Saturday, December 29, 2012

Which gives more Satisfaction? - Consumption or Creation


Since our childhood we have been doing many things more for ourselves than for others.

We nurture our body by eating food with most of the help from from others (Parents, Elders when we were small).

We nurture our intellect by learning how to read / write - more for our own self progress & growth, again with help from others like our teachers, elders etc.

Then we started interacting with people around us & building relationship @ School, @home with neighbours etc. some of which is to seek help and some to give help.

In all the above you can see a pattern of consumption.

Eventually we grow up and go to work & earn money, (because of the consumption?). However, we continue to enjoy food (more rich food perhaps!?), get more degrees (for a better job prospects), build relationships for the sake of better professional and individual prospects! only difference is that we do it more independently.

Again Consumption.

While the act of consumption brings in short term gain & growth, does it really give peace and happiness?

Like the quote goes - "The world has enough for everyone's needs but not everyone's greed!"

A point of reflection is 'Am I striving towards getting these basic needs or more than that?'

However, I see many of my colleagues still
"Trying to a degree"
"Trying to reading more & more books"
"Trying to build network to benefit their career growth"
"Buy the latest gadget and become a consumer"

I am not saying that this wrong, there is no problem with aspiration.

However in my opinion every Consumer should also be a Creator!

"Can I teach someone while I am learning something new"
"Can I write (a book / article/blogs perhaps) while I read a new book/articles?"
"Can I build  a business (even a Small one) and create jobs?"
"Can I provide career counselling to aspirants/juniors?"

With sustainability in mind there are other questions like
"Am I consuming Oxygen or can I create Oxygen (by planting trees etc.)"?
"Am i consuming electricity or can I help in creating (by Solar etc.)"?
"Am I consuming food or Can I help growing food & vegetables"?


At the end of it all, would be more happy saying
"I did it"

or

"Here are my prodigies - I helped them be who they are!" ?

What are your views on this? please post.
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4 comments:

  1. SunderDecember 30, 2012 at 9:43 AM

    There is always a confusion in us about what happiness is and this evolves within each one of us over time and introspection. Is happiness the same as pleasure ? Pleasure is contingent on time, place, etc. Most of our initial pursuits in life are about this until we look for a deeper meaning of happiness which we then start to understand as something larger than our selves - those acts which lead to a deep sense of fulfillment.

    Now, fulfillment itself could be ignited by different motives. Depending on our motive we will choose different acts.

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    Replies
    1. Raju MadhavanDecember 31, 2012 at 4:45 AM

      Thanks Sunder. I was about to use the word Happiness and then thought of an alternative.

      What if we defocus from Satisfaction/Happiness?
      Just between Consumption (Watching TV, Eating/Drinking, Reading News, etc.) and Creation (Writing somethin New, Teaching someone, Learning a new Musical instrument) which needs to be focussed upon?

      Delete
    2. SunderFebruary 5, 2013 at 2:31 AM

      Both. Well, if that is confusing here is what I feel.
      We cannot look at anything in dichotomies (either / or) ie Consumption or Creation. Its deep conditioning of science which makes us look at linearity and logical answers. In reality one can argue that you need to consume to create and vice versa. I would be more comfortable with organic approaches - there is an inherent futility in choice.

      Balance and moderation are 2 mere words - they unlock a lot of things for me.

      Delete
  2. Raju MadhavanMarch 22, 2013 at 8:06 PM

    Revisiting the topic as somewhere I am seeing that the Title is not very apt - meaning the linkage to satisfaction; and I am unable to come out with why this topic was even touched upon.

    It is true that it is not an either / or - consumption vs creation;

    So, let me try and exemplify with scenarios:

    - One of my colleague who has 20yrs experience wanted to do higher studies! - Now, there is nothing wrong in that, however, being in the midlife crisis herself, and looking for ways to balance work-life, is this choice of consumption - logical??

    - A person who picks flowers from a orchad/plant but never bothers to water it

    - People drawing water from a well but are not disciplined to either use it responsibly or harvest water for the next cycle

    - A husband who wants his wife to be on his beck and call for giving him food/drink and not disciplined enough to learn how to do certain things for himself.

    - A husband who lives on wife's income and still thinks that he is the creator.

    maybe it is a highly task classified world! where we only do one creation task (that yields money) and we see consumption in others walks of life as a birth-right !?

    Your thoughts?

    Raju

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