Is it just me?

[bawbag]

Is it just me or does anyone else here get really pissed off with people that want to and do build their lives around getting rich?

I mean I understand that in the society we live in people need money to survive, but do they have to make it their sole purpose to get more money?

No-one seems to understand me when I say that as human beings, our sole purpose, if we have one, or even if we are in charge of our own destiny, especially should not be to get more money and live comfortably while an insane amount of poor people get poorer and struggle to survive,

I sit in pretty much any class that i go to and every period I ask (I try my hardest to question any type of authority) 'Why am I here?', the answer is to learn and get qualifications, then go to university, then get more qualifications, then get a job, fit in with the rest of society like a fuckin gear, pay my taxes and work with everyone else to keep this machine that is society running with no interruptions or hiccups in the machinery, where no one talks out of turn or questions anything that the government says or tells us to do

I do not believe in any God or higher power but I still do not believe we should be trying to just accumulate more money,

If anything, and this is what I truly believe, our purpose in life is to explore and experiment with our bodies to reach and learn their limits, to learn from, understand and help our fellow man through good times and struggles, and gain more knowledge reproduce and reach some sort of enlightenment and live blissfully, teach our offspring to do the same, live our life to the fullest as everyone comes to the same understanding and we learn the truth about the world, ourselves and each other, we die and the circle of life continues

or is it really just me?

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

I think this should be moved to Learning or perhaps Theory.

[rednordman]

I totally agree with you and I also think alot of others on the forum will also. Its like people almost see money as a god, that rules above all and that everything depends on it. Infact i'v heard some people talk almost as if civilisation couldnt had happened with out it. Like it is the most natural thing in the world is to do something ONLY for the accumulation of wealth. I think people would be shocked to find out how many good ideas have gotten nowhere, simple because they do not fit well into a market environment, or are not economically profitable, as they are designed to benefit us all. They seem to miss out the fact that people have not always lived like this and that in the past communities had to do stuff that benefited everyone as societies would have probably died out.
It is funny however to see peoples faces drop, when you reject the notion of capital, and simply want to do something because you like it or to help society. In fact there is sometimes a curiousity there, along with envy, as they cannot understand that you do not want to be better and have more than everyone else. I think you feel a genuine 'pride' when you reject capital as being the only single way to happiness in this world, as you begin to understand that you can be self sufficient without alot of it, and it can cause the most misery even to people with alot of it. Sorry if that sounded cheesy in parts, just my take on it:).

[ZeroNowhere]

I don't get pissed off at them, I pity them. Whatever our purpose on this earth is, it's not to emulate magpies.

[eyedrop]

I can certainly understand part of it as social status is at present measured to a large extent by your financial status, especially for males, and most people want a high social status. (For females their bodies plays a larger role than for men :(.)

It's not something inherently wrong with seeking social status, but in the future it should preferably not be achieved by the undeserved wealth.

[Dóchas]

ye its all this unnessecery money that people have. why cant they just have eonough to be comfortable and then a little left over to treat themselves now and then instead of this obsession with money. did you know that bill gates makes 500euro every 3 seconds while all 80% of the world lives in poverty? its just sickening

[ZeroNowhere]

ye its all this unnessecery money that people have. why cant they just have eonough to be comfortable and then a little left over to treat themselves now and then instead of this obsession with money. did you know that bill gates makes 500euro every 3 seconds while all 80% of the world lives in poverty? its just sickening
BUT HE'S GOING TO GIVE IT TO CHARITYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!
Now, if Robin Hood stole from the poor to give to the poor, and give everybody crappy products, would he be as highly esteemed?

[Dóchas]

BUT HE'S GOING TO GIVE IT TO CHARITYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!
Now, if Robin Hood stole from the poor to give to the poor, and give everybody crappy products, would he be as highly esteemed?

good point i forgot about that but hes only an example but his kids are still getting 10 million dollars i think in inheritance

[LOLseph Stalin]

I hear about this alot. My own friends are even guilty of it. It's sad that in our society in order to survive you need money. Exactly why we need Communism. Money will no longer matter.

