Something is Missing

[Gatomon41]

Recently, I've been feeling that people are missing something.

Why are there so many well-off people so depressed or sad? They have all the luxeries of life, and yet they're still sad. Sometimes they ignore it thinking they're happy but really are just disillusioned. Or worse, adapt destructive lifestyles to ignore the emptiness.

After reflecting on it , I came to the conclusion that somehow people were missing that necessary.

What do you guys think? Are people missing something? What is it that people need to be happy? If nothing's missing, why do you think that way?

[Weatherman]

You can have all the things and all the advantages in the world and still be miserable if you can't find anyone to bond with in anything more than a superficial way. Alternately, your things can end up owning you in such a way that you can't break free of them Also, the demand that can be placed on you when you're in that kind of position can really destory one's ability to socialize in a more normal, mainstream way.

[Chime]

yes, that and emotional scarring..
I was fairly depressed until quite recently...
I met someone that I could connect with.

[Artimus Gigan]

Main reason why so many rich people are screwed up:

They can't cope with anything that life hands them. One of the reasons are they remove themselves entirely from society in an attempt to become some sort of social purist that's ego driven, so they can feel they can judge all that surrounds them. Howevcer they become detached from reality. In other words they think their holier than thou and their standards should be everyone's standards and even slightly swaying from the rule is unthinkable. And when somthing sways, they can't deal with it because they never leaned how because they are so removed.


there, that's it...there's no big secret.

They then spend their cash on really stupid things(usualy it's the same situation like peer pressure) and are on an a eternal quest to aquire more and more of it so they can have the biggest pile of cash(even though you're essentialy more than well off after your first million or so). It's an attempt to make up for their short comings or to force themselves to beleave that it's their purpose, rather than taking a step back and reviewing everything.


You can easily crush most of their human will and turn them into blithering incompitant subbordinates who will just "yes" you, you just need to make them feel important, when actually there are other more important people who lurk behind the scenes.

[MEGA TON]

You can have all the things and all the advantages in the world and still be miserable if you can't find anyone to bond with in anything more than a superficial way. Alternately, your things can end up owning you in such a way that you can't break free of them Also, the demand that can be placed on you when you're in that kind of position can really destory one's ability to socialize in a more normal, mainstream way.
I agree cause I believe everyone lives their lives incomplete. They need someone or something to make them whole and then from there they can live their lives with content

[sdp]

recently?
this is nothing new, of course people are never going to be happy with what they have,
some people all they want is food, others just an easier life, others want a better life, others wanta bigger life, others want to be more than "normal", and so it goes on and on, people will not learn to live happy with what they want they'll want the next level and envy the ones who have it, of course the ones who have it want the next level and envy the other ones, and every single of those except for the people that want the basic needs like food are the same, so before you bash 'rich" people, a normal person wanting to have more money is doing the same thing as the rich person. hope that makes sense.


They can't cope with anything that life hands them. One of the reasons are they remove themselves entirely from society in an attempt to become some sort of social purist that's ego driven, so they can feel they can judge all that surrounds them. Howevcer they become detached from reality. In other words they think their holier than thou and their standards should be everyone's standards and even slightly swaying from the rule is unthinkable. And when somthing sways, they can't deal with it because they never leaned how because they are so removed. you couldn't be more wrong, first of all, money does not buy happyness, they can have all the things people ever wanted but that doesn't mean they are happy, it is that simple, money doesn't buy happiness, that is why i hate whenever people say "why are they whining, they have anything they want", that couldn't be more wrong.

another thing, it is not that they become detached from reality or feel holier, if you have money then everyone around you will want some of it, imagine how it feels that everyone around you just wants your money, you don't know who to trust.

