The Giver

"Simplicity" With advances in today's technology one might consider us extremely fortunate and beneficial to have all that we do. After viewing those three pictures in class I now reconsider that notion and believe a more simple, happier lifestyle leads to the true privileges of life. "Simplicity" best describes the lifestyle that was lead roughly sixty years ago in the farm lands of the south. The three pictures presented other narrative descriptions such as: Values, pride, uncomplicated, and yes even wealth.

Values have changed dramatically over the past few decades, and I do not believe in the positive direction. It seems to me years ago values, morals, and ethics meant something to society, such as the ones I retained from just viewing a painting of hard farm life. To survive the kind of lifestyle that was lead down south on the farm land a few generations ago, values and integrity were of importance.

Wealth treasure

Wealth

Wealth in America

Bonds were formed so tightly with the family there was an aura of happiness because they valued greatly what was accomplished, and that sometimes meant simply surviving.

When I think of the word, "pride", as pertaining to a job, one tends to think of a successful, high demand, well paying career. But rarely does back-breaking, hard labor in the fields of the hot south mean a prideful job. That's today's idea of pride in the workforce. In more simplistic times, surviving and feeding your family through that exact same back-breaking labor, the word pride definitely comes to mind. If you carry a sense of pride in your work, you will not only accomplish more, but have a feeling of satisfaction knowing your family is being fed and there is a roof over their shoulders.

There was something really special about those pictures and it was hard at first to really figure out, because of the nature of them it just didn't stand out. After pondering it for a moment I finally understood what it was. An uncomplicated lifestyle does lead to wealth and happiness. "How can one have wealth if they life their lives on a field in the hot south, with no electricity?" An observer may ask after first noticing the pictures. The answer is very simple actually and so is why they are wealthy. Possessions, power, and money are not necessarily the key ingredients to wealth. Sometimes those ingredients can include food, clothing, and shelter, as in the case of the pictures. Although technological advances have improved our lives on a day to day basis, simplicity is the key to fulfilling our lives in the big scheme of things.

Wealth intention plate

Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, a...

Distribution of Wealth in Europe in the Year 2000