2006-12-07 06:24:24 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
The Jewish sages said: "Who is rich? He who is happy with his lot". Think about it. You can be a billionaire and still be unhappy because of the infinite material things you cannot acquire while on the other hand you can be just an ordinary person working for your money and spending it right, making the people who are important to you happy and thats how you will be "living a good life".
2006-12-07 07:12:25 · answer #1 · answered by knowitall 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know a man who could live in a big house and drive a nice car all that jazz. His family homesteaded here and built a sizable farm from there. He is the sole survivor from his clan. The land has oil and natural gas wells. He receives probably $10,000 monthly in royalties. He lives in a small mobile home, does not own a car, buys only the bear minimum in food and clothing. I guess he lives on about $1200 to $1500 each month. The rest of the money he gives away. Either by dropping it off in collection boxes or I know he has put the cash in a needy family's mail box in the middle of the night. I have asked him why he does spend more for him self and do more for him; his reply was that he is happy to share, he is able to be free of the demands of society and does not have to worry about a boss or a time schedule and a man needs nothing more than to be free to choose his life. I think he is living this way to prove that point.
2006-12-07 07:07:43 · answer #2 · answered by Mike E 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A good life has nothing whatever to do with 'things'; with 'chattel'.
Regardless of your station in life, you can live a good life if your heart is right.
The truly important aspects of a good life are more to do with living peacably with others, being a true friend, reaching out to someone less fortunate than yourself. In fact, it means enjoying what you have even if it is not as good or as new as your neighbor's. It involves taking 'self' out of the picture for a while.
We all like to dress up and wear our finest (what our pockets would allow us to buy) and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Not too long ago, I was upset over a silly necklace I had misplaced. Everyone felt I was foolish and they were right.
Also, we do need lots of material goods to exist on a day-to-day basis, so there is no getting away from that. Example: We have to get from Point A to Point B and it may require a long drive so we need a good car and gas to make the trip. We have to eat, we have to sleep on a bed; sit down to dinner at a table with chairs that don't fall apart and of course, who doesn't like a fine piece or many pieces of jewelery?
Face it, we all want to look good and feel good and it is our right to do so, however, we put too much store on our 'things' rather on HOW we live our lives
2006-12-07 06:42:27 · answer #3 · answered by SANCHA 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A materialistic lifestyle is not healthy because we always want more than what we have instead of appreciating what we already have. I have always been a minimalist and I am quite happy not having to worry about losing anything important or expensive, so I can focus on more important, simple things, like good friends, a good book, a walk in the woods, the smell of new blossoms, the sounds of birds singing, etc. Now, if I lost THOSE things, I would be devestated!
2006-12-07 06:35:05 · answer #4 · answered by beetlejuice49423 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on your own values and what you find important in life. It is up to everyone of us to find our own meaning. There should be no judgement of whether one set of values is any more worthy or important than another. We all make choices and it is our precious freedom that allows us to do it.
For some people it may not be possible to feel they have really lived the way they want to without having an abundance of material possessions.
We are not all cut out to be Mother Teresas.
2006-12-07 07:00:57 · answer #5 · answered by MissRemorse 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it's possible to not just live a good life, but a better life without nice material goods.
2006-12-07 07:10:25 · answer #6 · answered by BAnne 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
unquestionably. look into eastern esoteric studies: buddhism, taoism, shinto, hinduism, etc. read *the complete idiot's guide to toltec wisdom*. the good/happy life depends on your vibrational level--the higher the better, not your bank account balance. usually, the more you have, the lower your vibrational level, why? i'll let you intuit the answer via the following "rule" : every thought you "have" and every word you utter carries its own frequency, which effects both you and those around you. good luck! ;-)
2006-12-07 06:30:33 · answer #7 · answered by drakke1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, as long as you live a happy life and do the best you can who cares what you have look at all the people in foreign countries that don't have anything they grate full for anything they get, think of it as not what you don't have but what you do have.. (health,family,life)etc.
2006-12-07 06:29:14 · answer #8 · answered by nikki 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For some people, it is absolutley possible. I think that our capitalist society has brainwashed the population into believing otherwise.
2006-12-07 07:15:21 · answer #9 · answered by lovely 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That depends on how you would define 'good life'.
For me, I like the creature comforts and lots of 'em.
2006-12-07 07:04:27 · answer #10 · answered by curious 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