Would you sacrifice comfort for progress? What issues come to mind?

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   Santi Lioposted 14 years ago

   Would you sacrifice comfort for progress? What issues come to mind?
   
   

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   Wayne Brownposted 14 years ago

   Not necessarily...if you are speaking of my physical comfort, then I must wait for the progress before I am comfortable again...not a good deal and no promise of improvement.  If you are asking will I step outside my comfort zone in the name of progress, I might consider it if the basis for it passes the litmus test of common sense. If it doesn't make sense now, it won't make sense after we have made "progress".  Thus...the common sense comes first. WB

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3. 69

   onegoodwomanposted 14 years ago

   When I look at 'American' progress through the eyes of the native Indian.....it looks so futile.
   
   When I look at 'progress' through my Grandparents eyes.....autos, industry, mass production, electricity, telephones, banking, communication............it seems so costly.
   
   Knowing these things, learning from the recent past, I must know ask...........at what cost?
   
   
   The generations before me thought they were leading us forward.  I do not fault them.
   
   Leading my children, my grandchildren to a land of no crops, no water, no butterflies, no wildlife, no berries...........etc
   does not seem so progressive.

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4. 61

   Stump Parrishposted 14 years ago

   If giving up my car and riding electric bikes for 3 years counts then yes, I am willing to do sacrifice for progress. note,I have recently purchased a gas powered vehicle. a 1981 Kawasaki Kz 440 for my only form of transportation. 55 miles to the gallon was the deciding factor in returning to the burning of fossil fuels. That and the desire to take a 20,000 mile road trip around this country.

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5. 60

   shynslyposted 14 years ago

   You know... this question's been nagging at me since I first saw it, lol. I'm not entirely sure how to answer, but if you're referring to "will I sacrifice my own personal comfort in favor of the progress of others?" You know what... No. Absolutely not, and I'm getting rather sick of the implication we should be required to.
   
   At present, I'm not doing that well myself, but I've done better in the past, and shortly I'll be back to work and doing okay at least, once again. Nothing has ever been handed to me. My parents couldn't afford to pay for college and I wasn't "given" the opportunity to get a scholarship. So I did the next best thing and joined the Army. While all my peers were partying and continuing to live off their parents dime, I was serving my country while bettering myself and providing for the opportunities I now enjoy.
   
   Everything I've ever had, from my first car to the computer I'm typing this on to the food on my family's table, I've busted my arse to get.
   
   I wanted it, I was willing to work for it, and I got it. Why should I be required to "sacrifice" any of it for those who aren't willing to earn it?
   
   Not all, but unquestionably the majority of the "have nots" in the U.S. are in the position they are by choice, whether they realize or acknowledge it or not. They are jealous of the "haves", but not willing to take the necessary steps to improve their own situation.
   
   Meanwhile, the politicians use that jealousy to get elected, then institute policies that ensure the continuation of the "have nots" predicament to facilitate their continued and perpetual reelection. It's a disgusting cycle that just continues to repeat itself.
   
   If you don't believe me, ask yourself what is the ultimate goal and function of our welfare system? To help people actually rise out of poverty and stand on their own two feet, or to provide them an endless pitance that does just enough to keep them afloat but nothing to actually help them improve their situation?
   
   In any case, I'm all for charity, donated plenty myself during my better years. I'm all for taking common sense steps to protect the planet. I have no issue with the strong defending the well-being (not welfare) of the weak. But "progress" is a very subjective term... who get's to define what it means? What entity gets to decide who will sacrifice what "comforts", and for who's "progress"?
   
   Those are the questions I would need answered before I would even consider making broad range sacrifices. And quite frankly, the prospective answers to those questions bother me to the point of being able to fairly confidently say, no, I won't make (unnecessary) sacrifices for (subjectively percieved) progress.

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6. 84

   kallini2010posted 14 years ago

   We all (! G) love generalizations. We are such experts in them.  However, all generalizations are wrong, including this one.
   
   I put (! G) symbol to draw your attention when I generalize.
   
   Most (! G) people are conservative.  However, if everybody was conservative, we would be still sitting on trees. (! G)
   
   Somebody somewhere along the way sacrificed something familiar for something unfamiliar, whether it was progress or regress.  Change is inevitable and most of the time (! G) it is uncomfortable.  I would say it is usually a pain in the ass.  The motivation for change?  Use your imagination, sky is the limit.  Why don't we try living in caves?  It does not rain in there, but boy does it smell!!!
   
   All of us (! G) made sacrifices in our own lives.  I sacrificed my financial stability and security of a marriage for a divorce.  Is divorce a progress?  It was for me, in my personal world I can spread my wings now.
   
   I sacrificed my freedom for experiment.  Don't ask me whether I am insane. I could be to a point.  When I had my manic episodes, I had to deal with police and hospital personnel.  Sometimes my choices seemed illogical to those around me.  I was reasonable enough.  I did it on purpose.  I had enough control over my actions, that was the most puzzling part for everybody.  They thought that if I conformed it would be less painful for me.  They could not be more wrong.  It was painful.  I sacrificed my comfort.  The progress - I figured I was scared of my own shadow, things are not always as they appear.
   
   Now I know how to overcome fear and there is no sacrifice too big for this progress.
   
   Progress or change is an attribute of life and whether you want it or not, you have to make choices.
   
   Progress or comfort? Comfort or progress?  Progress or comfort?

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