Hello, with socioeconomic commentary

[Twinkle Toes]

Well....it turns out that I have a dog named Ted, frankly I dont keep track of him for hours at a time...and he is often seen laying like a large meatloaf in the living room near the computer...

Let's see...you have a couple other dogs...and maybe a cat IIRC...and probably a bunny that keeps appearing in your avatar. Can't wait to see what wisdom one of them might share with us next.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Three dogs, three cats. Nords has the bunny.

This probably explains the 17,000 posts. And all the fur stuck in my keyboard.

 

[TickTock]

On a serious note, I'm re-reading Your Money Or Your Life, and the following passage jumped out at me:

"...our real work is just to live our values as best we know how."

 

[Nords]

And all the fur stuck in my keyboard.

Hairballs!

 

[bongo2]

Well, I don't know about that, but it is against all mores and common sense...

Given the reaction, I'll agree with you on the mores!

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Just so i'm clear on the matter. Since I now do all the work I used to pay people to do when I was working, is that considered to neutralize the selfishness that developed when I stopped sitting in meeting rooms arguing over what to name a project, in exchange for money?

 

[bongo2]

You're not retired - you're a househusband. That's a whole different set of mores you're breaking.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Well now, I was retired for several years before I got married.

Am I less selfish after marriage, even though I'm essentially doing the same things (except for that whole baby sitting thing)?

Is the fact that my wifes income is irrelevant to our lifestyle and financial standing likely to increase or decrease the selfishness?

And I put more money and work into my wifes old house than she's likely to earn for some time, even though we made a lot when we sold it the profit was largely a function of the work and money I put into it, all of which was before we got married.

Can I get some kind of meter or needle-on-a-dial thing here to help me understand how the selfishness fluctuates throughout this process so I can work harder to optimize the ideal level of selflessness?

 

[Nords]

Can I get some kind of meter or needle-on-a-dial thing here to help me understand how the selfishness fluctuates throughout this process so I can work harder to optimize the ideal level of selflessness?

Maybe Microsoft could attach a dashboard widget to our Outlook calendars & task lists...

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Well, I'm just wondering. Was I selfish for a while and then became less so by marrying someone with a part-time job? Or as implied in Bongo's last post, is my being a 'househusband' equally bad or...egads...worse?

Microsoft could do something if they had the rules. Which is what is really escaping me at this point. Seems rather loosey goosey. But I'm sure Bongo wouldn't go and be judgmental without having a pretty solid moral basis for the determinations he's come to. Apple could also do it, but they'd charge more for it and everyone would be pretty sure that theirs was better, even though it was pretty much the same thing.

Also, it'd be helpful if someone let me know at what point that I've crossed the line and am definitely going to burn in hell. I'd like to pull up just short of that.

 

[bongo2]

Am I less selfish after marriage, even though I'm essentially doing the same things?

Sorry, I assumed from your other posts that you were taking care of your family. Your question appeared to be: "am I more selfish taking care of my family or just myself?" Seems rather obvious really.

Kant's groundwork isn't perfect, but may help:

http://www.amazon.com/Kant-Groundwork-Metaphysics-Cambridge-Philosophy/dp/0521626951/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197650062&sr=1-1

Or you could look here:

http://www.amazon.com/Zondervan-Study-Bible-Personal-Size/dp/0310923077/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197650085&sr=1-2

Or here:

Amazon.com: The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) To Understanding Ethics: Books: David Ingram,Jennifer Parks

Hope those help!

Can I get some kind of meter or needle-on-a-dial thing here to help me understand how the selfishness fluctuates throughout this process so I can work harder to optimize the ideal level of selflessness?

Also, it'd be helpful if someone let me know at what point that I've crossed the line and am definitely going to burn in hell. I'd like to pull up just short of that.

That'd be nice!

 

[bongo2]

is my being a 'househusband' equally bad or...egads...worse?

For the record I said mores. You have yourself described how people treat you after learning you're a househusband.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Hmm, so would that make them immoral or does it make me selfish for making them act immorally?

And now we've bough ethics into the matter! Wow!