We’ve long supported what we believed in, even with the little money we had

Listening to football (radio/park nearby) costs nothing

t’s easy to take. It’s easy to tell someone, “what makes you happy? What are you taking? (Drugs, medication etc.)

What about giving? How about sharing with others?

That too gives joy, contentment, the memorable blissful moments, fulfillment, happiness.

Last year we gave our money to defend Free software.

This year we give our life and labour to feed the animal kingdom.

It’s about giving, not taking.

The birds’ looks today were gratitude enough.

I think that a society driven by extreme forms of capitalism relies on consumption (“consumerism” makes it sound like a religion), which means people are trained psychologically to take, to hoard, to collect; the notion of giving away or sharing (e.g. better salaries for one’s employees) is portrayed as foolish.

In the Free software movement, we strive to commend people who share while condemning those who work for greedy monopolists. We don’t show much respect to people based on affluence. It indicates a desire to hoard rather than true, objective achievements or professional accomplishments.

In academia, likewise, what counts most is publications, not job titles or salary.

Monetising misery

spoke to someone today, in fairly considerable length in fact, about fulfilling lives and people making offspring to compensate for a lack of satisfaction with oneself or failing to reach goals/dreams. The person I spoke to reads my writings every day and said that 1) he hopes I am safe and 2) he recognises the importance of the writings – or “the work” – and the philosophy converted in it, which in no way relates to money or any monetary goals, it’s more humanitarian, not self-centered.

If more people pursued a simpler lives, they would generally be happier, but happy people who wish or actively strive for a simple lifestyle don’t make obedient, overworked labour. It would not serve the super-capitalists who exploit misery and fear of people “below” them. It’s a very lopsided status quo.

Social insecurity/anxiety compels people – through marketing (indoctrination since a young ago) – to overspend or compete with others based on spendings (loans or wealth). That doesn’t take them higher in the social ladder, it just makes them more vulnerable to the people at the peak of the social “food chain”.

10cc – Art For Art’s Sake

never truly pursued money (I still don’t). I didn’t see the point. Tennis, for instance, was more fun. Computer games were fun too.

In my entire lifetime, or in my adult life as a student, I didn’t think I’d pursue a “career path” (ludicrous term, conflating life path with “career”) that nets me the most money I can possibly amass. It would be foolish to do so and it would not bring happiness, it might even accompany evil eyes, stress, and too high an expectation.

Yesterday in Geminispace I saw “Work for the sake of work” and today a friend sent me the HTML/HTTP version of the same. It makes some good points. When people do art they typically do it out of passion. As for money? Think about it. As 10cc put it, “for God’s sake…”^*

Money can sometimes come if you do what you like. Sometimes it won’t come. And that’s OK. At least you do what you like and what might serve society best, with or without reward/compensation for it.

Sometimes the best paying jobs are jobs that actively harm society. True story!

The reason everyone is forced/pressured/shamed into work (as in salaried activity) is the assumption is that without this “social norm” people would be lazy and society would not improve. It would become “unproductive”.

Work that you go to (e.g. office, workplace) out of fear or pressure is a thing that leads to misery. But capitalism does not think in terms like Maslow’s.

_____

^* Lyrics:

Gimme your body
Gimme your mind
Open your heart
Pull down your blind
Gimme your love, gimme it all
Gimme in the kitchen, gimme in the hall
Art for art's sake
Money for God's sake
Art for art's sake
Money for God's sake
Gimme the ready's
Gimme the cash
Gimme a bullet
Gimme a smash
Gimme a silver, gimme a gold
Make it a million for when I get old
Art for art's sake
Money for God's sake
Art for art's sake
Money for God's sake
Money talks so listen to it
Money talks to me
Anyone can understand it
Money can't be beat, oh no
When you get down, down to the root
Don't give a damn don't give a hoot
Still gotta keep makin the loot
Chauffeur driven
Gotta make her quick as you can
Give her lovin' make you a man
Get her in the palm of your hand
Bread from Heaven
Gimme a country
Where I can be free
Don't need the unions
Burying me
Keep me in exile the rest of my days
Burn me in hell but as long as it pays
Art for art's sake
Money for God's sake
Art for art's sake
Money for God's sake
Art for art's sake
Money for God's sake
Art for art's sake
Money for God's sake

Source

Long break between the last September 2026 match, then comes a really hard match in Anfield (October 2026)

do not look forward to the LFC match as it might be the first match for Enzo not to win. Thankfully, we’re more than 3 weeks away from that, owing to a long break. The players could use a recess.

