Comments on: 6-May-2005 http://zainab.freecrow.org/2005/05/115/ Some of me, some of my words… Wed, 25 May 2011 11:01:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: anup_blog http://zainab.freecrow.org/2005/05/115/comment-page-1/#comment-153 anup_blog Mon, 09 May 2005 08:56:00 +0000 http://zainab.zaiki.in//2005/05/06/#comment-153 <I> Wealth and money are totally different. </I> <BR/> <BR/> Now you are talking philosophy! I would agree at some level, but from a researchable perpective, wealth and money should be taken as meaning the same. <BR/> <BR/> <I> I think one can be happy with less money! </I> <BR/> <BR/> Again, research shows that generally people with more money are happier than people with less money. Beyond a certain point, however, especially when money is spent on conspicuous consumption, it no longer contributes to added happiness. It is just "Keeping it up with the Jones'". I think that we should all be able to realize when we have <I> enough </I> . Wealth and money are totally different.

Now you are talking philosophy! I would agree at some level, but from a researchable perpective, wealth and money should be taken as meaning the same.

I think one can be happy with less money!

Again, research shows that generally people with more money are happier than people with less money. Beyond a certain point, however, especially when money is spent on conspicuous consumption, it no longer contributes to added happiness. It is just “Keeping it up with the Jones’”. I think that we should all be able to realize when we have enough .

]]> By: get2v http://zainab.freecrow.org/2005/05/115/comment-page-1/#comment-152 get2v Mon, 09 May 2005 05:39:00 +0000 http://zainab.zaiki.in//2005/05/06/#comment-152 <P> Hi, </P> <P> with all this study of the society and surroundings, do you intend to make some changes in the society... </P> <P> research is a good thing but there should be some target set to it, i hope you agree with me. </P> Hi,

with all this study of the society and surroundings, do you intend to make some changes in the society…

research is a good thing but there should be some target set to it, i hope you agree with me.

]]> By: CityBytes http://zainab.freecrow.org/2005/05/115/comment-page-1/#comment-151 CityBytes Mon, 09 May 2005 03:03:00 +0000 http://zainab.zaiki.in//2005/05/06/#comment-151 Hey Anup, <BR/> One of my favourite books is Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. Check out www.ishmael.org <BR/> And I believe that wealth and money are totally different. All wealth is not money and not all money is wealth. <BR/> I think one can be happy with less money! And giving is important - because the cycle of the world rotates on giving and recieving - with right intentions! <BR/> Cheers, <BR/> Z Hey Anup,
One of my favourite books is Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. Check out http://www.ishmael.org
And I believe that wealth and money are totally different. All wealth is not money and not all money is wealth.
I think one can be happy with less money! And giving is important – because the cycle of the world rotates on giving and recieving – with right intentions!
Cheers,
Z

]]> By: anup_blog http://zainab.freecrow.org/2005/05/115/comment-page-1/#comment-150 anup_blog Sun, 08 May 2005 11:22:00 +0000 http://zainab.zaiki.in//2005/05/06/#comment-150 You ask many critical questions: <BR/> 1 Can there be a universal indicator of wealth and prosperity? <BR/> 2 What are our notions of poverty and how are these defined? <BR/> 3 Whether charity is the way forward? <BR/> 4 By what indicators or markers am I judging a person to be poor and therefore unhappy? <BR/> 5 Is there a link between happiness and money? <BR/> <BR/> My short answers some are: <BR/> 1. Yes, income is a good indicator of wealth and prosperity. <BR/> 3. If you can afford to give, please do. Find your favorite charity, and give! <BR/> 5. Yes, generally more money makes you more happy. <BR/> <BR/> Obviously, I do not claim to know the answers to your questions, nor do I believe that there are any "right" answers. For now I have a few reading recommendations for you, if you find some time. <BR/> <BR/> * <a href="http://print.google.com/print?id=Qm8HtpFHYecC&lpg=13&dq=development+as+freedom&prev=http://www.google.com/search%3Fhl%3Den%26q%3Ddevelopment%2Bas%2Bfreedom%26btnG%3DGoogle%2BSearch&pg=vii&printsec=6&sig=nOrMahHf6wlAWPc3aDNdlfGTQXI" target="_blank"> Development as Freedom </A> by Amartya Sen <BR/> * There is a lot of literature on the Science of Happiness or well-being. I do not know what is a good start. Try <a href="http://www.amacad.org/publications/spring2004/frank.pdf" target="_blank"> How not to Buy Happiness </A> by Robert Frank or <a href="http://cep.lse.ac.uk/layard/RL362.pdf" target="_blank"> The Secrets of Happiness </A> by <a href="http://cep.lse.ac.uk/layard/" target="_blank"> Richard Layard </A> . You ask many critical questions:
1 Can there be a universal indicator of wealth and prosperity?
2 What are our notions of poverty and how are these defined?
3 Whether charity is the way forward?
4 By what indicators or markers am I judging a person to be poor and therefore unhappy?
5 Is there a link between happiness and money?

