Imagine for a moment that you had everything you wanted in life as it currently stands; be it material (property, a car, plane, gold, the latest technology), people (the love of your life, children, best friends, fame etc), or anything else on your agenda (career, hobby etc). — Benj96

I suppose I'd imagine losing it all in various ways to varying degrees even as I made the most of these things for however long I could manage to hold on to them. So from my current state of existence, I imagine that that would be the only "more" left to imagine. The Buddha was right about dukkha ... Epicurus too.

I would give up everything** and find my path to enlightenment.

(**) Everything except the 2,000,000 or so gorgeous women of at least of age of majority who are at my beck and call in the world in which I have everything. (Hey, everyone has to have some impossible dreams, don't dey.)

When you start up from nothing and gain more (money or whatever) you start to appreciate it more than someone who grew up with it.
Because you have that perspective.

Having everything is a weird concept to me because I know my needs vs wants.
I would plan what my income is, consider my savings and see what measure of wants and needs is a good balance, then anything I find excessive I would look to see how I can make things better for others.
Like donating to a nuclear fusion project or other progressive research.

Would you push the bar further up? Attain more. Buy more. Achieve more. Do more be more.

Or would you turn around and say nope, I’m happy with this now. And live the remainder of your life in that context with no more or no less than what you already possess.

Or, third option: would you decide that you preferred your old life. — Benj96

1. If you pushed further up - that would mean you don't really have everything or continuous pushing up is part of your desires.

2. If you have everything you desire including a path to continue this state, you'd just continue on said path I suppose.

3. If you returned to your old life, it would man that some of your desires are unfulfilled still in your situation of fulfillment, a contradiction.

In the end - total, lasting satisfaction is not something that human experience. For evolutionary reasons it is not a state of mind we can acquire in nature. It can be achieved with some kind of mind hacking perhaps.

. There is no path for Enlightenment ... friend ...

. Enlightenment ... is the Pathless Path ...

. In fact ... Don't ... even ... pronounce ... that ... whose nature is not known for you ...

. To those ... whose soul is lost in deep darkness ... the light ... comming from the highest peaks of the himalayas ... coming from the highest peaks of consciousness ... cannot reach to those pits of unconsciousness ... of ignorance ... of blindness ...

. Just a Buddha ... may talk about Enlightenment ... friend ... not because he knows it! IT'S NOT A KNOWLEDGE ... but ... because ... he Lives it ... but ... because ... he ... himself ... is the seed of Enlightenment ... but ... because ... he ... himself ... bloomed from mud to a Lotus flower ... but ... because ... he ... himself ... is Pure Knowing ... But ... because ... he ... himself ... is just ... a crystal mirror reflecting all that is ... just ... a crystal lake reflecting the moon shape ...

. I'm not saying you're not a Buddha! IN FACT, YOU ARE A BUDDHA ...

. And ... YOU ARE ALREADY THAT WHICH YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ...

. That's the reason ... why ... Enlightenment is not a goal ... cannot be ... otherwise it would be the same trick of the mind ... otherwise ... Enlightenment would be a trivia ... otherwise ... Enlightenment would not be an end unto itself ...

. But ... still ...you're not aware of ... truth as the truth ... therefore ... that unconsciousness ... makes your perception distorted ... about ... your nature ... about ... your Enlightenment hood ...

. The difference between a being who knows satori ... who knows ... samadhi ... who knows ... Tao ... who knows ... Enlightenment ... and ... a being like you ... whose perception ... makes one believe oneself ... as ... Unenlightened being ... is tremendously small ... is ... qualitatively small ...

. In fact ... there is no hidden meanings. You become enlightened when you have found that there are no meanings in Life ... When you have found that ... there is nothing to be achieved ... you become enlightened ...

. There is nowhere where Enlightenment can be found friend ... Enlightenment does not has the quality of money ... however ... does not despise it ...

. An enlightened being does not despise money ... his consciousness wideness ... even ... approaches money ... it can even ... approach ... that ... whose nature is lower than Enlightenment ...

. But ... yes ... money can be discovered or gained ... from the ... so-called outer world ... Enlightenment cannot be ...

. Seek not ... and ... Enlightenment ... you shall find ...

. Seek not ... and ... Enlightenment ... you shall see ...

