What Do YOU Define As "Luxury?" And What Would YOU Consider to Be "Luxurious"?

[seoulsearch]

Hey Everyone,

I started thinking about this as I was reading @Karlon's intriguing thread in Misc. that asked, "What Is Something You've Never Owned?"

When I saw one person jokingly say that they'd never own a Lamborghini, I was curious as to how Christians define "luxury." Now of course, Christians can have fine or luxurious tastes just like anyone else -- but I'm guessing many Christians might also have a different perspective of luxury than the outside world.

People interviewed on the social commentary channels I listen to mostly saw luxury as expensive things or places that put them "above" "everyone else."

A quick Google search defines "Luxury" as:

"Luxury means a state of great comfort, ease, and rich surroundings, or something pleasant and expensive that you do not truly need. It involves using or having high-cost, high quality things that go far beyond basic daily needs, like:

1. Extra comfort -- Living with the best physical ease and rich surroundings.

2. A Non-Essential Treat -- Something nice to have or experience that is not required for survival.

3. High Cost and Wealth -- Goods or services that cost a lot of money and show high social status and a large income.

4. Rarity and Time -- Having access to privacy, personal freedom, or saved time that ordinary life does not offer."


* How would you personally define luxury?

* What is something you would find to be luxurious in each of the 4 categories above? (A night with your family? A weekend with your spouse? Something you've had on your shopping list? A new vehicle? A dream vacation? A few hours of uninterrupted Bible study? For singles -- a much-anticipated date? Etc...)

* Do you see regular luxuries as important to your mental health, or something you can truly go without (or somewhere in between?)


Here's my own example:

I see luxury as anything I know I should be extra grateful for.

1. Extra comfort -- I'd love to have one of the roomier seats on the plane when flying, but being a smaller person, it's not critical, so I never upgrade.

2. A Non-Essential Treat -- A food item I normally restrict or a useful but unnecessary item that makes me smile (new cartoon T-shirt, dishtowel with a cute character, etc.)

3. High Cost and Wealth -- A trip that's truly for fun, and not just to work (definitely rare.)

4. Rarity and Time -- A day off with no agenda is the ultimate luxury to me -- leisurely morning coffee and Bible reading, then being able to do whatever I want for the rest of the day.

I find that time to pull back from the world is my "luxurious necessity." I don't function nearly as well if I don't get that time.

Now sure, there are things I'd love to go hog-wild on that would cost a lot of money -- but I'm most grateful for the "quiet luxuries" that I can afford to take most often -- rather than the ones I can only dream of from afar.

How about your?

What are YOUR favorite luxuries, and why?

 

[RodB651]

4. Rarity and Time -- A day off with no agenda is the ultimate luxury to me -- leisurely morning coffee and Bible reading, then being able to do whatever I want for the rest of the day.

This is a true luxury!!!

 

[JohnDB]

Was a time I felt like coffee and cocoa was a luxury.
Now? Cocoa is a luxury....its tripled in price. Huge shortage for chocolate.

Chocolate is a huge luxury good these days.

It didnt used to be....but it is now.

 

[RodB651]

Shortages of chocolate???

The apocalypse is truly near!

 

[Tall_Timbers]

I'm struggling over the question of luxury. I recently completed a nearly 6000 mile road trip. I had my older son in the car with me when driving from D.C. to North Carolina. I told him that if I was super rich it would be worth it to either have my own private jet and a pilot on the payroll or to own a share in a jet that I could use whenever I wanted it.

If I were super rich, that jet wouldn't be a luxury, it would fulfill a travel need better than driving or flying commercial, and I could see my children more often. If I wasn't wealthy enough to easily own such a thing along with the necessary skilled staff, then having a private jet would be a heavy burden and therefore not a good idea.

There are stores that cater to the rich, selling things that you can buy for much less for much more. Is a $20,000 purse or watch really a luxury item though? I would classify it as ridiculous. Would I see it differently if I was a billionaire? I don't know because I'm not. i can't even afford a private jet.

