I didn’t think long about it before deciding not to bother looking into the matter.
But I always wanted to go to space; why not? On contemplation, I realized there were several reasons, but one ranked higher even than “can’t afford the taxes”. A flight like that is too much of a luxury for me.
I’m inconsistent at some level—there’s no clear boundary between a little luxury like a cheese I don’t need and a Mercedes I also don’t need; it is just a matter of scale. But as my Better Half says, I can’t enjoy a candy that costs $2 a bite—the sense of disproportion and waste spoils the enjoyment. Watch inflation make that sound silly in a few years.
I don’t think a little luxury now and then is a bad thing, though there are many good people who have disagreed. I can reply to them that it doesn’t deprive the bulk of the people around me and helps with jobs for others. They would, of course, reply that my circle of acquaintances is shamefully restricted and reiterate that I don’t actually own anything, but am simply the steward.
Sometimes I win the argument (especially if it is a luxury I share) and sometimes the saints do.
Does scale make all the difference?
UPDATE: I'd like to see space travel grow, and have no objections whatever to other people indulging in what for me would be excessive. This is only about me.
Though monks take a vow of poverty, Jesus had some luxuries; even in the Christmas story.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the gold etc turned out to be one of those "just in time" gifts that presumably funded emergency travel abroad. (Over the years we've had a number of unexpected windfalls that typically wound up handling an equally unexpected need.)
ReplyDeleteHmm, I think it aye my comment. It was April 1, but I was pretty tempted to put my name in just in case the joke was the it as real. I don't usually enjoy things I find too luxurious, but had I won I think I could have managed. For science, of course.
ReplyDelete