Is 13+ years of education, a stable job, refined oil, and a computer necessary for daily life?
I'm not saying I want to live in a box under a bridge, but I'm saying that most things aren't necessary. My grandfather got by his childhood just fine without a refrigerator, yet now it is a
necessity. That's what modern life does, it keeps loading you up with things you think you need to live a successful life.
The problem isn't that the African ditch digger is dirt poor, it's that the world views him as dirt poor. Compared to the New Guinea native, you might as well call him sultan.
Feel free to call me a hypocrite for the way I live my life. That isn't lost on me. I just hope you realize that even hypocrites can speak the truth. Figuratively, I was born a "crack baby." Learning what is necessary for a happy life is one of the toughest issues I've ever faced. Like a junkie, coming clean isn't easy.
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Originally Posted by Duffman
Productivity is not evil, I can use increased productivity for 2 things, either to have more stuff or to have the same amount of stuff and work less to get it.
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Productivity in itself is not evil. Using productivity as the sole metric to a meaningful life is. Give me a tree and I'll cut it down. Find me a deer and I'll kill it. Give me a mountain and I'll destroy it for ore. The only thing I ask is that you give me a meaningful purpose for doing so.
What I'm trying to get at is that conservation is not the answer. Forcing people to live a degraded life is not going to work. The key is to show people that happiness and meaning can be found outside of work and the bank account. People shouldn't conserve, they should readjust their priorities in life. Like with food, "diets" don't work. It takes a lifestyle change to make a difference.
- LostCause