. Seek not ... and ... Enlightenment ... you shall be ...

:lol:

. Exactly ... That's true ...

. Very well ...

The data shows that happiness increases with income up until about $75,000.

There would be no need to obtain more, but there is no point in giving up the non-material things that could influence happiness, such as friends, sex, love, and achievements.

It's late in life for me, and I find I have, or have had, most of what I ever wanted. Some of it is gone, owing to normal processes of aging, death, disease, and so on.

There are two things I wish I had when I was 18--roughly--that I have now. One is peace of mind. I'm pretty contented. It would have been good to be so calm and collected when I was at the beginning of college, instead of bouncing off the walls.

The second thing I wish I had had when I was 18 was the technology I use now -- computer, tablet, internet. These three things (and the companies that back them up, like Barnes & Noble or Amazon) would have made study so much more effective.

Yes, it would have been nice if gay liberation had arrived in the outback where I lived in 1964. All that erotic energy wasted under the cold wet blanket of condemnation and guilt.

Loads of money? Nope. I never had a lot, but I always had enough money. So far, anyway. All that one needs is a little more than one needs--a margin.

The data shows that happiness increases with income up until about $75,000.

There would be no need to try and obtain more, but there is no point in giving up the non-material things that could influence happiness, such as friends, sex, love, and achievements. — Down The Rabbit Hole

According to Statista, "In April 2021, the average hourly earnings of all employees in the United States was at 11.31 U.S. dollars." If one figures 2100 hours worked per year, the average income is then $23,800. (Obviously, there are many low wage workers, far fewer high wage workers). No doubt, the $23,800 a year worker would feel rich suddenly bringing home $75,000. For that matter, the $50k or $60k worker would also be happy to have another $15,000 to $25,000 a year.

Is it as hard for the average person to have friends, sex, love, and achievement as $50,000 extra? Achievement seems like it might be the most difficult commodity to obtain. It seems like the opportunities to freely achieve are fairly restricted.

In the end - total, lasting satisfaction is not something that human experience. For evolutionary reasons it is not a state of mind we can acquire in nature. It can be achieved with some kind of mind hacking perhaps. — original2

That’s a good point. I also agree that we are creatures of change and we must always turnover the status quo whatever that may be to feel that we are progressing or having an impact. We are never satisfied because if we reached a state of satisfaction in evolution (perhaps as pandas might have) we would become wholly unmotivated and go extinct.

I definitely agree that most people look back at their former selves in their twenties and wish they valued their time or youth more or had the wisdom and attitudes of their older later life versions. So many times I hear my elders say “if only I was more....” in my twenties.

I’m sure it may be quite normal to have this perspective though. Hindsight is certainly clarifying but it’s also mute. Because of course we can see where mistakes were made after the fact but perhaps we still needed to make them to exchange naivety for wisdom.
Being in my 20s now I’m still looking at how I wish my career and mid life to go. I definitely don’t think pursuing money is a good path. Because we all have a type of currency we can only give away - time. We can exchange it for money but is it worth it? I don’t want to live for another's agenda unless it is also my own.

If you had everything then you would have the fear of losing them

that’s an interesting way to see it. And true i suppose “if you have nothing to gain you have everything to lose.”

I’m still looking at how I wish my career and mid life to go. I definitely don’t think pursuing money is a good path. — Benj96

I agree: pursuing money as an end is not good. Thrift is very helpful, as is limiting one's material aspirations (even if it's a necessity). Thrift and low-overhead make it easier to pursue your own agenda.

If you don't mind me asking, what are your career and life plans? What do you want your life to be like in 20 years--assuming the world doesn't go to hell in a big way?

Is it as hard for the average person to have friends, sex, love, and achievement as $50,000 extra? Achievement seems like it might be the most difficult commodity to obtain. It seems like the opportunities to freely achieve are fairly restricted. — Bitter Crank

Yes money buys opportunities for achievement. I suppose on average the amount of friends, sexual partners, and stable relationships go up with wealth, as does one's choice of friends, sexual and romantic partners etc.

Does more money bring more friends, sex, more stable relationships? It may, but the people I know who have lots of friends, sex, and good relationships are on the low end of the economic distribution. Good looks, health, a strong sex drive, and a pleasant personality help more than money.