[Artimus Gigan]

you couldn't be more wrong, first of all, money does not buy happyness, they can have all the things people ever wanted but that doesn't mean they are happy, it is that simple, money doesn't buy happiness, that is why i hate whenever people say "why are they whining, they have anything they want", that couldn't be more wrong.

another thing, it is not that they become detached from reality or feel holier, if you have money then everyone around you will want some of it, imagine how it feels that everyone around you just wants your money, you don't know who to trust.I just said that's the reason why rich peiople are screwed up

I was explaining the flawed logic and reasons of it.

If you didn't flaunt the cash then people won't gather around you

[mookie75]

I had a feeling this would turn into a rich-bashing thread. :p

I've seen incomplete rich people before, but I've seen even more incomplete not-so-rich people. Therefore, it would seem logical that the amount of money you have is not the deciding factor here.

I think the most important thing for a person -- beyond "having someone to bond with" or having a certain amount of money/possessions -- is to have a true purpose in life. You need to know your calling and be pursuing that calling. You need to be part of something that is bigger than you.

This calling is unique for each person, but not everyone is going to find it conveniently within their career. I think that's one of the major problems with the people this thread refers to. Sure, there are some who find total completion in their careers, but there are many who work through the best years of their lives merely to keep ahead of the bills. That doesn't sound like cause for excitment to me. It also, points more toward the not-so-rich as opposed to the rich because they're more likely to spend their lives staying ahead of the bills.

As for the rich, I think those that hoarde their wealth and isolate themselves will run a greater risk of being unhappy. However, there are those that take their wealth and the freedom that they gain from it (meaning: no JOB sucking up most of their day), and go out into the world to make a difference. For those who don't believe such wealthy people exist: You're dead wrong. I know of many. I'm not wealty myself, but I'd choose that over being unwealthy any day. People from any economic class can find a purpose to fulfill them, but the purpose of a person with money to spare has much more potential. For example, let's say helping sick children fulfills you and makes you feel like you're making a difference. If you're not-so-wealthy, maybe you volunteer at a local hospital and play with sick kids and read them bedtime stories. If you're wealthy, you could donate tons of money to disease research, to your local hospitals, or even build NEW hospital and research centers. Either path is meaningful, but the wealthy path has the potential to help soooo many people beyond those that the individual could reach by themselves.

[Artimus Gigan]

As for the rich, I think those that hoarde their wealth and isolate themselves will run a greater risk of being unhappy. However, there are those that take their wealth and the freedom that they gain from it (meaning: no JOB sucking up most of their day), and go out into the world to make a difference. For those who don't believe such wealthy people exist: You're dead wrong. I know of many. I'm not wealty myself, but I'd choose that over being unwealthy any day. People from any economic class can find a purpose to fulfill them, but the purpose of a person with money to spare has much more potential. For example, let's say helping sick children fulfills you nad makes you feel like you're making a difference. If you're not-so-wealthy, maybe you volunteer at a local hospital and play with sick kids and read them bedtime stories. If you're wealthy, you could donate tons of money to disease research, to your local hospitals, or even build NEW hospital and research centers.You technecly have to horde in the beginning if you come across and aquire a large ammount of cash. You get the inital onslaught of suck-ups,beggers, and people who play the pity card. But you just give them the big STFU, KTHX and think about how to aquisition it and other investment options by yourself so you get the maximum ammount of use of it.

Also the best idea is not to announce that you got max cash...because people will bring you to court on really stupid reasons

[mookie75]

You technecly have to horde in the beginning if you come across and aquire a large ammount of cash. You get the inital onslaught of suck-ups,beggers, and people who play the pity card. But you just give them the big STFU, KTHX and think about how to aquisition it and other investment options by yourself so you get the maximum ammount of use of it.Here's the trouble Artimus. I'm sure you're going to try and argue with me on this until this thread dies off (good luck with that), but you are clearly at that irritating age where you think you know everything and you really know very little. I was at that point through most of my 20s too. It's funny how life works. At 30 I realized I knew jack in my 20s, and I bet when I hit 40 I'll realize that I knew jack in my 30s. I guess the moral is that life is a never-ending learning process. Sadly, not everyone comes to realizations like this. With that in mind, what I'm planning to say in the remainder of this thread is based on 4 years and counting of massive exposure to the kinds of wealthy people that aren't at ALL like what you say.

