The Real Luxuries In Life
A blog post listing “real luxuries” like time, health, a quiet mind, slow mornings, and loving relationships prompted readers to contrast these with the more obvious role of money. Many agree that freedom, peace of mind and meaningful work or hobbies matter more than accumulating wealth, but argue that financial security is often the prerequisite that makes such intangibles possible. Others note how life stage, parenting, health, and culture radically change which “luxuries” are attainable, and debate whether reducing one’s desires or dependencies is itself the highest form of comfort.
Money, Wealth & Happiness
- Many see money as instrumental: it removes stress about basics (rent, food, healthcare) and enables time for the listed “luxuries,” but doesn’t scale linearly with happiness.
- Several comments reference evidence or intuition that happiness grows roughly logarithmically with income; self‑reported happiness as a metric is questioned.
- Above a certain point, wealth accumulation is compared to a “clicker game” or score‑keeping; the ultra‑rich are framed as playing a game rather than buying proportionate happiness.
- Some argue everyone always wants ~50% more money, regardless of current wealth, illustrating Goodhart’s Law in action.
Time, Work & Autonomy
- Time, slow mornings, calm days, and rest without guilt are widely endorsed as core luxuries.
- Autonomy at work is seen as more important than not working; meaningful work that supports self‑actualization is celebrated.
- Others counter that without a job you can’t enjoy “slow mornings” because of financial precarity; jobs themselves may become a “luxury.”
Health and Its Dependence on Wealth
- Health is often ranked as the top prerequisite; it determines both quality and quantity of time.
- Multiple commenters stress that staying healthy is easier if you’re wealthy (better food, safer environments, time to exercise, superior healthcare, private clinics).
Family, Children & Relationships
- Time with (adult) children and grandchildren is described as a profound, sometimes incomparable joy.
- Parent–child relationships often improve after kids move out; distance enables meeting as peers.
- Others report never enjoying time with parents or feeling no desire for children; some say parental love is hard to fully grasp without being a parent, which is debated.
- Raising young kids is described as largely incompatible with many items on the list (sleep, quiet mind, time), yet still viewed as worth the trade.
Needs, Desires & “Real” Luxury
- One strong thread argues that true luxury is having few dependencies: not needing status, constant information, travel, or even being loved to be content.
- This is criticized as either unrealistic, joyless, or akin to certain philosophical/religious ideals (e.g., Buddhism, Stoicism).
Place, Travel & Time Perception
- Some prize freedom to travel; others value not needing to travel and finding contentment at home.
- Subjective time is linked to novelty and memory density: routines make years blur, while new experiences (travel, seasons, meditation retreats, journaling) can make time feel fuller or slower.
Privilege, Inequality & Skepticism
- Several note that the list reflects the vantage point of someone older, wealthy, and/or retired; for many, money and job security are prior, unmentioned “luxuries.”
- There’s tension between romanticizing simple living (rural villages, low desires) and acknowledging real hardships (healthcare, income shocks).
- Some appreciate the list as aspirational; others dismiss it as out‑of‑touch “rich old man” advice or reduce it to “TL;DR: be rich.”