I remember my mother saying how inflation has grown with time .I grew up in the village where most of the population was farmer and few who were not would do job as carpenter or mason . Very few of them had their men in abroad Kuwait ,Iraq or Iran.
This is nice to have memories of time when people lived peaceful life despite of their varied economical conditions.
Farmers of the village had land and different cattle and bigger families with joint family system.
My mom was daughter of a farmer but wife of a working man (a watch maker) so our own family was considered as lower middle class .But one thing was obvious that we had peace of mind with little we had.
Today when i think what was that?
I feel it was absence of "exposure" of so much "stuff" that media offers non stop on screen today and imply how important it is to have for modern living. A mind set has been built to feel "need to buy them" with consistency. This is worst attack on humans and humanity by capitalism no doubt. Because the cost we pay for really high .
Cant say abut other part of the world but at my home land in my little home town particularly some thirty plus years back people were happy with what they had and with "less they knew" about complexity of life , relationships and emotions.
It was easy to lead a simple life if one has content nature.
Those with lack of contentment were also at ease as well as compared to today.
We have become victim of capitalism who has entangled the world with perfect strategy that makes only few people suck the blood of whole population on planet.
Our mind is working machine with billions of desperate neurons that "want to do something " because thoughts make them work and this is what keeps our mind alive .To survive our mind has to jump to think and make us act accordingly quickly. If the power of making choice , taking decision and using will power is not there we surely are mistaking 24/7.
As we know most of us are totally on what we get from news and adds all the time and this makes our mind an easy target for "grab mass for it's thinking process" specially when everything shown looks utterly appealing. It takes control of our senses as quietly that despite of it's uselessness we find it worth dying for and run to buy or apply it blindly .
What we pay for modern living is Most valuable thing "Peace of mind" which is and must be an essential element for healthy and normal life.
It has been long time that hubby and me have talked about anything else over evening tea except inflation .Even corruption the second topic we converse has slipped to position number two .
It was my very first experience when i personally observed the disappointment among common people as while standing on taxi stand for uber we saw a long line of taxi drivers waiting for riders .Many of them came to us one by one if we want taxi but we had booked already so refused politely. Our ride arrived and we left but when we returned after few hours the line of taxies was still there and the drivers were looking very disappointed. it was a sad sight and worrying as well .The sudden rise in inflation since two years has taken the people down and laboring class is most affected one because due to inflation works are pending are on hold . No class is exception.
My eldest son mentioned last week that his electricity bill has rise from 40 pounds to 90 and he has nothing but only kitchen appliances ,laptop and tv ,tv is is hardly played on weekends as he prefers to spend weekend outdoors.
I know i am weird and for me a simpler life is not out of option, a life without anything modern but only a clay house in nature with lantern and lots and lots and lots of books.
I think everything we are adding in our life is eating real part of us . We define ourselves in their perspective .
Don't we have our own "self" and our own "essence"
I think the real us is hidden under the pile of modern life.
If we rediscover ourselves ,that will be a "true " and better living with our own self only.
What you think dear friends ?
A simple life makes sense
ReplyDeleteOk if not much simpler but a balanced one dear Christine but that is where we loose mostly unfortunately in all levels I mean most of us
DeleteI agree that consumerism is harmful to peace of mind. It's the driving force of our society and now inflation is making it even worse. Both are the result of greed by those in economic power.
ReplyDeleteDear Debra sometimes we see character in movie or show who is made addicted forcefully so he can be used as tool for criminal people once he is addicted he will do anything to fulfil his demand.
ReplyDeleteWe have been treated not different than that victim as common people.
Now when we are fully addicted we spend our lives to meet demands that actually don't matter at all
I am not saying modernity is harmful but it's use in wrong hands who run the world sadly
You ask a very provocative question. I had a happy childhood. Most times we had no telephone, often we had no electricity, and much too often we had an outdoor toilet. Our weekly bath was when we pumped enough water and heated it on the stove to fill a washtub. My parents both worked hard. We had little money. We always had a garden. Mom would can vegetables, fruits, and make pickles and jelly. Daddy worked hard for what we did have and he could fix or build anything. We all knew we were loved and it made us all happy. I love having indoor plumbing... no more outhouses for me. I have a lot of things that were considered luxuries or were not even thought of yet. And thank goodness for medical advancements or many of us would not be here. I suppose we must accept the new while incorporating some of the old. Being content with my life is most important.