You spout a lot of nonsense about what you think of the "rich." Where does this knowledge come from? Do you go around interviewing rich people? Read about them in the papers and magazines? (The media: always a great source of information.... /sarcasm) I read your posts on this thread and your thoughts on the wealthy were truly humorous to me. My personal favorite was your theory about "the eternal quest to get more and more money and have the biggest pile of cash." What flagrant, baseless assumptions. As I said earlier, I've had quite a bit of exposure to the "unselfish" variety of rich people, and they couldn't be more opposite of what you claim. They give and give and give, the people that work for them have a far better life than they would EVER have working a "normal" job, and they don't need to worry about that eternal quest because they earn their money from means that tend to increase on their own (I'm under the impression that's how most rich people become wealthy). It's all about multiple streams of income. It's about assets versus liabilities. Heck, it's even about the very biblical concept of reaping what you sow. It's all out there to understand if people can stop making silly assumptions on the matter.

Anyway, I don't want to derail the thread any further. All of this really doesn't affect what I said mattered most: having a purpose. A purpose pursued and/or fulfilled can complete a poor person just as much as a rich person. My example in my previous post was just to explain that a rich person's purpose fulfilled could have further ramifications to the rest of the world. Either way, the person who started it all would be more fulfilled.

Yeesh, you'd think I was rich considering all the times I defend them around here. :shrug:

[sdp]

You technecly have to horde in the beginning if you come across and aquire a large ammount of cash. You get the inital onslaught of suck-ups,beggers, and people who play the pity card. But you just give them the big STFU, KTHX and think about how to aquisition it and other investment options by yourself so you get the maximum ammount of use of it.

Also the best idea is not to announce that you got max cash...because people will bring you to court on really stupid reasons if only it was that easy...
you have no right to talk if you have not experienced it.

[Artimus Gigan]

Here's the trouble Artimus. I'm sure you're going to try and argue with me on this until this thread dies off (good luck with that), but you are clearly at that irritating age where you think you know everything and you really know very little. I was at that point through most of my 20s too. It's funny how life works. At 30 I realized I knew jack in my 20s, and I bet when I hit 40 I'll realize that I knew jack in my 30s. I guess the moral is that life is a never-ending learning process. Sadly, not everyone comes to realizations like this. With that in mind, what I'm planning to say in the remainder of this thread is based on 4 years and counting of massive exposure to the kinds of wealthy people that aren't at ALL like what you say.

You spout a lot of nonsense about what you think of the "rich." Where does this knowledge come from? Do you go around interviewing rich people? Read about them in the papers and magazines? (The media: always a great source of information.... /sarcasm) I read your posts on this thread and your thoughts on the wealthy were truly humorous to me. My personal favorite was your theory about "the eternal quest to get more and more money and have the biggest pile of cash." What flagrant, baseless assumptions. As I said earlier, I've had quite a bit of exposure to the "unselfish" variety of rich people, and they couldn't be more opposite of what you claim. They give and give and give, the people that work for them have a far better life than they would EVER have working a "normal" job, and they don't need to worry about that eternal quest because they earn their money from means that tend to increase on their own (I'm under the impression that's how most rich people become wealthy). It's all about multiple streams of income. It's about assets versus liabilities. Heck, it's even about the very biblical concept of reaping what you sow. It's all out there to understand if people can stop making silly assumptions on the matter.

Anyway, I don't want to derail the thread any further. All of this really doesn't affect what I said mattered most: having a purpose. A purpose pursued and/or fulfilled can complete a poor person just as much as a rich person. My example in my previous post was just to explain that a rich person's purpose fulfilled could have further ramifications to the rest of the world. Either way, the person who started it all would be more fulfilled.

