Winners and Losers in the Game of Life

[pgrmdave]

I've actually found that many conservatives are well educated and well informed. They simply tend to draw different conclusions than liberals, and tend to be more concerned with things on a smaller scale (their family, their town, their state, their country, then the rest of the world) than liberals (who tend to put the larger groups ahead of the individual groups).

[questor]

A druggie is someone who is addicted to drugs. Pretty simple. Some druggies overcome their addiction..Rush Limbaugh, Cindy McCain, and live a productive life. Others do not and live a degrading life, frequently ending in crime, prostitution or death.

[pgrmdave]

Actually, the vast majority of non-druggies lives end in death as well.

[Zythryn]

A druggie is someone who is addicted to drugs. Pretty simple.

Not so simple actually.

Mentally or physically addicted?

By your simple definition I am a druggie. So is anyone addicted to cigarettes.

Care to try again? Or is that what you really mean?

[Thunderbird]

I've actually found that many conservatives are well educated and well informed. They simply tend to draw different conclusions than liberals, and tend to be more concerned with things on a smaller scale (their family, their town, their state, their country, then the rest of the world) than liberals (who tend to put the larger groups ahead of the individual groups).

Candidate Support by Education

[pgrmdave]

Thanks, thunderbird, for pointing out that a good number of college grads support McCain, and an increasing number of them over time. It only further supports my theory that whether you're educated or not doesn't have much bearing on being conservative or not (that does break down a bit at the top, but I suspect it's in part because conservatives and liberals go to school for different reasons, and go into different degrees, and that the liberals are more likely to want a formal education while conservatives are more likely to want 'real world' experience). I'll be honest though, considering the problems with Palin, I am surprised that the numbers are up and not down.

 

And the gap is greater in McCain's favor among whites: http://www.gallup.com/poll/108046/Candidate-Support-Education-Among-Whites.aspx

 

(In the interest of full disclosure, I'm a proud supporter of Obama. I do like McCain, and I would have been perfectly okay with him being President if he didn't have Palin as his running mate. She scares me.)

[Thunderbird]

Thanks, thunderbird, for pointing out that a good number of college grads support McCain, and an increasing number of them over time. It only further supports my theory that whether you're educated or not doesn't have much bearing on being conservative or not (that does break down a bit at the top, but I suspect it's in part because conservatives and liberals go to school for different reasons, and go into different degrees, and that the liberals are more likely to want a formal education while conservatives are more likely to want 'real world' experience). I'll be honest though, considering the problems with Palin, I am surprised that the numbers are up and not down.

 

And the gap is greater in McCain's favor among whites: Candidate Support by Education Among Whites

 

(In the interest of full disclosure, I'm a proud supporter of Obama. I do like McCain, and I would have been perfectly okay with him being President if he didn't have Palin as his running mate. She scares me.)

We should be scared. Did you catch Real Time with Bill Mahr the other day? the conservative panelist went berserk about Palin the very idea she could be president in a few months with an economic crises looming he was outraged. :shrug:

[questor]

Donk, please explain:

 

''I know one guy who you'd call a "winner". Started with nothing much, now has a 6- or 7-figure income, large estate in the country, luxury apartment in town, trophy wife, a couple of top-of-the range motors. I'd call him a big-time loser.'' Why is this man a loser?

 

''And one guy that you'd probably call a "loser". I'd say he's the most successful person I've ever known.'' Why is this man successful?

[Thunderbird]

From Asian Philosophy is Eloquent

Originally posted by Kickassclown

 

 

 

The Meaning of Success

 

1. To earn the respect of intelligent people and to win the affection of children.

2. To appreciate the beauty in nature and all that surrounds us.

3. To seek out and nurture the best in others.

4. To give the gift of yourself to others without the slightest thought of return, for it is in giving that we receive.

5. To have accomplished a task, whether it be saving a lost soul, healing a sick child, writing a book, or risking your life for a friend.

