Kira ([info]greenkira) wrote,
@ 2009-02-26 17:32:00
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"Wealth is Well-Being"
Just read this article on Truthout, and wanted to quote a bit from it:

Wealth is Well-being

Wealth is seen as the well-being of individuals, society and the earth. Wealth is already present in nature; it is not "created." Clean air and water, strong communities and fertile soils are inherently valuable because our well-being depends on them - independent of markets.

    In this view, to "do good" is a form of wealth preservation. We can see this with a form of common wealth that we all depend upon - the air we breathe. The logic works like this:

1. Wealth is anything that creates well-being.

2. Clean air increases well-being, so it is a form of wealth.

3. Dirtying the air reduces well-being, so it is a loss of wealth.

4. Keeping the air clean is preserving wealth.

    Put another way, as progressives we recognize that even the hardest working person will starve if there is no food. Conversely, we believe that the Good Life is about more than money (beautifully depicted in this video by Free Range Studios).



Nice. That definition of wealth suits me a lot better than "wealth as material accumulation" - especially given how much having things anchors you!



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[info]leaves1
2009-02-27 01:49 am UTC (link)
Agreed. One of the reasons for my own "lack of ambition" (career-wise). Have you read any Daniel Quinn? He contrasts modern "civilized" people with tribal "primitive" people and one of the differences he points out is Wealth of Products vs Wealth of Support - article here: http://www.ishmael.com/Education/Writings/wealth.shtml. He has some of his own jargon (Takers, Leavers, referring to these two different lifestyles) but you can figure that out from context.

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[info]anwyn_elfmaiden
2009-02-27 01:08 pm UTC (link)
I like the list. :D

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