Originally posted by FMF "Enjoy the little things in life; maybe they are really the big things."
So says an IKEA advert that is running, as far as I know, in India, but presumably elsewhere too. Maybe they got it from someone else, but it doesn't matter here.
In so far as how your spiritual or philosophical 'framework' affects the way you live your life, how much truth is there for you in IKEA's advice?
There are no little things. It's all big, really big! 😉
Originally posted by FMF I see what you mean and I think the quote could be seen in that way. I interpreted it as meaning 'don't overlook little things as they are important too' [i.e. not "either/or"] or 'it's little things that make up the fabric of life and not just big things', but the IKEA/Vonnegut quote does have the definite article "the" before "big things" which kind of does make it sound like a choice between little and big.
Actually, it was your post, not the quote itself, that I had in mind when I wrote that. I should have been clearer. I was trying to ask if you intended an implication of "either / or" in what you wrote. Your use of the word "actually" is what made me unsure.
Originally posted by FMF I think IKEA chose it because they thought it sounded sort of wholemeal and deep and sought to attach these attributes to their cheap and cheerful products. I imagine the association they wanted potential customers to make was something along the lines of...
[i]You may think our lime and vanilla coloured prefabricated bookshelves are but a little thing but t ...[text shortened]... on and product placement is almost vulgar. So I absolutely understand your instinctive reaction.
Actually, it's much more insidious that you seem to think. Take a look at the following:
We usually assume that advertising functions mostly to tell us about the properties of a product. A particular detergent might advertise that it gets stains out better than competitors, that it smells good, and that it leaves clothes feeling fresh. We believe that these properties are ones that will help us to choose the detergent we want to buy.
However, ads also do other things. One thing they do is to take a product and to put it next to lots of other things that we already feel positively about. For example, an ad for detergent may have fresh flowers, cute babies, and sunshine in it. All of these things are ones that we probably feel pretty good about already. And repeatedly showing the detergent along with other things that we feel good about can make us feel good about the detergent, too. This transfer of our feelings from one set of items to another is called affective conditioning (the word affect means feelings).
Read the article in its entirety. If you like, then we can discuss what's going on with the quote and how it primarily appeals to a self-centered mindset and is designed to affirm it.
The IKEA ad is a bit of a philosophical atrocity in fact. The ad is for furniture?? Their juxtaposition and product placement is almost vulgar. So I absolutely understand your instinctive reaction.
My response wasn't "instinctive". The quote itself is a " philosophical atrocity". I'm not at all surprised that it strongly appeals to the likes of checkbaiter.
Originally posted by ThinkOfOne My response wasn't "instinctive". The quote itself is a " philosophical atrocity". I'm not at all surprised that it strongly appeals to the likes of checkbaiter.
It appeals to me too. Not just for the reasons I offered before, but I think attention to and appreciation of the "little things" in life can be part and parcel of a selfless and generous way to live one's life. If you think that this, instead, shows that it primarily appeals to a self-centered mindset, then that's OK. This is the kind of opinion I was hoping to canvass with this OP.
Originally posted by FMF It appeals to me too. Not just for the reasons I offered before, but I think attention to and appreciation of the "little things" in life can be part and parcel of a selfless and generous way to live one's life. If you think that this, instead, shows that it primarily appeals to a self-centered mindset, then that's OK. This is the kind of opinion I was hoping to canvass with this OP.
You seem to understand that many who post on this forum become increasingly irrational as their "world view" is threatened. As to the development of human kind, do you see that as a positive or a negative? Have you developed any theories as to the underlying cause?
Originally posted by ThinkOfOne You seem to understand that many who post on this forum become increasingly irrational as their "world view" is threatened. As to the development of human kind, do you see that as a positive or negative? Have you developed any theories as to the underlying cause?
The quote appeals to me too. I don't think the quote is a philosophical atrocity. If you seek to psychoanalyze checkbaiter over his endorsement of the quote and for the self-centered mindset you think it reveals, then you should psychoanalyze me too.
Originally posted by FMF The quote appeals to me too. I don't think the quote is a philosophical atrocity. If you seek to psychoanalyze checkbaiter over his endorsement of the quote and for the self-centered mindset you think it reveals, then you should psychoanalyze me too.
The quote appeals to me too. I don't think the quote is a philosophical atrocity.
I understood that.
If you seek to psychoanalyze checkbaiter over his endorsement of the quote and for the self-centered mindset you think it reveals, then you should psychoanalyze me too.
My prior post was general, wasn't specific to CB and was only tangentially related to the discussion that you seemed to want to drop from before. If you'd rather not discuss that tangent either that's fine. All you needed to do was say so.
Originally posted by ThinkOfOne My prior post was general, wasn't specific to CB and was only tangentially related to the discussion that you seemed to want to drop from before. If you'd rather not discuss that tangent either that's fine. All you needed to do was say so.
I don't think the Vonnegut quote is a "philosophical atrocity" or that it primarily appeals to a self-centered mindset and is designed to affirm it. I am interested in the "little things" versus "big things" issue, hence the thread, and I'm not so interested in abandoning that for your tangent so early in the proceedings. Further thoughts from you as to why the quote in the OP is a "philosophical atrocity" would be interesting. 😉
Originally posted by FMF I don't think the Vonnegut quote is a "philosophical atrocity" or that it primarily appeals to a self-centered mindset and is designed to affirm it. I am interested in the "little things" versus "big things" issue, hence the thread, and I'm not so interested in abandoning that for your tangent so early in the proceedings. Further thoughts from you as to why the quote in the OP is a "philosophical atrocity" would be interesting. 😉
The little things are the big things, once you add them all together.
Originally posted by FMF I don't think the Vonnegut quote is a "philosophical atrocity" or that it primarily appeals to a self-centered mindset and is designed to affirm it. I am interested in the "little things" versus "big things" issue, hence the thread, and I'm not so interested in abandoning that for your tangent so early in the proceedings. Further thoughts from you as to why the quote in the OP is a "philosophical atrocity" would be interesting. 😉
25 Jun '16 16:18
Enjoy the little things in life
Back to Top