If you had to make a choice....

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Shannow

Shannow

Staff member
Mathias said:
Quantity doesn't equal quality. Fuck it, who says you have to lead a hollow existence if you're rich? If I was born rich, and had all the money in the world, I could do what Bruce Wayne did in Batman and live like the poor for a few years to appreciate what I have. Screw scraping by with the bare minimum. Money doesn't buy you the important things in life, but it's sure nice to live stress-free without having to waste a solid 40 years of your life in a cubicle - ultimately making some asshole at the top rich with your blood, sweat, and tears.

You're going to die in the end anyway. What's the point of living 40 more years if you're scraping by? You're just mortar for the rest of humanity at that point.
Added at: 19:57

Well, 39 years 364 days have come and gone. One day left on this Earth and due to my vast fortune I've been able to travel the world, meet interesting people, laugh, live, love, have children, a legacy, made an impact on this Earth that will ensure the memory of my existence endures like that of J.D. Rockefeller. I'm pretty much the living embodiment of this guy:


Luckily, I have found peace with my mortality from my visits to numerous and wondrous religious pilgrimages. Now I get to check out before old age ravages my mind and body. Enjoy shitting your pants at the old folks home when you're 80, you dumbass, play-it-safe fucks.
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Again, doubtful.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

Are you really "doubting" what someone would do with their imaginary scenario?

Who took a dump in your Cheerios? Further, why'd you still eat them?
 
Bones

Bones

i am more amazed that Shannow and Mathias are not on the same page.

Shake and bake and all the good stuff
 
C

Chibibar

Heh, the more I look into this, the more I am going with 40.

Here is my reasoning (sadly using my current state) All my life, I have been trying to make ends meet. I find a better secure job, buy us a house, a car and living somewhat comfortably BUT still have to go to work each day (sometimes over 40+ a week) SO I CAN afford all this stuff which I consider basic (A home, food, car, and my gaming needs heheheehe)

Now, if I was rich from the start, I wouldn't be working my butt off to make this happen. I would be able to pursue all the other stuff I want to do. Travel, reading, playing games, meet people and enjoy life without having to worry about will I be able to pay for my next mortgage on time or what would happen if I lose my job.

Currently I am not "scraping" by per the scenario given. I am low-middle income give or take and do better than average person, but my wife and I HAVE to work in order to maintain it unless we want to live in harsher condition (section 8 housing, food stamps, less luxury entertainment like video games and eating out)

So using my current knowledge (which in theory cheating in the scenario) I would rather be rich and able to do all the things I wanted to which I MIGHT be able to do, but I have to save for (like taking my wife to see the rest of the worlds and world wonders)
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
Shegokigo said:
Are you really "doubting" what someone would do with their imaginary scenario?

Who took a dump in your Cheerios? Further, why'd you still eat them?
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He's shannow. He goes looking for dumped-in-cheerios, specifically so he can act like somebody dumped in his cheerios.
 
Morphine

Morphine

80 years knowing that no matter how hard I work I'll never be able to afford the adventures I like? no thanks.
If I'm going to live for 40 years I'm going to make them count and money will help me in that process.
Man, the places I'd visit...
 
C

Chibibar

Morphine said:
80 years knowing that no matter how hard I work I'll never be able to afford the adventures I like? no thanks.
If I'm going to live for 40 years I'm going to make them count and money will help me in that process.
Man, the places I'd visit...
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Scraping by - trying to make ends meet. Rent, food, basic necessity = No movie nights, no eating out, no vacation to exotic places (or even out of state since gas prices are high)

That is my logic. That means pretty much no matter what I do in terms of education, contacts, network, or anything, I will always be scraping by. Of course if the original question was stated differently (i.e. I am guarantee long life to 80 and able to get to places vs 40 and start out rich, then I may pick 80.
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
Yeah, if it was 80 years of self-determinism, I'd take that over 40 years of guaranteed wealth. But that's not what I understood the question to be.
 
M

makare

I'd rather live the 80. Being with friends and family longer is more important to me than going places and having stuff.
 
