In A Culture Of Excess, How Much Is To Much?

[Ambrosious]

Where does it end? Will we ever be satisfied with a life that is not "supersized"? What causes this? A need to get more for your dollar, even though you will throw half of it away? How much is to much?

 

[TonyG]

I have a feeling that by the end of the day we will be told, once again, how much is too much.

 

[Ambrosious]

What, now you are a prophet?

But then again, that was an easy one. It's like saying "Tomorrow the sun will rise." It's a given.

 

[ravenna]

How much is too much?

More than you can use.

More than you can find space for.

More than you'll choke on.

At which point, sell the rest and buy the coffin

 

[R Nitelight]

Ambrosious

I won't be happy until there are more threads like this.

 

[Ksss]

is this another list thread?

 

[Shylady]

hmmmm Ambrosious and Nitelight super sized? what a thought

 

[Ambrosious]

Shylady

You need to get out more.

 

[ericred50]

How much is to much? Isn't it all a marketing tool, to make you think that you are getting better value for the same amount of money. 25% more at no extra cost. Buy 2 get one free. The answer is not to buy, make the advertisers think again, only then will "to much" be enough. Or have I taken this thread to serously.
Nothing is free in this world, even the gift of love comes at a cost.

x x x

 

[Merelan]

Too much is when you are charging it. When it has taken over the majority of your life.
I assume you don't just mean purchasing and all that. Too much of anything. Too much is when it no longer pleases you.
Moderation in all. yes, even sex. It is too much, too far when we become desensitized and bitter. Unaware, or unconcerned with the health and welfare of other human beings. When the sinking of a ferry, and its passengers, across the world doesn't matter anymore. When we forget to stop and look out the window to watch a passing cloud. When we cannot drive the 10 minute commute without making a phone call.
It is too much when the laundry has piled up in the corner and is headed to the washer on its own.
Too much when you discover a sweater you bought a year ago, and haven't worn yet. Too much when we pay millions to athletes and pittance to educators.
Too much when an intelligent Oxford educated man chooses to sing and cavort for a living because it pays better.
It is too much when we spend more then half our time whining and complaining, instead of helping and fixing.
It is too much when you let me at my keyboard without caffeine.

 

[FlamingoBlue]

Here's an easy way to learn....

1. Buy a house without a basement.

2. Clean out your closets at least once a year. If you haven't worn it, toss it.

3. Consider your needs, not your wants.

4. Value the intangibles more than the tangibles. All the $ in the world won't buy you love or respect.

5. Check out a hearse. None of them have luggage racks.

6. Talk to a senior citizen who survives on social security and little more. That should humble you, quickly.

7. Sit through a divorce trial and listen to what people fight about.

8. Watch the vultures gather after a "loved one" dies. (The less you leave, the less there is to fight about).

9. Stop reading the Robb Report and all those other "excess" magazines.

10. Be happy with yourself and then you won't need so many things to delude you into believing that you are happy.

I'm sure there are lots more ways to know when enough is enough, but that's I all I could think of right now.

blue

 

[Whispersecret]

Great posts, Merelan and Blue.

11. Think about your kids growing up in daycare and how much you really need that shiny new Expedition.

 

[teresafannin]

What Merelan, Blue & Whispersecret said. You make really good sense.

 

[Merelan]

It is excess when we place the price of sneakers, or a jacket over the price of a human life. When how we appear to others, matters more then how we appear to ourselves.
It is excess when we sit back and say what a lousy country this is, and what awful violence, and what terrible language, and yet do nothing.
It is excess when we let the killers of our children, our future walk free. When we release "reformed" child molesters and murderers and lock up those who smoke dope.
It is excess when our society values hype, commercialism and fitting in, over the will to choose, think and say no.
And is is excess when we hide our feelings behind words on a screen and are afraid to speak them out loud.

 

[Madame Pandora]

I am not as philosophical about this subject as everyone tends to be.

I think excess comes from people who are meek. And we have, sadly, become a race of the meek. Pollitically correct, weak-minded, easily-lead, sheep (whispersecret can tell you about the sheep sometime).

Do you know something, when I was a little girl my grandmother taught me what I think is probably the most important lesson in life. She said "When you've had enough always remember to say when. Otherwise someone will keep trying to give you more of what you don't need."

It all looks so bright and shiny on TV, and advertisers talk like they want us to have it so bad. Baaaaaa. No one remembers to say when anymore. They don't even teach it to their kids...after all, they're too busy fist-fighting over PS2s at Best Buy to remember how to say when.

I don't think excess is about anything in particular...not food or money or the most toys. I think it's about people forgetting how to think for THEMSELVES and decide what they WANT instead of just being told what to WANT. It's about being too stupid, too meek, or too lazy to say "when."

MP

 

[Shelby]

This thread hit home with me. I was a child of 'excess', grew up believing that 4 of everything was the way to live the Canadian dream.

Only 2 people living in a house? Of course you need 6 bedrooms.

Can only drive 1 vehicle at a time? Well get 3.

There must be a TV in every room, and a CD player and a phone. Bathrooms I've never been in. Beds I've never slept in.

One day I looked around, nearly puked and started giving it all away. You like that antique sewing machine/sofa table? It's yours. Hell, take the sofa too.

Life has never been so good since I made it simple.

 

[Merelan]

Amen.