(November 29, 2013 at 8:24 pm)Zazzy Wrote:

(November 29, 2013 at 8:13 pm)CapnAwesome Wrote: That Jewelry most likely comes from suffering in Africa. Is it worth it to look good (subjectively) so that other people suffer? It's what's wrong with our society. It's why it will collapse, and it's why the environment is being destroyed.

Y'know how we hate it when theists make assumptions?

I own no diamonds. Not one. Never will. All my jewelry is either inherited, or bought from the person who made it.

If you're going to judge me for wearing jewelry, you're an asshole.

As opposed to you judging me for living a simple lifestyle?

(November 29, 2013 at 8:33 pm)CapnAwesome Wrote: As opposed to you judging me for living a simple lifestyle?

Please show me where I did that. I care not one whit how you live. Oh- and your apology is accepted for being wrong about me.

But I'm starting to see why the OP is so whiny about others judging you- you feel holier-than-thou and see judgement where there is none, or in people's defense of their own lifestyles.

I've been very poor. Fuck that.



Money doesn't always buy happiness .... but sometimes it does. If someone wants to live in a box and travel the globe on a bicycle, that's fucking awesome and I will wish him all the luck in the world, but I won't sit and take a brow beating for wanting the good things in this life.
I love money. I love making money. I love spending money. I love giving money away. I love beautiful cars and historical relics. I love beach houses and exotic vacations. I love good food and top-shelf bourbon.

I apologize for nothing ... but I also applaud those who are content to have nothing. I just don't happen to be one.

Do you not you think that may have been judged for saying that people shouldn't have cars, whilst you lived in a van?

*shrug* I like the goodies. We own a lovely home and four vehicles. We dine out more than we eat in, and we spend a fair bit on entertainment.

That being said, people have a right to live how they choose. I'm not going to dun anyone for a simple lifestyle - it just isn't any of my business.

'It's no shame to be poor, but it's no great honour, either.' Tevye.

Boru

ps: As to the spat above, I wear jewelry - earrings and a bracelet I made myself, and I'm having a bone necklace made - should be ready in a few days.

(November 29, 2013 at 8:45 pm)Cinjin Wrote: I love giving money away.

I can PM you my mailing address.

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(November 29, 2013 at 8:53 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: I wear jewelry - earrings and a bracelet I made myself, and I'm having a bone necklace made - should be ready in a few days.

I make jewelry from bone, stones, metal, feathers, plants. I love hand made one of a kind jewelry pieces.

(November 29, 2013 at 8:54 pm)freedomfromfallacy Wrote: I make jewelry from bone, stones, metal, feathers, plants. I love hand made one of a kind jewelry pieces.

Pics, please.

I, too, love handmade jewelry- it's art. My honey is an artist, so we go to a lot of art fairs, and I get to know a lot of local jewelry makers, and it's amazing what they can do.Most of my recent jewelry came from my honey trading art for art.

This is something that isn't black-and-white about consumerism. It's important to support artists if you can- which means buying their art. If artists can't afford to make art, we lose something valuable.

(November 29, 2013 at 9:08 pm)Zazzy Wrote: This is something that isn't black-and-white about consumerism. It's important to support artists if you can- which means buying their art. If artists can't afford to make art, we lose something valuable.

If pole dancing is an art, I already do. Expensive, but worth it.

(November 29, 2013 at 8:45 pm)Optimistic Mysanthrope Wrote: Do you not you think that may have been judged for saying that people shouldn't have cars, whilst you lived in a van?

First off I'm not saying that people shouldn't have cars. I think some people are getting a little carried away with their interpretation of what I'm saying. But we definitely could do with a lot less cars. That's basically what I'm saying, we need to do with less of everything. I don't think that having a van is excessive if you have two people and a dog living in it. But having a SVU that you never take off the freeway is totally excessive. Once people have attained a certain level of comfort everything else is just superfluous.

People need to reassess what they think they need. I hear all the time on here how people need so and so comforts. Once people have the basics, whether or not that includes a car, everything else is just extra. That's why even though I'm something of a hippy, the argument of wealth transfer that I see on here all the time is a terrible one. People in this country are having their basic needs more than met. Trying to take money from the rich is just another form of greed.

Quote:Sometimes when I point out that Americans, almost across the boards economically, are capable of living with less than they currently have I have been viciously (and sometimes personally) attacked.

The problem with this country is the simple fact that the top .1% are way too rich and the bottom 90% are way too poor.

Telling the poor to become even poorer does not impress me as a solid argument.