance mentality") can ever have too much of whatever it is they value. That's not to say that you're not happy with what you have or always unsatisfied. Only that you're always seeking to expand your "life," whatever that means to you. To make your life abundant. For many healthy people, that might include yachts, cars, more travel, more pursuit of hobbies, growing their business, improving their love life (for this, having a harem is probably not a great strategy), improving the world's political situation, expanding knowledge, etc. I think the viewpoint you're advocating really just reduces to giving up on values, i.e., asceticism.