Just as many people think themselves better than they really are, many also think their way of thinking is more universal than it really is. I vehemently disagree with your tweet emphatically stating that people care exclusively about how you have and can help them. I'm a utilitarian and libertarian socialist (values which do sometimes c…
Just as many people think themselves better than they really are, many also think their way of thinking is more universal than it really is. I vehemently disagree with your tweet emphatically stating that people care exclusively about how you have and can help them. I'm a utilitarian and libertarian socialist (values which do sometimes conflict but that's beyond the scope of this comment unless you're curious in which case I'm happy to discuss it!) not because I covet and crave and envy what others have, but because I've lived a privledged, spoiled, mostly-charmed life largely thanks to situations and circumstances I can take little to no credit for, and I want everyone and every creature to be as blessed as I have been. I hate suffering and want better for others because they should not suffer as well.
Appreciate your comment and you sharing your story Bryan.
Glad we can disagree on some things respectfully.
It’s funny because that Tweet and that tendency leads to almost a paradox. At a base level people only caring about what others can do for them leads some others to only care about what they can do for others. And even in the bible Jesus said something along the lines of “the tree that can’t produce fruit should be cut down for firewood.” So in some ways it’s not such a bad thing to be useful to others and the world in some ways, which is what that behaviors mentioned in the tweet I think leads to ultimately.
But we’ve had different lives and had different experiences. And so it wouldn’t make sense that we’d seen all the same things. Clearly there is some merit to the tweet or most people would disagree with if.
I don't even remember what the exact tweet was beyond being fairly Ayn Rand-esque, but "clearly there is some merit to this tweet or... etc." reminds me of my observation that you can find a convincing sounding aphorism, proverb, quip, soundbite, etc. for pretty much any position you're trying to support and use it for a bite sized ethos (or pathos? I feel like that's emotion though) boost to your argument. A classic example is the lazy smart-ass who says "good things come to those who wait, so I'll take my time and do [__] tomorrow!"
Just as many people think themselves better than they really are, many also think their way of thinking is more universal than it really is. I vehemently disagree with your tweet emphatically stating that people care exclusively about how you have and can help them. I'm a utilitarian and libertarian socialist (values which do sometimes conflict but that's beyond the scope of this comment unless you're curious in which case I'm happy to discuss it!) not because I covet and crave and envy what others have, but because I've lived a privledged, spoiled, mostly-charmed life largely thanks to situations and circumstances I can take little to no credit for, and I want everyone and every creature to be as blessed as I have been. I hate suffering and want better for others because they should not suffer as well.
Appreciate your comment and you sharing your story Bryan.
Glad we can disagree on some things respectfully.
It’s funny because that Tweet and that tendency leads to almost a paradox. At a base level people only caring about what others can do for them leads some others to only care about what they can do for others. And even in the bible Jesus said something along the lines of “the tree that can’t produce fruit should be cut down for firewood.” So in some ways it’s not such a bad thing to be useful to others and the world in some ways, which is what that behaviors mentioned in the tweet I think leads to ultimately.
But we’ve had different lives and had different experiences. And so it wouldn’t make sense that we’d seen all the same things. Clearly there is some merit to the tweet or most people would disagree with if.
I don't even remember what the exact tweet was beyond being fairly Ayn Rand-esque, but "clearly there is some merit to this tweet or... etc." reminds me of my observation that you can find a convincing sounding aphorism, proverb, quip, soundbite, etc. for pretty much any position you're trying to support and use it for a bite sized ethos (or pathos? I feel like that's emotion though) boost to your argument. A classic example is the lazy smart-ass who says "good things come to those who wait, so I'll take my time and do [__] tomorrow!"
(It's me; I'm the lazy smart-ass lol)