materialism

[nessus@media.mit.edu (Douglas Alan)]

In article <9304020404.AA07619@pilot.njin.net> vickie@pilot.njin.net
(Vickie Mapes) writes: 

>   I've lived with this guy (Chris, not Jorn) for 11 years and I never
>   noticed that he was materialistic before. That's a new one on me.
>   We have "stuff" (hey, gotta have entertainment!) but we have no car, no
>   credit cards and live in an apartment.

I don't mean to be pendantic, but I believe that Jorn had a different
meaning of the world "materialism" in mind:

ma.te.ri.al.ism \m*-'tir-e--*-.liz-*m\ \-l*st\ \-.tir-e--*-'lis-tik\
   \-ti-k(*-)le-\ n 1a: a theory that physical matter is the only reality and
   that all being and processes and phenomena can be explained as
   manifestations or results of matter 1b: a doctrine that the only or the
   highest values or objectives lie in material well-being and in the
   furtherance of material progress 1c: a doctrine that economic or social
   change is materially caused 2: a preoccupation with or stress upon material
   rather than intellectual or spiritual things - ma.te.ri.al.ist nor ;aj

I think that the definition 1a is the one that's apropos, as opposed
to 1b.  Note that with definition 1a it is possible to be both
spiritual and a believer of materialism, if you believe that the
spirit is made of matter.

|>oug

"I wish a robot would get elected President.  That way, when he came to
 town, we could all take a shot at him and not feel too bad."  -- Jack Handey