Is indulgence and decadence immoral?

[Josh]

I read today in the NYT’s The Cut about an employment agency for servants for very wealthy people.

One of their placements was a full time chef for some rich person’s dogs.

[MaxPC]

From a personal standpoint, we teach our children about discerning whether we need a thing or want a thing. If we simply want it, then we have to pause and examine that motive. Adverts love to sell us on the idea that unnecessaries are essential because that is part of the sales pitch.

[Josh]

From a personal standpoint, we teach our children about discerning whether we need a thing or want a thing. If we simply want it, then we have to pause and examine that motive. Adverts love to sell us on the idea that unnecessaries are essential because that is part of the sales pitch.

Could you give us some examples of how you taught your children?

[MaxPC]

From a personal standpoint, we teach our children about discerning whether we need a thing or want a thing. If we simply want it, then we have to pause and examine that motive. Adverts love to sell us on the idea that unnecessaries are essential because that is part of the sales pitch.

Could you give us some examples of how you taught your children?

Ironically the idea was initiated from a psychology book that had chapters on the use of psychology for better advertising. My wife and I simplified it and brought it to our children's level. We curated some adverts from old magazines for visuals. Children are quite good about picking up on motives such as "to make me feel more important"; "to make me feel more attractive"; "to make me popular", etc. It made for some delightful discussions at dinner and became a bit of a game we played in the car when we saw billboards.

[mike]

From a personal standpoint, we teach our children about discerning whether we need a thing or want a thing. If we simply want it, then we have to pause and examine that motive. Adverts love to sell us on the idea that unnecessaries are essential because that is part of the sales pitch.

Could you give us some examples of how you taught your children?

Ironically the idea was initiated from a psychology book that had chapters on the use of psychology for better advertising. My wife and I simplified it and brought it to our children's level. We curated some adverts from old magazines for visuals. Children are quite good about picking up on motives such as "to make me feel more important"; "to make me feel more attractive"; "to make me popular", etc. It made for some delightful discussions at dinner and became a bit of a game we played in the car when we saw billboards.

Just have a bunch of kids, it helps with this. You can't really afford going out to eat that much with that many people, there's not much point in having a fancy vehicle that will just get scratched up with bike handles and backed into by teenage drivers. You may as well not spend the money on new furniture, we all know what happens to that when you have even one or two toddlers. And the doctor and dentist bills will take care of your spare change.

[MaxPC]

Could you give us some examples of how you taught your children?

Ironically the idea was initiated from a psychology book that had chapters on the use of psychology for better advertising. My wife and I simplified it and brought it to our children's level. We curated some adverts from old magazines for visuals. Children are quite good about picking up on motives such as "to make me feel more important"; "to make me feel more attractive"; "to make me popular", etc. It made for some delightful discussions at dinner and became a bit of a game we played in the car when we saw billboards.

Just have a bunch of kids, it helps with this. You can't really afford going out to eat that much with that many people, there's not much point in having a fancy vehicle that will just get scratched up with bike handles and backed into by teenage drivers. You may as well not spend the money on new furniture, we all know what happens to that when you have even one or two toddlers. And the doctor and dentist bills will take care of your spare change.

That too.

[Josh]

Just have a bunch of kids, it helps with this. You can't really afford going out to eat that much with that many people, there's not much point in having a fancy vehicle that will just get scratched up with bike handles and backed into by teenage drivers. You may as well not spend the money on new furniture, we all know what happens to that when you have even one or two toddlers. And the doctor and dentist bills will take care of your spare change.

People say this, but when I add up the numbers, I'd be financially ahead if I had more kids. And once they're teenagers, they start earning an income of their own. (My wife is rather adamant that when they're 16, they can buy a car with their own savings, because that's how she was raised, and it made her value her first car much more.)