Why are we so fked up??

[Cow Corner]

Why do we keep striving for things we don't need?Wealth, assets etc etc..when does it end? Prosper or die, depends on your parents bank balance, birthright and where you live to a very large degree.
Will we be happy as a race when we wipe all the so called useless peolpe out to satisfy our own greed or will we finally show some real humanity to create a world we can really call equal?
How can a we support a world where we celebrate so much that we think we have and own while so many go without and suffer? How can that be right?
I must admit I have been guilty of this as well but I must digress..no more ...no more.....this is not me...is life just where your next pinball or whatever is commimg from?
$$$ on pins etc is $$$ spent better somehwere else instead of wanking and waiting on something that may give your ego some more fuel. Do soemthing real with that coin and help your community or some people who are worse off than yourself.
Make $$ or die that is what it says...well good luck with that if that is your wa...I pity you, spend it well when you are dead!!
It makes me fkn sick!!
Over and Out!!!

[Olivia_jason]

hmmm very interesting thinks every one has these thoughts from time to time. the best way to make a difference in the world imo is simple,
just be honest, and trade honest, and hope it catches on, if not you know you tried, lol

[ajlaird]

Interesting indeed.

This is a tough one because I think we do have some responsibility to people in desperate need overseas or even in our home country. And in part we pay taxes so that this can happen, but we probably need to tale some personal responsibility as well - whether that is sponsoring a child or donating, or giving some of our time and energy, or some other way you might think up.

I don't think that means I can't buy a pinball machine every now and then, though. Nor can I impose my way of thinking on others - persuade and encourage, perhaps - but not impose.

So yes, we are in a privileged position being Australians (or in the Western world) in terms of wealth. Some people wonder where their next meal is coming from, but we have it so good we can afford to wonder where our next pinball machine is coming from! Use that privilege wisely.

That's my $2 worth.

[Caveoftreasures]

U dont need rich parents to get anywhere in life. My fathers a multi-millionaire many times over and he has never given me a cent in his life, and never will.
I started with nothing worked 7 days a week for many years to get a succesful business. (like millions of people in this country)

I could work one day a week and cover all my bills, like millions of business owners, but what will I do for the other 5 or 6 days, sit at home and watch Oprah (no thanks).
The reason life is so comfortable for many in our lucky country is because technology has made our lives in 2012 very very easy. Every convenience is 2 minutes away, or even just over the net, and u can do everything, and never ever leave home. I think life was alot simplistic for those older who lived many years without mobile phones, internet etc. Once upon a time, u actually visited people face to face, now its over the I-phone, I-Pad or webcam at home. We dont walk anywhere, we have cars, life is so easy in this techology age. Makes us even less needed as humans. Machines do everything.

About helping people in your community, its ahard one, cause people need to help themselves, and wont help themselves when everything is provided for free when a husband and wife with 2 kids get a grand a week on the dole doing nothing. I find it hard to accept anyone in Australia in 2012 needs a hand from anyone when the govt hands out free wage packets. You can rent a house and live like a king on a grand a week in this fine country. Dont get me started on dole bludgers, my pet hate. Unemployed sincere people, no problems, they deserve help. People who chose not to work for years, different story.

Sending money overseas, thats personal choice. Things will never change over there til the governments change. The United Nations shld do a beter job.
* I dont know that we are farked up, there is nothing wrong with working hard, spending your hard earnt $ on pinballs, or cars or jetskis or whatever floats ya boat. You have to do something 7 days a week with ya family to enjoy your life and  do something with your time. Just treat everyone well along the way and be honest n friendly which is the aussie way.

[Homepin]

I tell you what - come and join me when I go to the post office in Kuranda. On an (almost) daily basis you will be presented with absolute proof that a 'cull' should be enacted in law.….....................

Sad but very obvious - unless you are here to witnesses it - no comments please.....I can't stand the crap that comes from the "we go to university - so we know these things" brigade.….

They also scare the pants of the tourists..........

[Pop Bumper Pete]

Whether it be a person or a country, they must want change for themselves
Keeping on handing money over to them will not change a thing. The old ‘They need a hand up, not a hand out’

Australia is the best country in the world, Aussies are the best people in the world, but we can be a little lazy. The ‘She’ll be fine’ attitude goes to far too often. There is not a problem in this country that cannot be solved (overnight) . all we need is the will, and to stop blaming ‘somebody else’ and just fix it

We also need a ‘B’ ark

[pinnies4me]

We also need a ‘B’ ark

ROTFLMAO!! 

[ddstoys]

f**k helping others.  Everytime I give people money to get them selves out of trouble it always comes back to bite me.   I was born with nothing and have worked my ass off to get where I am today all in the hope that my son will be in a better position to make a good go at his life.

  If these useless pricks can't get off there ass and help themselves why bother.   Here have a commission home here have a new car.   And what do they do just destroy them.       