My short answers some are:
1. Yes, income is a good indicator of wealth and prosperity.
3. If you can afford to give, please do. Find your favorite charity, and give!
5. Yes, generally more money makes you more happy.

Obviously, I do not claim to know the answers to your questions, nor do I believe that there are any “right” answers. For now I have a few reading recommendations for you, if you find some time.

* Development as Freedom by Amartya Sen
* There is a lot of literature on the Science of Happiness or well-being. I do not know what is a good start. Try How not to Buy Happiness by Robert Frank or The Secrets of Happiness by Richard Layard .

]]> By: CityBytes http://zainab.freecrow.org/2005/05/115/comment-page-1/#comment-149 CityBytes Sun, 08 May 2005 05:08:00 +0000 http://zainab.zaiki.in//2005/05/06/#comment-149 Hi Anup, </P> Thank you for your comment. One of the things I have been thinking is about is what is our calculus for wealth? Can there be a universal indicator of wealth and prosperity? </P>   </P> Recently, I read Yazad Jal’s article on rediff where he was commenting on Dilip D’souza’s piece. Dilip D’souza was apparently quite taken aback by the poverty which he had seen in the local trains. Yazad responded in his article by his observations of how more people wear shoes now than before, how people have various mobile phones, etc. I was taken up by Yazad’s article and began wondering whether wealth is all about material possessions. What are our notions of poverty and how are these defined? </P>   </P> Watching children at the railway station indulging in drugs, I have wondered about interventions which social workers make in their life – needing to ‘discipline these errant kids’. How can we judge as a society who needs disciplining and who does not? I believe that these interventions are often attempts at homogenizing lives. By some criteria, we believe that everybody has to be at a certain level. I am definitely not sure about these attempts. There can be different kinds of lifestyles and different people have the right to lead different lifestyles. </P>   </P> For those who are poor, we need to intervene to make their lives better is a belief. The question which I am asking myself is whether charity is the way forward? Also, by what indicators or markers am I judging a person to be poor and therefore unhappy? Is there a link between happiness and money? </P>   </P> About your observations of people at Kurla station and how you think they don’t have enough opportunities to realize their potential, I believe that there have to be conditions of freedom whereby people can choose for themselves – conditions where people’s entrepreneurial talents can flower. How can these conditions be created is what I am thinking about right now. </P>   </P> I still believe that each one of us has the right to be and intervention in the name of upliftment or by the state is not what I want in my life. However, I also recognize these are complex questions and for now, I speak only for myself. </P>   </P> Cheers, </P> Zainab </P>   </P> Hi Anup,
Thank you for your comment. One of the things I have been thinking is about is what is our calculus for wealth? Can there be a universal indicator of wealth and prosperity?
 
Recently, I read Yazad Jal’s article on rediff where he was commenting on Dilip D’souza’s piece. Dilip D’souza was apparently quite taken aback by the poverty which he had seen in the local trains. Yazad responded in his article by his observations of how more people wear shoes now than before, how people have various mobile phones, etc. I was taken up by Yazad’s article and began wondering whether wealth is all about material possessions. What are our notions of poverty and how are these defined?
 
