What truly drives you? Is it wealth, power, or something else?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the motivations that drive individuals in life, particularly contrasting the pursuit of wealth and power with other values such as relationships, creativity, and personal fulfillment. Participants share personal experiences and reflections on their priorities, exploring the implications of financial success and the meaning of a satisfying life.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant reflects on their past experience of working long hours for high income, ultimately finding it unfulfilling and preferring a simpler life focused on problem-solving and relationships.
  • Another participant expresses a belief that while money doesn't buy happiness, it can facilitate experiences that lead to happiness, indicating a desire for wealth based on current financial struggles.
  • A quote from a film is shared, suggesting that life is a competition for wealth, which some participants find humorous or relatable.
  • Several participants recount experiences of working in high-paying but lonely jobs, leading them to prioritize a balanced life over financial gain.
  • One participant mentions their current lack of a fulfilling life and reflects on past hobbies and interests that brought joy.
  • Another participant discusses the complexities of wealth, noting that while money can solve problems, it can also create new ones, particularly after experiencing a significant life event.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the role of money in happiness, with some valuing financial security and others emphasizing non-material sources of fulfillment. There is no consensus on whether wealth is a primary motivator or a secondary concern, indicating a diversity of perspectives on the topic.

Contextual Notes

Some participants' views are influenced by personal experiences that highlight the emotional and psychological impacts of financial circumstances, suggesting that motivations may vary significantly based on individual life situations.

  • #31
hypatia said:
Cracked peppercorn, or smokey paprika? I take it sea salt is a given..:smile:

:smile: :smile: :smile: Remember that guys: If you wish to woo Evo, you need to be well seasoned.
 
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  • #32
hypatia said:
Cracked peppercorn, or smokey paprika? I take it sea salt is a given..:smile:
:smile: :smile: A bit of hot sauce goes nicely as well. You DO NOT want to be stuck on a sailboat with bland sailors. :biggrin:
 
  • #33
Tobias: "Hot Sailors. Or better yet, Hot Seam..."

Michael: (interrupting) "I..uh...like 'Hot Sailors.'"

Tobias: "Me too."
 
  • #34
Money has been an obstacle for me throughout my life.

If I had money to meet important people, I would by now have been recognized as a great young physicist, and I would be much happier. I am now saving up to go to graduate school, and finally make my dreams come true. I cannot help but hate my high school classmates who went to harvard to drink beer, when I had to stay on this little island and train myself to be a mathematician!

Clearly money is very important, until you have enough, and then it is worthless.
 
  • #35
Crosson said:
Clearly money is very important, until you have enough, and then it is worthless.

Ha! Ha! Ain't that the truth. Keep in mind though what J Paul Getty once said when he was asked what is enough money: " A little bit more." The trick is to really settle on "enough" money at some level and then be satisfied. There are a lot of people who do miserable jobs just to make the little more money they can never reach.

Granted a grad student doesn't make enough money to live comfortably on, but if you want to, an engineer or college prof does. I see a lot of people in management who wished they were still in research who have chased that little more to the point of misery.
 
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  • #36
It depends on what one means as accomplishment--certainly one tends to have a lot more stamina in their 20's, but people for various reasons are not always aware of their passion or too immature to follow a path. I like the idea of those who may work in one field for the first 20 years and change careers. Or go back to school, do some missionary work, climb everest, or sail a boat around the world.
 
  • #37
Evo said:
Of course my main function during races was to sit on the front of the boat in my orange bathing suit and distract the other sailors.

To be a sailor on another boat...
 
  • #38
Unless of course she was in a bad mood and armed with a harpoon?
 
  • #39
Evo said:
I much prefer sailing to "driving" a motorboat. I'm not saying I don't enjoy driving motorboats, because I do, but the thrill of sailing is not there. Night sailing is the scariest and most exhilarating. The pull of the tides alone requires a lot of effort, I only went out with seasoned sailors.
My cousin's husband had an olympic-class Tempest, and EVERYTHING was adjustable, some on the fly and some took some foresight. Crewing with him was an adventure each and every time, since he loved skating the hairy edge to see what that boat could do. We outran lots of boats with IC engines, but we also had to run with the wind or tack against it, giving the "stinkpots" the advantage. I wouldn't mind crewing on the adrenaline-pumped "lobster boats" that win races here, but you can't downplay the pull off a well-rigged light sailer - it's compelling. I used to own a little lateen-rigged sailboat that would pound the tar out of the AMF boats - steer close to the winds, mind the timing of the waves, and ease on ahead.
 
  • #40
Dr Transport said:
To be a sailor on another boat...

at a safe distance. :biggrin:
 
  • #41
turbo-1 said:
My cousin's husband had an olympic-class Tempest, and EVERYTHING was adjustable, some on the fly and some took some foresight. Crewing with him was an adventure each and every time, since he loved skating the hairy edge to see what that boat could do. We outran lots of boats with IC engines, but we also had to run with the wind or tack against it, giving the "stinkpots" the advantage. I wouldn't mind crewing on the adrenaline-pumped "lobster boats" that win races here, but you can't downplay the pull off a well-rigged light sailer - it's compelling. I used to own a little lateen-rigged sailboat that would pound the tar out of the AMF boats - steer close to the winds, mind the timing of the waves, and ease on ahead.
Turbo you amaze me! Is there anything you have not done?
 
  • #42
Astronuc said:
at a safe distance. :biggrin:

Any look is a good look...
 
  • #43
larkspur said:
Turbo you amaze me! Is there anything you have not done?
Yes. I have not sky dived, nor have I participated in organized races with vehicles, (although I have competed in some competitions that were not sanctioned). There is a LOT of stuff that I have not tried, but at 55 years of age (in a couple of weeks) I think that I have tackled a lot. I really loved white-water kayaking in heavy white-water and I ran in milder releases to perfect my rescue techniques.

My most fun week was to act the part of a poacher in the final field exercises of a year's worth of Maine game wardens. I acted as a poacher for all the time I was there and the warden trainees had to not only catch me, but they had to catch me with enough evidence to convict me in their "court". I never got nailed in that whole time. I had a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun and a pocket-full of 12-gauge blanks, and the run of the island.
 
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  • #44
larkspur said:
Turbo you amaze me! Is there anything you have not done?
BTW, when I graduated HS, it was with the Silver V Award for the student that participated in the most activities. Things have not changed.
 
  • #45
Sure sure sure, but were you at Woodstock?
 

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