Head above water...

[cheeni]

Richer isn't happier - so say some. I believe it on some days, and suspect its wisdom on other days. The problem with believing that money isn't everything is that you now have to evolve an alternate measure of success. It's almost like humans need to measure their lives at all times - they need to know if their head is above water, else they lose the will to fight and drown.

Comments

[sriramb.livejournal.com]

I believe that if your day to day infrastructure needs are taken care of, you don't need money to measure success. I also think that living in a city forces you to focus on making more money, because your expenses are more, and peer pressure is more too. You do need a nominal sum for rainy day expenses(medical emergency?),but if you were to relocate to a small town, and all your daily needs (food, clothing, shelter, books) are taken care of, who would need money to define happiness.

(BTW, i'm onSkype, so feel free to ring when you have the time. Skype ID has been dispatched via email)

[udhay.livejournal.com]

Apart from day to day infrastructure needs, I would also think that (for those who have explicitly thought about it) there is a number that translates to enough income to maintain your lifestyle, and beyond that, it's all about keeping score.

Hm. On re-reading, I seem to be saying largely the same thing you are. As you were, then. :)

[bluesmoon.livejournal.com]

the units of measurement of success change with ones slot in the heirarchy of needs. at some point it moves into self transcendence. how many people can you bring up to a level of self awareness?

[sriniram.livejournal.com]

Are you saying then that once someone moves along the need chain (which I interpret to be lateral and not heirarchical - there is no reason to believe that one is better than the other) he/she stops feeling the need to measure?

[bluesmoon.livejournal.com]

tis for you to decide

[thaths.livejournal.com]

I posit that the idea of measuring sucess and failture itself is a geek thing. I believe that it is mostly the geeks that try to maximize some sort of value for the work they do.

[jace.livejournal.com]

Hmm. That resonates.

[sriramb.livejournal.com]

Non-geek entrepreneurs use money to keep score becuase that's the only measure of success in a capitalism-based society. They may not use the money, but they need the zeros to keep count of the winner. Otherwise, they'll just keep giving it all away.

[thaths.livejournal.com]

The capitalist (non-geek entrepreneur you refer to) is a special case, I accept. I still maintain that most people (except geeks and capitalists) don't obsess over maximizing value in the life they lead. I think it is uniquely geek to think of the fastest way to put on one's shoes or walk from place A to place B taking the least amount of steps.

[sriniram.livejournal.com]

As Sriramb said, I think not. Non-geeks need accurate measures of their success too.

[thaths.livejournal.com]

I do not deny that there needs to be a measurement of success. What I am saying is that there is a difference between the geek and the non-geek when it comes to (a) How often success is measured and (b) How much maximization of value is obsessed over in, say, a typical day.

It is the geek who obsesses over the quality of their efforts and its results ("maximizing value") every day. They obsess over everything from "what is the most elegant, fast, effective way for me to make my morning coffeee" to "How can I go downstairs from my apartment taking the fewest number of steps".

[jace.livejournal.com]

Thaths may make more sense if you consider geeks as not tech geeks but anyone applying geek values to their life, whatever be their profession.

[(Anonymous)]

Money is just one of the many factors. Being rich alone doesnt make you happy or unhappy, well it just makes you ... rich.

Does having more money imply success? I dont think so, there are many activities we involve ourselves in where success is not defined by monetary gains.

[shortiyergirl.livejournal.com]

Money may be one measure of success but surely there are others....

[sriniram.livejournal.com]

Quantifiable measures? Do you know of any?

[thaths.livejournal.com]

One more quantifiable measure, IMO, is "how many people that you admire are your friends".

[crabbycool.livejournal.com]

you need to attend sri sri ravi shankar's classes. in case you don't have the money, pleas watch GOD channel.

[sriniram.livejournal.com]

I know, I know, did you hear my 'guru' (NOT) has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize?

[crabbycool.livejournal.com]

*claps!*

is there a contest on radio city where we can vote for him to win?

*hides before she commits any more libel*

[sriniram.livejournal.com]

Sure, an SMS costs 10 bucks, and SSRS gets 50% of that from Radio City and your mobile provider.

[sunson.livejournal.com]

GOD TV is about christianity and people falling on the floor (read: stage floor) when God (Jesus?) touches them, isn't it?

I'm going to get the God Helmet someday and be happy thereafter. Everything will have deep significance -- a piece of pebble, a grain of sand and my pet's poop. Heh.

[sunson.livejournal.com]

... OR if its possible to bring about a Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, that would be good too, I suppose?

[crabbycool.livejournal.com]

GOD TV is like a divine Oprah show. Whether it is about Christianity, I do not know.

[nearfar.livejournal.com]

I'm going to get the God Helmet someday and be happy thereafter

Let me tell, when you succeed.

[sunson.livejournal.com]

Let you tell? or let you know? :P

[nearfar.livejournal.com]

Yes man! I am yet to complete even the first chapter in `Word Power Made Easy' :-)

[sunson.livejournal.com]

Having a lot of money is good. I think the question is "are you already on the path that is fetching you happiness as you make money?". Its a very analog / continuous thing. Not a binary 1 or 0 answer.