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Across the Fence:  Do you think Americans are excessive?  |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 25 2008 : 03:37:37 AM
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Excessive, yes, because we have the freedom to be so. This is why so many foreigners want to come here. (a la Mexico) Don't for a minute buy into the TV hype or NPR crap
Freedom.
Brought to you by the men and women who die or have died and scarificed their lives for us! Notice the ones who judge are neatly coifed resting comfortably and not in harms way...and who are able to speak freely without threat of being locked up and tortured because they have the freedom to speak, act, and dress freely in the first place!
Excessive and wasteful though are two different things
We can have the desire to want everything or all the best, but we can also give back.
The recent rice and corn "shortages" were predictable enough with the advent of ethanol/alternative fules. (Which BTW, it takes a gallon of a petrol based product to refine a gallon of bio diesel). Earth friendly?? I think not
BUT! Think where you get your information from. Nearly HALF the information we are given through the media (radio, paper, and especially news casts) is inaccurate!!
And, since when was it a crime to have a lot of $$ or the ability to spend it?
Praise God we here in the U S have the freedom to come and go as we please and have access to the things our hearts desire.
We are fortunate and blessed! |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Apr 25 2008 : 04:41:59 AM
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wowzer gurlfrenz .. i got up at 2:15 A.M. to let the pooches out to piddle .. and jus' couldn't go back to sleep ..i've been up ever since .. finished 5 more dollies! while watching such interesting programs on tv .
the first was about EXTREMELY poor countries .. and i don't think i've personally seen 'poorer' in such massive size anywhere in the u.s. parts of peru especially was overwhelming. i've not been there .. but honey hunk has. (there aren't many places he hasn't traveled to in the world .. and tells me that i have not yet seen the true depths of poverty in the world) .. i thought much of africa was the poorest i'd ever seen .. he told me it was just the 'tip' of the iceberg. the program was about american dollars and how we are helping through 'small loan' programs to women to start businesses .. most were successful .. although, most of us would look at the before and after and probably not see much difference compared to what we have here in america. loaning women this money rather than outright giving it to them ... the program said teaches them how to 'grow' a business .. to have pride of ownership, financial responsibility and gratitude. some of our large corporations (and the people behind them) were shown to be some of the largest givers .. many individuals also loan money. (i don't believe there is much 'financial' return to the people who do the loaning .. but it does help these poorer country economies). i have not heard of such a program in the U.S. does anyone know if there is one?
my first inclination is to just GIVE .. but i truly know the value of TEACHING a person, community, country to build what they need .. there is a real pride in this and it has been shown to be more lasting.
oh, i'm sure there are pros and cons to these programs .. and i don't mean to stir up a 'controversy' here about it.
i just was enlightened by the show and wanted to share it.
THEN .. on the 'flip-side' .. right afterward .. there was a program of travelling to Bavaria, and visiting Castles and Museums housing INCREDIBLE TREASURES .. worth zillions of dollars .. and the 'good life' led by happy people with a few extra pennies to enjoy what their area provides. Bavaria reminded me of Amsterdam. What a lovely, lovely place that is! And i've never seen .. not even in America .. such impeccably, well (and expensively) dressed people as i saw there. (they do mostly travel in teeeeeeeeeeeeeeensy cars and by motorbikes in their lovely clothes!) really quite charming .. but then .. the buildings are so CLOSE together with SKINNY streets .. that 'big cars' would surely get in the way.
Gosh .. there are so many lifestyles that we have never even dreamed of! It all reminded me of a little saying i once heard (and adore) .. that no matter who we are or what our 'station' in life is:
THE WORLD IS SO FULL
OF WONDEROUS THINGS
I'M SURE WE WE SHOULD ALL
BE HAPPY AS KINGS.
True Friends * Frannie
adopt a 'rag-chile'
http://sistermercysfoundlinhome.blogspot.com
treasures .. new and olde .. http://mudpiemanormercantile.blogspot.com
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Apr 25 2008 : 09:40:59 AM
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OH.. Frannie, I hadnt heard that one.... I paint boards with sayings on them.. for my house, garden, etc.. they inspire me..... Can I use that???? I am 45 years young... raised 4 boys... have two of them in the miltary right now and a third headed there.... This is what I KNOW for sure... each of us have a "true north" a purpose, (to me it is God breathed plan).. and when we are quiet enough - we can hear it.... it calls out.. I have had big homes, big cars and tiny run down ones too....I have been excessive and I have been frugal... and in this moment I am happiest in a home - just big enough, that all the kids feel they belong, but not so big it feels empty when they are gone, nice enough - that I enjoy being in it. A garden that feeds my family and my soul, and enough projects to keep my hands and mind busy. My best friend has a big beautiful home - and is the master of entertaining - a big beautifully manicured yard - where some of our town and churches best events are held, drives a HUGE SUV - that she uses to pick every grandma ( that may be other wise shut in) for church and community activities...................So I guess what can look excessive to some one - looking in from the outside - is just the "right" size for others.....
