From: Samantha Atkins (samantha@objectent.com)
Date: Mon May 27 2002 - 19:37:16 MDT
spike66 wrote:
> Samantha Atkins wrote:
>
>> ...We (rather governmental, economic, industrial and advertsing
>> policies) have very purposefully played on common human sensibilities
>> and interest to force as many people as possible into level of
>> consumption that are insane and quite detriminal.
>
>
> Samantha I would cheerfully agree with this comment if you
> would change the word "force" to "compel". Sure, of course
Granted. Although the tools used play on deep seated human
needs and fears so well that most people fall for it every time.
That, combined with social pressures, hooks most of us.
> the ad industry compels people to spend their brains out. Thats their
> job, and they do it well. The ad industry
> understands human nature, far better than I do, and I
> congratulate them. I love to see superbowl ads, just to
> admire their competence and cleverness.
>
I don't congratulate them, however, for having a job that is
actually wreaking people's lives by the droves and wasting a lot
of valuable time, life-energy, intelligence, and resources on
endless consumption over and above real needs or even real
wants. It is an evil business when it does this. Economist and
industrialist that base the health of the economy and gear its
very life to endlessly growing production and consumption also
are deeply blameworthy.
> Of course we proles have a means of fighting back. We
> fight back by *not* spending ourselves into oblivion and
> slavery. We must have DISCIPLINE, good old fashioned
> military-style self discipline. Dont be afraid of it, self discipline
By itself it is not enough. Also required is some understanding
of the gimmicks, an honest appraisal of what is really "enough"
and then a margin of comfort for yourself, just how much has
going through your hands and how much security and happiness,
much less financial freedom it has really bought you and so on.
The ad folks are expert and it takes a concentrated evaluation
and re-thinking to escape.
In particular the concept of "enough" is one that most of us no
longer grok. We think financial independence is about having
more money than we could ever imagine wanting to spend. By that
definition we never ever arrive! But true independence is
knowing what enough is for you and having that plus a bit more
while doing what you most want to do.
> is a good thing. Discipline thyself to think carefully, save
> money, invest, work thine ass off, PROSPER!
> This should be added to the extropian principles
> somewhere. Prosperity is freedom. Prosperity
> is very extropic. spike
Yes. But self-displine alone is like telling people to diet.
You need a bit more leverage. And prospering is about more than
having tons of money. It is about your entire life working and
having the freedom to do what you believe will make the most
difference and is what you really want to do. By those
standards, unfortunately few today really prosper.
- samantha
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