[Jango]

A "B" Ark - very funny

A "Cull" - would love to see it.  If I ever rose to power there would be selective sterilisation 

I have a sister in law (a freakin rat by the way) who has been on the rock and roll for 13 years and sponges on her parents living with them with her 11 yr old son.  It kills me.  Why doesn't this Govt make these people work!  I pay an enormous amount in tax (as many do) and I just cannot stand having to pay for these shitbags!.  My 2c worth...

[ddstoys]

Well said Jase the dole is a great thing but should be limited to say 6 months. There is always jobs available I've never been out of work since I was 16 half that time I've had two.   They just get it to easy why would they want to work.

   Bring on sterilization we have enough f**kwits already.  All the intelegan people don't have time to start families yet the drug addicts keep poppin then out

[goodolddays]

just be honest, and trade honest,

+ 1

[ajlaird]

I believe it is worth giving money to the poorest communities overseas. It is amazing what clean water, basic health care and primary education can do for a community.

I understand that people have issues with people who live on unemployment benefits and never actually try to find work.

[pinsanity]

I believe it is worth giving money to the poorest communities overseas. It is amazing what clean water, basic health care and primary education can do for a community.

 

Given the insular nature of the internet, it can be very easy to lose perspective online.

[swinks]

Like alot of others you do forget how lucky we are sometimes and take things for granted. But for me I donate to World Vision where I helped a girl, her family and community in the Philippines for 8 years through high school - providing them with farming skills, education, fresh water and medicine. Once the community gets to self sustaining level World Vision pull out and help another community and now help a little girl in Thailand. It is a woinderful feeling knowing that you have made a difference for a third world community.

That aside

I agree with some of the other guys is that the typical dole bluggers should be cut from the dole after a certain time period. While they are on the dole the women should be given a shot so they can't breed and cost the rest of us money.

My parents are from Holland and some of my relo's are still over there and their system is great (what I was told a few years ago now but they still use a very similar system) - If you lose your job for what every reason you get 6 months of payments based on the wage you were earning prior to losing your job, followed by the next 3 months at 25% of the wage, followed by you must study or you are cut from the system. It makes sure everyone is studying, doing volunteer work or working.

As for there super, even better. You work you life away paying taxes you are rewarded on retirement with about 10 years at 80% of you average wage based over the life time of working / last 10 years of work, then a further years at 50% unlike the crappy super we have here. You can actually travel and buy things once you retire. My mum worked there for 1 yr before moving here and now gets a small dutch pension and Aussie pension even though she has been her for 45 years.

Aussie Gov. definitely needs to improve the system here giving money to those needing it and cutting others off it.

[vinito]

I'm not in OZ, but probably similar setting here in the US.
In my city, there is a systematic grift of the dole game going on. Generations of family learn how to maximize their draw on it so there just isn't any hope for the new ones being brought up and trained to play that game. There is a staggering 60% of my city's population living on the dole. Yes, you read that right - 60%. I was unemployed for 5 months one year and with that exception I've worked full time ever since I was 20, and that was only delayed because I was in school & college. There are folks who genuinely need, but in my experience the vast majority on the dole do NOT need it and it just drags us hard-working folks down. The trick is making sure those who have genuine need still get it and cutting off the leeches. Fat chance of that - it's easier to get elected when you don't promise to fix that problem.

My long-held truism that I regurgitate whenever I get the chance is this: If there are no consequences to pay for a person's behavior, they will never change their behavior. That is true for rich, poor, honest, corrupt, etc. Conversely, when there are consequences to pay for one's behavior, it will change in a hurry almost every time. This is true for 100% of humanity. Some folks are more disciplined than others and can alter behavior based on deferred gratification (or the perception of it whether true or not). But we all do everything we do based on what we think is the right thing to do for us. As for me, I enjoy doing a good job on what I put my time into and enjoy stimulating my mind with interesting and challenging projects, so that's what I do. For a murdering thief, they want "stuff" and see nothing wrong with taking what they want and damn the torpedoes. Politicians live a very good life by taking bribes and know they will never be sent to prison or even lose what they've taken even if they get caught, so why change?

So why "keep striving for things we don't need?". You could ask "Why strive at all?". It's part of the human experience man. We just keep climbing. The details of what you're climbing are the difference I guess. There are way, way too many people on this planet and poverty works out great for rich folks so it's not even talked about let alone anything done to slow it down.

So I guess I do what has been mentioned already. Be honest, trade honest. Being the realist that I am, I don't hold much hope that it will catch on though. History keeps on repeating itself right? The catching on part has never happened in any significant way before so I don't believe it ever will. Plus, I have never even been able to convince anybody over the age of 5 anything different than what they already had an opinion even on something with the smallest speck of significance, so turning a 6-billion member herd the slightest nano-bit off their current trajectory is pure folly in my opinion. A guy can go ahead and try if they want. I'm too old and don't have that kind of energy.

my 2₵