I'm trying not to fly commercial anymore, but when I was I'd started flying first class. I'm fairly tall, have several physical disabilities, and at least one that comes with chronic pain, and after getting a couple of free upgrades to first class I couldn't go back to coach because I just don't quite fit in a coach seat and traveling that way was mild torture. Flying first class wasn't a luxury, it was a need given my situation. A couple years ago I was invited to go to China with my brother and his Chinese wife. When I saw what it would cost to fly first class I declined to make the trip. It would have cost more than I was willing to pay for transportation there and back...

Would a private yacht be a luxury? It would be a tremendous burden if I couldn't afford to buy it, maintain it, and pay the staff necessary. Yes, in my case it would be a burden. If I was a billionaire and money wasn't an issue, would it be a luxury? If I needed something like that to unwind and relax and maybe to help me see clearly to make good business decisions for my business empire, then it would fulfill a need, and therefore not be a luxury.

Because I'm not attracted to status or status symbols, I guess a lot of things that a person might see as luxury items, like expensive watches, purses, etc., I see as signs of a foolish person who has them. But if I was attracted to status and its symbols I suspect my outlook would be different.

There are some positions in life that require one to go more upscale. I do just fine wearing cargo pants and bib overalls, and driving a Ford truck, but I have a brother who is an accountant. He has his own firm and his clients are wealthy. He simply can't dress like me nor drive the vehicles that I drive. He has to have numerous fairly expensive suits because it isn't hard to tell the difference between a Men's Warehouse suit and a nice quality and fairly expensive suit. He can't drive a Ford or Chevy, he needs to drive something more along the lines of a Lexus, Mercedes Benz, or Lincoln. Those more upscale things are required for his profession if he wants to have the clients he has. For me, I guess they'd be a luxury if I wanted them, but I don't.

What I think I'm getting at in too many words is what might be luxury for one person may be a need for another. A luxury for me would be a Kobe rib-eye steak cut 2" thick. I'll probably never have that, I've had to settle for a Waygu rib-eye, which I've had a couple of times and that is a luxury for me, but something I was compelled to buy when I saw how beautifully marbled it was. The Costco nearest us down in Colorado stocks some Waygu and only on a couple of trips of many did they have Waygu that looked so good that I couldn't pass it up.

Would a Lamborghini Revuelto be a luxury? Yes, but I would be a fool to purchase one because getting in and out would endanger my damaged lower back. I'd be smarter to buy a Lamborghini Urus if I wanted a luxury vehicle. But, I'll stick with my Ford truck because I like that choice better.

As for time, I like to have something to do or someplace to go. I'm retired now so free time isn't the luxury it was when I was younger, working, and raising a family. I still have too much to do, in my opinion, just keeping the property and whatnot taken care of. It's rare when I don't have a list of things that need done that I'm not doing.

I've been a careful steward of the funds I've been given throughout my life. Now that I'm old and my days are limited I find it a little easier to loosen the strings on the pouch that holds the coins, at least for certain things.

 

[BigO25]

Over priced for those who can?

 

[dkontner]

Anything beyond shelter, food and clothing is a luxury to me.

 

[BigO25]

I'm struggling over the question of luxury. I recently completed a nearly 6000 mile road trip. I had my older son in the car with me when driving from D.C. to North Carolina. I told him that if I was super rich it would be worth it to either have my own private jet and a pilot on the payroll or to own a share in a jet that I could use whenever I wanted it.

If I were super rich, that jet wouldn't be a luxury, it would fulfill a travel need better than driving or flying commercial, and I could see my children more often. If I wasn't wealthy enough to easily own such a thing along with the necessary skilled staff, then having a private jet would be a heavy burden and therefore not a good idea.

There are stores that cater to the rich, selling things that you can buy for much less for much more. Is a $20,000 purse or watch really a luxury item though? I would classify it as ridiculous. Would I see it differently if I was a billionaire? I don't know because I'm not. i can't even afford a private jet.

I'm trying not to fly commercial anymore, but when I was I'd started flying first class. I'm fairly tall, have several physical disabilities, and at least one that comes with chronic pain, and after getting a couple of free upgrades to first class I couldn't go back to coach because I just don't quite fit in a coach seat and traveling that way was mild torture. Flying first class wasn't a luxury, it was a need given my situation. A couple years ago I was invited to go to China with my brother and his Chinese wife. When I saw what it would cost to fly first class I declined to make the trip. It would have cost more than I was willing to pay for transportation there and back...

