Do you agree that nothing is free in this world?
By scheng1
@scheng1 (24649)
Singapore
August 2, 2009 5:56am CST
We often heard that there is no such thing as free lunch, and that nothing is free in this world.
Once in the library, we met a few Buddhists giving out free books and free videos. I wanted to take the free books, my mother disagreed. She said that those who sponsored the free books were doing it for the purpose of good karma. She said that when we took the book, we were helping them building up their good karma, and that we had to do more good deeds for good karma. She mentioned that nothing is free.
I disagree with her.
I believe that many things in life are still free. The air is free. The water cycle is still free.
What about you? Do you agree that nothing is free in this world?
3 people like this
17 responses
@PeacefulWmn9 (10420)
• United States
7 Aug 09
Hi Scheng. Hm, now at our library, it is the library itself that often has a table of free books...no strings attached. And some of my favorite things in life are free for the enjoying: prayer, all the beautiful things in nature, love, forgiveness, conversation with loved ones, friendship.
Karen@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
11 Aug 09
Hi Karen, I dont treat library books as free books. I treat library books as the way government repays my income tax.
When I pay a dollar, I make sure I get a hundred times value back in the form of using national library resources.
I know that I'm very calculative, but this kind of thinking makes me happier whenever I need to pay income tax.
1 person likes this
@PeacefulWmn9 (10420)
• United States
11 Aug 09
I hadn't really thought of it before, but that is one way to look at it. Here, though, there is always a table of free books that one can take home and keep. 
Have yourself a wonderful day!
Karen @mommaj (23112)
• United States
3 Aug 09
Air and water aren't free because we have to keep them clean. We have to make sure we don't use pollutants. Your mom is right nothing is free. I was thinking things were free but I guess your mom is right. Even if we don't know we are paying for them... every action has a reaction. I guess that's the best way to look at it. Then we don't worry about the price we pay.
Besides, if you help someone receive good karma is that good karma for you? Especially, if you know what you are doing is helping someone else. I'm confused.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
11 Aug 09
Hi Mommaj, actually air, water and land are free. These are the gifts from God. Too bad the stupid Adam and Eve went to eat the apple.
It's ridiculous for government to claim ownership of land, and make money from selling land and impose property tax. The governments don't have a single contribution to the availabilty of land. If only they can make good use of the resources in the land, we do not have to pay so much taxes.
Karma is a good concept for living. Karma is based on the every action has a reaction concept. Just that karma says that the reaction may come in the next life time.
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
2 Aug 09
What is wrong in helping someone build good Karma? Is it not reciprocal? Would you not in turn build your own good Karma in the process?
And yes, sunshine is free, laughter is free, the ability to love, and to develop knowledge are all free as are many other things.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
4 Aug 09
Hi Canellita, I have no idea what's wrong with my mother. I prefer to give and take. If something is good for me, I will take. After reading the books or whatever, i will give to friends who want to read.
Fortunately there are many free things in life. If the whole world revolves round money, that will be very sad.
1 person likes this
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
4 Aug 09
I am the same way. I give what I have to share to friends and acquaintances because I can. It is just something to do. I may give something away to a complete stranger.
@koalapenguin (2707)
• Philippines
2 Aug 09
I don't think that nothing is free here. There are many things that money can't buy like friends, family, love, faith even our own existence. Your friend is probably blinded by money that she thinks everything has a price tag to be bought. I also see people who give us free Bible in our University. It's actually funny that people ignore these things while saving money for expensive luxurious clothes.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
3 Aug 09
Hi Koalapenguin, you bring out a very nice point about our own existence.
If we have to pay for living on earth, or to pay God for putting us on Earth, I doubt anyone will want to live on earth.
it's great to receive the free Bible, provided that the students read the Bible. I have one very old Bible given by my friend twenty-five years ago, before her family migrated to Brazil. Unfortunately that was King James Version. Later on I bought the NIV version, and read cover to cover. Took slightly more than a year to read through. I must say that is one of the best experience in life.
@riani2009 (581)
• Indonesia
3 Aug 09
sometimes yes I agree when I don't have money...I can have everything if I buy it. Sometimes I disagree when I feel desperate because of poverty ... Still I can feel the love of my children which is more than everything in this world...
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
10 Aug 09
Hi Riani, sometimes we forget that being poor is a nice blessing as well.
I came from a poor family. My parents couldn't afford many things when we were young. As a result, we had enjoyable childhood.
I couldn't forget those days when we could run about, and catch ladybirds and other insects.
Children these days have too many distractions, and not necessary good distractions. Computer is not necessary a good tool for kids.
Sometimes we appreciate life only on hindsight.
@tutor19us (455)
• India
3 Aug 09
There are no free lunches, only free talk! For every thing you have to pay dearly. The higher the need the higher the price you pay.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
10 Aug 09
haha Tutor, free talk is worthless!
We pay so much to hear people talking, that's why those inspirational speakers make so much money. Those singers also make a lot of money! Compared to the workers who labor so hard at their jobs, those singers make too much money, just by opening their big mouths.
@fatherblogger (673)
• Philippines
3 Aug 09
Generally speaking, there is still free in this world because we don't literally pay for them. However, there is called sense of responsibility attached to us as we use them and this is our way to pay for what we get them for free.
In marketing or selling, we will notice that there are also free taste. Although this is free, it is their way to promote their products.
Thanks!
