[wolverine]

Originally Posted by nique

I can definitely see the benefit of having a lot more money than you strictly need. Being able to use it to make the world a better place is a good thing.

What I have a hard time envisioning is spending my money on what I see as extravagances. I just can't envision myself in a situation where having a tennis court in my backyard or a full 20 car garage is OK and normal. And when I hear about and see "rich people" that's what I see: extravagances. Yes you're spending a lot of money on other people, but you're spending a boatload on yourself too. Way more than you need. Is that actually OK?

I found it strange yet typical of these sort of discussions (about using LOA for money) that the majority of people tend to be focused on either statements like the above, or opposing them. Either: I can't see myself having it, or I can. Nothing or not much else comes into it.

I think the root of the problem is that I see such things as unsustainable. I can envision a world where everyone has their basic needs met and has enough means to pursue their heart's desire. I can't envision a world where everyone has palatial estates, so who am I to have one?

In other words, a world in which everyone is living at a level comparable to where I am now seams reasonable to me, but much more than that feels wrong. So if I spend too much money on myself just because I can I'll feel guilty.

What does this mean in terms of LOA? Is it bad for me to feel guilty about wanting things that I know not everyone can or should have? Is this line of thinking all an illusion? (i.e. the things I want everyone probably could have and the world would survive.) Should sustainability even factor in? (Chances are most people aren't actually going to make their lives better, so getting what I want isn't Actually a bad thing.)

However, the first thing that came to mind for me was similar to this second part of the quote, along the lines of sustainability. (Brilliant word; I've been trying for a while to find the right word to describe why I didn't sit right with these prevailing opinions, and it's been sitting there in front of my nose for ages!) As one of the younger generation who are going to have to help this world and not let it degenerate until it's solely occupied by humans and nothing else, I find the idea of things like 'winter mansions' abhorable. Why do you need so much space? Why can't you use it in a way that doesn't hurt and/or use up all the land? What's the obsession with them? Is it just image?

I think I also agree with those saying to feel like you can afford the things you want without worrying about their cost. I'm just not sure how that fits into sharing this world with the world itself and everyone else on it (and everything else too!).

(There's more I want to say, but I can't yet find the right words, so I'll leave it at that.)


Wolverine