Can we say that we enjoy better life today than at any time in history?

[V.Balasubramani]

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Pranams,

We live in modern apartments provided with lot of facilities like Gym, Swimming Pool, Badminton Court, etc wear latest fashion branded dress materials and travel by best high end model cars. We go to A/C Theaters with Digital Sound Technology, do shopping at spacious A/C Malls, visit Restaurants for delicious food, also enjoy lot of other comforts and thus lead a luxurious life.

Can we say that we enjoy better life today than at any time in history? If so, what is the price paid for this?

Any thoughts???


Regards

 

[sravna]

Dear Shri VB,

In my view the fact is we think we are enjoying a lot due to all the comforts which you have mentioned. But I would say there is a potential for humans to experience a much greater and enduring happiness. It is more in the mind than to the body. We may actually be needing only some comforts while many other comforts or all those we enjoy are not necessary for happiness and even may not help us to be happy in the long run.

 

[V.Balasubramani]

Dear Shri VB,

In my view the fact is we think we are enjoying a lot due to all the comforts which you have mentioned. But I would say there is a potential for humans to experience a much greater and enduring happiness. It is more in the mind than to the body. We may actually be needing only some comforts while many other comforts or all those we enjoy are not necessary for happiness and even may not help us to be happy in the long run.

Sir,

You are right. The thread talks only about body comforts. But majority tend to fall prey to these material comforts and don’t seem to spare more thoughts for eternal bliss. One can very well lead a simple and self-contented life.

Life is one! Realization is perfection and hence has to be attained in this very life. And to go to the higher ideal, one needs to wither Ego, Passions and greed and slowly bring the five senses under control. It is a slow and laborious process. And the fact is that I am yet to start the journey.


Regards

 

[Raji Ram]

Life is surely wonderful with modern gadgets, as long as we use them only for comfort and not for 'show'!

1. Mobile phone - To keep in contact - basic model will suffice.

2. Fridge - To preserve milk, curd and vegetables - no need to go in for a giant size and stuff it.

3. Cabs - For easy travel - club three or four 'things to do'. No need to maintain a car.

4. Unlimited internet - To keep in touch with near and dear ones at any distance and to listen / learn songs from youtube!

5. Washing machine - Laundry is no more a drudgery!

6. Mixie / Grinder - Effortless cooking assured.

7. Inverter - To beat the regular power cuts.

I think other gadgets like the microwave, dish washer, air conditioner etc are not essential for a comfortable living!

Yes!! This is the best time I am enjoying in my life! :thumb:

 

[renuka]

I feel enjoyment goes through various stages.

When I was young in college I never missed any dance party..but now if you ask me to attend any get together I would be the first to bolt.

Our definition of enjoyment changes with time,place and persons we are dealing with.

But the underlying factor is contentment in whatever we do...as long we are contented and set our own rules we are indeed enjoying every moment.

 

[auh]

To answer this we have to experience what it was like to live throughout history... not just to read and know.

Life is glorious and let us enjoy to the fullest, of course, sensibly.

 

[sarang]

London is planning to build cycle tracks over railway tracks to help commuters. It is necessary to balance physical exertion and comfort, material acquisition and spiritual goals. Contentment is a difficult state to reach and sustain.

 

[prasad1]

Material wealth and enjoying life are two separate and different things.
You may be rich in material wealth, but lead a miserable life, and on the other hand one may be poor but contented life.
On the material level we do have more "stuff" to live life, some essential and some just junk.
The availability of junk, makes us crave for these junks. Craving makes us slave, that we have to keep fulfilling. So instead of retirement, and vanaprasta-asram we are looking for consulting work.
The material attachment also is binding us to the material world.

The world's happiest people aren't in Qatar, the richest country by most measures. They aren't in Japan, the nation with the highest life expectancy. Canada, with its chart-topping percentage of college graduates, doesn't make the top 10.

"In Guatemala, it's a culture of friendly people who are always smiling," said Luz Castillo, a 30-year-old surfing instructor. "Despite all the problems that we're facing, we're surrounded by natural beauty that lets us get away from it all."

Singapore sits 32 places higher than Panama on the Human Development Index, but at the opposite end of the happiness list. And things weren't looking good Wednesday to Richard Low, a 33-year-old businessman in the prosperous Asian metropolis.


"We work like dogs and get paid peanuts. There's hardly any time for holidays or just to relax in general because you're always thinking ahead: when the next deadline or meeting is. There is hardly a fair sense of work-life balance here," he said.


In Paraguay, tied with Panama as the most-positive country while doing far worse than Panama by objective measures, street vendor Maria Solis said tough economic conditions were no reason to despair.

 

[krish44]

Life is surely wonderful with modern gadgets, as long as we use them only for comfort and not for 'show'!

1. Mobile phone - To keep in contact - basic model will suffice.

2. Fridge - To preserve milk, curd and vegetables - no need to go in for a giant size and stuff it.

3. Cabs - For easy travel - club three or four 'things to do'. No need to maintain a car.

4. Unlimited internet - To keep in touch with near and dear ones at any distance and to listen / learn songs from youtube!

5. Washing machine - Laundry is no more a drudgery!

6. Mixie / Grinder - Effortless cooking assured.

7. Inverter - To beat the regular power cuts.

I think other gadgets like the microwave, dish washer, air conditioner etc are not essential for a comfortable living!

