This has to stop!

Everybody in this world is behind earning money and making their lives
happy.They don't care by what means are they earning this money.

Materialism is increasing in this world and people are running behind these
materialistic things.We think that those who are rich despite being corrupt
are happy.But in reality they are not happy and they have to take sleeping
pills because they cannot sleep.They cannot sleep because their inner
self keeps asking questions about what they have done.

Materialism should stop.The things are for us,we are not for the things.
If we want to earn big money,it should be ethical.

Your views on this are welcome.

If we want to earn big money,it should be ethical.

reply to post by Claudius


In most cases however, money and ethical, does not go well together in the same sentence.

I do agree however, that materialism is make people slaves to money. We want more and more, and are never content.

I fear however, that this will never be gotten rid off. The way we are bombarded by the media to try this, buy this, get this, and how these items are portrayed, means that this will carry on for eternity.

It is up to the individual to make the choice.

vvv

Originally posted by Claudius
Everybody in this world is behind earning money and making their lives
happy.They don't care by what means are they earning this money.

Materialism is increasing in this world and people are running behind these
materialistic things.We think that those who are rich despite being corrupt
are happy.But in reality they are not happy and they have to take sleeping
pills because they cannot sleep.They cannot sleep because their inner
self keeps asking questions about what they have done.

Materialism should stop.The things are for us,we are not for the things.
If we want to earn big money,it should be ethical.

Your views on this are welcome.

Your post could not be more timely.

I'm with you. I've been working for the devil for the past 10 years, managed to get away a few times, but always seem forced into taking that path.

Until today.

15 minutes ago I quit my job. I have no idea what I'm going to do (more hours on ATS probably ), how I'm going to survive, but I know one thing...

I have been set free.

reply to post by VreemdeVlieendeVoorwep


I agree with you that individual has to make choice but very less number
of people take the right choice.That's the sad part.

reply to post by Claudius



Welcome to ATS

Just for a healthy debate, in my opinion, "materialism" and not caring about how the money is earned are not exactly the same and not necessarily linked one in the other.

Materialism makes people want money and objects. A notion that makes us equal spare time with consumerism, but shouldnt mean directly a lack of ehtics (as I think you're proposing).

Not caring about how my money (in ethic terms) is earned has more to do with personal views, but it does not imply an extreme need for objects diregarding cultural or intellectual values.

reply to post by dsm1664


I quit my job of seven years a couple of weeks ago. I, too, am not sure what I am going to do, but I can tell you, leaving was the right thing. I haven't had time to really be me in years.

reply to post by AboveTheTrees


I agree that both are different.But both of them come under 'This has to stop' category.

reply to post by Claudius


Read a story on ATS some time ago that best describes our modern misconception about happiness. I can't find the thread anywhere so if somebody knows please link it. It went something along the lines of:

A small island in the pacific is inhabited by a tribe of people who catch fish as their main food source. The fish in those waters is so abundent that they only have to go out in their boats once a day for a couple of hours. The rest of the day is filled with social activities like sitting around the camp fire telling stories and basically enjoying life.

One day a tourist boat shows up. One of the tourist starts talking to one of the fisherman. "Why don't you spend a couple more hours out in the ocean every day?", "why" askes the fisherman. "Well, if you catch more fish, you can eat as much as you want and sell the rest." "Why" asks the fisherman again. "Well, with the money you earn you can buy a processingplant, you can process more fish and make even more money."

"Why", asks the fisherman. "Well", says the tourist, "if you optimise this process and hire all the man in the village you could make so much profit that you will make soooo much money that you can retire early"

"Why", ask the fisherman. "Well then you can stop working, sit around a campfire and enjoy life!!!"

To which the fisherman replies :" But I already have that..."

It's a very crude version of a beautiful anecdote and I hope somebody has the original but you get the point.

Peace

(sorry for the terrible spelling, my spellchecker is of...)

Somehow I don't think you're typing this from a simple, unfurnished, mud hut.

The people who espouse this kind of thinking always say the same thing, "materialism and money is bad, oh except the materials and money I have, they're ok".

reply to post by Mike_A


I thought what the OP was aiming at is the fact the money has shifted from being the "means to a end" to becoming the ultimate goal.

"Gotta make million doesn't matter who dies..."
Operation Mindcrime: Revolution calling

Peace

reply to post by operation mindcrime


Then materialism isn’t the right word. Materialism refers to the use of resources to collect material things for the gratification that one gets out of this activity regardless of their actual utility.

Personally I think this is just another example of people looking down on those who are better off than they are in order to make themselves feel better; demonising anyone with more than them and contriving reasons to justify this attack. For example in this thread saying that money and ethics don’t go together or that people with money can’t sleep (really?! Done the research have we?).

But all these arguments only ever apply to people who are further up the ladder than the person making them and they never consider that to someone with less than them they are the wealthy, materialistic, unethical ones.