If one has great wealth, not just "some wealth", one can arrange to have people surround one with what looks like friendship, sex appeal, and good relationships. In that sense, money can get one those things. But none of this is "the real thing". One's 'friends' and 'bed mates' are playing a role. I've heard that some rich people are actually nice folk who other people like for who they are. That's the rumor, anyway.

The thing with money is that "enough money to meet one's real needs" is as good as a lot of money beyond what one can spend easily.

Would you push the bar further up? Attain more. Buy more. Achieve more. Do more be more. — Benj96

The only absolute truth of humanity is that "it - humanity - will only be fully realised, when it becomes the purpose and end of its own aspirations".

In resume:

When - and only when - Humanity = Ontology (Existence), that we'll have attained, bought, achieved, and did everything that we could possible want.

Until then, only angst...

Realising this - “wow I’ve just realised I have all that I wanted in the past” and supposing you are in your best years and still have a good portion of your life ahead of you, what would you do? — Benj96

I'd go sit under a tree until I became enlightened.

Does more money bring more friends, sex, more stable relationships? It may, but the people I know who have lots of friends, sex, and good relationships are on the low end of the economic distribution. Good looks, health, a strong sex drive, and a pleasant personality help more than money. — Bitter Crank

Yes, ostensibly good looks, social skills etc trump money in that regard. I think all of these other things being equal, money brings more friends, sex, relationships, and achievement - presumably helping to explain the rise in happiness as one's income rises up until 75k. Unless it's solely the money itself and/or the things one buys with it that increases happiness.

If one has great wealth, not just "some wealth", one can arrange to have people surround one with what looks like friendship, sex appeal, and good relationships. In that sense, money can get one those things. But none of this is "the real thing". One's 'friends' and 'bed mates' are playing a role. — Bitter Crank

I'm not sure it is any less real than, for example relationships stemming from one's physical attractiveness. And if one's not reckless the money will last a lifetime, physical attractiveness probably will not.

I am not sure who has who.
I inherited my Grandfather's books. Where should they go when i go?
There are all my books. Where should they go next?
I have all these tools, maybe my closest possessions in terms of daily life. I use them now and they should be used after I am gone.
Other people will live in this house after I am gone, just as the other people who lived here before I showed up.

I am fortunate to have these problems, seeing the alternatives.
I don't know what to make of it all.

Or, third option: would you decide that you preferred your old life. That you enjoyed the challenges and dynamic that it had and that now everything comes too easily. You are bored with your new capacity And want to revert back to what you used to have? — Benj96

As some philosophers have always said in more ways than one, if everything looks good, then nothing is good.
Boredom is not the issue here. People get bored even in not having anything. It is that, we tend to lose perspective on the goods that we currently have if we could take them for granted. That said, we don't need to think in terms of threat of losing everything in order to appreciate the life we have. (If you live in a stable society where rights are respected and ownership is uphold, you really don't have to worry daily whether you're going to lose what you have). We just need to remember the struggle to get to the point. If you climbed a mountain and you got to the top, there's no need to think of falling back down in order for you to see what you've accomplished. (You know you're at a very stable place). You just need to remember the struggle of getting there. If you forget this struggle -- then "everything looks good". And you know the rest.

I think all of these other things being equal, money brings more friends, sex, relationships, and achievement - presumably helping to explain the rise in happiness as one's income rises up until 75k. — Down The Rabbit Hole

You are, actually, probably right. On the face of it, money likely does make people happier. Even a $1,000 emergency fund gives people more security than no emergency fund at all (and many Americans have zero funds to take care of emergencies). $2,000; 3,000; 5,000... the more one has on hand, the more secure one is. Let's say, up to one's annual take-home pay. [Many people would have great difficulty saving a year's take-home pay, even over 10 years time.]

Money on hand gives some security, and security gives one more options (up to a point). One can afford to entertain good prospects for friendship and sex, for instance. Having enough money (enough -- not a lot) enables one to avoid continuous cash-short crises, and be more relaxed. Etc.

Beyond having enough money to operate a secure but frugal lifestyle (up to $75,0000 what do you think the mechanism is of money's contribution to one's number of friends, happiness, frequency of satisfying orgasms, happiness, et al?