Would a private yacht be a luxury? It would be a tremendous burden if I couldn't afford to buy it, maintain it, and pay the staff necessary. Yes, in my case it would be a burden. If I was a billionaire and money wasn't an issue, would it be a luxury? If I needed something like that to unwind and relax and maybe to help me see clearly to make good business decisions for my business empire, then it would fulfill a need, and therefore not be a luxury.

Because I'm not attracted to status or status symbols, I guess a lot of things that a person might see as luxury items, like expensive watches, purses, etc., I see as signs of a foolish person who has them. But if I was attracted to status and its symbols I suspect my outlook would be different.

There are some positions in life that require one to go more upscale. I do just fine wearing cargo pants and bib overalls, and driving a Ford truck, but I have a brother who is an accountant. He has his own firm and his clients are wealthy. He simply can't dress like me nor drive the vehicles that I drive. He has to have numerous fairly expensive suits because it isn't hard to tell the difference between a Men's Warehouse suit and a nice quality and fairly expensive suit. He can't drive a Ford or Chevy, he needs to drive something more along the lines of a Lexus, Mercedes Benz, or Lincoln. Those more upscale things are required for his profession if he wants to have the clients he has. For me, I guess they'd be a luxury if I wanted them, but I don't.

What I think I'm getting at in too many words is what might be luxury for one person may be a need for another. A luxury for me would be a Kobe rib-eye steak cut 2" thick. I'll probably never have that, I've had to settle for a Waygu rib-eye, which I've had a couple of times and that is a luxury for me, but something I was compelled to buy when I saw how beautifully marbled it was. The Costco nearest us down in Colorado stocks some Waygu and only on a couple of trips of many did they have Waygu that looked so good that I couldn't pass it up.

Would a Lamborghini Revuelto be a luxury? Yes, but I would be a fool to purchase one because getting in and out would endanger my damaged lower back. I'd be smarter to buy a Lamborghini Urus if I wanted a luxury vehicle. But, I'll stick with my Ford truck because I like that choice better.

As for time, I like to have something to do or someplace to go. I'm retired now so free time isn't the luxury it was when I was younger, working, and raising a family. I still have too much to do, in my opinion, just keeping the property and whatnot taken care of. It's rare when I don't have a list of things that need done that I'm not doing.

I've been a careful steward of the funds I've been given throughout my life. Now that I'm old and my days are limited I find it a little easier to loosen the strings on the pouch that holds the coins, at least for certain things.

Good post! You seem to be doing well for yourself!! Thank Jesus!

 

[Lynx]

God does luxuries.

Flowers have no practical value. But they sure are pretty. Even Sherlock Holmes remarked on it.

For that matter God could have made one fruit that provided all the essential vitamins and minerals. But God seems to be an artist.

 

[Lynx]

Separate thought, separate post:

Without luxuries, life wouldn't be much worth living.

I tried to keep my question, are my luxuries interfering with what I should be doing? If they are, they should be cut back.

 

[GardenofWeeden]

God does luxuries.

Flowers have no practical value. But they sure are pretty. Even Sherlock Holmes remarked on it.

For that matter God could have made one fruit that provided all the essential vitamins and minerals. But God seems to be an artist.

Not to take anything away from ol' SHerlock there, as I am a fan of his works. However, as an amateur herbalist(or a hippie as my kids call me), I can attest to the many, MANY values, visually, health-wise, and even food-wise, of most flowers , especially the weeds. eat your dandelions already!! haha But I do agree that God used a true artistic view and some amazingly intriguing yet beautiful touches when creating the world!!

To me a luxury is something we don't "need" to survive, but makes surviving easier, more enjoyable OR fulfilling. I can use a pen and paper to write, or even a charcoal and a piece of bark, but using my laptop to write this is faster, easier, cleaner and more people can read it. I sorta believe that human kind was/is God's luxury. We were created for His joy, In all the amazing beauty of the world, the most amazing discovery (to me) was realizing that I am/ we are considered His masterpiece. How fulfilled must God feel when another child comes to HIm. Kinda a beautiful thought. Happy Sunday!!