[spice756]

No-one seems to understand me when I say that as human beings, our sole purpose, if we have one, or even if we are in charge of our own destiny, especially should not be to get more money and live comfortably while an insane amount of poor people get poorer and struggle to survive,


Not all people want to get rich.Some just want to get by in life.It is more of a US thing that is founded on greed ,wealth and consumption.You are poor today and rich tomorrow using old school of thought.Everyone can climb up the ladder.This problem is conservative and libertarian school of thought.



I sit in pretty much any class that i go to and every period I ask (I try my hardest to question any type of authority) 'Why am I here?', the answer is to learn and get qualifications, then go to university, then get more qualifications, then get a job, fit in with the rest of society like a fuckin gear, pay my taxes and work with everyone else to keep this machine that is society running with no interruptions or hiccups in the machinery, where no one talks out of turn or questions anything that the government says or tells us to do


You have to in a capitalist country and than still you may not make it.




I hear about this alot. My own friends are even guilty of it. It's sad that in our society in order to survive you need money. Exactly why we need Communism. Money will no longer matter.


There is going to have to be alot of re-education and movies ,tv ,books ,news,media , papers so on to re-education people to think out side of this evile old school of thought.





I totally agree with you and I also think alot of others on the forum will also. Its like people almost see money as a god, that rules above all and that everything depends on it. Infact i'v heard some people talk almost as if civilisation couldnt had happened with out it. Like it is the most natural thing in the world is to do something ONLY for the accumulation of wealth. I think people would be shocked to find out how many good ideas have gotten nowhere, simple because they do not fit well into a market environment, or are not economically profitable, as they are designed to benefit us all. They seem to miss out the fact that people have not always lived like this and that in the past communities had to do stuff that benefited everyone as societies would have probably died out.


Money is root of capitalism and that is why money must be abolished.The money is what keeps sociaty going.People are program from a young age to understand the capitalism game.


It is funny however to see peoples faces drop, when you reject the notion of capital, and simply want to do something because you like it or to help society. In fact there is sometimes a curiousity there, along with envy, as they cannot understand that you do not want to be better and have more than everyone else. I think you feel a genuine 'pride' when you reject capital as being the only single way to happiness in this world, as you begin to understand that you can be self sufficient without alot of it, and it can cause the most misery even to people with alot of it. Sorry if that sounded cheesy in parts, just my take on it:).


Money will not help you if you on your death bed full of cancer.I don't understad these rich thugs in capitalism like bill gates !!They have billions and billions of money and living a high life but in 5 or 10 years can get sick and die!! It would make much more logic if they really wanted to live for ever to give money to medical research.Not only will they help other people but them self.

[Presty7]

Greed is being created because of our flawed capitalist system.

In order to stop greed and get the world on the road to equality, we need to strike the beast at the heart.

[Incendiarism]

We live in a capitalist society, where things are subordinated to the almighty dollar. I hear people expressing the need for as much money as they can get their gritty hands on, but even they recognize it is wrong in some form or the other.

As for myself, I'm going to marry rich so I don't think this applies to me.

[DesertShark]

Is it just me or does anyone else here get really pissed off with people that want to and do build their lives around getting rich?

I mean I understand that in the society we live in people need money to survive, but do they have to make it their sole purpose to get more money?

I don't get pissed off at them, I pity them. Whatever our purpose on this earth is, it's not to emulate magpies.
These people lead very unfulfilled lives, which is sad. And what they do to try and fulfill their lives, keeps them further from it. What makes me sad/confused is the people who kill themselves when they "lose everything" (ie most material possessions and money). But then I think about all the people who actually want to live and have to struggle to do it because of the situation people with money place those without in, and then I don't care if these people kill themselves.


I sit in pretty much any class that i go to and every period I ask (I try my hardest to question any type of authority) 'Why am I here?', the answer is to learn and get qualifications, then go to university, then get more qualifications, then get a job, fit in with the rest of society like a fuckin gear, pay my taxes and work with everyone else to keep this machine that is society running with no interruptions or hiccups in the machinery, where no one talks out of turn or questions anything that the government says or tells us to do
Haha, yea I've definitely been there. And now I'm stuck at crossroads that I never wanted to be at in the first place: continue with more school or get a "real job." So far I'm successfully doing neither and am very happy, but there's this impending feeling that eventually I'll have to do one or other.

Its terrible the situations people put other people in and force them to believe that's the only way to live. Or keep them from living because they don't meet some ridiculous conditions (like having money).

