tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5300926740456263453.post5514393120289358168..comments2022-03-30T01:49:06.369+01:00Comments on SuperPennie says: Goodbye Safety Net; Hello WorldSuperPenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11280246001916715281noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5300926740456263453.post-55324421604897192122010-05-04T22:47:18.358+01:002010-05-04T22:47:18.358+01:00Do you know what really gets to me? You talk about...Do you know what really gets to me? You talk about people wanting a 'big house' with lots of nice things, and while that is true of some people, it is also difficult enough to get a small house and necessities... difficult enough that many people will be struggling and falling into debt just to get those essentials. For example, I have just signed the rental lease on a small 1-bed flat... it's not a shithole, but it's also not exactly a palace, and I'm confused as to why exactly housing costs so much proportionally when I'll be sharing with someone else who earns a decent enough wage. In order to actually buy this small 1-bed place, we would have to be earning about £60,000 a year just to scrape up the £210,000 mortgage! In 1992 this place cost less than £40,000 to buy! That is some fucking great markup. I realise this is in London but I am genuinely confused as to how any of our generation, minus the lucky & hardworking ones who go on to be lawyers and bankers, are going to be able to buy a house, let alone have children. OK, so you and I are very different in that way, in that I'm desperate to 'settle down' and you're the complete opposite (but I believe, and I hope, we respect each other despite and perhaps slightly even because of our differences?) but let's be honest, shelter is a basic human need, and many of us ARE going to want children sooner or later, yet it feels like we are just being priced out of these basic human needs and desires. I'm genuinely petrified of leaving uni, hence doing the Masters. I'm petrified I won't be able to make enough money, not for a massive house and a plasma TV, but just to keep myself (& my boyfriend, possible kids/dog, elderly parents etc) afloat.<br /><br />Perhaps these fears are groundless, perhaps not. In the meantime, that book looks excellent. And perhaps that is all we can do in the end, seek solace in the moments of clarity and contentment, the moments when we finally understand something, the moments when we can settle down with a good book and a nice cup of tea and know we are doing okay. I think that I could be happy with that, just knowing that I am doing okay, that we as a human race are doing okay. That to me is what contentment feels like. I agree with Mr Tam above that this is best enjoyed when accidental; if you just try to do what feels right, hopefully contentment will follow naturally?<br /><br />-Ice xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5300926740456263453.post-53887995627468976082010-05-04T04:42:54.085+01:002010-05-04T04:42:54.085+01:00I don't think we should aim for happiness beca...I don't think we should aim for happiness because happiness should be considered a by-product rather than a goal. It is best enjoyed when it is accidental. This is also the problem of most philosophers. They spoil it by talking about it.<br /><br />Instead, we should just do what we like or what we want to do. When we aim for happiness, like you said, we just get greedy. So I don't think you should figure out what you need to understand yourself. Just do what you like and things will become clear when you reach a certain stage of your life.<br /><br />That book seems interesting though. Perhaps the word "well-being" should replace the word "happiness".<br /><br />WWilliam Tamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17548661977087040384noreply@blogger.com