 

[NightTwister]

Things don't do much for me anymore. For me, luxury is experiences. I want to hike the Dolomites, visit Greece, Africa and Australia.

So far I've been to 44 states, 30 countries, 4 continents. Things eventually go in the trash. Memories do not.

 

[Karlon]

Hey Everyone,

I started thinking about this as I was reading @Karlon's intriguing thread in Misc. that asked, "What Is Something You've Never Owned?"

When I saw one person jokingly say that they'd never own a Lamborghini, I was curious as to how Christians define "luxury." Now of course, Christians can have fine or luxurious tastes just like anyone else -- but I'm guessing many Christians might also have a different perspective of luxury than the outside world.

People interviewed on the social commentary channels I listen to mostly saw luxury as expensive things or places that put them "above" "everyone else."

A quick Google search defines "Luxury" as:

"Luxury means a state of great comfort, ease, and rich surroundings, or something pleasant and expensive that you do not truly need. It involves using or having high-cost, high quality things that go far beyond basic daily needs, like:

1. Extra comfort -- Living with the best physical ease and rich surroundings.

2. A Non-Essential Treat -- Something nice to have or experience that is not required for survival.

3. High Cost and Wealth -- Goods or services that cost a lot of money and show high social status and a large income.

4. Rarity and Time -- Having access to privacy, personal freedom, or saved time that ordinary life does not offer."


* How would you personally define luxury?

* What is something you would find to be luxurious in each of the 4 categories above? (A night with your family? A weekend with your spouse? Something you've had on your shopping list? A new vehicle? A dream vacation? A few hours of uninterrupted Bible study? For singles -- a much-anticipated date? Etc...)

* Do you see regular luxuries as important to your mental health, or something you can truly go without (or somewhere in between?)


Here's my own example:

I see luxury as anything I know I should be extra grateful for.

1. Extra comfort -- I'd love to have one of the roomier seats on the plane when flying, but being a smaller person, it's not critical, so I never upgrade.

2. A Non-Essential Treat -- A food item I normally restrict or a useful but unnecessary item that makes me smile (new cartoon T-shirt, dishtowel with a cute character, etc.)

3. High Cost and Wealth -- A trip that's truly for fun, and not just to work (definitely rare.)

4. Rarity and Time -- A day off with no agenda is the ultimate luxury to me -- leisurely morning coffee and Bible reading, then being able to do whatever I want for the rest of the day.

I find that time to pull back from the world is my "luxurious necessity." I don't function nearly as well if I don't get that time.

Now sure, there are things I'd love to go hog-wild on that would cost a lot of money -- but I'm most grateful for the "quiet luxuries" that I can afford to take most often -- rather than the ones I can only dream of from afar.

How about your?

What are YOUR favorite luxuries, and why?

now-a-days & in recent decades, that has become a delicate question. why? because the very 1st thing people will think is that you are bragging on what you have, where you've been, what you own, who you know, etc. in the past, i have received negative comments because i did this, that & everything else, been here & there, ate gourmet food & so on. it was never my intention to brag, didn't even think of it. my intention was to get people motivated because i saw enough postings of people mentioning that they never had this or the other, they never went anywhere, they can't afford nice things, they don't have ambition, they wished they could get started on something but are afraid of risk or all they do is watch tv. the meaning of the question has escaped some readers. it's "what have never owned THAT MOST PEOPLE OWN"! most people don't own lamborghini's. i think a luxury is anything that you never experience but 1 day you did experience it. something very rare in your life. something as simple as someone going to florida which is very common or attending a resort area. or hosting your 1st pool party. & by course, the "big' things like a vacation to hawaii, eating the world's best steak like hickory grilled rib eyes, kobe from japan, tomahawk steak, could be shrimp & caviar. you get the picture.
1. extra comfort: caribbean vacations, staying at the waldorf astoria, having servants, gourmet restaurants, best seats at ball games, class rooms on cruise ships, wine as in chateau lafite rothschild, bordeaux, rohnes, etc.
2. antiques, rare coins
3. Broadway plays, expensive hotel rooms, former sony club at yankee stadium, back stage passes at SPAC
4. private pools on cruise ships, private tables at restaurants

 

[Karlon]

Things don't do much for me anymore. For me, luxury is experiences. I want to hike the Dolomites, visit Greece, Africa and Australia.

