Rickie Posted April 22, 2018 On 4/20/2018 at 12:13 AM, Mig said: What is simple approach to life? What's simple? In the world we live in I have hard time to say to live simply, we live in societies and ain't nothing simple wherever I have lived in the Far East, Europe and Americas. It's how you approach life. You can get caught up in the buzz or stand firm. Simple doesn't mean easy but it can be with practice. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rickie Posted April 22, 2018 On 4/20/2018 at 12:10 AM, Mig said: A fish? really, what do we know a fish make rational choices to live in or out of the water, we human have the mental capacity to pretend making choices based on the conditions that are presented to us, some stay some leave a situation, fish or other animal live to survive and I guess have no choice. Why humanize animals? I think you're missing my point? You, me everyone are the fish. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted April 22, 2018 6 minutes ago, Rickie said: You, me everyone are the fish. Yes, actually I am a Pisces in Western cosmology. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wandelaar Posted April 22, 2018 35 minutes ago, Marblehead said: I consider the Bedouin peoples of North Africa to be amongst those. Also, without direct association, I know that there are some smaller villages in sub-Sahara Africa and South America, particularly in the Amazon Rain Forest who are amongst those. Likely some smaller villages in the Arctic regions of North America and Europe/Asia could be included in that category as well. There are some in northern India and I am sure there are some in China as well. I suppose we could identify more if we did some research. It somehow still appears strange to me to ascribe aspirations people may of may not have to the influence of society. I personally don't care about luxury but I do about learning and spiritual matters. My aspirations are exactly opposite to the direction society and my personal surroundings tried to push me in. I would rather ascribe the relative absence of higher spiritual or materialistic aspirations in isolated societies to a lack of knowledge about the possibilities of living another life than usual. That would concord with the advise of Lao tse to not expose the people to forms of luxury or knowledge that might ignite their desire to deviate from their old fashioned simple way of living. The desires may still be there, but they are be kept slumbering. And the smart people who can not help to pick their own course are to be held in check. So this is not an aspect of Lao tse that I am very happy with... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
silent thunder Posted April 22, 2018 (edited) I don't find danger in being exposed to luxury, or bright colors and tastes. Danger manifests when I disengage from beingness into a realm where thoughts such as 'that is luxurious' arise and are maintained. Beingness occurs in the midst of the treasures of the Louvre, when thinkingness does not override full presence. The point is not that the danger lies in the nature of external phenomena, but in how much of my beingness is in presence in any given set of phenomena. Edited April 22, 2018 by silent thunder clarify last sentence 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lost in Translation Posted April 22, 2018 (edited) Luxury is not the problem. Lack of appreciation for what is required to create luxury is the problem. Simplicity is not the solution. Simple people have simple things, and simple people appreciate what they have. It is appreciation that is the solution. But in realms of governance it is far easier to keep people simple that to teach them to properly appreciate. Thus, keep them simple. Edited April 22, 2018 by Lost in Translation Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mig Posted April 23, 2018 12 hours ago, Lost in Translation said: Luxury is not the problem. Lack of appreciation for what is required to create luxury is the problem. Simplicity is not the solution. Simple people have simple things, and simple people appreciate what they have. It is appreciation that is the solution. But in realms of governance it is far easier to keep people simple that to teach them to properly appreciate. Thus, keep them simple. When I see luxury in some places is just another way of people looking what they see but don't know necessarily knows if it is luxury, all they know is that is a nice picture with nice picture. Again, what is to keep them simple? simple as what? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
9th Posted April 23, 2018 12 hours ago, silent thunder said: I don't find danger in being exposed to luxury, or bright colors and tastes. Quote Enjoyment is not the problem. Attachment is the problem. - Tilopa Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted April 23, 2018 14 hours ago, Lost in Translation said: But in realms of governance it is far easier to keep people simple that to teach them to properly appreciate. Thus, keep them simple. Better still, perhaps we can make the government simple? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
