Paying someone else for food isn't the only way to get a dinner. The person who in your opinion has “blown his day playing in the sun” may have been foraging or some similar thing. We can each envision whatever scenario we want ... doesn’t make it the only way it could play out.

Yes ... as I indicated, the waters are muddy. It is easy to fool ourselves into thinking we are on a profitable track when we are not -- especially if we are well-fed. Frequent tallying isn't a bad idea....

Thank you for the helpful examples. They are indeed objective ... but they also seem to assume a perspective I don’t share.

I take this to mean that your are guided by a different star. Tell me, can you see this star clearly? Is it in the same place in the heavens that it was yesterday?

I see that The Shadow’s comment was up when you posted the one to which I am currently replying; have you nothing to say in response to his thoughts?

His words don't really make it through my parser. Does he have some magic beans for sale?