Objectives Are Not Always Benignant
5 Comments Published by Solon on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 21:50.
It seems like we go through life wanting more. We can never be satisfied with what we have. Why do we do it? The want of more only brings frustration when objectives cannot be obtained. We want technology, we want to be advanced, we want respect and knowledge, we want love, we want companionship, we want status, power, money.
And for all this, what do we actually need? We need only air, water, and food. We don't need Coca-Cola, we don't need Mars bars.
So, is it wrong to want more? Surely not, it's human nature. Should we give in to this want of more? Perhaps not, but then perhaps wanting something that is unobtainable can be a virtue. Setting goals to achieve, even if they are out of reach, will provide inspiration to better oneself. However, surely setting goals which are unobtainable can lead to frustration. If we set targets which are too high we will ultimately be disappointed when those targets are not fulfilled. Perhaps it is best to know one's boundaries, perhaps it is not. Perhaps it is best to not be defined by limits and always aim to perform better next time. Perhaps it is best to set targets that can be obtained in order to achieve a feeling of greatness.
Do we even know our boundaries? Indeed, do personal boundaries even exist? How far can we be pushed?
And for all this, what do we actually need? We need only air, water, and food. We don't need Coca-Cola, we don't need Mars bars.
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So, is it wrong to want more? Surely not, it's human nature. Should we give in to this want of more? Perhaps not, but then perhaps wanting something that is unobtainable can be a virtue. Setting goals to achieve, even if they are out of reach, will provide inspiration to better oneself. However, surely setting goals which are unobtainable can lead to frustration. If we set targets which are too high we will ultimately be disappointed when those targets are not fulfilled. Perhaps it is best to know one's boundaries, perhaps it is not. Perhaps it is best to not be defined by limits and always aim to perform better next time. Perhaps it is best to set targets that can be obtained in order to achieve a feeling of greatness.Do we even know our boundaries? Indeed, do personal boundaries even exist? How far can we be pushed?
It sounds like the underlying principle of your train of thought is enlightened self-interest* vs unenlightened self-interest. With enlightened self-interest, it could be argued that 'I need only that which i need to survive, as greed and gluttony depreciates the ability of others in my community** to survive and that does not benefit me.'
[source=Wikipedia][Unenlightened self-interest states that 'I must act according to my own myopic selfishness, while those around me suffer for it.' Some individuals might profit, in a material sense, from a philosophy of greed, but it is believed by proponents of enlightened self-interest that these individuals constitute a small minority and that the large majority of persons can expect to experience a net personal loss from a philosophy of simple unenlightened selfishness.]
This argument, extended to its extreme, is often used as an effective, yet morally dubious demonstration of capitalism vs communism.
*not to be confused with pure altruism, which is seen by proponents of enlightened self-interest to be an inefficent practice.
**it must be taken into account that since we do not live in such a community based society as we once did, the idea of a philosophy of self-interest, be it enlightened or not, has adapted.
Dan, where did you copy that article from? Damn hobo...ooh and I have an advertisement, yay! I'll make my own one day.
Yeah I got fed up of waiting for you to make one. I wrote it myself last night. I was in a very philosophical mood, which I hope never happens again...
Scary...
I write the best reply ever and no one comments on it. Damn you!