Squeeky wrote:Yes, but what is that which creates that "glorious" hustle and bustle, that which creates the "madness" of societies?
What is the need? Is it pure survival? Is is ego? Is it greed? Is it ideology?
It certainly isn't satisfaction because whatever keeps generating toward some higher "satisfaction" level.
What is meditation? A release? A means to refocus? Relaxation? Some form of punishment?
Two weeks ago I had the practice fairway (golf) to myself, lovely cool winter morning. I concentrated well, nothing else in mind, felt I achieved but I suffered for several days after (sciatic nerve)! Then last week, with a bit of reluctance, I sojourned to the same space. Achievement not as good but well refreshed in mind.
Yes, we need the hum-drum of Society for our ultimate survival (well my share profits fund our weekly allowance) and afford us necessary comforts, but would I want to have been cast in the mould of a Kerry Packer, Bill Gates or [someone more related to your own culture/society]?
Unfortunately we seem to have those of our generation, and our children's, who have the greed mentality to capitalise upon their younger generation. Seems almost like cannibalism!
Did I get a bit carried away? If so, apologies, but I think many have such sentiments that we know cannot be changed!
Just to drag this thread from the dust of the *ancient* times of 2010.
Personally I do not envy the Bill Gates personalities, I pity them.
Slowing down and enjoying what the world and our societies have to offer seems (to me) a much greater gift than a disposition for making money.
That's what I always admired and enjoyed about the French and Italian mindset.
The tendency to accept and even enhance the 'joi de vivre' and 'laissez-faire' attitude as well as the 'dolce vita' lifestyle which is just so much more relaxed.
The hustle and bustle of many people I have termed money-grubbers really gets me riled up. Money-grubbers in my definition do *whatever* it takes to make more money even when they already have more than enough. But what many of them fail to find out at all (or much too late) is that money won't buy you happiness.
Just a short example:
As a sport diver I had the privilege of diving with a good buddy of mine. None of our dives were ever hectic; we always enjoyed a slow pace. Once we were rewarded for this patient and slow advance when a 1.5 meter eel thick as a forearm swam through directly beneath us and lay down on the sand without being disturbed by us. We had a leisurely time examing a very shy creature directly, drifting very slowly less than 2 meters above it, keeping as still as possible.
Only 40-50 seconds later another diving group passed by closely behind us (this is a well known diving resort near Hamburg, that's why this lake is relatively crowded) and rushed past us, scaring away the eel. Strangely they didn't even seem to notice it.
We both turned around to see what had so obviously scared the eel, saw the other divers, looked at each, and both of us just shook our heads in disbelief.
After returning and surfacing near the beach of the dive resort we saw that same group of divers coming out and complaining that they didn't see anything interesting at all.
All of them wore and used absolutely top-notch diving equipment (the stuff you shell out at least two months of an average salary for).
Again my dive buddy and me looked at each, but this time we just burst out laughing.
Slow life does not mean getting less out of it; for me, it's just the opposite. Sitting on a beach and looking at the sun setting on the horizon is definitely no waste of time.
The cannibalism of the younger generation you referred to is so incredibly short sighted.
It leaves nothing to grow; talents and gifts are smothered and wasted; all that remains are scars. Patch them up before they become too deep, provide the younger generation with confidence in themselves and their talents.
I believe we still can get this boat called society back on course.