Its strange how friends described her
as a simple girl.
Simple people are by defination
people with simple
needs and wants.
But my observation is
simple people
are far from simple.
They protrayed simplicity
because they have developed
a tough survival instinct,
a psychological immunity
to adversity,
thus making them
very complex
and psychologically advanced
human beings.
Human beings have
unlimited needs and wants,
that is a well known
economic fact.
Our entire capitalistic society
feeds on our
unlimited needs and wants.
We are always chasing
the last dollar.
Always chasing
for that so called improvement
in our quality of life.
When we can only be happy
with a bigger car,
a more glamourous condo,
a fatter bank account,
a multiplying investment portfolio,
a further luxury holiday.
But all these
serve as nothing much more
than bragging rights.
It is like our entire self esteem
is based on our capacity
to show off.
But that is capitalism.
Capitalism is not going to work,
if Orchard Road or Vivocity
are filled with
Buddhist monks.
I think we all know
the deception of capitalism.
A 300% increase in price
does not commensurate with
a 300% increase in satisfaction.
A $5 lamb chop in a HDB kopitiam
costs 10 times less
than at Raffles Grill
but the satisfaction
is no where near
10 times more.
The equation is balanced
only by an added capacity
to brag to others,
having dined at
Raffles Grill.
How do simple people
thus become happy?
Being humans,
they too are subjected
to unlimited needs and wants.
The difference is
short of attaining
unlimited needs and wants,
they've learnt
to appreciate
what they already have.
We think,
we have to find
happiness,
they know
that happiness
is already found
within.
They know,
if you need somethings
or even someone,
in order to be happy,
you're not gonna be very happy,
after getting them anyway.
Not as though,
they are immuned
from wanting to enjoy
a lamb chop
at Raffles Grill.
Just that they know
eating at Raffles Grill,
is much nicer
when you are eating
with someone
you love.
Happiness is
when what you worked hard for
is being shared
with someone
you love.
And ironically,
it can be found
equally
at a HDB kopi tiam
and at Raffles Grill.