Yes!! This is the best time I am enjoying in my life! :thumb:

It could be a better life if you can find a help to manage your cooking and other domestic chores and have a car with a driver on call basis. with this you my not have to depend on next generation relatives for support your living .you will enjoy your life more and feel what is real freedom away from kitchen and having decent roti,kapda ,makaan and full time internet along with an AC for summer heat.
Add option to have local and international holidays ,it will be heavan on earth

 

[krish44]

Sir,

You are right. The thread talks only about body comforts. But majority tend to fall prey to these material comforts and don’t seem to spare more thoughts for eternal bliss. One can very well lead a simple and self-contented life.

Life is one! Realization is perfection and hence has to be attained in this very life. And to go to the higher ideal, one needs to wither Ego, Passions and greed and slowly bring the five senses under control. It is a slow and laborious process. And the fact is that I am yet to start the journey.


Regards

Hey first enjoy all material comforts in full measure without feeling guilty about material comforts you are enjoying
All this talk about shedding ego,passion and some greed - some godman preaching this to you is taking you for a ride.
train your mind to enjoy body comforts to the hilt . you may not regret it later . cheers to good living

 

[krish44]

Dear Shri VB,

In my view the fact is we think we are enjoying a lot due to all the comforts which you have mentioned. But I would say there is a potential for humans to experience a much greater and enduring happiness. It is more in the mind than to the body. We may actually be needing only some comforts while many other comforts or all those we enjoy are not necessary for happiness and even may not help us to be happy in the long run.

dear sir ,you can train your mind to enjoy happiness provided by body comforts. only then you will be called a person with integrated body and mind. no sense in feeling guilty about good material wealth you have generated thru hard work and passion for work. enjoy it to the hilt and leave spirituality for the next generation

 

[krish44]

Material wealth and enjoying life are two separate and different things.
You may be rich in material wealth, but lead a miserable life, and on the other hand one may be poor but contented life.
On the material level we do have more "stuff" to live life, some essential and some just junk.
The availability of junk, makes us crave for these junks. Craving makes us slave, that we have to keep fulfilling. So instead of retirement, and vanaprasta-asram we are looking for consulting work.
The material attachment also is binding us to the material world.

The world's happiest people aren't in Qatar, the richest country by most measures. They aren't in Japan, the nation with the highest life expectancy. Canada, with its chart-topping percentage of college graduates, doesn't make the top 10.

"In Guatemala, it's a culture of friendly people who are always smiling," said Luz Castillo, a 30-year-old surfing instructor. "Despite all the problems that we're facing, we're surrounded by natural beauty that lets us get away from it all."

Singapore sits 32 places higher than Panama on the Human Development Index, but at the opposite end of the happiness list. And things weren't looking good Wednesday to Richard Low, a 33-year-old businessman in the prosperous Asian metropolis.


"We work like dogs and get paid peanuts. There's hardly any time for holidays or just to relax in general because you're always thinking ahead: when the next deadline or meeting is. There is hardly a fair sense of work-life balance here," he said.


In Paraguay, tied with Panama as the most-positive country while doing far worse than Panama by objective measures, street vendor Maria Solis said tough economic conditions were no reason to despair.

Dear prasad ji
material wealth is a prerequisite to living and material happiness. no sense in not making more of wealth and talking of contentment.
How to generate wealth with optimal work and with reasonable work- life balance should be taught to all
retirement and becoming and feeling helpless and talking of spirituality and contentment is for weak souls.
get out of this thinking fast. or else you may end up in grave faster than you imagine

 

[Raji Ram]

It could be a better life if you can find a help to manage your cooking and other domestic chores and have a car with a driver on call basis. with this you my not have to depend on next generation relatives for support your living .you will enjoy your life more and feel what is real freedom away from kitchen and having decent roti,kapda ,makaan and full time internet along with an AC for summer heat.
Add option to have local and international holidays ,it will be heavan on earth

No, Sir! I pray to the Almighty to give me enough strength to cook and do some household chores for a few more years!

I don't need AC and can manage Sing. Chennai heat with just a ceiling fan and a tub of water kept in that room!

FYI, we do have lot of family get together-s and short holidays too, to add more happiness to life!

 

[V.Balasubramani]

Hey first enjoy all material comforts in full measure without feeling guilty about material comforts you are enjoying
All this talk about shedding ego,passion and some greed - some godman preaching this to you is taking you for a ride.
train your mind to enjoy body comforts to the hilt . you may not regret it later . cheers to good living

The first sentence of my reply to Mr. Dikshitha’s posting in thread ‘What is your new year resolution please?’ reads as under:

“As for your resolution, I can only say that instead of waiting for the fortune, try to enjoy the present”

Hope this is self-explanatory.

 

[vgane]

In the 70's a TV was considered as a luxury...A mixie in the 80's was a instant hit..I remember the excitement in my house when we got a gas connection in 1975 and freedom from pump stove and standing in queue in ration shop for kerosene

It is not that we have got all the facilities only now...

Incidentally Tamil Nadu is high on national ranking for personal gadgets-Color TV, Lap tops, smart phones, Washing machines and cars/motor bikes etc..This has gone up with increase in disposable income, Governments freebies and electronic goods getting cheaper ...Only houses are expensive but they too are affordable in the suburbs!

Enjoy life fully...But do not think that this is the end..Strive hard so that the next generation can aspire for better things!

 

[sarang]

Grinder has replaced ammi, kalloral and ural; but still thee is some demand for these.

In dec I saw a tamil nri young mami accompanied by her mother buying assorted cast iron vessels in mylapore. My daughter wanted a cast iron iluppa chatti - she had to wait for a couple of hours as it was not is stock and had to be brought from a godown. Hope it doesn't leak, as the structure is porous.

American cooks recommend use of cast iron vessels, wipe it clean after use, apply a coat of oil before storing. No water wash!