Comments on: Robert Kennedy on Measuring Quality of Life

By: Matt Singley

Matt Singley — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:32:19 +0000

That is such a timeless quote, but during these particularly difficult economic times…so important to remember. I’m going to focus on the good things in life today!

By: Natasha Rovin

Natasha Rovin — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:57:58 +0000

It is so easy to lose sight of what makes each of us happy. We, including myself, are all guilty of getting caught up in our day to day routines that we lose sight of what matters most.
Like you mentioned, everyone defines their own happiness by what they value in their own life.
But no matter what it is, it is important to take time out to reflect and live consciously so that you create the life you want to live.

By: Kare Anderson

Kare Anderson — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:44:48 +0000

Ironically the most meaningful parts of a life well-lived do not seem measurable yet the lack of loving connection and self-less contribution is keenly felt

In a civilization when love is
gone we turn to justice and when
justice is gone we turn to power
and when power is gone we
turn to violence.

Opportunity is often inconvenient.

Remember the many
compartments of the heart,
the seed of what is
possible. So much of who
we are is defined by
the places we hold for each
other. For it is not our ingenuity
that sets us apart, but our
capacity for love, the
possibility our way will
be lit by grace. Our hearts
prisms, chiseling out the
colors of pure light

By: Alberto

Alberto — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:24:40 +0000

Its difficult not to be influenced by media and popular culture to take as a measure on how we should live well.
But at the same time, it is those times when I have followed what I believe should be my own measurements, when I truly feel I am happy.

By: Gil Gerstein

Gil Gerstein — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 07:40:28 +0000

Thank you Kennedy for making a speech that 40 years later gave me the chills. I’ve always felt that we live in a society that is so incredibly advanced technologically but so juvenille in its moral, social and spiritual growth. I look forward not to the next industrial revolution but to a social revolution. A time in our lives where morality and humanity have more weight than computer advancements and iphone accessories. I love my iphone but I would love more to have an application that measures the souls and integrity of individuals and rewards them for their kindness, heart and humanity.

By: Joshua Steiger

Joshua Steiger — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:13:21 +0000

Observation has taught me that we are trained to think of “quality of life” as something we possess or achieve. That it is external. Experience has taught me otherwise. That it flows from the inside out. People who are grateful for the abundance of their intangibles, no matter the plentitude or lack of their tangibles, generally have a high character quotient. When we live that fundamental principle, the tangibles and accomplishments appear by the simple act of showing up each day!

By: Jonathan Fields

Jonathan Fields — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:45:03 +0000

Love that Kennedy quote. For me, it’s about the ability to spend the greatest amount of time absorbed in activities and relationships that fill me up, surrounded by people I cannot get enough of. Everything else is lifestyle gravy.

By: Carlos

Carlos — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:03:14 +0000

Quality of Life – Robert Kennedy
To me, a good quality of life means surrounding yourself with people and things that make you happy. It means doing something meaningful with your life and pursuing your dreams and goals. I agree that things which define “quality of life” are intangible and the things that are tangible are better suited for the definition of “standard of life.”

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:49:11 +0000

How accurate Robert Kennedy’s comments are in these times. I think that there is a new trend that is developing in our country that will affect many people’s definition of quality of life. The trend is that people are starting to recognize (for the first time in many years) that quality of life doesn’t need to be about what you do for a living or what car you drive. It is about the experiences you have with friends and family….I call it the “frugal future” and it is refreshing to see that the little things are back in Vogue.

By: Alok

Alok — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:29:04 +0000

As far as I know, there is only one country in the world that focuses on defining progress in a way other than material progress. Bhutan, a small country in the north of India defines its progress in terms of “Gross National Happiness”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_national_happiness
More countries should follow its example.