ReplyDeletehappiness is deeply rooted in mutual love and care and respect each other's rights and views dear Emma .
Deleteyour memories are happy because you were loved and everything else mattered little. Once we remove love from our lives everything matter and each matters most because with these bits we try to fill our emptiness that come with lack of love but as they say with money you can buy luxury but not inner peace that come only and only when you love others and feel loved in return
Another post to make us think :)
ReplyDeleteI think more and more we need to find a balance that suits us ... and that is not always easy.
All the best Jan
to achieve perfect balance on each level of life what we need is highly alert and attentive mind free of toxic thoughts emotions so they can be able to detect harmful thinking and stop to process it further .so each harmful thought can be rejected on first level and cannot take shape of whole negative mindset .
Deletethis is hardest job because everything we need to do is only inside our head where we pay least attention .we fight battle of the life from outside with physical presence instead fighting first against our own wrong way of thinking and rearranging our healthy mindset so we can be able to see clearly and understand everything we encounter in life better
I couldn't agree more. Capitalism and globalization are the controllers.
ReplyDeletewithin a hundred years we are completely captured and stuck in the dangerous and cleverly built web of both indeed .worst part is that now we are adducted to them ,probably those with high self control and strongest will power can make way out of it probably
DeleteI often wonder what my grandparents would think of the world today. Their main focus was putting food on the table. While inflation has refocused us on that, the modern world is far more complex. A simple life makes sense but it would be difficult now.
ReplyDeletei think your grandchildren are lucky to have you and your hubby as grandparents dear Marie and as much i know they will surely have memories of good times both of you spent with them .I think this is great blessing to be able to live a family life and sharing love and respect for each other .i bet in that would be a luxury quite rare in future
Deleteas present humans we have thrown ourselves on the rough high currents of endless self grown desires ,i wonder where they will take us ,i wonder we can survive through the recent storms of inflation as well ?
The most irritating is DURING meals, baili.
ReplyDeleteTo stop the meal to look at the mobile.
I had a friend that used to stop meals to smoke.
He was sick.
What's the difference???
Have a great weekend
i miss those time dear Pedro when meals were purely family time and despite older family members would ask to keep quiet during eating most of the family conversations would take place during meals .
Deletenow everyone is stick with phone even if ask to put it away they are less than half present with their bodies sadly
i don't know how and why i had some kind of feeling of fear for whether call it modern advancement or economical progress of societies dear Pedro
ReplyDeleteeven in my early teens with very little in hand i felt content deeply and never starved for better conditions and the reason i sensed behind this feeling was the fear of "distance" that it could possibly create ,
i loved those days when not just family members were close to each other but communities were connected strongly and people hardly "felt bored" with such bonding .
now under one roof all members of the family are far away from each other sadly
i don't like it at all
Yes, we can't go anywhere without our phones anymore and they just get more and more expensive. It seems every little thing will cost you. Plus we stay indoors more now. There are less and less who know how to do manual labor. Times have certainly changed and it really is a balancing act at times, especially to even remember to enjoy the little things. Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteDear Ellie well said that every little thing has cost .God the maker of this game of life knew it already therefore he secured the water and air for all equally .
Deletethink if we have to buy oxygen ??
actually it's not about phones it is about wearing the technology as whole and all the time .it is intense addiction that new generation feel she has run out of oxygen if screen is off for a while .
i really feel sorry for kids of my country who are confined in rooms and playgrounds miss them .this is totally unhealthy way of life
life is gift and without living it practically no one can enjoy it or even live it properly
I am with you, Baili. A simple life is good.