So far I've been to 44 states, 30 countries, 4 continents. Things eventually go in the trash. Memories do not.

that must be an everlasting cherished memory for you. happy to hear you were adventurous.

 

[Lynx]

Hey Everyone,

I started thinking about this as I was reading @Karlon's intriguing thread in Misc. that asked, "What Is Something You've Never Owned?"

When I saw one person jokingly say that they'd never own a Lamborghini, I was curious as to how Christians define "luxury." Now of course, Christians can have fine or luxurious tastes just like anyone else -- but I'm guessing many Christians might also have a different perspective of luxury than the outside world.

People interviewed on the social commentary channels I listen to mostly saw luxury as expensive things or places that put them "above" "everyone else."

A quick Google search defines "Luxury" as:

"Luxury means a state of great comfort, ease, and rich surroundings, or something pleasant and expensive that you do not truly need. It involves using or having high-cost, high quality things that go far beyond basic daily needs, like:

1. Extra comfort -- Living with the best physical ease and rich surroundings.

2. A Non-Essential Treat -- Something nice to have or experience that is not required for survival.

3. High Cost and Wealth -- Goods or services that cost a lot of money and show high social status and a large income.

4. Rarity and Time -- Having access to privacy, personal freedom, or saved time that ordinary life does not offer."


* How would you personally define luxury?

* What is something you would find to be luxurious in each of the 4 categories above? (A night with your family? A weekend with your spouse? Something you've had on your shopping list? A new vehicle? A dream vacation? A few hours of uninterrupted Bible study? For singles -- a much-anticipated date? Etc...)

* Do you see regular luxuries as important to your mental health, or something you can truly go without (or somewhere in between?)


Here's my own example:

I see luxury as anything I know I should be extra grateful for.

1. Extra comfort -- I'd love to have one of the roomier seats on the plane when flying, but being a smaller person, it's not critical, so I never upgrade.

2. A Non-Essential Treat -- A food item I normally restrict or a useful but unnecessary item that makes me smile (new cartoon T-shirt, dishtowel with a cute character, etc.)

3. High Cost and Wealth -- A trip that's truly for fun, and not just to work (definitely rare.)

4. Rarity and Time -- A day off with no agenda is the ultimate luxury to me -- leisurely morning coffee and Bible reading, then being able to do whatever I want for the rest of the day.

I find that time to pull back from the world is my "luxurious necessity." I don't function nearly as well if I don't get that time.

Now sure, there are things I'd love to go hog-wild on that would cost a lot of money -- but I'm most grateful for the "quiet luxuries" that I can afford to take most often -- rather than the ones I can only dream of from afar.

How about your?

What are YOUR favorite luxuries, and why?

How far back do you want to go with this? Ultimately almost everything we have is a luxury, more than absolutely necessary. We have a car instead of walking everywhere. We go to the grocery store instead of growing our own food. Don't get me started on air conditioning.

But I sure am glad we have an easier way to live than our ancestors used to have.

 

[Karlon]

How far back do you want to go with this? Ultimately almost everything we have is a luxury, more than absolutely necessary. We have a car instead of walking everywhere. We go to the grocery store instead of growing our own food. Don't get me started on air conditioning.

But I sure am glad we have an easier way to live than our ancestors used to have.

that shows appreciation at a high level. my comments to you.

 

[Lanolin]

Well I don't live the luxe life, that's for sure

Cristal. Maybach
Diamonds on your timepiece
Jet planes. Islands
Tigers on a gold leash.

I'll never be Royal

or Posh.

I have to really think hard of what luxury for me is. Maybe it's something you dream about, like a desire but don't have yet.

I think we take a lot of mod cons for granted now, because technology has moved on. In the past, a carphone or mobile phone was very expensive and they looked like bricks and cost a pretty penny. Now smartphones are ubiquitous. (but some are still expensive).

A brand new car would be a luxury because there are lots of new things cars now have bells and whistles, air con, power steering, keyless entry, reversing cameras, blind spot sensors, gps maps, electric windows, maybe hybrid or electric , things like apple car play all of which are now standard in the new makes and models.

I remember there used to be a tv show called 'Beyond 2000' and it was all about the wonderful tech we could expect in the future. Things that would make life easier, and faster, and convenient. Anyone growing up now would be a 'digital native' and wouldn't reallly know anything else.

This would be how like 'Survivor' is. I always thought this show was silly and only for people with first world problems, because any true islander would not subject themselves to living a life without. I mean Pacific Islanders had to evacuate their own homelands because of rising sea levels, and here are rich well off people thinking its cool to take a week out of their lives to play at being Islanders for their own survival. For a game. ?! This is not 'reality'. It's some kind of fantasy land.

 

[seoulsearch]

Was a time I felt like coffee and cocoa was a luxury.
Now? Cocoa is a luxury....its tripled in price. Huge shortage for chocolate.

Chocolate is a huge luxury good these days.

It didnt used to be....but it is now.

A few years ago, the financial channels I listened to were talking about the Hershey company as a possible investment to consider (I know true chocolate lovers will shun Hershey, but I'm just using it as an example.

One of the major headwinds mentioned, even then, was the price of cocoa beans, and a report that storms had demolished crops to the point where it would take years to replace them -- predicting sky-high prices in the future -- which have now come to fruition.

I'm sure you know that Hershey got in trouble not long ago because they cut back the amount of cocoa used in their products, to the point where the label couldn't call it "chocolate", but just generic candy.

There was a major public backlash, to the point where Hershey had to backtrack and say it would return to their original recipes.

Except that course, the packages and portions are now much smaller, but with higher price tags -- and there are no longer discounts after major holidays.

50% off chocolate after a holiday was something many of us looked forward to -- but this past Easter, you were lucky to find anything $1 off (at least, in this area.)

 

[seoulsearch]

I'm struggling over the question of luxury. I recently completed a nearly 6000 mile road trip. I had my older son in the car with me when driving from D.C. to North Carolina. I told him that if I was super rich it would be worth it to either have my own private jet and a pilot on the payroll or to own a share in a jet that I could use whenever I wanted it.

If I were super rich, that jet wouldn't be a luxury, it would fulfill a travel need better than driving or flying commercial, and I could see my children more often. If I wasn't wealthy enough to easily own such a thing along with the necessary skilled staff, then having a private jet would be a heavy burden and therefore not a good idea.


What I think I'm getting at in too many words is what might be luxury for one person may be a need for another. A luxury for me would be a Kobe rib-eye steak cut 2" thick. I'll probably never have that, I've had to settle for a Waygu rib-eye, which I've had a couple of times and that is a luxury for me, but something I was compelled to buy when I saw how beautifully marbled it was. The Costco nearest us down in Colorado stocks some Waygu and only on a couple of trips of many did they have Waygu that looked so good that I couldn't pass it up.

Would a Lamborghini Revuelto be a luxury? Yes, but I would be a fool to purchase one because getting in and out would endanger my damaged lower back. I'd be smarter to buy a Lamborghini Urus if I wanted a luxury vehicle. But, I'll stick with my Ford truck because I like that choice better.

As for time, I like to have something to do or someplace to go. I'm retired now so free time isn't the luxury it was when I was younger, working, and raising a family. I still have too much to do, in my opinion, just keeping the property and whatnot taken care of. It's rare when I don't have a list of things that need done that I'm not doing.

I've been a careful steward of the funds I've been given throughout my life. Now that I'm old and my days are limited I find it a little easier to loosen the strings on the pouch that holds the coins, at least for certain things.

How far back do you want to go with this? Ultimately almost everything we have is a luxury, more than absolutely necessary. We have a car instead of walking everywhere. We go to the grocery store instead of growing our own food. Don't get me started on air conditioning.

But I sure am glad we have an easier way to live than our ancestors used to have.

@Tall_Timbers, thank you for this detailed and beautiful illustration of how luxury is something incredibly subjective.

I've always thought it would be cool to have a private plane, because even though I'm short and don't have disabilities, commercial air travel has become a big pain in the blessed assurance. I can't even imagine how bad it must be for people who are tall and have other physical challenges.

