»Religion? An illusion. A matrix?«

omega wrote:

Suicide is painless... It brings on many changes...

Interesting...
I wouldn't say painless in a physical sense - killing yourself and wrenching your soul from your metaphysical breast can be an agonising experience.
Changes, yes. Painless, not necessarily.

annaerullo wrote:

Money is not a way to freedom, because money is inherently binding. If you use it, you are bound to its rules, and there is not much chance of not using it in this world. If that's not analogous to the Matrix, I must have the meaning wrong (but I don't).

You are correct in that money is inherently binding to this system. if it was not money it would be something else. just like you said it could be a pack of cigarettes or anything that the people involved in the transaction deem valuable to them. Paper money was created by the government and it is a standard way of measuring value. However, lets be really real about the situation.

Even though this system has its kinks in it-it is a well thought out system. i think our "founding fathers" were geniouses when it came to using psycology and rules to define how the system that we're in should be. if it wasnt for the system that was set up, or ANY system for that matter, there would be ANARCHY. and i dont think you'd want that. i know i wouldnt. If our current system wasnt in place like it is, there would be another one to take its place (after the anarchy gets tired)--like communism, facsism, or whatever.

In order to be in a capitalists "democratic" society there has to be certain rules set up. and because of the effect of those rules there ends up being a rich class, middle class, and a poor class. it has to be that way in order to keep the balance. it keeps the rich RICH, and the poor POOR. the middle class are the ones who do most of the grunt work for this system that where in.

money does bind you to the system, but i'd rather be bound to this system than the ones i previously mentioned. atleast in the USA i can be rich. and being rich here is the closest thing to actual freedom. When you become rich your options increase exponentially. At least you're not a part of the middle class doing all of the dirty work 8 hours a day every freakin day in a constant cycle working for someone else. As much as i hate control i realize that it needs to be there for people to follow. As long as you can see past it , see it for what it is, and know how to manipulate it you'll come out of it ahead of the rest.

i mean, what else can you really do about it?

You can be rich anywhere on this planet, the only thing that is different is set of rules that you have to follow.


Money is just a key...

omega really loves money...
On the other hand I don't think anyform of death can ever be painless... anyone ever seen a sane man die smiling.

I don't love money - I simply respect it.
You can deny money - but it will not necessarily bring you enlightment. But it will certainly bring you poverty.

omega wrote:

You can be rich anywhere on this planet, the only thing that is different is set of rules that you have to follow.

not everywhere.

again, anywhere, as long as you play by the local rules...

omega wrote:

again, anywhere, as long as you play by the local rules...

You mean materially rich, or spiritually rich?

omega wrote:

again, anywhere, as long as you play by the local rules...

again, not everywhere. its not only about playing by the rules. what about places like iraq during the time when sadaam hussein was in power? if i was a peseant from birth do you really think that it would be able for me to rich (or even in my reality)? or how about the former soviet union using the same scenario? not without the local governement owning everything. the local government in power are looking to increase their own blood line's power. like in saudi arabia, the powers are the bin-ladens. they are filthy rich.

they're not lookin for this 22 year old black man from new york city (born in the lower middle class bracket=peasant) to even step foot into any kind of life asssociated to the power that they have in their country. at least in the US i can do that exact same thing...even at a younger age. its tough, but i can at least do my own thing.

You are wrong or you are missing the point.

In Iraq Banks were always able to do their own thing, people owned businesses. Saddam never bothered them unless they got into politics.
In Saudi Arabia you probably won't be the richest but it is possible to do business there.
In Soviet Union there were large criminal or semi-criminal gangs who had shitloads of money.

By saying "playing by the rules" i didn't mean playing by the laws... I meant there are always opportunities to make money - some are legal some are not. Some are more visible-some are less.

omega wrote:

You are wrong or you are missing the point By saying "playing by the rules" i didn't mean playing by the laws... I meant there are always opportunities to make money - some are legal some are not. Some are more visible-some are less.

oh ok, you sounded like you meant the laws in place. the illegal brings many opportunities.

I have just been researching illegal ways to make money for my novel.... In fact, it's sort of central to the story.

Consider the horrors a world without legal limits to the economy (which, i concur, is an inevitable part of society at present) might hold. Hell, consider the horrors it holds in spite of these limits, or even because of them! Consider the trafficking of human beings in Bombay, and many other parts of the world, for prostitution, child pornography, and slave labor (yes, slavery does still exist).

Oh, and by the way, Comet, did you ever watch the television show, 'M*A*S*H'? How about the film with the same title the show was based on? 'Suicide is Painless' is the name of the theme song, and it's sung in the movie in its entirety. The song even became a bit of a radio hit after the release of the film. The lyrics can be found here:

annaerullo wrote:

Oh, and by the way, Comet, did you ever watch the television show, 'M*A*S*H'? How about the film with the same title the show was based on? 'Suicide is Painless' is the name of the theme song, and it's sung in the movie in its entirety. The song even became a bit of a radio hit after the release of the film.

I appear to have taken that comment too seriously - thanks for the links!

India - the self proclaimed "largest democracy on earth" is a very dangerous place and yes, slavery still can be found there...
I have met many smart individuals who were hindus but overall I don't think much of their country...