Don't Follow Your Passion
#133
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,923
One of the facets of attaining adulthood is learning to live within one's means, and an element of a mature mind is the ability to appreciate what one has.
"Flaunting" anything is a sign of immaturity, and this is true of the eighteen year old flexing his biceps as much as the 45 year old who can't develop self-esteem without a corvette.
If one has a significant income, is there any valid reason that one should strut about and ensure that the world knows it?
#134
#135
On Reserve
Joined APC: Nov 2014
Posts: 22
Actually there is.
One of the facets of attaining adulthood is learning to live within one's means, and an element of a mature mind is the ability to appreciate what one has.
"Flaunting" anything is a sign of immaturity, and this is true of the eighteen year old flexing his biceps as much as the 45 year old who can't develop self-esteem without a corvette.
If one has a significant income, is there any valid reason that one should strut about and ensure that the world knows it?
One of the facets of attaining adulthood is learning to live within one's means, and an element of a mature mind is the ability to appreciate what one has.
"Flaunting" anything is a sign of immaturity, and this is true of the eighteen year old flexing his biceps as much as the 45 year old who can't develop self-esteem without a corvette.
If one has a significant income, is there any valid reason that one should strut about and ensure that the world knows it?
So if you're blowing cash on DirecTV, iphones, two refrigerators, air conditioning, name brand clothes and food and high end medical care, you're no minimalist. You're a relativist who thinks that by being "a little more reasonable" than the average American you're being reasonable. Get over yourself.
I drive a $75,000 car and so does my wife. They're both brand new. We also own 3 houses and 2 "hobby" cars. We, too, can rationalize our financial exploits as "reasonable" by U.S. standards. I could drive a $120,000 car if I wanted to, and I happen to be VERY into cars so it's not something I wouldn't consider. The reality is I just bought my first new car in December of '14 at age 39, and I waited until I had a pension and my kids college paid for to do it, but that was my prerogative. My salary tops number 1 on the list above and I like fast cars, so I used some of my money to live a little and put a nice car in the garage. I don't see how that's anyone's business but mine, and it's not so everyone else "knows I have money" as you suggest.
#136
Whoa! Judgmental much? Let's leave the judging to the judge. The problem with your logic is that there's no "valid reason" for ever doing a lot of things we choose to do in life. Have you ever had Filet Mignon? Why, how dare you be so wasteful when chop steak would have sustained you! Almost everyone in America is exorbitantly rich by international standards where half the world's population lives on less than $2/day.
So if you're blowing cash on DirecTV, iphones, two refrigerators, air conditioning, name brand clothes and food and high end medical care, you're no minimalist. You're a relativist who thinks that by being "a little more reasonable" than the average American you're being reasonable. Get over yourself.
I drive a $75,000 car and so does my wife. They're both brand new. We also own 3 houses and 2 "hobby" cars. We, too, can rationalize our financial exploits as "reasonable" by U.S. standards. I could drive a $120,000 car if I wanted to, and I happen to be VERY into cars so it's not something I wouldn't consider. The reality is I just bought my first new car in December of '14 at age 39, and I waited until I had a pension and my kids college paid for to do it, but that was my prerogative. My salary tops number 1 on the list above and I like fast cars, so I used some of my money to live a little and put a nice car in the garage. I don't see how that's anyone's business but mine, and it's not so everyone else "knows I have money" as you suggest.
If you flaunt your expensive cars, he's talking about you. If you flaunt your filet mignon, your three houses, and your DirectTV, he's talking about you. If you simply appreciate what you have, and you can do that without rubbing it in everyone's face, then you exhibit the maturity JohnBurke talked about.
Are you strutting about, or is your self-esteem based on a more solid foundation?
Of course, only you can judge that.
.
#137
On Reserve
Joined APC: Nov 2014
Posts: 22
My point was that only true minimalists have the right to judge the extravagance of others. Everyone else is just some varying degree of extravagant. He didn't say he was a minimalist. I said he wasn't, and I showed why he didn't have the right to lecture someone by saying people with "mature minds" appreciate what they have. By saying it's a mark of maturity to "live within your means" as if people who own expensive cars aren't doing that. Basically by saying he draws the line on what material possessions are and are not reasonable to acquire in his life and in other people's lives.
Kevbo said, "no point to having higher than average pay if you can't flaunt the proceeds". He didn't say one "must have" higher pay "so that" he can flaunt the proceeds. I thought JohnBurke overreacted to that clearly light hearted comment when he lectured the guy about maturity and living within your means. So I lectured him right back, lol.
That's right. I'm TheJudge of everything.
He repudiated the claim made by kevbo that one must have higher than average pay so he can "flaunt the proceeds."
Of course, only you can judge that.
#138
If you don't know the difference, you can consult an on-line dictionary.
Oh, Yeah, and we can see just how bright you are.
Lecture away ...
.
#139
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,923
Whoa! Judgmental much? Let's leave the judging to the judge. The problem with your logic is that there's no "valid reason" for ever doing a lot of things we choose to do in life. Have you ever had Filet Mignon? Why, how dare you be so wasteful when chop steak would have sustained you! Almost everyone in America is exorbitantly rich by international standards where half the world's population lives on less than $2/day.
So if you're blowing cash on DirecTV, iphones, two refrigerators, air conditioning, name brand clothes and food and high end medical care, you're no minimalist. You're a relativist who thinks that by being "a little more reasonable" than the average American you're being reasonable. Get over yourself.
I drive a $75,000 car and so does my wife. They're both brand new. We also own 3 houses and 2 "hobby" cars. We, too, can rationalize our financial exploits as "reasonable" by U.S. standards. I could drive a $120,000 car if I wanted to, and I happen to be VERY into cars so it's not something I wouldn't consider. The reality is I just bought my first new car in December of '14 at age 39, and I waited until I had a pension and my kids college paid for to do it, but that was my prerogative. My salary tops number 1 on the list above and I like fast cars, so I used some of my money to live a little and put a nice car in the garage. I don't see how that's anyone's business but mine, and it's not so everyone else "knows I have money" as you suggest.
So if you're blowing cash on DirecTV, iphones, two refrigerators, air conditioning, name brand clothes and food and high end medical care, you're no minimalist. You're a relativist who thinks that by being "a little more reasonable" than the average American you're being reasonable. Get over yourself.
I drive a $75,000 car and so does my wife. They're both brand new. We also own 3 houses and 2 "hobby" cars. We, too, can rationalize our financial exploits as "reasonable" by U.S. standards. I could drive a $120,000 car if I wanted to, and I happen to be VERY into cars so it's not something I wouldn't consider. The reality is I just bought my first new car in December of '14 at age 39, and I waited until I had a pension and my kids college paid for to do it, but that was my prerogative. My salary tops number 1 on the list above and I like fast cars, so I used some of my money to live a little and put a nice car in the garage. I don't see how that's anyone's business but mine, and it's not so everyone else "knows I have money" as you suggest.
Buy what you want. If you choose to flaunt it, have a ball, but know it's a sign of intellectual and emotional immaturity.
You call yourself "TheJudge" and yet level accusation of judgement? did you think that through?
Do I eat fillet mignon? No. Do I blow cash on direct TV? No. Do I have air conditioning? It's life support, not a luxury. I don't live in the arctic. I don't flaunt any of those things, however, nor did I at any time suggest that no one should have them.
You buy what you want, and if you feel that you need to parade around those expensive cars to bolster your self worth, you do just that. Perhaps someone will even give you a pat on the back. I'm sure that you're sure you've earned it.
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