Addictions are normally thought of as a bad thing in this world. However, there are plenty of times when an addiction can actually be kind of neat to have. As long as you keep it in moderation and know why you're addicted to your vice of choice, it's often not so bad. This is especially true if you're addicted to something like comic books, video games or movies. Please stop knitting. Since these things won't hurt you physically, they're not like being addicted to bad things such as drugs. The best part about having a generally harmless addiction is that you can often pursue it … [Read more...]
Loyalty Blues: What to Do When Your Addiction Demands ‘Money Where Your Mouth Is’
August 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
What Would You Do If You Didn’t Have TV?
July 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Brain rot, poor eyesight, lower IQs, prone to violent tendencies. No, it's not a list of symptoms of a flesh-eating parasite or random disease; it's a list of reasons people give for not having a TV in their home. With 99% of the United States having at least one television set in their household with various types of programming and all of the wonderful new Direct TV deals, it's hard to imagine that people like that still exist in the world, but they do.And chances are they take every opportunity they can to tell you how superior their life is to yours because they have chosen to lead an … [Read more...]
Seeking a Middle Class Definition
June 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Image via Wikipedia At one time in America, there was a generally accepted picture of what constituted a middle class family - two kids, owning a home, two cars in the driveway, access to material wants and money in savings. Today, that definition has become blurred because the times have changed and defining middle class has become "a squishy concept." Simply stated, it depends... According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2005 the middle class income range was $36,000 to $57,657. If the range is expanded to include the lower and upper-middle class, it expands dramatically on either end … [Read more...]
Immediate Gratification vs. Instant Gratification
June 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Image via Wikipedia The terms "immediate gratification" and "instant gratification" sound similar - and they are. However, these two terms are also different in many respects.Immediate gratification puts short term goals ahead of longer terms goals. To want immediate gratification is to want immediate rewards rather than deferring gratification for better long term rewards and benefits. It is a matter of choosing want over need when given choices. Instant gratification, on the other hand, is characterized by a mindset that demands to instantly gets what is wanted, without regard for … [Read more...]
Upper Class – Fact and Fiction
June 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Image by Beverly & Pack via Flickr One of the elusive questions in the United States surrounds what it means to be rich and upper class in America. The reality is that very few people actually know what defines upper class or "rich." For starters, "the rich" have greater wealth and influence in society. They also overwhelmingly dominate corporate America and maintain a disproportionate influence over other institutions. Sociologists estimate that the wealthiest one percent of Americans have a net worth of at least $1 million. There are also a lot of conflicting statistics as to … [Read more...]
Many part time workers do not feel valued because they do not have access to health benefits. This is because employers are not required to give benefits, and most do not unless an employee works 40 hours per week or more. Additionally, hourly workers have it the worst because they only get paid if they work, which means they lose money if they get sick or have to take a day off. If you are looking for part-time employment, try to find a company that cares about their hourly employees as much as their full-time, salaried employees. There are health benefits for part-time workers at some … [Read more...]
Technology Has Pushed People To Work Harder For Same Old Materialistic Pleasures
May 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Image via Wikipedia How has technology affected our tendency to focus on materialistic pleasures? Well, spiritualists believe that making life complicated is going to push people towards material pleasures. A truly spiritual and simple life will not require a lot of expenditure or use of fancy gadgets. Of course, this is not absolutely right either. A person who makes use of laptops or iPods to chat and interact with likeminded spiritual persons on the internet can progress faster as compared to one who does not use technology. The important point here is the reason for which the … [Read more...]
Use Your iPod as an External Hard Drive
May 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Image via Wikipedia The iPod has revolutionized the world we live in. Not only has it changed the way we purchase music, but it has also changed the way in which we store and listen to it. The iPod has also revolutionized the way in which we buy, store, view and even rent movies. That's right; you can rent movies and download them to your iPod. Although the iPod is more commonly known for its entertainment functions, with its ease of use and memory capabilities, it can also be used in other more simple capacities. It can also perform the more simple function of being used as an … [Read more...]
Beyonce’s Humble Beginnings Explode Into a Fashion Sensation
May 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Like many super stars in the music scene, Beyonce Knowles has humble beginnings that have exploded into a music and fashion sensation. Fashion forward girls keep a close eye on mega personalities, like Knowles, for the latest trends and styles. Like Beyonce in her early days, these young women are having to find bargain fashions in order to grow their wardrobes. Beyonce's grandmother used her thrift and keen eye for design to make exciting, yet affordable clothes for her kids. Today that vision has exploded into one of the hottest brands on the market. House of Dereon is … [Read more...]
Life Beyond Materialistic Pleasures – Impossible For Mankind To Ignore
May 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Image by Getty Images via @daylife What is wrong in being materialistic? Should one strive to move beyond the material pleasures of life? For some persons, such a question is inherently distasteful and best avoided. For others, it represents a gray area because material pleasures offer experiences that no other pleasure offers. Well, it all boils down to a single question-why are we on this planet? Are we present here only to enjoy the bounties of nature, lead a life focused on our own self and die at old age? While it may seem like a fun thing at first, the idea of an entire species … [Read more...]