ReplyDeletewhich is impossible without strong bond with nature and modern living deny it completely dear Sandi
DeleteΤο κεφάλαιο γεννιέται βουτηγμένο από την κορυφή ως τα νύχια στο αίμα και στη βρωμιά... στάζοντας αίμα απ' όλους τους πόρους... Με 10% κέρδος αισθάνεται τον εαυτό του σίγουρο... με 20% γίνεται ζωηρό, με 50% γίνεται θετικά παράτολμο, με 100% τσαλαπατάει όλους τους ανθρώπινους νόμους, με 300% δεν υπάρχει έγκλημα που να μη ριψοκινδυνέψει να το διαπράξει...Οι υμνητές τού νεοφιλελευθερισμού εμφανίζουν τούς παραλογισμούς τους ως προφανείς και αυτονόητους, την στιγμή πού η απόλυτη ελευθερία των κινήσεων τού κεφαλαίου καταστρέφει ολόκληρους τομείς της παραγωγής σε όλες σχεδόν τις χώρες και που ή παγκόσμια οικονομία μεταμορφώνεται σε πλανητικό καζίνο.Η καπιταλιστική ιδεολογία, στις πιο φιλάνθρωπες στιγμές της, προβάλλει εν τούτοις τον ισχυρισμό, ότι σκοπός της «ορθολογικότητας» είναι η «ευημερία». Η ιδιαιτερότητά της όμως προέρχεται από το ότι ταυτίζει την ευημερία με ένα οικονομικό μέγιστο -ή άριστο. ’Άλλοτε πάλι ισχυρίζεται ότι ή ευημερία θα προκόψει ασφαλώς ή τουλάχιστον πολύ πιθανώς, μόλις αυτό το μέγιστο ή άριστο πραγματοποιηθεί
ReplyDeleteΑπό Ελλάδα με Αγαπη
i am trying to translate your comment morfeas
Deletecan you tell please which language is this
DeleteHello Balili, the post above is in the Greek language. I posted a bit into Google translate, but there is a character limit, so you may need to post it a little at a time to bread the entire message.
DeleteOh thank you dear Dorothy you are such a sweet friend
Deletethank you dear morfeas for very insightful comment
Deletei agree to each bit of what you said here my friend . i probably am not that enlightened but with bit understanding of things i gain from books and life's harsh realities i see that capitalism has snatched away the peace of mind from common men and thrown him in the race in which he is unable to see what he is running after is only a mirage and what is he leaving behind is his genuine meaning of life .
this is really heartbreaking how family is cut into pieces to add benefits to capitalist .
if see carefully we only a bit utilize of what we keep gathering whole life blindly .
this is how Nature curse us with love of false things when we don't acknowledge it's blessings and choose to run after wrong and meaningless things
I think the modern world of consumerism is pushing us away from our true nature of being. We are always happy when we have just enough and when in our community we look after each other. People and community sustain each other, even in the darkest of times.
ReplyDeleteThe modern world with its instant access to everything distracts people from being in the moment and connecting with the people they are physically with. It is so easy to become addicted to social media and forget human interactions outside social media.
you nailed it dear Cheri !
Deletewell said that itt easy to distract by social media and avoid who around you but this is a well observed and i think scientifically proven fact that nature want us t choose difficult option where long lasting and genuine happiness awaits
Our power bill is a lot cheaper than it used to be due to youngest son and his children not living here now, food bill is cheaper, water usage is cheaper due to same reason. We haven't noticed the cost of inflation as yet though the cost of all things have increased and many people are complaining yet, they still go and buy their meals out far too much, not all but many people, they smoke some of them and then wonder why they haven't got food for the table, or money to buy their food and so on.
ReplyDeleteThere are also people who are really doing it tough in this country through no fault of their own, feel sorry for them. Take care Baili.
dear Margaret no doubt that the more member of family the more is expense specially if the among all only one is earning .our younger has left for studies and as he was most demanding person regarding food and everything else we realized our food expense has bit decreased but as he lives on rent and has to grocery for himself his expense has become three time more than he was here .his father supports him to some extent as far as his rent concerns but it is grace of God that his elder brother has taken the whole responsibility of his university tuition fee and monthly personal expense .
