http://www.clusterflock.org/2007/10/the-price-of-happiness.html a site about everything Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:31:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.clusterflock.org/2007/10/the-price-of-happiness.html/comment-page-1#comment-13774 Cindy Scroggins Mon, 22 Oct 2007 22:27:00 +0000 http://wp.patrickburleson.com/?p=7129#comment-13774 It's okay, Lynn--apparently when I'm drunk I sign in as Daryl, anyway. And I agree with all you say in your comment. It’s okay, Lynn–apparently when I’m drunk I sign in as Daryl, anyway. And I agree with all you say in your comment.

]]> http://www.clusterflock.org/2007/10/the-price-of-happiness.html/comment-page-1#comment-13773 Lynn Bauman Mon, 22 Oct 2007 22:11:01 +0000 http://wp.patrickburleson.com/?p=7129#comment-13773 Ah... that Cindy! Sorry Cindy... But YOU Daryl... it was the chocolate you were bathing in, not the student papers that made it a "meager" experience -- its gotta be DARK chocolate, preferrable 70% cocoa butter. Ah… that Cindy! Sorry Cindy… But YOU Daryl… it was the chocolate you were bathing in, not the student papers that made it a “meager” experience — its gotta be DARK chocolate, preferrable 70% cocoa butter.

]]> http://www.clusterflock.org/2007/10/the-price-of-happiness.html/comment-page-1#comment-13772 Daryl Scroggins Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:52:04 +0000 http://wp.patrickburleson.com/?p=7129#comment-13772 Not my comment, Lynn--I was taking a bath in chocolate while reading crappy student papers. All in all the experience was so so. Not my comment, Lynn–I was taking a bath in chocolate while reading crappy student papers. All in all the experience was so so.

]]> http://www.clusterflock.org/2007/10/the-price-of-happiness.html/comment-page-1#comment-13771 Lynn Bauman Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:06:20 +0000 http://wp.patrickburleson.com/?p=7129#comment-13771 Its true, Daryl, but I would also add something else I've experienced--village and tribal life in the Middle East, Central and South America, Africa, Arabia, etc... in those very "poor" environments there is also a form of richness and luxury that, absent a lot of financial resources, actually has the same feel as described in this article. I've lived for weeks with relatively poor (some would say very poor) people, and in that world, there has been a form of happiness and luxury of time that can only be known by "taste and feel." But I have also seen, experienced, and known, "grinding poverty" where the lack of resources creates terrible inner and outer conditions. In both cases it seems to have little to do with actual "resources" but a kind of cultural attitude (or perhaps even "spiritual perception") that appears to determine which of therse two experiences people are having--either grinding poverty, or simple happiness. Its true, Daryl, but I would also add something else I’ve experienced–village and tribal life in the Middle East, Central and South America, Africa, Arabia, etc… in those very “poor” environments there is also a form of richness and luxury that, absent a lot of financial resources, actually has the same feel as described in this article. I’ve lived for weeks with relatively poor (some would say very poor) people, and in that world, there has been a form of happiness and luxury of time that can only be known by “taste and feel.” But I have also seen, experienced, and known, “grinding poverty” where the lack of resources creates terrible inner and outer conditions. In both cases it seems to have little to do with actual “resources” but a kind of cultural attitude (or perhaps even “spiritual perception”) that appears to determine which of therse two experiences people are having–either grinding poverty, or simple happiness.

]]> http://www.clusterflock.org/2007/10/the-price-of-happiness.html/comment-page-1#comment-13770 Cindy Scroggins Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:54:05 +0000 http://wp.patrickburleson.com/?p=7129#comment-13770 I've read other studies such as this, and it's no surprise to me that they always conclude that it's the "simple things" that make people happiest. But what usually gets left out of the equation is the fact that those simple things require the luxury of free time. Money truly can buy happiness, to the extent that it can afford us freedom from soul draining work routines, tiresome chores, violent neighborhoods, and the like. That long bath we're all said to enjoy is a lot nicer if you're not sharing a single, ugly bathroom with 4 people. I’ve read other studies such as this, and it’s no surprise to me that they always conclude that it’s the “simple things” that make people happiest. But what usually gets left out of the equation is the fact that those simple things require the luxury of free time. Money truly can buy happiness, to the extent that it can afford us freedom from soul draining work routines, tiresome chores, violent neighborhoods, and the like. That long bath we’re all said to enjoy is a lot nicer if you’re not sharing a single, ugly bathroom with 4 people.

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