Made in the USA: Spoiled brats

Kind of puts our lives into perspective, doesn't it?

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by waste gate

Kind of puts our lives into perspective, doesn't it?

You might say that. You, living in America are probably in the top 2% of the richest people in the world, including if you are simply middle class. If you have a 6 digit household income, you are in the top 0.2% or even better of the entire world population. So why is it that we are complaining exactly? We have everything already. There is no more. You may not have a Ferrari in the driveway, but by no means, nothing is stopping you from getting one if you put your mind to it. So what exactly is the problem?

I like to tell myself this when I see someone that has more than me. When you analyze it, they really don't have much more than me unless they are Bill Gates, but even he doesn't spend as much money as one would think.

-S

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

You might say that. You, living in America are probably in the top 2% of the richest people in the world, including if you are simply middle class. If you have a 6 digit household income, you are in the top 0.2% or even better of the entire world population. So why is it that we are complaining exactly? We have everything already. There is no more. You may not have a Ferrari in the driveway, but by no means, nothing is stopping you from getting one if you put your mind to it. So what exactly is the problem?

I like to tell myself this when I see someone that has more than me. When you analyze it, they really don't have much more than me unless they are Bill Gates, but even he doesn't spend as much money as one would think.

-S

I try to go with this:

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
-Desiderata

[Reaves]

No matter how much you have you will always want more. It's human nature.

You become accustomed to your living conditions and as a human you are always thinking (even subconsciously) "How can my life be easier?" "How could my life be better?" It's how we became what we are, it's the journey to infinity and beyond.


-couldn't help the last line.

Originally Posted by Reaves

No matter how much you have you will always want more. It's human nature.

You become accustomed to your living conditions and as a human you are always thinking (even subconsciously) "How can my life be easier?" "How could my life be better?" It's how we became what we are, it's the journey to infinity and beyond.


-couldn't help the last line.

Unless of course you live under a Marxist regime. In which case no matter what you do or how hard you work to achieve your dream your lot is set for the good of the common cause.

From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.
-Karl Marx

[Reaves]

Originally Posted by waste gate

Unless of course you live under a Marxist regime. In which case no matter what you do or how hard you work to achieve your dream your lot is set for the good of the common cause.

From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.
-Karl Marx

That way of thinking would be great in a perfect world, the only problem? We're pretty far away from a perfect world. On the other hand those regimes can actually work better in areas with low population and extreme living conditions, but that's a discussion for another thread.

[August]

Originally Posted by waste gate

From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.
-Karl Marx

But I really do need a Ferrari!

[P_Funk]

Originally Posted by Reaves

No matter how much you have you will always want more. It's human nature.

You become accustomed to your living conditions and as a human you are always thinking (even subconsciously) "How can my life be easier?" "How could my life be better?" It's how we became what we are, it's the journey to infinity and beyond.


-couldn't help the last line.

I find it ironic that people would be so critical of the nature of American society when it seems that its a perfect example of the nature of capitalism. More more more! Surely that reality isn't lost on all you folks.

Personally I think the public must always complain since we have a duty to look out for society. As citizens we need to be responsible for our collective future. That, if I am not incorrect, is the principle of Democracy. But if its just bitching about how middle class life in the 'burbs isn't good enough then those people really can go suck a railroad spike.

[U-533]

True to true.
We Americans have more to be thankful for than most countries...
But... We have forgotten how to be thankful. and most importantly who to be thankful to.

[Reaves]

Originally Posted by P_Funk

I find it ironic that people would be so critical of the nature of American society when it seems that its a perfect example of the nature of capitalism. More more more! Surely that reality isn't lost on all you folks.

Personally I think the public must always complain since we have a duty to look out for society. As citizens we need to be responsible for our collective future. That, if I am not incorrect, is the principle of Democracy. But if its just bitching about how middle class life in the 'burbs isn't good enough then those people really can go suck a railroad spike.

Sorry about correcting you but....

Originally Posted by Reaves

I think this could apply to most countries citizens.

I wasn't talking about America... It was a comment about the nature of human beings. It sums up our strive for new technologies. We are constantly seeking an easier way to do things, better ways to stay alive... human nature...

[The Avon Lady]

I wasn't too spoiled when growing up.

Certainly not like this.

[Reaves]

Originally Posted by The Avon Lady

I wasn't too spoiled when growing up.

Certainly not like this.

The horror... the horror

[Letum]

67 percent of Americans are unhappy with their country?

GREAT!

That means 67 percent of Americans want to improve their country!


America is a prosperous country, but you would be burying your head in the sand* if you thought it had no faults. The only way a nation can become great is when people are unhappy with something and they change that something!

I am unhappy with many, many aspects of the UK. That doesn't mean I am not proud of the good things we have or that I take them for granted.

In 1642 the people of England where amongst the richest in the world and enjoyed a high standard of living for the time, but they still wanted to have a greater nation and from that discontentment sprang the first Parliamentary Democracy.

In Short: Being unhappy with the things that are wrong is the first step to improvement in any case.


* i.e."use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage"

[The Avon Lady]

Originally Posted by Letum

* i.e."use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage"

Ooooooooh nooooooooooooooo! Don't do that! Those pages might be collector's items at the rate things are going.

[P_Funk]

Originally Posted by Reaves

Sorry about correcting you but....

I wasn't talking about America... It was a comment about the nature of human beings. It sums up our strive for new technologies. We are constantly seeking an easier way to do things, better ways to stay alive... human nature...

Feel free to correct anytime. Though I wasn't entirely replying to you so much as using your point as a reference to the original article, specific to the US.

Human progress is indeed continuous. What is a luxery today is an essential tomorrow. I think that if you don't complain about the worse parts of your country then you really aren't very aware of how things are. All the good that we enjoy is always at risk of being lost or diminished by a few bad decisions at the top of the ladder.

And of course that counts for all of the world.