If one really did believe these sentiments then they’d have unplugged their internet connection, severely downsized their home and given away most of their possessions. I may be being cynical but I don’t believe anyone here has done anything like that.

reply to post by operation mindcrime


this is not the thread you were looking for, move along
www.abovetopsecret.com...

It's good to see that you are awake. Materialism has directly influenced humanity from the beginning of civilization. It has been at the root of all "evil" in this world since the beginning of humanity. However, without it, we would have never increased our knowledge as efficently as we have. Materialism is a double-edge sword as with anything.

On one hand, we gained science, on the other hand, we lost our "souls" and forgot who we are. Materialism is directly responsible for the creation of humanities false sense of ego. Since the beginning of mankind, we have been subject to materialism and the false sense of ego that that entails.

Its not that we forgot who we were, its that we began to learn who we were by the ways of knowledge and not wisdom. In this way, wisdom is seen to be the more natural means of developing intelligence and therefore, likely the most beneficial. Knowledge is the more "human" way of developing intelligence. However, knowledge does serve a purpose that wisdom cannot, so I am grateful for materialism bringing us this far. But it seems now that I know all I need to know about my natural self, I have outgrown knowledge and materialism and can therefore break free of my bondage to it and dwell in the wisdom of my true natural self and not the one that materialism makes me believe is my "self".

Please read this:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Basically the end of materialism would be the beginning of "heaven" on earth. The prolonging of materialism would be more of "hell" on earth.

The way we objectively deal with materialism is the difference between evolving into something kind of like

this

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/b31c58be3305.jpg[/atsimg]

or something kind of like

this

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/9fbba5342010.jpg[/atsimg]


www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by Mike_A
Somehow I don't think you're typing this from a simple, unfurnished, mud hut.

The people who espouse this kind of thinking always say the same thing, "materialism and money is bad, oh except the materials and money I have, they're ok".

edit on 13-7-2011 by Mike_A because: (no reason given)

and those people, who disagree with that always use to say something like... "Yeah, well, then you'll have to go and live in the forest..." - or - "It's people like you I pay taxes for..." this is all rubbish in my view.
No one pays taxes because of me... I didn't make money, and I didn't make taxes..
And as far as I'm concerned materialism can't exist in an ethical society, because you will get to the point, where you decide, that you want to be satisfied, without the need of buying new things...

I jumped out the mercenary rat race a few years ago and started my own business which is 'ethically influenced' ...... my only financial aim in life is to feed my children, house my children and to spend weekends like the last one at festivals like Sonisphere were I can LIVE and SMILE and dance and be happy...... I couldn't give a flying pig about iPods, 78" TV screens and holidays in the Bahamas.....

I utterly love my life and my family because we are loud, laughing and loving.... Mr High-flyer can keep his Porsche. (sp?)

Saying that... If I won the lottery then I would be over the moon.... Think of all the gigs my family could go to!!

Originally posted by Mike_A
Somehow I don't think you're typing this from a simple, unfurnished, mud hut.

The people who espouse this kind of thinking always say the same thing, "materialism and money is bad, oh except the materials and money I have, they're ok".

edit on 13-7-2011 by Mike_A because: (no reason given)

Why does not wanting 'things' always = mud hut or wilderness to those that love their gadgets?

I still have a washing machine my lovely... but it's a basic 2nd hand one and I still live in a house... not everyone who wants "enough to be happy" lives in mud splattered clothes eating road kill...

silly billy!

Originally posted by 12voltz
reply to post by operation mindcrime

 

this is not the thread you were looking for, move along
www.abovetopsecret.com...

edit on 13-7-2011 by 12voltz because: (no reason given)

Yes it is... Still a beautiful story.

Peace

Originally posted by Claudius
Everybody in this world is behind earning money and making their lives
happy.They don't care by what means are they earning this money.

Everybody? come on. They obviously do care, but even a vegetarian might take a job selling meat if it pays better.

Materialism is increasing in this world and people are running behind these
materialistic things.We think that those who are rich despite being corrupt
are happy.But in reality they are not happy and they have to take sleeping
pills because they cannot sleep.They cannot sleep because their inner
self keeps asking questions about what they have done.

Is this rant about rich people not being happy? does not concern the majority of people.

.Materialism should stop.The things are for us,we are not for the things.
If we want to earn big money,it should be ethical.

Yes however - Big money = Big greed = more power = more temptation to be corrupt to keep Big money!

In summery, you don't like cheaters?, well sorry man but some might say if you aren't cheating you aren't trying. An ethical and honest business wouldn't even want to make too much money, because then they aren't giving the other businesses a chance in this fair fair world of practical capitalism.


Unless you are referring to the individual's obsession with possessions - then I think that boils down to opinions on happiness