ReplyDeletei agree that people most of them fail to prioritize their needs intelligently and most often it is hard for them to keep balance .
our country has corrupt system of electricity and workmen are involve in facilitating the power theft ,instead correcting the main system by privatizing it authorities adjust theft in bills . it is painful for those who try to keep on straight path
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ReplyDeleteI really think sometimes the more a person has the less they are happy . What comes with keeping up with it all is a lot of fear that it can be taken away. I'm more content with an old house in the mountains than I was with a bigger property and home when I had to work so much and raise four boys and all that entails. I can't even imagine going into a shop any more to buy any kind of useless things that I find I don't need anymore. I get rid of stuff now instead of bring more in.
ReplyDeleteTrue dear Sandy!
ReplyDeleteI am not assuming that all wealthy people are in trouble but two things I will say here that the rich families I saw in my entire life are hardly happy in terms of genuine happiness and most of the issues they seem to face are because of the Attitude they get with their wealth.
I often thought many of them probably were good people if their money would have not illusioned them.
Secondly more wealth means for most of the people more material which drag us away from Natural way of life and that makes life shiny at surface but dark ,troubled and restless at bottom
Having material things certainly doesn't guarantee happiness. Many of us enjoy more of the comforts of modern life than our parents and those before them. Certainly, we all appreciate the conveniences provided by modern technology that allows people to keep in contact and do more things easier and faster, not everything newer is better. While I enjoy tech things, I also find myself appreciating older things that still have a useful life. I dislike shopping in stores for other than food or needed household items. We have seen increases in the rent and utilities, but thankfully I was able to lower our insurance costs after a recent increase, by calling the company and getting them re-quoted.
ReplyDeleteDear Dorothy two days ago my sister in law mentioned in her voice message that whole village has been sent extra charges in electricity bill .everyone got puzzled and upset.
DeleteShe received biggest power bill of 20,000.
WAPDA (power company
National power company adjust loss in people 's billing which is unfair sadly. This and such other modern life things cause frustration and make life miserable for those who can't afford.
DeleteI too am grateful for modern technology that keep us connected to our loved ones. And all other blessings but again absence of balance and insightfulness turn everything in curse instead. The physical and mental health of people youngsters specially is being affected negatively because of sedentary lifestyle .So many are much consumed by screen and their families and relationship are getting weak or broken.
In short I am not blaming modern living but yes In my opinion people were mentalityand spiritually were more rich and stable before.
Indeed it is on them to make right choice but human psyche is troubled when their senses are stormed by too much options and specially more tempting ones.
It's like sudden and Sharp light is thrown on our eyes and we are unable to understand so we grab whatever is in approach blindly.
Our ability to see well and understand better can take time so we can learn how to survive through modern living in healthier way
Consumerism seems really out of control along with greed from those economically powerful. My husband and I enjoy a simple life with few things. Getting together with the people in our life is far more valuable!
ReplyDeleteAgreed totally dear Martha
DeleteSeems like since world liberated from monarchy and bloody battles capitalism has took strong hold over the world and because of this transformation everyone has to fight personal battle with uncontrollable desires to win in the war of "Competition "
Less are satisfied with what they are and don't like to be part of rat race.
Just like both of you we too find peace in small and simple things fortunately
Uma vida simples e equilibrada é a melhor opção. Hoje vive-se melhor que há anos atrás. Mas ainda há muita gente para quem a vida é dura e cheia de sofrimento. Sempre reflexiva.
ReplyDeleteUma boa semana.
Um beijo
thanks dear Grace .
DeleteBalance is only thing that sustain stability and quality of things as we find striking balance in the universe and how life is moving on planet earth.
i wish we can learn this one virtue from Nature and apply on our lives ,it will be not just best for all aspects of life but mother nature will also be happy and let us thrive more peacefully
Baili - your thoughts mirror my own...something good to drink and eat...a comfy shady place to sit and an inspiring book certainly meets my needs abundantly. Thank you for sharing your lovely perspective regarding consumerism. I believe it is a tool the evil one uses on us - if he can steal our peace and contentment, he has control of our hearts. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matt:6:21 (NIV) Hugs!
