What's your overall philosophy on life?

Michael Anderson2 said:I have to say, I'm inclined to agree with you. That leads me to the conclusion that there are different types of wealth—and different types of poverty, too. Is one kind of poverty better than the others? Personally, I think it is: material poverty is the absolute worst; it’s the kind where people literally starve. So, what am I choosing between here—being short on time or being short on cash?

What does "poverty is a state of mind" actually mean? Go ask the kids in Somalia about spiritual poverty. Or you don't even have to go that far—just look around at the local welfare office... Care to elaborate?

😂
I haven't touched the TV in years. What next—unplug the internet too? How am I supposed to stay informed? Does a person even need information in this day and age? Am I supposed to just retreat into some cave somewhere?

Whose fault is that? Theirs or yours?

To even have this debate, we’d need to define our terms first. What does "equality" actually mean? It’s obvious we aren't all equal in a physical or mental sense, but we ought to be equal under the law, regardless of what those rights look like. Sure, rights have to be bounded by some kind of social contract, but they should apply to everyone—why shouldn't everyone be equal when it comes to their rights?

So, you're stuck with the dilemma: is life predetermined by fate, or is it just a self-contained value that ends at death? I’m still not following. Even if someone believes in destiny, they still view life as a "self-contained" value, so I don't see where the dilemma lies.

Whether life is predestined or just completely random, it ends in death regardless—and after that, there's nothing, just like there was nothing before you were born...

Fear it or don't, you're going to die anyway, so there's no point worrying about the inevitable. Besides, you were dead for billions of years before you were even born. Of course, that's easier said than done. I'm still working on it myself...😁

Look, I don't really buy into the whole soul hype (not that you can, when concepts like "souls" are basically just part of the game)—I lean more toward the idea that everything is ultimately One, playing a game through multiplicity. In reality, "I" don't even exist; I'm just a manifestation of the One playing a game...

First bold point: 👍the thing I find myself dwelling on most often...

Second bold point—could you elaborate on that slightly?

Michael Anderson2 said:I have to say, I'm inclined to agree with you. That leads me to the conclusion that there are different types of wealth—and different types of poverty, too. Is one kind of poverty better than the others? Personally, I think it is: material poverty is the absolute worst; it’s the kind where people literally starve. So, what am I choosing between here—being short on time or being short on cash?

What does "poverty is a state of mind" actually mean? Go ask the kids in Somalia about spiritual poverty. Or you don't even have to go that far—just look around at the local welfare office... Care to elaborate?

😂
I haven't touched the TV in years. What next—unplug the internet too? How am I supposed to stay informed? Does a person even need information in this day and age? Am I supposed to just retreat into some cave somewhere?

Whose fault is that? Theirs or yours?

To even have this debate, we’d need to define our terms first. What does "equality" actually mean? It’s obvious we aren't all equal in a physical or mental sense, but we ought to be equal under the law, regardless of what those rights look like. Sure, rights have to be bounded by some kind of social contract, but they should apply to everyone—why shouldn't everyone be equal when it comes to their rights?

So, you're stuck with the dilemma: is life predetermined by fate, or is it just a self-contained value that ends at death? I’m still not following. Even if someone believes in destiny, they still view life as a "self-contained" value, so I don't see where the dilemma lies.

Whether life is predestined or just completely random, it ends in death regardless—and after that, there's nothing, just like there was nothing before you were born...

Fear it or don't, you're going to die anyway, so there's no point worrying about the inevitable. Besides, you were dead for billions of years before you were even born. Of course, that's easier said than done. I'm still working on it myself...😁

Look, I don't really buy into the whole soul hype (not that you can, when concepts like "souls" are basically just part of the game)—I lean more toward the idea that everything is ultimately One, playing a game through multiplicity. In reality, "I" don't even exist; I'm just a manifestation of the One playing a game...

Poverty isn't even a real thing.😉
It’s just a poverty of desire.

What does it even mean to say poverty is a "state of mind"? Go ask the kids in Somalia about having a "poverty of spirit." You don't even have to go that far—just look around you at your local welfare office. Explain yourself.

Forget about Somalia.
Look around you and tell me: do I know a single person on this planet who’s actually starving to death right now?
Do you know him?

😂
I haven't touched a TV in years. Maybe I should just pull the plug on the internet too? But then how am I supposed to stay informed? Does anyone even need information in this day and age? What, am I supposed to go live in a cave somewhere?

I can only laugh at this. Honestly. Heh, heh, heh...😍
TV as an info source? Please. It’s basically just entertainment masquerading as news. Most people just turn it on for background noise, not because they actually trust what's being said. Real information comes from digging deeper than whatever flashy graphics a network throws at you.🙏
What’s the point of all this info anyway? How much of the crap you watch on TV every single day actually has anything to do with you?
Open your mind. Whether you’re sitting in a cave or somewhere else doesn't even matter. It's irrelevant.

Whose fault is it anyway? Theirs or yours?

Mine, hands down.
Look, at the end of the day, it's all just out of love for the kids.
Right now, I’m grinding just to make sure my grandkids are set for life. Why should they have to work if I can do it for them? That's the dream. Raising kids who never have to clock in again. Basically, turning them into the next Paris, Texas.

If we’re actually going to talk about this, we need to define our terms first. What does "equality" even mean? Obviously, we aren't all equal when it comes to physical ability or mental capacity, but we have to be equal under the law. Period. Equal rights for everyone. Period.Look, whatever those rights actually are, it doesn't matter. Obviously, rights have to be limited by some kind of social contract, but they need to apply to everyone. Everyone should be equal when it comes to rights. Why on earth wouldn't they be?

Give me one single example where people actually have equal rights. Seriously. Just one.
Take any right. Like freedom of the press.
Should someone be allowed to snap a photo of you walking down the street with your kid and blast it on some, heh heh heh, "news outlet" TV station?
This is how we just push our own imaginary opinions that don't even have to align with reality.

So, you're stuck deciding if life is predestined or just a standalone value that ends when you die? I still don't get it. Even if you believe in fate, you still have a life as a "standalone" value. What's the dilemma?

I don't have a dilemma.😕 Why did you take it that way?
Why should I stress about the end of life if the end is something I can't actually experience? From where I'm standing, death only exists for other people.

Whether life is predetermined or totally random, it ends in death anyway, and then nothing—just like how there was nothing before you were born...

👍

Fear it or not, you're going to die, so there's no point being afraid of the inevitable. Besides, you were dead for billions of years before you were born. Easier said than done, though. I'm still working on it...😁

👍
I'm working on it too, but man, it's tough.☕

Look, I don't really buy into all that talk about "souls" (not that you have much choice when concepts like "souls" are part of the game). I'm more into the idea that everything is actually One, playing out through the many. I don't truly exist; I'm just a play within the One...

Nice. Very Zen school of thought.
If I'm feeling up to it, maybe we can discuss Zeno's "Stadium" paradox.🙂

Michael Anderson2 said:I need enough just to cover the basics—rent, utilities, groceries, water, maybe some decent clothes. That’s the bottom line. Once you start looking at those numbers, all that high-minded philosophy just goes right out the window. I’m not exactly living in poverty, but I’m certainly not pulling in tycoon money either. At the end of the day, you have to put in the work; if you don't, the competition will absolutely crush you.

It’s just the two of us, and as they get older, the expenses keep climbing—it feels like a runaway train. What am I supposed to do at this point? Am I really expected to sit them down and tell them to drop out of school or something?

It’s better for everyone to have rights than for absolutely no one to have them, don't you think?

Growing up, I was always taught that a question mark at the end of a sentence actually meant you were asking a question...☕

I remember a cafe owner I used to know back in the day—her business was struggling, as you can imagine—who once told me, "Thank God I have three kids, but thank God they aren't *too* brilliant." She actually said she wished they’d just scrape by with mediocre grades in middle and high school.
If she’d been blessed with children who were absolute geniuses graduating at the top of their class every single time, she would have been absolutely overwhelmed. I mean, who could actually afford to fund three separate rounds of five years of higher education? 😍

That’s actually where this old saying comes from in our local social circles: May the curse of Mrs. Anaka strike you.
Basically, it’s a way of saying, "I hope you're blessed with incredibly smart children," because if you are, you'll be working until the day you retire just to keep up with their tuition.
(We live in a small town, so when the kids want to go to college, they end up heading off to Washington, D.C., and let me tell you—that is not cheap)

Someone mentioned working while studying earlier. Sure, it’s possible, but it really depends on what they decide to major in. If they sign up for medical school, forget about it. They might find a little time to grab a quick bite at the campus dining hall, but they certainly won't have time to hold down a job.

Mark Torres14 said:Poverty isn't even a real thing.😉
It’s just a poverty of desire.

What does it even mean to say poverty is a "state of mind"? Go ask the kids in Somalia about having a "poverty of spirit." You don't even have to go that far—just look around you at your local welfare office. Explain yourself.

Forget about Somalia.
Look around you and tell me: do I know a single person on this planet who’s actually starving to death right now?
Do you know him?

😂
I haven't touched a TV in years. Maybe I should just pull the plug on the internet too? But then how am I supposed to stay informed? Does anyone even need information in this day and age? What, am I supposed to go live in a cave somewhere?

