This Saturday 16th April 8-9 PM on It’s A Question Of Balance we are featuring Out And About – thought-provoking conversations on the street. We consider ‘How Much Is Enough?’ In ancient ethics, there was much discussion about the link between virtue of character and happiness. Aristotle believed that to live the good life, or to flourish as a human, that predominantly we had to have and exhibit virtue, although he also thought health, wealth and beauty factored in to human flourishing. What represents quality of life for you? What constitutes ‘the good life’?
Economics journalist Ryan Avent states in 1843 magazine that economist John Maynard Keynes mused in 1930 that a century hence society might be so rich that work hours would be cut to 10-15 hours a week. Keynes postulated “For the first time since his creation man will be faced with his real, his permanent problem – how to use his freedom from pressing economic cares, how to occupy the leisure, which science and compound interest will have won for him, to live wisely and agreeably and well”. Marx did not think endless leisure desirable, he believed that being occupied by good work was living well. We have not ended up working less. Capitalism requires an endless expansion of wants, so although it has generated great wealth, we may be caught in an insatiability trap, never quite reaching the good life. Do you feel acquiring material goods has become an end in itself? To what degree do you equate happiness with money? How much of an influence do you think the beliefs or behaviours of those around us have on our feelings about wealth and how much we want to acquire? How much is enough?
What do you think? Ruth Copland gets the views of people on the street for our Out and About feature. Join us on Saturday 8-9 PM! For more info on the show and to hear past shows visit www.itsaquestionofbalance.com