ReplyDeletethank you so much for such an insightful comment dear Debbie
ReplyDeletewe think alike i believe regarding evil stealing our peace through our desires ,desires are our real ,basic and main tests and we failure or victory depends on how we control them by using our insight and choosing between "what we find good and what is good for us actually"
we enable evil by loosing our "desire for correct options" and Nature allow us to proceed freely because it has already given us instincts to differentiate between "good" or "bad"
we are free to use this liberation for making choices though we have to bear the consequences later which is pattern of life
Baili I think you are a wise woman. Your thoughts resonate with me, to buy fewer items and yes inflation is causing problems world wide. Have you read Henry Thoreau's Walden Pond, it is wise thinking along the lines of living simply, written in about 1850. Blessings to you this day.
ReplyDeletethank you dear Terra for kind words and recommendation specially !
ReplyDeleteHi, Baili! What you said is so true. We are caught up in too much commercialism and have traded our peace of mind for too many material things. I know that my standard of living is very high, especially when compared with people around the world and throughout time. I go back and forth between feeling grateful and feeling guilty. There are many far wealthier people in the Denver Metro area, but I don't desire their huge homes, fancy cars, and luxurious goods.
ReplyDeleteWhen Terry and I got married, he insisted that we live below our means and save money. I didn't realize that meant we wouldn't buy new furniture for 17 years ~ lol! It wasn't always easy, especially the year his company closed overnight and he was without work for almost a year. Then there were the two years I didn't work but went back to school to get my education degree. It allowed me to get out of the oil industry and teach instead. I would have been jobless like Terry if I had remained in oil like him. We had a period of over three years when he lived and worked in California, and I lived and worked in Colorado. But our hard work and sacrifices paid off, and now we are enjoying being retired. I worry about how divorced we are from nature. That where I best find peace of mind. My biggest luxury is travel, and I'll travel any way I can. Fortunately Terry is skilled at finding deals and making arrangements.
I am very troubled about what colonialism has done over the past several centuries and how countries have been exploited for their resources. I think capitalism has lifted many people out of poverty, but now income inequality is out of control and wealth is being increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few at the top. I feel almost helpless about climate change, but for the sake of all the beautiful young people in the world, I have to hope that technology will help us solve the problems. I understand how resentful and angry people feel about rich countries and how they obtained their riches. I also am terribly worried about the political situation in my country and what would happen if Trump is reelected. I could never have imagined that my adopted country would come to this. What I try to remember is that humankind has come through terrible, terrible times throughout history, and my hope is that we will get through this terribly difficult time too.
Wow ~ You do ask probing questions, Baili! That is one of the wonderful things about you. Sending you much love and a wish for peace of mind.
my precious friend Louise this is grace of God to have you here as friend as whenever you respond to my words it not just provide fulfilling and authentic knowledge but also enlighten my heart on many levels .
ReplyDeletei agree with all you said completely .Modern living offers so much resources and comfort that help us to put our energy on better and higher tasks than routine tasks .but we all know that since the capitalist mentality has taken over the world everything is target of it unfortunately . world has turned into business for some people with power who are creating markets for their personal benefits sadly whether these markets are of medicine ,cosmetics ,weapons so on ....
we human fail to keep limit when we are addicted "earn" for the sake of pleasure
i am happy while this situation is getting critical on the other hand technology has fastened the process of learning which is bringing awareness to people on vast range .people with healthier mindset are turning their head from chasing luxury to live qualitative life while reconnecting to the nature so things are mixture of good and bad like always .
i feel just like me and hubby you and Terry also struggled hard together to reach on point of ease and peace of mind my friend !
i love such marriages where two people start from scratch and build their life slowly .i denied rich proposals only because i had faith and i am really grateful to my good Lord who made my dream come true !
love you too my dear friend !c
sorry for late response as my younger son has come to join us for some days so i am busy as mom bit more these days
hugs