Author Topic: I Can't Find Anyone Who Feels Rich. Or Happy. Why?  (Read 3058 times)

LeboLebo

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I Can't Find Anyone Who Feels Rich. Or Happy. Why?
« on: November 03, 2014, 10:07:16 PM »
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20141103134657-20017018-i-looked-and-no-one-actually-feels-rich-or-happy?trk=object-title

Because you are hanging around on LinkedIn?

Because you are defining happiness by things that you can buy?

Because you are talking to sucka consumers?

Because you are talking to clown car commuters? (One example in the article is a gal who just landed her dream job and is now bummed because her daily commute is half an hour longer. ~ Uhh, move closer)

Caella

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Re: I Can't Find Anyone Who Feels Rich. Or Happy. Why?
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2014, 04:15:18 AM »
I am kinda hoping he is being sarcastic.
On a "Look at all the people with great things that can't stop looking at the glass half empty. Don't be like them." tone.

Because I (and i'm sure a lot other mustachians) feel rich many times a day, every day, when i give me the gift of not worrying about money ;)

And definitely my default state is happy. There's a little bumps on the way, but happy is definitely the best way to live life.

MandyM

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Re: I Can't Find Anyone Who Feels Rich. Or Happy. Why?
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2014, 06:03:24 AM »
I'm with Caella - I took this as sarcasm/irony. I really liked it actually - he was spotlighting the absurd reasons people basically create, which roadblock their own happiness. He starts with the obvious one - the guy that "only" gets $4 million a year. Then the author filters it all the way down to the guy complaining about his dream house and the girl complaining about the commute to her dream job. He ends with a hope that the reader isn't one of these people, that maybe you can see the absurdity and just be happy and feel rich.

LeboLebo

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Re: I Can't Find Anyone Who Feels Rich. Or Happy. Why?
« Reply #3 on: November 05, 2014, 12:01:24 PM »
Ironic is how I took it when I first started reading it...but while nearing the end I was waiting for some grand conclusion or advice to be dispensed - and it never came.

Idk, just seems like a weird way to approach sarcasm to me.

MrBuckBeard

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Re: I Can't Find Anyone Who Feels Rich. Or Happy. Why?
« Reply #4 on: November 05, 2014, 12:48:20 PM »
To me, this isn't sarcasm, just a critique of human nature.  It certainly doesn't fit everyone, but it does fit some.

I could make it more uplifting, however.  No one is satisfied with what they have in these examples.  But that lack of satisfaction is the same thing as a drive to excel and achieve.  It's a drive to avoid stagnation.  It's a drive against complacence.  We all need some sort of enemy, some sort of bar to measure our progress against.  We are a goal-based people.  Meeting a challenge today is only as good as the next milestone up ahead. 

Thee years ago, I earned less than $20k.  Two years ago, $30k.  This year, $55k.  Am I rich now?  Am I done?  No.  I have more plans.  Better plans.  One day, I'll be without debt, earning $80k, sitting on a net worth of $200k.  Will I be rich?  No.  Will I be happy with that, ready to just call it good enough?  No. 

That doesn't mean I'm not actually happy.  But in a financial sense, I've only met one person who's been "happy".  I have a half brother, happy to have a welfare check arrive for him, his wife, and their three children.  He's happy with that.  But he's not actually happy.  I don't want to see the day when my financial drive goes away.