Stay up and keep sharing.
-DesertShark

[ChocolateToothpaste]

I'm sick of this, too. I'm especially tired of people telling me I should go into this field or take that class because "they make good money." In a capitalist system, it's rare that people really pursue the kind of future they want, because money always comes first.

[Invincible Summer]

It's strange how when you ask people what they want/would like in life, lots of people would say, among other things, "A fulfilling job" or "A job that I like," etc.

If only they could see past the capitalist fog and understand that socialism can make work fulfilling and meaningful, unlike the alienating occupations that almost everyone has today.

Also, it's maddening how people don't seem to merit the intrinsic value of things, but rather the material value. For instance, I bought my girlfriend a warm scarf as a gift - it wasn't a designer scarf or anything, but she liked it. Her friend bugged her about why she (my gf) didn't make me buy a "nicer" one, and asked if "that was all" I was going to buy her.

What's more, I see a lot of my friends going into University and studying things they admit to not liking, but they believe it's "worth it" because they'll make money in the future - they go into Business/Commerce :blink:. It troubles me to see my own friends deluded by the capitalist lies of "moving on up" or some form of the American Dream.

And I really can't stand people who are willfully insensitive to the plight of heavily exploited workers (e.g. sweatshop workers). One of my friends actually said to me that she "Didn't care about them - I want my (insert brand here) clothes and I want to look good in them!"

[LOLseph Stalin]

I'm sick of this, too. I'm especially tired of people telling me I should go into this field or take that class because "they make good money." In a capitalist system, it's rare that people really pursue the kind of future they want, because money always comes first.

The sad truth.:thumbdown: In Capitalism these things have to matter(usually). As a Communist, i'm not going for the careers that get me the most money, but the ones i'm interested in. When this world sees the light that is communism then we can worry about everybody enjoying their jobs. When people enjoy their jobs it'll give them incentive to work hard. In Capitalism you see slackers, because likely they don't like their job, but don't have any other options.

[Enragé]

Is it just me or does anyone else here get really pissed off with people that want to and do build their lives around getting rich?


makes me sick as well

thats why, once in a while, you have to let off steam and go ***** at some miljonairs, like so: http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=u4qQD-RqwTI :D

[Invincible Summer]

makes me sick as well

thats why, once in a while, you have to let off steam and go ***** at some miljonairs, like so: http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=u4qQD-RqwTI :D

I don't understand what they're saying... but the act in itself seems somewhat commendable

[MarxSchmarx]

For a lot of people, it's not about getting rich. It's really about enjoying life, as they see it. This usually revolves around three things: (1) family, (2) material comfort and (3) economic security.

Most people are a "clog in the wheel" for the sake of these three things. Even in capitalist countries I find, people want to be rich not for its own sake, but for the security it brings, the better opportunity it provides their kids, and the possibility to enjoy "the finer things". Sometimes this gets excessive, like the drive to acquire ferraris. But usually it's about the occasional cruise ship vacation or not having to buy a used car. Thus, they will be quite content in what is called "upper-middle class" surroundings. Hence occupations like medical doctors or mid-level military officers suit them just fine.

What we on the left have to do, in the global north, is to convince most people that they have a better shot at "the good life" through socialism rather than capitalism. As long as people believe they've got a good shot at winning the lottery, they'll keep playing.

[gla22]

You should read Ken Kesey's cuckoos nest. Talks about exactly what you are thinking about.

[Charles Xavier]

I don't think striving to better yourself and get a decent job is anti-socialist, poverty is not apart of our culture. Being in poverty by choice is lifestylism. I'm in poverty because of lack of decent employment. However my life does have luxuries here and there like most in the first world.

[bawbag]

You should read Ken Kesey's cuckoos nest. Talks about exactly what you are thinking about.


:ohmy:thats quite odd that you mention that as I chose to do a report on it for English, i was about to start then I came on this and read your comment, one of my favourite books, and my conclusion includes stuff from above, maybe thats why I brought it up, could be the reason i believe it, kind of chicken and egg thing, eh? did i believe this before i read the book? or did I enjoy the book because i already believed this? i dont know, anyway keep 'em coming as its good to see that i'm not the only one that doesn't understand the need to constantly get money and wealth