gut;1352176 wrote:Would you cry over the forklift driver that isn't as fast or as precise?... Bill Buckner made millions. The guy I fired for running over someone's foot...not so much.
If your forklifter was nationally ridiculed, yes, I would "cry" over it. What makes it sad isn't that they play sports. It's the fact that their failure is not only witnessed by millions, but scrutinized and vilified and ridiculed by millions.
Millions don't seem like as much when you have them. You might say you'd take all his troubles, but do you actually know what it feels like to experience them? If not, then you can't truly say whether or not you're better off where you are.
gut;1352177 wrote:And I would take Bill Buckner's money, and boot...every Sunday and then some. My tears would feed the stream running thru my estate.
How do you know you'd take them? Don't get me wrong; it's obvious that you value wage very highly, but how do you know you'd rather make more than you do now (still less than many) and take on the problems he's had?
The problem with this notion is that wealth is relative. Someone living a simple, low-obligation life in northern Japan might see Joe America making $50K and think he'd be stupid not to take the $50K a year life over his own. However, he doesn't see the financial stretch that comes from additional expenses like a mortgage, car payments, medical care, taxes, etc. It's VERY possible that his life is more carefree, and thus, he would end up preferring his own life. Point is, he doesn't know, and the wealth is relative.
Are you so certain that you are that much happier or more content than him because you are wealthy in comparison? Or do your finances not alleviate your stress and enable you to live a carefree life even compared to him?
