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Originally Posted by KevinTheOmnivore
I can't say I ever understood the "stuff" argument to begin with. First of all, that's all relative. Consumption is bound to go up across the board, especially if we've outsourced all of the "stuff" making.
Secondly, doesn't most "stuff" become a negative asset, or equity whatever, once it has been bought? (I recall the story of the new car leaving the lot)
Does being a nation of people with a lot of worthless stuff make us wealthy?
"As of 1970, for example, only about a third of American homes had both central heating and air conditioning, while more than four-fifths had both in the 1990s. Moreover, the homes themselves were more than one-third larger. "
Larger, cheaper, and built with lower quality ("McMansions" anyone?). I think things such as this are poor indicators of wealth.
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I missed this.
Sorry, man.
NOW I know what you were talking about when you said, "I think some legitimate concerns were raised regarding Sowell's specific argument. Address those, please..."
Let's see... In the broadest sense of an answer possible, I think I'd like to start out by restating something I've already said: Something along the lines of: I believe our primary responsibility in life, as individuals, is to be happy. That said, it's not my place to criticize anyone in their decision making as long as I can see that they were at least making some sort of effort toward a goal of being happy.
Well, that's not necessarily true. I guess I can also criticize those that are making choices that everybody can see are getting them nowhere... Sometimes people lie to themselves... we all know that.
In addition, some folks make some decisions based in false realities, such as your own example of something like: Now that I've got my Big Screen HDTV, I'll be HAPPY! or: If I can influence the reconstruction of my government in such a way as to utilize the immense wealth of the richest few of us to benefit the least of our society's producers, who cares if we discourage those that from which we intend to steal from become worthy of our intended theft?
After all, the rich are only called that because they stared out as greedy, right? ...and even if that's not true, we've always got the new crop of wealthy, am I right fellas? That always happens!
Who cares if I'm establishing a system based in discouragement of positive decisions for the benefit of the bandaging of self-inflicted wounds by those that don't know better YET?
See, factor in for time and it all makes sense.
Poor people will learn to make better decisions if you give them time with the consequences of their decisions. Rich people will learn to understand how they accumulated their wealth and what makes it valuable if you give them the time it takes to learn it.
No, I'm not defending our current system. I'm attacking your knee-jerk proposed solutions to the problems we all see and some I'm making up with logic of my own, instead of repeating that which someone else said.
...and now I'm tired.
I'll check in with ya'll later.