[extropy-chat] Why Australians will never be prosperous

[Samantha Atkins]

On Jul 8, 2005, at 10:16 AM, J. Andrew Rogers wrote:

> Dan wrote:
>
>> I thought I heard or read of similar claims with Americans?
>> I don't think a declining satisfaction will stop most people
>> from chasing after wealth.
>>
>
>
> In countries where wealth is primarily self-made, which would include
> the USA and probably Australia (but not most countries in western
> Europe), I would *expect* declining satisfaction in the wealthiest
> individuals -- it is a self-selecting population.
>
> One of the key characteristics of really successful entrepreneurs is
> that they are "hungry" by nature i.e. they are never satisfied.  In
> Silicon Valley, being "hungry" is often considered a non-negotiable
> characteristic of core team members when building new companies.

Really?  Where did you derive this conclusion?  What type of  
"hunger"?  I have been part of this particular scene for a couple of  
decades now.  I certainly look for a level of "hunger"if you will.   
But it is a deep drive or cause to make something that the players  
are passionate about.  It isn't necessarily a drive for money.  The  
best uber-geeks I have met are driven by something more than or  
besides just  money.   I know another set of extremely bright and  
often successful  people who are simply "playful".  They go for what  
appears to be fun to them even though it entails a level of effort  
that most people would never take on.

I don't see that either group is necessarily given by lack of  
satisfaction though.   For many of them although they found companies  
the business end is simply means to make the dream real.

> There
> is a strong correlation between this property and business success,
> which puts a lot of the wealth in their hands as a group.  This is  
> also
> why successful entrepreneurs rarely retire, going on to more ventures.
> They are driven toward stressful environments with hard problems to  
> tackle.
>
>
> This may not explain all of it, but I'll bet it explains some of it.
> Most successful entrepreneurs I know are as dissatisfied after they  
> have
> millions in the bank as when they were first starting out.  The  
> money is
> somewhat immaterial toward that end.  They may not be unhappy per se,
> but they are hardly ever satisfied.

If they are the driven to create types then the money is largely  
freedom to do what they wish and resource.

It is possible to be satisfied in the sense needed by happiness  
moment by moment while still striving toward goals.  Satisfaction can  
be had in the movement and effort toward goals.

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