The theory that money makes people happier has to account for the happiness of people who have not a pot to piss in. How do the poor manage to be happy--enough poor people are happy enough to make the question worth asking.

And what happens after $75,000? Does too much wealth begin to sour? I ask because I've never come close to $75,000, so I know not what it would do for me.

It's late in life for me, and I find I have, or have had, most of what I ever wanted. Some of it is gone, owing to normal processes of aging, death, disease, and so on.

There are two things I wish I had when I was 18--roughly--that I have now. One is peace of mind. I'm pretty contented. It would have been good to be so calm and collected when I was at the beginning of college, instead of bouncing off the walls.

The second thing I wish I had had when I was 18 was the technology I use now -- computer, tablet, internet. These three things (and the companies that back them up, like Barnes & Noble or Amazon) would have made study so much more effective.

Yes, it would have been nice if gay liberation had arrived in the outback where I lived in 1964. All that erotic energy wasted under the cold wet blanket of condemnation and guilt.

Loads of money? Nope. I never had a lot, but I always had enough money. So far, anyway. All that one needs is a little more than one needs--a margin. — Bitter Crank

Technology trumps gay rights?

Beyond having enough money to operate a secure but frugal lifestyle (up to $75,0000 what do you think the mechanism is of money's contribution to one's number of friends, happiness, frequency of satisfying orgasms, happiness, et al?

The theory that money makes people happier has to account for the happiness of people who have not a pot to piss in. How do the poor manage to be happy--enough poor people are happy enough to make the question worth asking.

And what happens after $75,000? Does too much wealth begin to sour? I ask because I've never come close to $75,000, so I know not what it would do for me. — Bitter Crank

When people talk about money or happiness, flights of fancy may ensue.

Everyone seems to know that happiness does not come from wealth and that a rewarding life is generally found outside of money and possessions. Not sure how many people willingly accept this. It's like everyone wants to test this empirically to see if it's true.

For what it's worth, I have known a few outrageously wealthy individuals and they were some of the most lonely and unhappy people I have met.

I think it is equally possible to be happy (whatever that really means) whether you are rich or poor. Happiness comes from personal qualities and how you think.

everything you want — Benj96

is different from you want everything.

Seen thus, your question seems rather uninteresting. No offense intended.

Technology trumps gay rights? — RogueAI

What do you mean by the question? No, I don't think technology trumps gay rights.

Happiness comes from personal qualities and how you think. — Tom Storm

I could not agree more.

You listed two things that you wish you could change when you were 18, and then talked about gay rights. I personally don't care, and I'm not attacking you. It just jumped out at me that you mentioned gay rights as a sort of afterthought. Maybe I read that wrong.

I see how it looked like an afterthought. Gay liberation, as it manifested itself in 1969 and into the next decade, was a big deal to me. It is not now, because the times have changed and I've changed, old age and all.

Technology was not an issue in gay liberation but the means to organize, using digital connectivity, didn't come into wide practical use until the late 1990s.

Beyond having enough money to operate a secure but frugal lifestyle (up to $75,0000 what do you think the mechanism is of money's contribution to one's number of friends, happiness, frequency of satisfying orgasms, happiness, et al?

The theory that money makes people happier has to account for the happiness of people who have not a pot to piss in. How do the poor manage to be happy--enough poor people are happy enough to make the question worth asking.

And what happens after $75,000? Does too much wealth begin to sour? I ask because I've never come close to $75,000, so I know not what it would do for me. — Bitter Crank

That study suggesting happiness peaks at $75,000 was done by Angus Deaton, the 2015 Nobel laureate in economics, but a new study from the University of Pennsylvania suggest happiness rises well above $75,000. Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/happiness-doesn-t-top-out-at-usd75-000-study-says-5097098

I suppose the poor still have enough sex and relationships to bring them happiness. I haven't had time to have a good look at the data, but increases may be marginal.

I think Deaton's study showed a levelling off of happiness as opposed to a drop after the 75k. I think you eventually max out the amount of friends, romantic relationships, and even sex you can fit into your life.

More studies would need to be done, but a happiness cap would strengthen the case for redistribution of wealth. The right would obviously argue such studies are lefty propaganda, which will damage ambition and thus the economy :roll: