How Much Is Enough? | It’s A Question Of Balance 16 April 2016

Broadcast on 16 April 2016 on KSCO AM 1080, KSCO 104.1 FM, KOMY AM 1340, and KSCO.com Live Stream.

It's A Question Of Balance ® radio show balances the intellectual with the creative, exploring whether we have more in common than divides us through thought-provoking conversations - out and about with people on the street on different topics, and in the studio with inspiring guests from the arts. Balance is not a compromise. Balance is truth distilled from many places creating cohesive understanding.  

Check out podcasts of the different topics and arts guests at www.itsaquestionofbalance.com

Out And About – Conversations with People on the Street about Questions That Matter: Do We Need More Than One Word For Love?

This week we consider ‘How Much Is Enough?’ In ancient ethics, there was much discussion about the link between virtue of character and happiness. Aristotle believed that to live the good life, or to flourish as a human, that predominantly we had to have and exhibit virtue, although he also thought health, wealth and beauty factored in to human flourishing. What represents quality of life for you? What constitutes ‘the good life’? 

Economics journalist Ryan Avent states in 1843 magazine that economist John Maynard Keynes mused in 1930 that a century hence society might be so rich that work hours would be cut to 10-15 hours a week. Keynes postulated “For the first time since his creation man will be faced with his real, his permanent problem - how to use his freedom from pressing economic cares, how to occupy the leisure, which science and compound interest will have won for him, to live wisely and agreeably and well”. Marx did not think endless leisure desirable, he believed that being occupied by good work was living well. We have not ended up working less. Capitalism requires an endless expansion of wants, so although it has generated great wealth, we may be caught in an insatiability trap, never quite reaching the good life. Do you feel acquiring material goods has become an end in itself? To what degree do you equate happiness with money? How much of an influence do you think the beliefs or behaviours of those around us have on our feelings about wealth and how much we want to acquire? How much is enough? 

For more info and to hear previous shows visit www.itsaquestionofbalance.com

In Out And About we consider topics with local relevance and global significance. The idea is to get us thinking about the questions that affect us all - to stimulate new thinking, or clarify what we already feel. To hear how other people’s opinions may differ from or be similar to our own.