C

Chibibar

makare said:
I'd rather live the 80. Being with friends and family longer is more important to me than going places and having stuff.
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Ah but assuming you can SEE your friends and family (if you are scraping by, it might be hard to visit them depending on distant) also your work schedule might prohibit you from seeing them.

Of course scraping by is subjective, it could mean 80 hour work week to scrap by.
 
M

makare

I know many people who are scraping by, in fact most of the people I know/are related to are scraping by and their lives are full and enjoyable. They may not go on vacations to exotic places but why is that such a big deal? I plan to make some good money as a lawyer someday and travel is still not something I want to do with my money anyway.
Also, when you don't have much you learn to enjoy the things you do have. And even when my family was at our poorest food stamps, commodities, housing assistance, church charity stage we still visited our family in other towns.
 
C

Chibibar

makare said:
I know many people who are scraping by, in fact most of the people I know/are related to are scraping by and their lives are full and enjoyable. They may not go on vacations to exotic places but why is that such a big deal? I plan to make some good money as a lawyer someday and travel is still not something I want to do with my money anyway.
Also, when you don't have much you learn to enjoy the things you do have. And even when my family was at our poorest food stamps, commodities, housing assistance, church charity stage we still visited our family in other towns.
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I guess we view the question differently.

I was going by my experience where we don't have these charity to help out (being in Thailand) so scraping by is REALLY scraping by. I have eaten left over in garbage to survive. That is my definition of scraping by. I even stole food to survive. So I guess the question would be how much scraping are we talking about?

Do we have to live under a bridge (did that) or in the streets in shanty town? (my wife and I did that separately since her family use to live in tents. I use to live in cardboard boxes and gutter, but we both vow never happen again and work hard to elevate ourselves beyond that.)

Now when pose with questions like this I usually take the literal approach (the worst condition possible) and run with it.

Edit: now of course if this was in the States, then yea. I can see the advantages of scraping by with government help with food stamps and housing, but what if these options are not available?
 
M

makare

I think of scraping by as pay check to pay check living with a big debt chasing you.
 
C

Chibibar

makare said:
I think of scraping by as pay check to pay check living with a big debt chasing you.
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Ah :) that is where we differ in the terms. So going by your definition, I say 80 then cause that is what I'm doing now (well not THAT big of a debt but enough like school loans and mortgage and some CC)

my version of scraping by: I say 40 with tons of money.
 
M

makare

If you are one missed pay check from financial ruin then yeah you are scraping by.
 
M

makare

Yeah scraping by is really relative if you think about it. I know people with huge fancy houses and lots of stuff who are in so much insurmountable debt that their financial situation is so precarious that I would consider them scraping by, by the skin of their teeth. Saw a lot of people like that crash and burn when unemployment rose.
 
C

Chibibar

makare said:
Yeah scraping by is really relative if you think about it. I know people with huge fancy houses and lots of stuff who are in so much insurmountable debt that their financial situation is so precarious that I would consider them scraping by, by the skin of their teeth. Saw a lot of people like that crash and burn when unemployment rose.
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Yea but to me, those people "scraping by" cause they are indulging beyond their means (heck I do that too with my CC bills)

I think some of us (at least me) think of it more than you just have basic necessities and nothing lavish. So I wouldn't have a big house (more like section 8 housing or something) with a job that pays minimum wages. No means of elevating myself which is part of the restriction (i.e. getting salary job to get out of the poor level). No opportunity of getting break essentially.

but, by your definition, we are scrapping by cause we are living from paycheck to paycheck with little means of backup plan (working on it we do have some savings) BUT we do own a home, we have TONS of entertainment (cable, iphones, ipads, PCs, laptops, books and huge DVD collection, PS3, Wii and PS2)
 
M

makare

I guess I just think about the reality of the situation. You can have things but be so close to losing them that the only thing keeping it from happening is just plain luck. I don't see scraping by as just having nothing but being on the absolute brink of having nothing.
 
Frank

Frank

makare said:
I guess I just think about the reality of the situation. You can have things but be so close to losing them that the only thing keeping it from happening is just plain luck. I don't see scraping by as just having nothing but being on the absolute brink of having nothing.
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So you see scraping by as being able to live responsibly but choosing not to and living beyond your means to the edge of your own downfall?
 
