Seriously thoughtful A Life ?

[FlorenceArt]

Consumers find ways to spend less and find happiness
New York Times, August 7, 2010

[FlorenceArt]

Originally Posted by Lexi Revellian

Mr Yurista is in deep trouble if he is mugged and they take his bike and backpack - or indeed if his friends get fed up with his freeloading ways.

I don't like clutter, but I do like things, or I wouldn't be a jeweller. And the lifestyle described is only suitable for a single person. Children don't do minimalism; it's essential to their development to have lots of toys and other objects to grow up with.

It's essential to their development to be loved and nurtured. As for things, they will find enough to play with. I am scared to see how many things we bury our children under. They don't need those, but they will grow up thinking they do.

[Lexi Revellian]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

It's essential to their development to be loved and nurtured. As for things, they will find enough to play with. I am scared to see how many things we bury our children under. They don't need those, but they will grow up thinking they do.

Yes, it's essential for children to be loved and nurtured - but that alone is not enough. I'm sure you agree it's also, for example, a good idea to teach them to read.

While I'm against the floods of plastic tat aimed at children, if you want your child to have good spatial awareness it's a good idea to buy him bricks, shape sorting games and jigsaw puzzles. If you want to nurture his creativity, buy plasticene, paints, crayons and paper, and so forth. And bikes, skateboards and roller blades are fun and will ensure your child is fit and not overweight.

[beppe]

Originally Posted by Lexi Revellian

Yes, it's essential for children to be loved and nurtured - but that alone is not enough. I'm sure you agree it's also, for example, a good idea to teach them to read.

While I'm against the floods of plastic tat aimed at children, if you want your child to have good spatial awareness it's a good idea to buy him bricks, shape sorting games and jigsaw puzzles. If you want to nurture his creativity, buy plasticene, paints, crayons and paper, and so forth. And bikes, skateboards and roller blades are fun and will ensure your child is fit and not overweight.

After many years I have a new child of my own, a girl (3 1/2). Gifts, true gifts, are only Xmas and birthday. Other things just appear. In abundance. She never asls buy me this or that. She has so much at home. A mix of feminine and maschuline, she will choose what to be. Good quality with thought and design behind and also cheap stuff so she does not become a snob. Avoiding carefully certain heavily merchandized objects. Many books that she adores. Two days ago, for the first time she took some of our books from the lower shelf. A picasso, that she looked curiously. An Historical Atlas, that she examined intentely. I gave her a big tome, a knowledge enciclopedya that I bought for her last winter. I told her that it belonged to her and that she could read it any time she wanted but with some of us with her.
We watched and recognized the moon and the stars (she handling it). She went on the other end of the library where we keep our comics collection. She took a big tome of Donald Duck stories.I told her that it also belonged to her and that she could read it whenever she wanted, and before she started to look at it inside, I told her to put away the other one, which she did.

She plays with creative toys, Duplo, wooden boxes doll house, kitchen implements and recently real food. Now she is more interested in running around and jumping on her little red wagon. She screams happiness.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by beppe

After many years I have a new child of my own, a girl (3 1/2). Gifts, true gifts, are only Xmas and birthday. Other things just appear. In abundance. She never asls buy me this or that. She has so much at home. A mix of feminine and maschuline, she will choose what to be. Good quality with thought and design behind and also cheap stuff so she does not become a snob. Avoiding carefully certain heavily merchandized objects. Many books that she adores. Two days ago, for the first time she took some of our books from the lower shelf. A picasso, that she looked curiously. An Historical Atlas, that she examined intentely. I gave her a big tome, a knowledge enciclopedya that I bought for her last winter. I told her that it belonged to her and that she could read it any time she wanted but with some of us with her.
We watched and recognized the moon and the stars (she handling it). She went on the other end of the library where we keep our comics collection. She took a big tome of Donald Duck stories.I told her that it also belonged to her and that she could read it whenever she wanted, and before she started to look at it inside, I told her to put away the other one, which she did.

She plays with creative toys, Duplo, wooden boxes doll house, kitchen implements and recently real food. Now she is more interested in running around and jumping on her little red wagon. She screams happiness.

So do you my friend, it is beautiful to see...

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

So do you my friend, it is beautiful to see...

I agree ... [but unfortunately I'm not allow to donate any Karma ]

[recluse]

I just read the original article that started this thread and I have to agree with GeoffC.
It's sad.
And the bastard in me finds it hysterically funny.
Designer homelessness?
Digital hoboes?
It's just another potentially dangerous fad.
Can you imagine the survival skills of a group that normally whines about their Internet connections?
That literally curls up in a ball and cries during power outages?
I can't wait for them to meet real homeless people.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by recluse

I just read the original article that started this thread and I have to agree with GeoffC.
It's sad.
And the bastard in me finds it hysterically funny.
Designer homelessness?
Digital hoboes?
It's just another potentially dangerous fad.
Can you imagine the survival skills of a group that normally whines about their Internet connections?
That literally curls up in a ball and cries during power outages?
I can't wait for them to meet real homeless people.

Well said...

Total misery is a game changer and tests a being to its innermost strength.

[Ben Thornton]

I particularly liked the combination of giving up on materialism in designer clothes!

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by recluse

...
It's just another potentially dangerous fad.
.....

Why dangerous?

Maybe to them.....maybe Darwinism at it's finest?

[recluse]

Didn't we go over this yesterday in the Vent and Rant thread, kenny?

We have to nurture the stupid people.
So that they can thrive.
And eventually return to the trees.

After that, Darwin can have them.

[kennyc]

I'm serious. Why is it a "Dangerous fad"

What's dangerous about it?

[Ben Thornton]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I'm serious. Why is it a "Dangerous fad"

What's dangerous about it?

Might their lives fall to bits once they go digital?

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Ben Thornton

Might their lives fall to bits once they go digital?

[recluse]

Seriously?

Homelessness is not a game.
If things go wrong.
If you have no place to crash.
With your fancy electronics.
It's a long way till morning.
You'll be a moving target.
Cities like New York and D.C. are not places to play homeless in.