@macdingolinger (10386)
• United States
2 Aug 09
In premise, you are right that there are "free" things, like the water ycle and air. However, there is a cost associated with each. If you drink the water, you worked to swallow it.. when you breathe in the free air it costs your muscles time and effort. I know that seems like afar stretch..but there is always something attached to "free" thngs; effort, work, strain, thinking.... all those things are expenses.. on one hand... and they are also free on the other! ha! So it costs you free stuff to use other free stuff!! lol!!!
@kkoranek23 (18)
• United States
2 Aug 09
omg thats overthinking it really....your body was made to breathe air, think, eat, drink....etc. it not like our body is saying..."hey quit breathing up there!! im strained!" thats a little out there macdingolinger.
@grace118224 (1038)
• China
2 Aug 09
You raised a very interesting point here. There's no such thing as free lunch in the world . elders often teach us by saying this and they just hope that we can protect us from some harmful tempt . Many things are proved to be right . But it's also right to say that the air is free, the water cycle is free.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
4 Aug 09
Hi Grace, many people would agree that there is no free lunch in this world.
The easiest way to pay is using money. It's just too bad that money cannot pay for everything we want.
The Japanese used to worship workaholic culture, so that so that many of them pay for their career with their lives.
Fortunately the most important things for survival are still free. Nothing can take away our enjoyment of life.
@my4tunes (64)
• New Zealand
3 Aug 09
well there is a price to pay for everything in the end..mother nature's gifts were free to all but then came humankind who claimed land for themselves, harvested crops and demanded payments, councils and departments that took the water and charged people for its use, our free air is contaminated by factories and fossil fuels, and now global warming is demanding its price to pay from mankind today..yes things may seem free but the price to pay for it will be taken from you eventually..
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
10 Aug 09
Hi my4tunes, you have re-define the word "free" in this discussion.
I agree that somehow or other, we have to pay the price for all the actions we take. Sometimes the price for a mistake made by one person is paid by the whole world.
Where air contamination is concerned, the whole country has to pay the price when they breathe in the polluted air. There is no way to make the factories owners pay the price for air pollution, and let the innocents breathe pure air.
@izhar20 (60)
• Malaysia
2 Aug 09
no..im not agree...like you say,the air are free..water are free..further more..our eyes..nose..mouth..body..are all free when we came into this world..i cant remember if i has pay for it...i keep hearing my mom babbling about..this pay or free stuff..for me..if we pay for something..it will come back to us..like we pay for taxes,it will come back to us when we need financial back up for continuing study..so..dont worry if we need to cash out a little amount because...we will get back..same amount or more...:]
@journeyoferos (5)
• Philippines
2 Aug 09
I tend to believe that there are still things in this world that are free.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
6 Aug 09
Hi Journeyoferos, welcome to mylot.
I hope you enjoy your time in mylot. Just a friendly suggestion, please post longer post whenever you respond to any discussion.
The system in mylot pays more for longer post than many shorter posts. Many of us are able to make more than ten dollars without spending a lot of time here. We make it a goal to type longer, rather than a hundred one-liner.
@Excelsus (16)
• United States
3 Aug 09
This is just my opinion, but i honestly believe there isn't anything free in this world. Everything has a price, weather it be time, money, or effort. Even a free book, can have some cost for writing in them, binding the pages, publishing, etc. Everything in some way is put in endless fork of paths that cost "something" even water and air, sure we can have them for free without paying them, but at the cost of in taking them. yeah, living in general. Sounds odd? I'm sure it is, but it's a deep appreciation for that kind of thinking. =)
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
7 Aug 09
Hi Excelsus, if you think of price in non-monetary sense, then I agree that everything has a price.
Sometimes paying the price with cash or money is easier than paying with time and effort.
The Karma concept is one example of the concept of price. The life we enjoy now is the result of our past lives or deeds done in the past. In a sense, we will get what we pay.
@testXXX (26)
• Canada
3 Aug 09
I think that nothing is free. Some people may point to Nature, but we work for Nature too, keeping it alive in our own way (breathing carbon dioxide for example) so no that's not technically free. As for the monks, they were doing it so that they would feel good helping people out. Good karma or not, not all payment is necessarily bad so I guess taking those books and making those monks feel good about themselves is a good thing.
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
2 Aug 09
One of the best things in life is Mother Nature. She gives us a blue ocean, green fields and all different sorts of animals. Bird watching is enjoyable, a walk in the countryside is free and a swim at the beach is free. The library is free to join and books as long as they don't go overdue are free to borrow. Therefore reading is a free activity which is really enjoyable. Fresh air is free so is rain water. The Buddhists were building up good karma. They expected good deeds to be done. If a person buys another a meal there will be strings attached perhaps.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
4 Aug 09
Hi Maximax, I agree that the best things in life are free.
I love nature, and love to take a long hike in the nature reserve.
I wouldn't classify reading books from library as free. After all, the government makes us pay taxes, and part of the money goes into stocking up the library. I treat borrowing books from library as getting my money back! I feel happier when the value of the books I read exceeds the amount of taxes I pay.
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
2 Aug 09
I think you pay for nearly everything in one way or another. Someone might buy you a meal and pay for it but down the line that person is going to expect some form of repayment. Air is not really free because they are now charging to fill up a tire with air so technically, it's not free. And I never thought I'd see the day when people pay for water in bottles! We are charged a fee for water we use in our houses here.
I think the only thing still really free is the sun and the stars!
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
4 Aug 09
Hi Dragon, actually many things are free, but men take the free things, and think of ways to make money from there.
Even though cruel oil is a natural resource, the governments in the Middle East are taking tons of money from the cruel oil.
So far, nobody charges us for breathing. At least this portion of air is still free for all to use.
