Originally Posted by
wolfchild
You mean people who slave away at minimum wage jobs and struggle to survive and pay their bills and put enough food on their table ??.
Income is relative to costs. Many people 'slave away' at higher-paying jobs to afford costs at a much higher level of pressure from debt and professional expectations of how much revenue they must bring in.
Could you possibly show a little respect for someone who chooses to invest time in a low-paying activity for the sake of contributing to a larger enterprise and having some security against being a big-game target when budget cuts are pressing?
Originally Posted by
Dave Cutter
Do others [say]... give up golfing because they would have to drive to the course. Or pass up concerts because of transportation hassles. Or not attend a new store grand opening... even though it sounded like fun... but wasn't a needed activity. Does being car free sometimes turn into a form of self-flagellation.
Sometimes people take a step back from life and realize that so many activities are just bait luring them around for the sake of stimulating economic expenditures. If you really loved golf, a concert, or some other activity, you could plan a car-free trip and the activity would become that much more meaningful because of the effort and time you put into getting there. On the other hand, if you are attending concerts and playing golf just because you feel a sense of emptiness that needs filling because you have time on your hands not spent walking or biking for transportation, LCF might be the solution more than golf or random cultural events marketed to you by profiteers.
Originally Posted by
Ekdog
Help me out here: what is the connection between car-free living and drug addiction?
I thought the same thing at first but then I realized it's just a story from a person he talked with recently. Unfortunately, too many culture-manipulators use more-or-less random associations like this to put a negative spin on something they dislike, such as LCF.
Another aspect where drug- and other addictions are concerned is the privacy and power gained to indulge by driving. How many people get their windows tinted for the sake of shielding private and often illegal indulgences from public view? Try engaging in such illicit activities on a bike without seeking private refuge first and you will quickly understand how handy cars are for that purpose.
Originally Posted by
wolfchild
If a person is car-free for ideological reasons then there a lot of similarities between the two: They will both limit the persons employment opportunities, they will both limit travel opportunities and you're basically stuck in your neighbourhood, they will both limit enjoyment of life, they will both prevent the person from living their life to it's fullest potential, they will both prevent the person from advancing and making progress in life. Ideologies can be as harmful as addictions...
Consumerism is full of ideology produced purely for the sake of hooking people and milking them for money. If anything, LCF gives more of an opportunity to resist all the temptations of consumerist ideology pumped at you via media channels. In biking or walking to a concert or other cultural event, you might find that the ride or walk added more happiness to your experience than the event itself. You could end up thanking God for the event just because it motivated you to take a good bike ride or walk.