6. To have celebrated and laughed with great joy and enthusiasm and sung with exaltation.

7. To have hope even in times of despair, for as long as you have hope, you have life.

8. To love and to be loved.

9. To be understood and to understand.

[questor]

I agree with this totally.

 

'' Quote:

The Meaning of Success

 

1. To earn the respect of intelligent people and to win the affection of children.

2. To appreciate the beauty in nature and all that surrounds us.

3. To seek out and nurture the best in others.

4. To give the gift of yourself to others without the slightest thought of return, for it is in giving that we receive.

5. To have accomplished a task, whether it be saving a lost soul, healing a sick child, writing a book, or risking your life for a friend.

6. To have celebrated and laughed with great joy and enthusiasm and sung with exaltation.

7. To have hope even in times of despair, for as long as you have hope, you have life.

8. To love and to be loved.

9. To be understood and to understand.''

This describes what a successful person DOES. What traits would this person have? Laziness? Bad attitude? Antipathy to education? Lack of achievement? Lack of personal responsibility? Dependence upon others?

I think not. I think he would be the opposite. Quote from post #1 of this thread:

''Winners do not win every time, but if they lose they will continue to attempt to improve their performance. They know if they work longer, harder and smarter, they can become better.'' These traits show what a person IS.

[Donk]

Donk, please explain:

 

''I know one guy who you'd call a "winner". Started with nothing much, now has a 6- or 7-figure income, large estate in the country, luxury apartment in town, trophy wife, a couple of top-of-the range motors. I'd call him a big-time loser.'' Why is this man a loser?

Twenty years ago he was billing £400 per hour. I know that because he told me. He was explaining that when I take a holiday it only cost me £1000 or so for the week, but it cost him £20,000 and upwards in lost billings. That's why he didn't take holidays. He mentally charged out his leisure time! I probed a little deeper, got a bit more confirmation of it, and told him it was the best excuse I'd ever heard for getting out of the washing-up! And suggested that if he and his wife ever made love, she'd want it over with really fast otherwise she couldn't afford it. :(

 

I haven't had much to do with him the last ten years or so, but from what I hear he's even worse. He knows how to make money, but he's forgotten what it's for. One story I heard: a client invited him for a round of golf. He billed that client £1500 for a "meeting" - insane!

''And one guy that you'd probably call a "loser". I'd say he's the most successful person I've ever known.'' Why is this man successful?

This guy was a very good primary school teacher. You know the sort: his enthusiasm for the subject brings it to life, and the children turn on to learning. He turned down promotions that would have taken him out of the classroom, even though he could have used the money. He runs the local Scout troop, does volunteer work for various charities and is a local councillor. That last is now his only "paid" position. There were too many calls on his time and he had to give something up. Teaching isn't as much fun these days, with bureaucrats telling experts like him how to do their jobs. So he gave up teaching and still doesn't have enough hours in the day for all the things people need him for. They get by on his wife's income, supplemented by his council expenses. He's not rich, but he's the most respected man I know.

[questor]

Donk, I agree with you. The wealthy guy is only interested in money. He won the money game but lost his humanity to greed.

 

The second guy is indeed a winner. He won his game of serving others.

 

If you only want money as a reward, you may win your game, but you'll never be really happy.

[Moontanman]

The meaning of success? From the ultimate conservative:

 

 

To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women. ;)

[questor]

The meaning of success from this conservative:

Become the best you can be and then try to get better. Encourage and help others to do the same.

[pgrmdave]

"best" and "better" are still fairly subjective, questor, which is one reason why I define a person's success by their own standards, not my own standards. With over 6 billion people on earth, you're likely to have over 6 billion different definitions of 'success' and 'best'.

[questor]

Are your own standards for success not good enough to judge others? Do you have parameters to judge crime, or morality, or intelligence?

[pgrmdave]

Judge not lest ye be judged.

 

I judge myself, but I think myself no more nor less than any man or woman. It is not my place to tell someone that they are a failure if they think themselves a success. Just because I disagree with their definition does not make it any less valid for them.