Watching children at the railway station indulging in drugs, I have wondered about interventions which social workers make in their life – needing to ‘discipline these errant kids’. How can we judge as a society who needs disciplining and who does not? I believe that these interventions are often attempts at homogenizing lives. By some criteria, we believe that everybody has to be at a certain level. I am definitely not sure about these attempts. There can be different kinds of lifestyles and different people have the right to lead different lifestyles.
 
For those who are poor, we need to intervene to make their lives better is a belief. The question which I am asking myself is whether charity is the way forward? Also, by what indicators or markers am I judging a person to be poor and therefore unhappy? Is there a link between happiness and money?
 
About your observations of people at Kurla station and how you think they don’t have enough opportunities to realize their potential, I believe that there have to be conditions of freedom whereby people can choose for themselves – conditions where people’s entrepreneurial talents can flower. How can these conditions be created is what I am thinking about right now.
 
I still believe that each one of us has the right to be and intervention in the name of upliftment or by the state is not what I want in my life. However, I also recognize these are complex questions and for now, I speak only for myself.
 
Cheers,
Zainab
 

]]> By: anup_blog http://zainab.freecrow.org/2005/05/115/comment-page-1/#comment-148 anup_blog Sat, 07 May 2005 15:15:00 +0000 http://zainab.zaiki.in//2005/05/06/#comment-148 Why can't we let people be as they are? <BR/> <BR/> I am not sure if I understand you correctly. Should we then be indifferent towards the poor living condition faced by many Bombaites? I would argue on the contrary that what disturbs me is not that the beggers represent dirt, but a section of the society that has not had the opportunity to develop themselves and realize their potential as human beings. In sweeping the train compartments, and begging on the Kurla platform are these folks getting the chance to use their so called freedom? I would like to know what you think. Why can’t we let people be as they are?

I am not sure if I understand you correctly. Should we then be indifferent towards the poor living condition faced by many Bombaites? I would argue on the contrary that what disturbs me is not that the beggers represent dirt, but a section of the society that has not had the opportunity to develop themselves and realize their potential as human beings. In sweeping the train compartments, and begging on the Kurla platform are these folks getting the chance to use their so called freedom? I would like to know what you think.

]]> By: CityBytes http://zainab.freecrow.org/2005/05/115/comment-page-1/#comment-147 CityBytes Fri, 06 May 2005 23:59:00 +0000 http://zainab.zaiki.in//2005/05/06/#comment-147 <P> Hi Anup, </P> <P> I think what really disturbs us about beggars and drug addicts is that they represent dirt. We look at them with contempt because we think they are dirty. And that they should not be dependant. But what's wrong in being dependant? I depend on my parents to support me. </P> <P> At some level, it is their freedom which is not tolerable to us. As interventionists, we think we want to uplift them to the level that we are. Why can't we let people be as they are? </P> <P> Cheers, </P> <P> Zainab </P> Hi Anup,

I think what really disturbs us about beggars and drug addicts is that they represent dirt. We look at them with contempt because we think they are dirty. And that they should not be dependant. But what’s wrong in being dependant? I depend on my parents to support me.

At some level, it is their freedom which is not tolerable to us. As interventionists, we think we want to uplift them to the level that we are. Why can’t we let people be as they are?

Cheers,

Zainab

]]> By: anup_blog http://zainab.freecrow.org/2005/05/115/comment-page-1/#comment-146 anup_blog Fri, 06 May 2005 08:58:00 +0000 http://zainab.zaiki.in//2005/05/06/#comment-146 Well said once again, but do push your thinking about what disturbs us about beggers or drug-addicts on the street a little further? What do they represent? What does not say about City and our society in general to us? Well said once again, but do push your thinking about what disturbs us about beggers or drug-addicts on the street a little further? What do they represent? What does not say about City and our society in general to us?

]]>