Yeesh, you'd think I was rich considering all the times I defend them around here. :shrug:I was just explaining the group that is the screwed up wealthy people

not all rich people

I guess my use of "most of" seemed to clarify I was speaking of the majority of rich people, but what I really ment was the majority of screwed up rich people...

You can be screwed up for different reasons....it's all good.

[Gatomon41]

Actually, when I meant "Well-Off", I wasn't just meaning rich people. I meant anyone with good health, good families, have alot of things, and has enough money to have a comfortable life, Middle-class folks.

Not just talking about the rich, but everybody needs this something to be fullfilled.

I used these people as an example of how every physical need can be fullfilled, yet they feel empty.
But also know that people from all thropugh the social and economic specturm seem to be sad when they're missing this needed thing for them to become whole.

With out that needed thing, ALL people feel so empty, like a hole in their hearts. An emptiness that no material possessions, money, food, friends, familly, marriage, carrers, hobbies, obessions or shelter can ever fill.

[Peter Paltridge]

Things don't make you happy. Everyone just thinks they do because of the initial rush you get when you purchase something, but that rush is just as fleeting whether you're buying a new magazine or a new island.

"Getting is better than having. When you get something, it's new and exciting. When you HAVE something, you take it for granted and it's boring."
"But everything you GET turns into something you HAVE."
"That's why you always need to get new things!"
"I feel like I'm in some stockholder's dream."
"Waste and want! That's my motto."

[Gatomon41]

Things don't make you happy. Everyone just thinks they do because of the initial rush you get when you purchase something, but that rush is just as fleeting whether you're buying a new magazine or a new island.
So very true.

Actually I wasn't talking about possessions when I refer to the needed thing (perhaps value or quality is a better word?). I was refering to something that's immaterial, some necessity/quality/value/whatever to be Living. Sorry if I confused people about that :)

[Stewie]

Coincidentally, I am right now listening to The Rolling Stones - "You Can't Always Get What You Want".

The whole want/need thing makes me think of Buddhism. There's the idea that suffering is caused by desire and that ridding yourself of desire is the path to true enlightenment. At least, that's my understanding of it. I could be butchering an entire philosophy. Where's a bathound when you need one?
Now I'm on to "Gimme Shelter". The Stones rock.

[sKorpia]

I think the most important thing for a person -- beyond "having someone to bond with" or having a certain amount of money/possessions -- is to have a true purpose in life. You need to know your calling and be pursuing that calling. You need to be part of something that is bigger than you.
I like to call this "work".

Though it's an interesting observation that this idea of work doesn't have to be a calling either. Browsing through any number of job-hunting and career counseling books, it's of note that they advise the unemployed to treat their job hunting as if it were an actual job. Perhaps it's just the psychological effect of knowing that you're doing something that will get you somewhere (a job, a different career, learning a new skill, etc.) that helps boost self-esteem. Feel worthwhile by doing worthwhile?

[Gatomon41]

The whole want/need thing makes me think of Buddhism. There's the idea that suffering is caused by desire and that ridding yourself of desire is the path to true enlightenment. At least, that's my understanding of it. I could be butchering an entire philosophy.
Of course you can never get rid of the desire for a need. The desire for necessatries to survive is kinda hard to ignore :p .

[Stewie]

Of course you can never get rid of the desire for a need. The desire for necessatries to survive is kinda hard to ignore :p .Well, we could get into a discussion about whether you really desire what you need. (Of course you both want and need food. But the amount and type of food you need is rarely if ever what you truly want.)
Or we can say that I was talking about ridding yourself of desire for things you don't need.
Either one is fun.

[Gatomon41]

Well, we could get into a discussion about whether you really desire what you need. (Of course you both want and need food. But the amount and type of food you need is rarely if ever what you truly want.)
Or we can say that I was talking about ridding yourself of desire for things you don't need.
Either one is fun.
Well, the something I was orginally refering to is a need that keeps people alive and whole. Some people desire it, and other's don't want it. But everybody needs it to live.

What's anyone's opinion on this?