The next match (Sunday) is here and we plan – weather permitting – to visit the park again. It’s our day to relax and the weather is expected to be cooperative.

Today we received our energy bill and I think it is our lowest in years, it’s under 70 pounds! I keep hearing from couples that pay over 200 per month, especially during winters. I attribute this to energy efficiency and a lack of nonsensical, energy-wasting gadgets. The laptops are configured to snooze when unattended and it probably helps a lot. High-voltage ‘gadgets’ (home appliances) are a luxury except a few.

In terms of expenses, we still enjoy football and need not pay for it. We can see summaries and live updates online, I can see the stadium from my desk (while seated) and hear the audience chanting when there’s a goal, booing, a near miss/hit, or penalty awarded. Sometimes it can even wake me up (if the window is open).

I think we’ve learned and got accustomed to living a simple life.

Life’s simplicity if the secret to happiness.

We studied this in University (Abraham Harold Maslow’s hierarchy of needs)

think that happiness is elusive for those who delay it (“I’ll find it when I retire” or “this weekend I’ll party hard, play hard”) or those who seek gratification by conflating money (or purchases) with joy while hating their jobs but compensating for that with salaries. If people work 40 hours a week (more or less), that latter activity can be the opposite of happiness, last a long time, and persist mentally before and after work.

They say “do what you like, money will come” (or pursue your hobby, make it profitable some way or another in the future).

To me, basics of happiness begin with the Maslow model and can be further simplified like this: get enough sleep any time you’re tired, eat well (enjoy it, don’t rush), find romance/companionship (that latter may mean pets/wildlife too, not just kids), do exercise or relax (e.g. spa) for physical/mental health. Work enough, don’t overdo it. It’s possible you spend too much if you need to work too much. And if you work too much, you’ll hate work and maybe wish to fall asleep in it (or underperform).

“The researchers were particularly interested in three psychological needs identified by self-determination theory: relatedness, or having meaningful relationships; competence, or feeling capable and effective; and autonomy, meaning that our actions feel voluntarily chosen rather than forced on us.” -“Not Money or Pleasure: Scientists Say They’ve Found The True Key to Happiness” (5 September 2026)

n capitalism, people are meant to conflate accumulation of capital (or material assets) with “success” and that sort of success is interchangeable with happiness. But this is a gross oversimplification as pursuit of capital is not in its own right joyful or pleasant. Many people derive pleasure from social things because they are, after all, “social animals”.

Those who seek improvement in their lives by working hard to gain more money may find that it’s easier for them to purchase more things or better things. But at what cost?

Also, more personal belongings can one day became liabilities or burdens. This is why many people, especially late in their lives, give things away and move into smaller, simpler places/spaces.

‘ve already asked around before writing this, as I generally wanted to ensure this observation and sentiment was not just my own.

Many decades ago a “household” (with kids, car/s etc.) could – but no longer can – be managed by a single provider or breadwinner as they called it. That sort of ended after the 1990s with stagnation of wages. Then two parents were expected to work full-time – with dashes added as it became a proper word – to attain the same income level (comparatively).

Now the couple is expected to not only work full time (for the same lifestyle) but to also work overtime.

Sometimes overtime is voluntary, but there is a hidden cost. People fall behind on critical chores like food-buying, laundry etc.

As a result of that, even with a weekend off, there is no true rest, just “catchup” ahead of Mondays.

This won’t be sustainable as it leads to mental fatigue.

Did the “architects of the system” take this into consideration?

Lack of sleep worsens the quality of work. Lack of rest makes moody people, which interferes with health of relationships (couples, parents, peers).