h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Come on people, we need opinions here!

Opinionating is one of my favorite (and totally free) hobbies.

What I meant by options was that people have the opportunity to make a lot more choices than they once did without being a total misfit in society. I don't really see opportunities as something that's just given to people; rather it's something they can direct themselves into if they're willing to put in the effort to make them for themselves. Nobody *has* to be miserable, anyway. Happiness and misery are both states of mind and one of the few things that we can control in life if we figure out how to do it. They aren't dependent on external stimuli. They're a product of how we as individuals process stimuli.

I've run across people in all sorts of circumstances and sometimes I like to talk to them. It's kinda another hobby of mine. What I've been noticing is that some people just *know* how to be happy and wealth or difficulties don't seem to make that much difference. What does differentiate them is that some people know how to enjoy the things they do have and other people are always thinking happiness is gonna come along when they get that next thing they want/need, be it material or otherwise. And there's always a next thing.

"I don't really see opportunities as something that's just given to people; rather it's something they can direct themselves into if they're willing to put in the effort to make them for themselves."

Again, I refer you to my example of a homeless person and bungee jumping.

I agree that making oppertunities yourself, instead of waiting for them to come along is better. But no matter how much 'effort' a homeless person is 'willing' to put into following their dreams of buying a bungee jump, they probably won't achieve it until someone gives them a break.

"Nobody *has* to be miserable, anyway. Happiness and misery are both states of mind and one of the few things that we can control in life if we figure out how to do it."

This statement is all fine and dandy, in principle. But, I am willing to bet that if you walk up to that same homeless guy and say 'hey, cheer up mate, bungee jumping isn't everything. And remember, happiness is a state of mind!' that you will recieve a steely glance in return, if not a low growling noise.

The rest of your post, however, is fair comment. I believe our moods are a product of how we process stimuli, but, I've been taught to hate rain and grey clouds all my life, and I can't make a concious effort to block them from depressing me. Some things are built in.

But we can make a concious effort to look at the things we 'need' to do each day and ask 'why?'

hey, we could start a social revolution here!

Some books you might like to read:

Small is beautiful - Ernst Shumacher
It Doesnt have to be like this - David Icke (yes I know, but it has some thought provoking ideas!)
Happiness - Will Ferguson



Oh, and I believe "sleep" is a human necessity also - I've never quite got my head round that one! I can understand the scinece behind needing to breathe and eat, and the continued existnece of the species via mating....but sleep? Why?

Thanks, I will look into it.

What? This thread stopped already?.... tsk, tsk.

"I agree that making opportunities yourself, instead of waiting for them to come along is better. But no matter how much 'effort' a homeless person is 'willing' to put into following their dreams of buying a bungee jump, they probably won't achieve it until someone gives them a break."

Well, this could perhaps be said of everyone... unless it's for your own personal gratification, a book won't get very far without a publisher, editor, marketing, transport, printers etc etc... similar with making a film... if you take it to its base level, everybody needs a break, even if it' only to receive the carrot seeds to start your vegetable patch...

However, take the homeless guy (I'm doing this from memory so not many facts to divulge) from Bristol who started to sell the Big Issue, saved his pennies, ended up finding accomodation and started his own business... Now you could say he had a break from the Big Issue people, but he still had to make the initial push for change himself and continue through what were probably very hard times...

I strongly believe you get from life what you put into it... you may have to make sacrifices in the short term but if you see things through you'll reap the benefits... for everybody staying within the drudgery of paid employment and not making that break, they only have themselves to blame...

FF

I'll have to think about that and get back to you. I wasn't expecting another post on this one...

Fair enough...