Status (relative/absolute value)

Reading the economist last week there is good stuff on economics. Finally economists are thinking about the problems.

Back from my experiment in working and financial existence of the past 5 years - keeping down a job with enthusiasm and non-cynicism - I now have nothing but scorn for what I am doing, but it pays the bills and keeps me out of trouble, and gives me the opportunity to experiment furthur.

The problem with economics is that we have gotten ourselves into a mess based upon class and status. According to the economist there is a rapid plateau in happiness and contentment as an economy matures. After that people do not report an improvement in their sense of happiness regardless of economic wealth.

The reason? it is status. "positional" values like having the best car, house and best position in a company obviously are relative not absolute. Thus what we have is not the issue, it is that we have more than other people. The problem with expanding economies is that everyone gets more so the relative merits never change.

If poorer people seem happy maybe it is because they are still dealing with absolute values like food and water, and so relative values are less important. In economies like ours relative values are the only thing. I live an absurdly basic life - recently living in a tent - because it reminds me the difference between absolute values (like the sunrise and dawn chorus) from relative values like the size of my bosses absurd car/tank. Keeping a mind firmly on absolute values reminds me just how lucky I am!! really it is a beautiful world looked at absolutely. Looked at it relatively it's quite ugly.

The only people who are happy are those who could never be rich, and those who are rich. The sad bunch in the middle have to run to stand still. As the economist notes the harder we work to get ahead, the harder we force other people to work and the wheel of wealth just spins faster as faster - generating more and more wealth which goes to make the prize for the few winners. The accelerating pace of work generated with economic systems suspect is showing up in health statistics and general malaise about life. In UK it is expressed in the house prices which mean we are forced to overwork even for basic essentials - unless you take radical action ;-)

Thus people will always make themselves unhappy by comparing their status with those around them - no amount of economics can help that. Altho the collumnist did argue that in a free market their are more niches in the market and so more opportunities for people to find their special place.

Just to recap other stuff in this subject area. Economies also make us unhappy by creating endless desires. Just as we have the latest computer - a new one comes onto the market and soon what was the best is very mediocre. There is a contant creation of dissatisfaction and the belief that by shopping we can make it go away! bad mistake!!

Also Capitalism has really messed the world up. People once thriving in more absolute value systems suddenly found their land taken over by landlords who then taxed them. To pay the rents thinking had to change, and this began the process that led to abandoning the land and looking for money - that is unless they were forced off the land by landlords wanting it for other uses like commercial farming. Once without a mean of living people become helpless and totally dependent upon the economy and enter the machine of wealth production that feeds the rich owners with the vague idea that oneday they might be rich. Its a very exploitative and dependency forming process which we in the West have been in for so long we forget where it started.

The rich of past generations who could relax to some extent from the burden of proving themselves financially came up with lots of grand notions about how special and wonderful the human race was. We have poetry and writing, arts and dance - celebrations of life from those who have time to do it. The sad reality I am realising is - especially in the tooth and nail existence experienced by the middle spectrum wealthy of developed economies - that life is governed almost entirely by over the fence comparisons with others. The frenzy for 4x4 cars cannot be inspired by anything practical - I don't even drive yet am still alive - it is simply the embarrasment of being seen in town with anything smaller. I admit to a small sense of reservation about bringing out this Compaq Presario on the train to Sevenoaks since I naturally compare it to the Sony Vaios and other machines - yet I instantly remind myself that functionally and absolutely I have only complete satisfaction from it.

Thanks to the economist its clear now my unease and rebellion from economics - I will reamin true to what is real and absolute and shall continue to shun with nothing but scorn any thought which would receive happiness or sadness from comparison with others...

unless it is to say how bad I am and how good they are, and how I should learn and be more like them!

Look down in matters of money and only up in matters of the heart.