<![CDATA[Simple Living Forums hosted by New Road Map Foundation - Consumerism & The Media]]> http://www.simplelivingforum.net/ Culture and advertising, TV, etc. en-US Sun, 26 May 2013 03:32:52 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.simplelivingforum.net/images/misc/rss.png <![CDATA[Simple Living Forums hosted by New Road Map Foundation - Consumerism & The Media]]> http://www.simplelivingforum.net/ Gas stabilizer - worth doing? http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?8234-Gas-stabilizer-worth-doing&goto=newpost Mon, 20 May 2013 17:07:13 GMT A friend told me that they use a gas stabilizer in every tank of gas that is used for the rototiller, lawn mower etc. Is this needed? Worthwhile... A friend told me that they use a gas stabilizer in every tank of gas that is used for the rototiller, lawn mower etc. Is this needed? Worthwhile doing? ]]> razz http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?8234-Gas-stabilizer-worth-doing <![CDATA[I'm just a big meanie..........]]> http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?8222-I-m-just-a-big-meanie&goto=newpost Sun, 19 May 2013 20:58:21 GMT We are on a do-not-call list. Of course, several companies still send us robo calls, and I hate it. Today (Sunday afternoon), I get a call on my... We are on a do-not-call list. Of course, several companies still send us robo calls, and I hate it.
Today (Sunday afternoon), I get a call on my cell phone. Normally I wouldn't answer it if I didn't recognize the number, but it had a local area code, so I answered it.
It was a woman from Walgreen's, asking if I wanted to refill any of my prescriptions. It really ticked me off. I said "No, and please don't call me again. I know when I need to fill my prescriptions."
She said in a wounded tone "Well, I was just trying to help you out."
B.S.!! I told her "Thanks, but I know when I need a refill".
I guess I'm just a meanie. ]]> CathyA http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?8222-I-m-just-a-big-meanie <![CDATA[Eisenstein: "Ownership implies an attachment of things to self"]]> http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?8099-Eisenstein-quot-Ownership-implies-an-attachment-of-things-to-self-quot&goto=newpost Sun, 05 May 2013 12:29:15 GMT Not sure where this belongs, but since possessions are in the heart of this quote and how we use them to define ourselves, I'll post it in Consumerism. But it almost belongs in the Spirituality forum.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I LOVE Charles Eisenstein. He is so provocative. There's a great website called SustainableMan.org and I get their FB posts, which are always amazing. Today's post was this Eisenstein quote, and I think it's great fodder for discussion.

I personally believe this. How about you? How do you feel about the line between "self" and "tribe"? How much are you your stuff?

Quote:
"As that word "mine" indicates, ownership implies an attachment of things to self. The more we own, the more we are. The constellation of me and mine grows. But no matter how large the discrete and separate self grows, it is still far smaller than the self of the hunter-gatherer. The pre-separation mind is able to affirm, all at once and without contradiction, "I am this body," "I am this tribe," "I am the jungle," "I am the world." No matter how much of the jungle we control, we are smaller than the one who knows "I am the jungle." No matter how dominant we are socially, we are far less than one who knows "I am my tribe." And far less secure, too, because all of these appendages to our tiny separate selves may be easily sundered from us. We are therefore perpetually and irremediably insecure. We go to great lengths to protect all these accessories of identity, our possessions and money and reputations, and when our house is burglarized, our wallet stolen, or our reputation besmirched, we feel as if our very selves have been violated."

- Charles Eisenstein, The Ascent of Humanity
]]> catherine http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?8099-Eisenstein-quot-Ownership-implies-an-attachment-of-things-to-self-quot When and How did this happen to television? http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?8094-When-and-How-did-this-happen-to-television&goto=newpost Sat, 04 May 2013 20:24:05 GMT I never really picked back up on television after I left my parent's house in 1984. We do stream quite a bit of entertainment through Netflix and Amazon. (I have a fondness for Cary Grant movies, but we've long since run out of new ones to watch). We just finished all of The West Wing, which I loved. My wife was watching "Lost" with my daughter, but it involves a little too much screaming for me. As Thich Nhat Hanh says, we have to be careful what we let into our consciousness.

Last night, we thought we would shell out on Amazon for the first episode of "Game of Thrones." The author of the books is a local, and there's been some press about it. My God! What an embarrassing thing to watch with your children! I thought it would be a nice little Arthurian type of saga, but it basically featured a lot of nudity and more or less depicted rape. I don't consider myself a prude by a long shot, but when I rent a television show, I don't expect hard core violent porn.

How the heck did that happen? I know it's HBO and not CBS, but I would think that some standard of taste and good manners would reign even there. And who watches these shows? I don't think that, even as a teenage boy, I would have watched it. The combination of violence and sex was very unsettling in the pit of my stomach. I would not think the Game of Thrones would ever find an audience. I hope it's not indicative of some larger trend in our culture. What happened to television between "The West Wing" and "Game of Thrones"? ]]> pcooley http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?8094-When-and-How-did-this-happen-to-television Article: I’m still here: back online after a year without the internet http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?8083-Article-I’m-still-here-back-online-after-a-year-without-the-internet&goto=newpost Fri, 03 May 2013 12:57:53 GMT A guy unplugs from the Internet -- all of it -- for a full year and comes to some conclusions about the Internet and about himself: A year... A guy unplugs from the Internet -- all of it -- for a full year and comes to some conclusions about the Internet and about himself:

A year without the Internet ]]> SteveinMN http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?8083-Article-I’m-still-here-back-online-after-a-year-without-the-internet Mr. Money Moustache article in WaPo http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?8025-Mr-Money-Moustache-article-in-WaPo&goto=newpost Sat, 27 Apr 2013 10:57:24 GMT I only recently discovered the Mr. Money Mustache blog, so I was pleasantly surprised to come across this article... I only recently discovered the Mr. Money Mustache blog, so I was pleasantly surprised to come across this article in the Washington Post.

As usual, the comments were more interesting than the article itself. The amount of hostility, skepticism and pure venom that these kinds of stories inspire never ceases to amaze me. It's pretty obvious that the idea it's possible to step off the consumerist treadmill really touches a raw nerve in some people. ]]> oldhat http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?8025-Mr-Money-Moustache-article-in-WaPo