Terje, You are quite right a redistribution of wealth, certainly does not make us any happier, it just makes our nation a fairer place to live, but from your posts, you would probably have to get your dictionary out to look up the word "fairer" as it seems to be a foriegn concept to you, that everyone should fulfill their responsibility to pay for the upkeep of this nation, and narrow the gap between rich and poor.

Oh dear Terje, it seems you have missed the point and the humour in my post. I actually don't believe in socialism myself. I am not confusing socialism with not having the latest knick nacks. Some people posting seem a little hasty to write some of us off as lefties, commos, or whatever, due to views which may differ from theirs. That's what I was having a little joke at. I have some little knicknacks myself, just not the latest ones. As I said in an earlier post of mine in this thread...

" :P) I guess its "what ever makes you happy", to use an old cliche."

We work hard and want to enjoy little luxuries from time to time, and theres nothing wrong in that. No doubt you have worked hard for what you have, but there's no need to worry. I don't want it... i have my own stuff. People need to calm down a little. Debate is good, and thats why I am hear, but a laugh or too is good for debate. Don't you agree?

Smile :)

SM

hee hee ..... spot the bad spelling in my last post and I will send you a nice big teddy bear to hug and watch your plasma screen TV with :P

QUOTE: Terje, You are quite right a redistribution of wealth, certainly does not make us any happier

RESPONSE: I am glad we agree on that much. A lot of people seem to think that the government can give them things and that it will make them happier. That the poor merely need a little material charity and then their lives will be all sweet.

QUOTE: it just makes our nation a fairer place to live

RESPONSE: Not if its done by force. The government creates an injustice when it forces the redistribution of honestly created wealth. If it was done by any institution other than government we would rightly call it theft or extortion.

QUOTE: it seems to be a foriegn concept to you, that everyone should fulfill their responsibility to pay for the upkeep of this nation

RESPONSE: Under the present system not everybody pays for the upkeep of this nation. Are you advocating a poll tax?

It is very difficult for many of us to really get the point about "happiness".

The original article had it about right - happiness is to a great extent the absence of those factors that cause unhappiness. However those factors are all psychological. The extent to which a person's happiness is caused or prevented by the presence or absence of material possessions or financial wealth (whether absolute or relative) is just a symptom of the psychological constraints they develop over their lives - the 'demon' attacks that we have, the seven deadly sins, the pathological structure of our personality, developed to protect us from the arrows and barbs of relationships, and so on. (if you've not already, study some Horney, Jung or the I Ching to dig deeper)

True happiness comes from no longer being subject to and limited by our 'hang-ups'. Whether that comes with or without wealth, because of it or in spite of it, is immaterial. The happiness we develop and sustain from within by fundamentally and permanently changing the way we perceive the world and how we relate with it . . thats the true happiness. Unfortunately, as mere mortals, and especially as adolescences, we are seduced by the allure of 'things' and many of us never get the chance to experience the lasting happiness that Kay spoke about in her experience. But those who do find the true happiness build an internal foundation that raises one above society's distractions.

It is thus clear that Government can never create happiness for its constituents. However, to the extent that it promotes economic expansion (especially selectively) at the expense of social growth and development, it delays that time when we can all learn to focus on and find real happiness - the self-actualisation that one scribe mentioned.

Government and happiness.... well John Howard has never struck me as anything but a shrewd, miserable bastard intent on making the rest of us into just that.