Power, wealth won't change nature of life
Sunday, July 15, 2007
IT WAS rare for emperors to live long lives in ancient Chinese dynasties. Some emperors were later found to have poisoned themselves to early deaths after hiring quack doctors to make certain medicines, which they believed would keep them young forever, but proved to be fatal.
They, as emperors, considered themselves tianzi (sons of the Heaven), and had limitless power, thousands of concubines and absolute freedom to have their needs met and desires satisfied.
As a result, they considered their lives more worthy than their subjects and cherished the dream of keeping themselves alive permanently. Ironically, they would have lived longer had they been ordinary folks.
Nowadays, quite powerful or wealthy people are not silly enough to follow the examples of those emperors or kings. But some of them hold perceptions similar to those of ancient celebrities.
For example, some wealthy people in China squander their money on such delicacies as shark fins, snakes, monkey heads and other endangered animals. They believe the more money they spend on the food they eat, the more healthy they will likely become.
The flaw of this logic is that the price of a food is directly connected with its nutritious value. But that is hardly the case. In reality, the price of food is dependent on how rare it is. Such dishes made of shark fin, esculent swift's nests, hedgehog fungus, rare snakes, monkey heads or pangolins are prohibitively expensive simply because they are quite rare and hard to get.
Some nutritionists also suggest that many of the expensive foods made of rare animals are not necessarily more nutritious than the ordinary meat we usually eat.
Then why do wealthy people choose to eat those things?
It may be because they are the few who can afford such expensive food, which has added to their sense of complacency and pride because they never think twice before ordering such dishes. Eating such rare animals, in this sense, has become a matter of vanity.
Behind these perceptions are the misconception that the emperors and millionaires believe their supreme power or fortune can make a difference to the nature of their lives.
But except for materialistic changes, nothing can change the nature of life. So leading one's life as it is is the best way to enjoy life, however powerful or wealthy a person is.
China Daily
They, as emperors, considered themselves tianzi (sons of the Heaven), and had limitless power, thousands of concubines and absolute freedom to have their needs met and desires satisfied.
As a result, they considered their lives more worthy than their subjects and cherished the dream of keeping themselves alive permanently. Ironically, they would have lived longer had they been ordinary folks.
Nowadays, quite powerful or wealthy people are not silly enough to follow the examples of those emperors or kings. But some of them hold perceptions similar to those of ancient celebrities.
For example, some wealthy people in China squander their money on such delicacies as shark fins, snakes, monkey heads and other endangered animals. They believe the more money they spend on the food they eat, the more healthy they will likely become.
The flaw of this logic is that the price of a food is directly connected with its nutritious value. But that is hardly the case. In reality, the price of food is dependent on how rare it is. Such dishes made of shark fin, esculent swift's nests, hedgehog fungus, rare snakes, monkey heads or pangolins are prohibitively expensive simply because they are quite rare and hard to get.
Some nutritionists also suggest that many of the expensive foods made of rare animals are not necessarily more nutritious than the ordinary meat we usually eat.
Then why do wealthy people choose to eat those things?
It may be because they are the few who can afford such expensive food, which has added to their sense of complacency and pride because they never think twice before ordering such dishes. Eating such rare animals, in this sense, has become a matter of vanity.
Behind these perceptions are the misconception that the emperors and millionaires believe their supreme power or fortune can make a difference to the nature of their lives.
But except for materialistic changes, nothing can change the nature of life. So leading one's life as it is is the best way to enjoy life, however powerful or wealthy a person is.
China Daily
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