3 ms·

I know many people, but I'm based in the US. Consumerism is the big thing here. I do know some people who are happy and responsible, but not many. Over consump

I know many people, but I'm based in the US. Consumerism is the big thing here. I do know some people who are happy and responsible, but not many. Over consumption is not the cause of those people's happiness, but a symptom. The lack of a sense of responsibility is the main driver. The care-free people are often the happiest. However, they also tend to cause more negative externalities in my experience.

exe34 2y ago
what do you care how many people are happy for reasons you don't approve of? what are you doing to make yourself happy? how long until you demand the best for yourself from yourself?
- giantg2 2y ago
  "what do you care how many people are happy for reasons you don't approve of?" The negative externalities. "how long until you demand the best for yourself from yourself?" This sounds like a fast on-ramp to the hedonic treadmill, some classic advertising pitch, and that there are some very self-important people in the world.
  - exe34 2y ago
    > This sounds like a fast on-ramp to the hedonic treadmill, some classic advertising pitch, and that there are some very self-important people in the world. It's actually from Epictetus. He was a slave, but he was happy. Then he was released and taught in a school he founded. One of his students wrote up his notes into Discourses. This was eventually read by a young Marcus Aurelius, who grew up to be one of the better Roman emperors. The same philosophy united a lame slave and the most powerful man in the world, two very different people who lived ~100 years apart.
    - giantg2 2y ago
      But there's a huge amount missing when one just says you deserve the best things. I think his teachings are more about self discipline and making the best of things.
      - exe34 2y ago
        that's true. the demand is to yourself. and the steps to getting the best is to realise that you can be happy with very little.

exe34 2y ago

what do you care how many people are happy for reasons you don't approve of? what are you doing to make yourself happy? how long until you demand the best for yourself from yourself?

giantg2 2y ago
"what do you care how many people are happy for reasons you don't approve of?" The negative externalities. "how long until you demand the best for yourself from yourself?" This sounds like a fast on-ramp to the hedonic treadmill, some classic advertising pitch, and that there are some very self-important people in the world.
- exe34 2y ago
  > This sounds like a fast on-ramp to the hedonic treadmill, some classic advertising pitch, and that there are some very self-important people in the world. It's actually from Epictetus. He was a slave, but he was happy. Then he was released and taught in a school he founded. One of his students wrote up his notes into Discourses. This was eventually read by a young Marcus Aurelius, who grew up to be one of the better Roman emperors. The same philosophy united a lame slave and the most powerful man in the world, two very different people who lived ~100 years apart.
  - giantg2 2y ago
    But there's a huge amount missing when one just says you deserve the best things. I think his teachings are more about self discipline and making the best of things.
    - exe34 2y ago
      that's true. the demand is to yourself. and the steps to getting the best is to realise that you can be happy with very little.