Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Mid-Week Reads

I nodded along as I read this perspective about war and Osama bin Laden's death.

And if you're tired of reading news (and conspiracy theories) watch this video or read the transcript of Obama's speech at the White House correspondents' dinner. That man's got some seriously funny speechwriters and an amazing poker face.

The royal wedding doesn't make women stupid.

This is for women (and men too) who don't think feminism has anything to do with them. 




I think most parents will appreciate the sentiment behind this book.

If you didn't already know that money can't buy happiness, here's proof. However, researchers have also "done much to exonerate the rich from the charge that they are more tightfisted than the non-rich. (They’re not, Schervish and Havens say: as individuals move up the wealth scale, they give away a greater share of their assets.)"

And this is why I've never wanted to be very rich: 
“SOMETIMES I THINK that the only people in this country who worry more about money than the poor are the very wealthy,” Kenny says. “They worry about losing it, they worry about how it’s invested, they worry about the effect it’s going to have. And as the zeroes increase, the dilemmas get bigger.”
“ONE OF THE SADDEST PHRASES I’ve heard,” Kenny says of his time counseling the wealthy, is when the heir to a fortune is told, “‘Honey, you’re never going to have to work.’” The announcement is often made, Kenny explains, by a rich grandparent to a grandchild—and it rarely sounds as good to the recipient as to the one delivering it. Work is what fills most people’s days, and it provides the context in which they interact with others. A life of worklessness, however financially comfortable, can easily become one of aimlessness, of estrangement from the world. The fact that most people imagine it would be paradise to never have to work does not make the experience any more pleasant in practice.
But honestly? It's a little unconvincing. If it's so bad to be rich, why don't the super-rich give away most of their money? You telling me they're that stupid?

3 comments:

Anita said...

If any of these super rich don't want to burden their grandkids with money, I would be happy to volunteer...

I think though that the author may have a point here. A decent number of people in office live in lives so tightly wound around work that they would not know how to while away their time if they did not have any work to do. As I see it - If I had the money, then I would still work but it would just be different kind of work, say like starting my own business or writing a book.

R's Mom said...

Nice reads..hope your health is better now

Unmana said...

Anita: Exactly. What, you have so much money it's making you unhappy? Have you heard of charity?

You know, I agree exactly. I love my job with a deep, lustful love, but I'm not totally sure I'd do it if I had a bottomless bank account. There are so many places to visit, so many things to eat, so many experiences. And then I can write about them and pretend I'm "working".

R's Mom: Thank you for remembering! Perfectly okay now, except I could use more energy!