I can only laugh at this. Honestly. Heh, heh, heh...😍
TV as an info source? Please. It’s basically just entertainment masquerading as news. Most people just turn it on for background noise, not because they actually trust what's being said. Real information comes from digging deeper than whatever flashy graphics a network throws at you.🙏
What’s the point of all this info anyway? How much of the crap you watch on TV every single day actually has anything to do with you?
Open your mind. Whether you’re sitting in a cave or somewhere else doesn't even matter. It's irrelevant.

Whose fault is it anyway? Theirs or yours?

Mine, hands down.
Look, at the end of the day, it's all just out of love for the kids.
Right now, I’m grinding just to make sure my grandkids are set for life. Why should they have to work if I can do it for them? That's the dream. Raising kids who never have to clock in again. Basically, turning them into the next Paris, Texas.

If we’re actually going to talk about this, we need to define our terms first. What does "equality" even mean? Obviously, we aren't all equal when it comes to physical ability or mental capacity, but we have to be equal under the law. Period. Equal rights for everyone. Period.Look, whatever those rights actually are, it doesn't matter. Obviously, rights have to be limited by some kind of social contract, but they need to apply to everyone. Everyone should be equal when it comes to rights. Why on earth wouldn't they be?

Give me one single example where people actually have equal rights. Seriously. Just one.
Take any right. Like freedom of the press.
Should someone be allowed to snap a photo of you walking down the street with your kid and blast it on some, heh heh heh, "news outlet" TV station?
This is how we just push our own imaginary opinions that don't even have to align with reality.

So, you're stuck deciding if life is predestined or just a standalone value that ends when you die? I still don't get it. Even if you believe in fate, you still have a life as a "standalone" value. What's the dilemma?

I don't have a dilemma.😕 Why did you take it that way?
Why should I stress about the end of life if the end is something I can't actually experience? From where I'm standing, death only exists for other people.

Whether life is predetermined or totally random, it ends in death anyway, and then nothing—just like how there was nothing before you were born...

👍

Fear it or not, you're going to die, so there's no point being afraid of the inevitable. Besides, you were dead for billions of years before you were born. Easier said than done, though. I'm still working on it...😁

👍
I'm working on it too, but man, it's tough.☕

Look, I don't really buy into all that talk about "souls" (not that you have much choice when concepts like "souls" are part of the game). I'm more into the idea that everything is actually One, playing out through the many. I don't truly exist; I'm just a play within the One...

Nice. Very Zen school of thought.
If I'm feeling up to it, maybe we can discuss Zeno's "Stadium" paradox.🙂

I personally know people living like absolute bums despite having decent $1000 Social Security checks. That's just how they choose to live.

A poverty of desire :

Or maybe something more like this:

Benjamin Taylor6 said:I personally know people living like absolute bums despite having decent $1000 Social Security checks. That's just how they choose to live.

A poverty of desire :

Or maybe something more like this:

I’m honestly at a loss for words.🤷
Look, you’re definitely one of my idols.🙏👍🙏
Just like Epicurus said: live an unnoticed life.😍

Well...
Giacomo Leopardi’s "Dialogue and Essays" — an excerpt from "Zibaldon."

Whose lifestyle is actually "natural"? The ignorant fool or the artist? That clueless guy doesn't grasp or feel anything beautiful about art. He misses out on true beauty entirely. Honestly, even the greatest symphonies barely touch him. Musical taste is built through exposure—both direct and indirect. And yet, music feels like one of the most universal forms of beauty there is. Let me be clear: beauty isn't beauty if it doesn't give us pleasure. But here’s the kicker: an unknown truth is still a truth, even if it remains undiscovered. Nature doesn't teach us truth directly, but if absolute beauty exists, we can't perceive it unless nature instructs us first. If a person lives in an unnatural state, they won't be able to comprehend what is truly beautiful. They'll be blind to it.

Living

If this is the pathetic way one is forced to live,
then maybe I’m being too bold for not hanging my life's lantern
out in the open on a dead pine
in some blind alleyway.

And if this is the honorable way one is meant to live,
then I’ve gone completely wrong by not building an eternal monument
to my own convictions, standing as massive as a mountain,
right here on this shaky ground.

Ahmed Chamle

ON THE RUG, STARING INTO MYSELF

What a damn ceremony
One by one, they all left me behind
The last ones had it the hardest
They suffered so much because of their own making

Then I was left with nothing but a lightbulb, a sense of order
And eventually, just memory
A humiliated world arrived, driven mad
By the weight of freedom
And me? Too high and mighty to actually rule
Staring into myself on the rug

Slavko Mihalić

Fate doesn't exist—just ask the thousands of kids in Africa who die from starvation every single day. It’s all just pure coincidence.