Observation

[AlfredJPruffock]

You are my hero: never seen McCartney's Too Many People even mentioned before outside elderly music mags! Ram is his best effort. 100 hero points are awarded and can be traded-in at Pret a Manger for a cup of coffee.

Such kind words !

You do me too much Justice - I thank you kind Sir.

My Dog he got Three Legs - your Dog he got none ...

[Mich the Tester]

But are you happy?

Seriously, I've been happier when earning a lower income, infact I was happiest when a pauper student. QOL is just as important as how much cash you can scrape together. The OP brings up a good point, it's easy to lose perspective and get depressed about things that don't really matter that much. Reading too much sensationalist journalism makes you unhappy. No wonder the cu*t of celebrity is so popular in this country... it makes you fink you don't know what to fink.

Well I was happy as a student, but seeing as I did two nights a week as a forklift driver in a warehouse I was relatively well off compared to other students, and didn’t build up an unmanageable student debt (this was however in the days of student grants). The couple of years after were sometimes a struggle as I didn’t always have work, so we lived off my girlfriend’s income as a junior nurse. I don’t remember ever missing out on a meal or not being able to heat at least one room in the (tiny) house though, and we often enjoyed an evening in the pub, so life wasn’t exactly awful. We often ate mince instead of prime cuts of beef, but hey, is that really so bad? Oh, and we didn’t have a dishwasher and had to wash dishes in the sink, which led to plenty of fun and games with soap suds.

[ace00]

But are you happy?

Seriously, I've been happier when earning a lower income, .......

Well if you like communist Russia so much, whydontyougolivethere (tm)?

[ace00]

...... I don’t remember ever missing out on a meal or not being able to heat at least one room in the (tiny) house though, and we often enjoyed an evening in the pub, so life wasn’t exactly awful. We often ate mince instead of prime cuts of beef, but hey, is that really so bad? Oh, and we didn’t have a dishwasher and had to wash dishes in the sink, which led to plenty of fun and games with soap suds.

Sounds like you already moved to Communist Russia.

[Mich the Tester]

Well if you like communist Russia so much, whydontyougolivethere (tm)?

Erm, I don’t think the lack of a dishwasher or a BMW were the primary quality of life issues in the Soviet Union. Siberian work camps, lack of free expression, communist party favouritism, lack of legal restrictions on the state, failed agricultural planning leading to food shortages and the secret police listening to your every word might have made people really miserable though.

All good reasons to oppose NuLabour.

[tay]

It is simply because people are so insecure they need material goods to make themselves feel better. You dont need a 42" LCD TV, you dont need a flash car, you dont need to eat out often, you dont need all the latest gadgets, but the UK is caught up in the race to appear flash.

Take as an example, an ageing divorced ginger who buys cars and tells everyone how great they are.

[Mich the Tester]

It is simply because people are so insecure they need material goods to make themselves feel better. You dont need a 42" LCD TV, you dont need a flash car, you dont need to eat out often, you dont need all the latest gadgets, but the UK is caught up in the race to appear flash.

Take as an example, an ageing divorced ginger who buys cars and tells everyone how great they are.

Yep, and living in the Netherlands, which is in GDP terms actually a richer country but where most people don’t tend to work silly hours or borrow silly money to buy some piece of designer rubbish, every time I go back to the UK I see more bling, less class, and more people whingeing about life.

[Shimano105]

It is simply because people are so insecure they need material goods to make themselves feel better. You dont need a 42" LCD TV, you dont need a flash car, you dont need to eat out often, you dont need all the latest gadgets, but the UK is caught up in the race to appear flash.

Take as an example, an ageing divorced ginger who buys cars and tells everyone how great they are.

Have to admit to agreeing with you on EVERY point there! (particularly the last one...)!

[Chugnut]

Have to admit to agreeing with you on EVERY point there! (particularly the last one...)!

Brad Pitt said it all before in Fight Club (except the last one).

[Cyberman]

I have a small economical car. I do not lead a lavish lifestyle, I paid my way myself through uni and have worked hard to make money. I put a considerable sum into a private pension so I wouldn't have to rely on the state to support me in my old age. It's people like me who are being hurt now, benefits claimants will see a considerable rise in payments in 08/09 due to inflation so yet again, it seems those who take responsibility for their lives are the fools.

You will learn. Private pensions are a waste of time.