I hope I can say this without offending anyone, but I'm a short and medium-sized person, and my seat on the plane is almost always next to a larger person who spills into half my seat. I can't put my arm on the armrest (which I prefer) because half their body is already leaning over the armrest and into my space.

Now, please know that I have many friends of all shapes and sizes so I greatly sympathize with many different people -- because if I'm uncomfortable, it has to be downright torture for them.

But if I can be honest, I do get annoyed that I've paid for a full seat -- and often have a complete stranger nearly sharing it with me.
(My sincere apologies if I've offended anyone.) I try to "scoot over" -- cling to the other half of my seat -- to give the person extra space, but it's not very comfortable for either of us, I'm sure, as I'm basically sitting on one butt cheek the whole time.

This is another reason why I'll always choose or pay a little more for an aisle seat. The window and middle seats feel claustrophobic to me as it is, and if I were boxed in by people larger than me -- I would probably feel sick (due no space or air) and get even more nauseated than usual.

A private plane would be a true luxury, and if I were able to have one, I'd love to use it to help out friends and family.

But then you also have to think about, what if someone got sick or had a heart attack on your plane and they sue you -- suddenly, it just becomes an enormous liability. (But I'll never have that kind of money so I won't ever have to worry about it!)


Lynx's post also hones in how relative "luxury" is.

I live in a "nice" area, but it's rampant with homelessness and drugs. Weed shops are everywhere and considered a normal part of everyday life. Fentanyl is said to be a scourge, and you never really know who or what you're dealing with.

The average home price in this area is half a million dollars -- a luxury for almost anyone. Unfortunately, it's almost necessary if you don't want to be living next to a homeless shanty, because they are everywhere -- under the highway bypasses, anywhere there is public ground or areas covered by trees, corner plots of neighborhoods, and behind dumpsters near gas stations and businesses.

There is a homeless man who regularly attends the church I go to -- I don't know where he stays at night. I often see him walking up and down the side of the roads during the week. I don't think he's even 40, and has both physical and mental disabilities. The people at church seem to know him and some talk to him regularly. I'm sure, of course, that along with the people welcoming him, he also comes for the coffee and donuts after the service.

After all, aren't most of us, if we're honest, at least just a little tempted by food at a church event?

But to this man, 3 meals a day would be a true luxury.

I don't know if he has a tent to stay in, but for someone who doesn't, having a tent to sleep in would be a luxury.

And to the person in the tent, someone who has a permanent shelter, running water, and electricity is surely living high on the hog.

I listen to a lot of social channels in which people are screaming about the evil rich, and I get that -- there is, of course some truth in what's said.

But what often floors me is that these people are posting on phones that must have cost a pretty penny, because they have good cameras; the women have manicured nails, $300 highlights in their hair, and an $8 cup of Starbucks in their hand; the men are often posting from within an SUV, truck, or other nice-looking vehicle...

I understand that the USA is going through a lot of economic problems.

But I always wonder, do these people not know that their having access to the internet and a flushing toilet in their living space, not to mention all the other things they're showing online, already makes them among the richest people in the world?

I'm certainly not against having nice things -- when one can truly afford them.

I'm just dismayed that people often seem to forget that they're already surrounded by luxury and won't help themselves by putting themselves on a more realistic budget.

I didn't watch the World Cup -- but I was fascinated by all the YouTube videos of Europeans who didn't want to go home -- because they had fallen in love with the American luxury of having air conditioning almost everywhere.

I guess it's like the old saying goes, "You don't know what you have -- until it's gone."

 

[seoulsearch]

God does luxuries.

Flowers have no practical value. But they sure are pretty. Even Sherlock Holmes remarked on it.

For that matter God could have made one fruit that provided all the essential vitamins and minerals. But God seems to be an artist.

Separate thought, separate post:

Without luxuries, life wouldn't be much worth living.

I tried to keep my question, are my luxuries interfering with what I should be doing? If they are, they should be cut back.

Excellent thoughts.

I've always been amazed by how many shades of colors there are -- like painters can use 1000 different colors in one scene to depict nature, but it still can't match what God does.

Color is a luxury to me, and always seems to help my depression just a little bit.

If I ever went color-blind, it would be a huge detriment to my mental health.