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl
" Plant goodness, harvest the fruit of loyalty, plow the new ground of knowledge. Hosea 10:12 |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Apr 25 2008 : 09:46:19 AM
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oh rene .. you have almost described my life .. 'onliest' .. i have a daughter just short a couple years of your age!
well, your 'path' has been much like mine .. big and little .. new and olde .. excessive and frugal .. and i've been incredibly happy on each path too. i love your 'god-breathed plan'. thanks for sharing! xo
True Friends * Frannie
adopt a 'rag-chile'
http://sistermercysfoundlinhome.blogspot.com
treasures .. new and olde .. http://mudpiemanormercantile.blogspot.com
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Apr 25 2008 : 10:17:14 AM
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Frannie,
I guess it comes with time and age and experience.........I read in the other thread that your daughter was having some health challenges.. How is that all going - I am awaiting test results as well, so I know how un-nerving it can all be...My thoughts and prayers are with the both of you.. maybe she needs a dollie with bandaids on her :)
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl
" Plant goodness, harvest the fruit of loyalty, plow the new ground of knowledge. Hosea 10:12 |
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ponyexpress
True Blue Farmgirl
320 Posts
Sandy
Kirkwood
Missouri
USA
320 Posts |
Posted - May 04 2008 : 7:10:26 PM
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I'm a little behind in my reading and just came across this thread. It's interesting because I was just reading an Aussie blog about living simply. From her interactions with other Americans through blogs, she believed that Americans are not necessarily excessive, but perhaps complacent about what we have, both material possessions and opportunities. We have become so accustomed to having more than we need to survive that we assume we need these "extras" to be happy and fulfilled.
Could I live without half the clothes in my closet - of course. could I live without Starbucks, Borders and iTunes - yes. Could I live without my computer -- <<groan>> if I absolutely had to, yes. I am blessed to be able to afford some of the "extras" in life. I am blessed to be able to volunteer my time at the Humane Society rather than having to work. I am blessed in so many ways that I try to live responsibly even while indulging in some excesses.
The media has been blamed for generalizing American behavior to the outside world. Well, let's use our media to counter that effect. Blogs, websites, email are all important and valuable tools of communication. Knowing that people across the world use the internet, let's use the tools we have at our disposal to communicate the values we hold true - farmgirl spirit that appreciates our families, our neighbors and our environment.
As an aside, this is an interesting blog to read on living simply.
http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/
She takes it a step or two farther than my situation would allow, but I have gotten many helpful tips and information from this site.
I've learned that it takes as much time and energy to wish as it does to plan.
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2008 : 06:05:54 AM
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America's pop culture definitely celebrates excess. I can understand why the rest of the world would think we are wasteful and shallow. Reminds me of the saying from the bible, "By their fruits you will know them."
But I think it's interesting that most of the criticism of Americans, in my experience, comes from Europeans (or Australians). In a lot of ways, they have more real opportunity and luxury in life than we do. Their social welfare programs help them go to college, take long maternity leaves, have guaranteed health care (how many of us would quit our jobs and start a small business if we didn't have to hold onto that health benefit?)
When my husband was in grad school, we truly suffered from the attitudes others assumed towards us simply because we were Americans and white. He attended a seminary that had a strong focus on social justice and helping the poor. The European students frequently lectured us on how we weren't doing enough to help the less fortunate. And yet they didn't seem able to realize that we simply could not do things like, say, spend the summer vacation working for a mission in the slums of Mexico City. We couldn't afford to leave our jobs, let alone buy plane tickets to Mexico. It was a big deal for my husband to be in school at all. He wasn't able to participate in a lot of the programs that other students used as a springboard to their future careers, and the school saw that as evidence of lazyness or lack of commitment.
I guess the common theme in all of this is that surface wealth isn't the same as real wealth. In America these days, a lot of people have things that we used to think of as the trappings of wealth, like big TVs, cell phones, lots of clothes. But those things are easier to access for the average person than the big foundational things in life, like land, education, health care. |
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palmettogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
571 Posts
sue
camden
south carolina
USA
571 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2008 : 06:23:55 AM
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| i was a little behind and didn't see this till this morning, but... if some people want a bigger home or some more stuff, and they can really afford it, (not go into debt and decide it's too much trouble to keep up with the payments and then stiff who they owe the money to) well, if they aren't hurting any one, yes, it may be looked on as "being greedy, or ostentacious..." but, i suppose it's their right. however, i think where some people think that americans/people live excessively, it seems to be that more and more people act with an attitude that they are entitled to live life in the fast lane! for example: we watch those real estate shows on tv and they are always showing real estate agents who tell everyone, your house is no good unless you have granite counter-tops so anyone looking for a home acts like anything else is low-rent and not good enough for them! |
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Claudelle
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Karla
Corbett
Oregon
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2008 : 1:24:17 PM
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I am alos a little behind on my reading but wanted to share my thoughts on this subject anyway. When I watch the news (which is rare lately) I try to keep in mind the intention of the story. Thinking back to the end of 1999, I remember the rush to stock up on food, batteries, etc. Bottom line then was, fear sells. I'm not educated well enough to make a rational decision about a possible shortage of rice but know that I am frustrated to find it sold out. I also feel that stereotyping of ANY kind can lead to all kinds of hate...so I try to stay FAR away from those comments. At the end of the day, the question is a personal one anyways since a certain amount of self reflection would be required to answer. =)
Karla
Farmgirl Sister #171
Free Tibet! |
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Across the Fence: Do you think Americans are excessive? |
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Do you think Americans are excessive?