C

Chibibar

makare said:
I guess I just think about the reality of the situation. You can have things but be so close to losing them that the only thing keeping it from happening is just plain luck. I don't see scraping by as just having nothing but being on the absolute brink of having nothing.
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You know, you got me thinking.

How did we get to this place?
I use to remember in Thailand there isn't a credit card (well back in 80s- early 90s) at least with my family. We use cash only. The only exception is getting bank loan for a house or business, but no credit cards. Everything use cash.

Since I was very poor and came to the states. I discover credit card (which is a bad thing) and indulge in things I never have before. It is my own fault of where I am now. I use to remember the old days when you want something you SAVE for it. Now, you can get it NOW and pay for it later (or much later)
 
M

makare

I borked myself with credit cards so thoroughly a few years ago that the minimum payment on ONE of my cards was 1000 dollars. I had to go to debt management and I have worked my ass off redeeming my credit. Now my credit is excellent. I just got my first credit card, a store card, in years. I am going to do my best to be responsible and NEVER EVER fuck myself as royally as I did back then.
 
C

Chibibar

makare said:
so the only way to scrape by is for the universe to shit on you at no fault of your own?
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Well, it all depends on the original scenario I guess.

By forces of nature/mysticism/controlled environment
You are guarantee to live up to 80 but scraping by. So I would assume, we won't die from natural causes until 80. No serious illness or something like that, but always be poor (again subjective)
Or live to 40 (again die automatically at 40) but having all the resources available to you to do what you will AND still have plenty left over when you die (note: and still be rich) this means your children and children children will be taken care of.
 
C

Chibibar

Shegokigo said:
tldr: people overthinking the question is like explaining a joke.
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Heh. I guess I'm justifying why I chose the answer I did.

So in Makare's world - I choose 80 and struggle
in Chibibar's world - I chose 40 and be rich
 
Frank

Frank

Also, in Makare's world you could easily be upper/middle class and live to 80 as long as you are irresponsible.
 
Mathias

Mathias

I still can't believe that people fall for the bullshit Titanic-like stereotype that rich people are somehow unfilled because they lead nothing but shallow lives. Being wealthy doesn't mean you lead a hollow existence full of phonies to pander to. That's what poor people tell themselves to feel better about being poor. "Yeehaw, we're poor as shit and get raped everyday by rich people and the government, but hey at least we've got each other. Boy, howdy, my life sure has more depth to it because I've been stuck in the same Shitwater town all my life and pick lint out of my bellybutton."

I'm not rich by any means, but I'm not stupid enough to believe that my life wouldn't be better if I was completely absolved of financial worries.
 
M

makare

Frankie Williamson said:
Also, in makare's world you could easily be upper/middle class and live to 80 as long as you are average.
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ftfy

Mathias said:
I still can't believe that people fall for the bullshit Titanic-like stereotype that rich people are somehow unfilled because they lead nothing but shallow lives. Being wealthy doesn't mean you lead a hollow existence full of phonies to pander to. That's what poor people tell themselves to feel better about being poor. "Yeehaw, we're poor as shit and get raped everyday by rich people and the government, but hey at least we've got each other. Boy, howdy, my life sure has more depth to it because I've been stuck in the same Shitwater town all my life and pick lint out of my bellybutton."

I'm not rich by any means, but I'm not stupid enough to believe that my life wouldn't be better if I was completely absolved of financial worries.
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Maybe it would be "better" but that's really worth losing 40 years of life? Also, just because you are poor doesn't mean you are miserable and trodden upon. Some people are just poor. They work, they live, they die. Just like people always have.
 
Mathias

Mathias

makare said:
ftfy

Maybe it would be "better" but that's really worth losing 40 years of life? Also, just because you are poor doesn't mean you are miserable and trodden upon. Some people are just poor. They work, they live, they die. Just like people always have.
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Quality of life > Quantity of life. Scraping by is not quality. In the end everyone dies. Why not enjoy the ride?
 
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