5 ms·

Would you want to trade places with Gandhi? I wouldn't.

by mattmaroon 18y ago

rms 18y ago
I would.
- unalone 18y ago
  Why?
oakmac 18y ago
Are you implying that you would not want to achieve the accomplishments of Gandhi in your lifetime if it meant living the lifestyle Gadhi lived? If that is the case I would strongly suggest you reconsider your priorities.
- mattmaroon 18y ago
  I'm not implying it, I'm stating it. If you would like to endure what he did just to get your name in the history books, you should reconsider your priorities. And if you wish to emulate Ghandi so much, what are you doing about it? I see from your profile you're a freelance web developer and currency trader. Is that the best route to helping the downtrodden? I'd be willing to be you've chosen a lifestyle for yourself that's a lot more like mine than Ghandi's, and both are available.
  - oakmac 18y ago
    The accomplishments of Ghandi far outweigh both his reasons for achieving them and the methods he used. Passing judgment on his lifestyle in spite of his feats would be like saying we should disregard the works of Darwin because they offend people. Ghandi didn't get his name in the history books because he lived like a pauper. I have no desire to emulate Ghandi and I never stated that I did. I recognize when to respect the accomplishments of others.
    - mattmaroon 18y ago
      I didn't say I don't respect him or that he wasn't important, and I didn't pass any sort of judgment. I simply said I wouldn't want to be him. There's a pretty large difference. OP was asking about how to prioritize things in his life, and it's clear that Ghandi is probably not a good model for him.
      - oakmac 18y ago
        Your initial reply to me can be rephrased as "I wouldn't want to accomplish all the amazing things that Ghandi did because I wouldn't want to live in poverty my whole life." I hope you understand that his accomplishments outweigh his lifestyle and that if everyone were able to accomplish what he had in his lifetime the world would be a much better place. I think what you are trying to say is "You don't need to live in poverty in order to accomplish great things." In which case, I agree with you, but I believe you should pick your words more carefully. This will be my last reply; I don't want this thread to become a pissing contest.
        scott_s 18y ago
        And I think a more accurate rephrasing would be "I wouldn't want to accomplish what Ghandi accomplished because I don't want to suffer that much." He's not objecting to the low social status Ghandi had, but the hardships that were necessary for him to endure to obtain what he wanted.
        mattmaroon 18y ago
        Exactly.
      - ntoshev 18y ago
        I didn't pass any sort of judgment. I simply said I wouldn't want to be him. And then you mentioned all he got is his name being written in the history books. And then did an ad hominem attack on oakmac.
ntoshev 18y ago
You are missing the point. Ghandi wouldn't trade places with you either.
- mattmaroon 18y ago
  You are missing the point. Saying that getting rich doesn't matter because Ghandi didn't get rich is silly. You could use that argument, with some hero, in favor of anything.
  - ntoshev 18y ago
    Who said getting rich doesn't matter? It is what matters to you that is important, for all values of you. Being rich didn't matter to Ghandi. If you do what you love, you are likely to be happy, even if you are not rich. If you just love money, I suppose doing what you love is equivalent to getting rich. Why does the thought that many people may consider Ghandi's life to be more meaningful than your own upset you so much? Boy, you have an ego... For the record, Ghandi's accomplishment is not "putting his name in the history books", but rather "being spiritual and political leader of hundreds of millions of people and having a great impact on their lives".
    - mattmaroon 18y ago
      This is just plain getting stupid. You've wandered so far off the topic in a maze of misunderstanding. And the original poster implied it doesn't matter. And I pointed out that just because it doesn't matter to Ghandi (if it didn't) doesn't mean it shouldn't matter to others. And somehow you managed to derive from that that I am upset because a billion Indians like Ghandi better than me. Brilliant. Gotta love Sunday conversations.
  - zandorg 18y ago
    Even Indiana Jones has a teaching job.
    - helveticaman 18y ago

Would you want to trade places with Gandhi? I wouldn't.

rms 18y ago

I would.

unalone 18y ago
Why?

oakmac 18y ago

Are you implying that you would not want to achieve the accomplishments of Gandhi in your lifetime if it meant living the lifestyle Gadhi lived? If that is the case I would strongly suggest you reconsider your priorities.

mattmaroon 18y ago
I'm not implying it, I'm stating it. If you would like to endure what he did just to get your name in the history books, you should reconsider your priorities. And if you wish to emulate Ghandi so much, what are you doing about it? I see from your profile you're a freelance web developer and currency trader. Is that the best route to helping the downtrodden? I'd be willing to be you've chosen a lifestyle for yourself that's a lot more like mine than Ghandi's, and both are available.
- oakmac 18y ago
  The accomplishments of Ghandi far outweigh both his reasons for achieving them and the methods he used. Passing judgment on his lifestyle in spite of his feats would be like saying we should disregard the works of Darwin because they offend people. Ghandi didn't get his name in the history books because he lived like a pauper. I have no desire to emulate Ghandi and I never stated that I did. I recognize when to respect the accomplishments of others.
  - mattmaroon 18y ago
    I didn't say I don't respect him or that he wasn't important, and I didn't pass any sort of judgment. I simply said I wouldn't want to be him. There's a pretty large difference. OP was asking about how to prioritize things in his life, and it's clear that Ghandi is probably not a good model for him.
    - oakmac 18y ago
      Your initial reply to me can be rephrased as "I wouldn't want to accomplish all the amazing things that Ghandi did because I wouldn't want to live in poverty my whole life." I hope you understand that his accomplishments outweigh his lifestyle and that if everyone were able to accomplish what he had in his lifetime the world would be a much better place. I think what you are trying to say is "You don't need to live in poverty in order to accomplish great things." In which case, I agree with you, but I believe you should pick your words more carefully. This will be my last reply; I don't want this thread to become a pissing contest.
      - scott_s 18y ago
        And I think a more accurate rephrasing would be "I wouldn't want to accomplish what Ghandi accomplished because I don't want to suffer that much." He's not objecting to the low social status Ghandi had, but the hardships that were necessary for him to endure to obtain what he wanted.
        mattmaroon 18y ago
        Exactly.
    - ntoshev 18y ago
      I didn't pass any sort of judgment. I simply said I wouldn't want to be him. And then you mentioned all he got is his name being written in the history books. And then did an ad hominem attack on oakmac.

ntoshev 18y ago

You are missing the point. Ghandi wouldn't trade places with you either.

mattmaroon 18y ago
You are missing the point. Saying that getting rich doesn't matter because Ghandi didn't get rich is silly. You could use that argument, with some hero, in favor of anything.
- ntoshev 18y ago
  Who said getting rich doesn't matter? It is what matters to you that is important, for all values of you. Being rich didn't matter to Ghandi. If you do what you love, you are likely to be happy, even if you are not rich. If you just love money, I suppose doing what you love is equivalent to getting rich. Why does the thought that many people may consider Ghandi's life to be more meaningful than your own upset you so much? Boy, you have an ego... For the record, Ghandi's accomplishment is not "putting his name in the history books", but rather "being spiritual and political leader of hundreds of millions of people and having a great impact on their lives".
  - mattmaroon 18y ago
    This is just plain getting stupid. You've wandered so far off the topic in a maze of misunderstanding. And the original poster implied it doesn't matter. And I pointed out that just because it doesn't matter to Ghandi (if it didn't) doesn't mean it shouldn't matter to others. And somehow you managed to derive from that that I am upset because a billion Indians like Ghandi better than me. Brilliant. Gotta love Sunday conversations.
- zandorg 18y ago
  Even Indiana Jones has a teaching job.
  - helveticaman 18y ago