Comments on: Kolob and Kokaubeam http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/14/kolob-and-kokaubeam/ A Mormon Blog Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:12:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Clair http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/14/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36257 Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:18:56 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36257 JNS: …those who are highly competent at low-paying work…

That seems an oxymoron to me. Perhaps we are using the word competent in different ways. I would not consider a person highly skilled in making, say, obsolete buggy whips to be competent in adapting to society and earning wealth.

On a personal level, I am more wealthy now than when I was a student or newly married or a new parent, but I can’t say that my happiness has increased much.

]]> By: J. Nelson-Seawright http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/14/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36256 Wed, 15 Aug 2007 12:34:00 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36256 Clair, competence doesn’t explain all of the data supporting a wealth-happiness correlation. Equally successful auto mechanics in different countries have different average levels of happiness, which correlate very closely with the average wage levels of mechanics in different countries. The cross-national components of the happiness findings are generally poorly explained by competence. Furthermore, those who are highly competent at low-paying work tend to have low happiness levels. Probably the correlation is better explained by the fact that wealth lets people buy better food, clothing, shelter, health care, and other things that make people happy.

]]> By: Marcie http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/14/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36255 Wed, 15 Aug 2007 09:20:11 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36255 My brother-in-law raises mules. He also races them in competition. One year in particular, he had two mules named Kolob and Kokaubeam. Kokaubeam ran like greased lightning, and won many purses. Kolob was properly named because that mule was slower than cold tar, and thought the universe revolved around it. This is a true story.

]]> By: Jon in Austin http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/14/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36254 Wed, 15 Aug 2007 04:54:31 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36254 Re 4,

Isn’t TMQ the greatest thing since sliced bread?

]]> By: Clair http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/14/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36253 Wed, 15 Aug 2007 04:53:14 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36253 Any wealth/happiness correlations might be explained by a third factor – competence. Gaining wealth requires a certain level of competence. Maintaining happiness also requires a certain level of competence. That might explain the poor happiness results found by many lottery winners. The wealth did not increase their competence.

]]> By: Kevin Barney http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/14/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36252 Wed, 15 Aug 2007 01:31:56 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36252 Steve, you’re probably thinking of Michael T. Walton, “Professor Seixas, the Hebrew Bible, and the Book of Abraham,” Sunstone Issue 26 (1981), here.

]]> By: Joanne http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/14/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36251 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 22:39:05 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36251 I have this random memory of Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin uttering the word kokaubeam in general conference within the last 15 years. The (poor) search engine on lds.org was not helpful. Does anyone else remember this, or am I dreaming?

]]> By: C. Bidenc http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/14/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36250 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 21:09:38 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36250 Neither riches nor poverty insure happiness. However, riches, while insulating one from come of the vagaries of life, can also insulate one from feelings. Witness the poor millionaires in Silicon Valley: they aren’t really rich because there’s somebody richer.

]]> By: Ray http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/14/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36249 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 20:35:47 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36249 or you realize that one of your favorite bloggers is in high school . . .

Steve, I also love the PofGP. I really don’t care how we got it; I just love the view of eternity that we get there.

I’ve been at just about every socio-economic level short of wealthy in my life – a roller coaster ride that I hope is not finished, since I’m closer to the bottom right now than the top. FWIW, I won’t neglect my family in the process, but I prefer more than less. It might be better to give than receive, but that’s only true when you are able to give. We forget things like that sometimes.

]]> By: Steve Evans http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/14/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36248 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 20:33:27 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/08/kolob-and-kokaubeam/#comment-36248 RT, you’re right about the paradox, and it’s ultimately one that Joseph saw himself. But it’s safe to say that from our perspective, God is so great and so perfect that we cannot see past Him.

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