I've formulated a fair collection of personal aphorisms and observations over the years. Currently, there's 62 of them. They're a mixed bag; some of them are weightier and more substantive than others.
I've decided that for the next little while, I'm going to try to remember to post one of them per day for consideration and discussion. (Feel free to nudge me if I forget, assuming you're interested.) I may or may not have additional thoughts or observations of my own to kickstart, or provide perspective on, any discussion.
So let's kick it off with this one:
1. If everything that you do in your life, you do only for yourself; then everything that you do, you do for nothing.
Tags:
no subject
It is an interesting thought train, but there is something about the assumptions it is based on that I can't agree with. Even if I do agree with the sentiment.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
However, I think someone who acts entirely selfishly in that manner will one day find, should they look back to see what they have accomplished in their life, that they have left nothing behind that they can point to or be remembered for (except possibly for being a selfish bastard). Now, if they don't mind that, well, that's fine for them.
But from my personal point of view, I'm not like that. I want and need to have at least something that I can point to and say, "I accomplished that; there was some objective value or purpose to my existence." I entirely understand that many people don't feel that need, and I'm OK with that too. But these are personal aphorisms, remember. I feel that the true worth of people is measured by what they did for others, not what they did for themselves. Anyone can climb on other people to get out of the muck. But not everyone will try to lift other people out with them, or leave a ladder behind for others to climb, or stay to help others up the ladder.
no subject
Along those lines, that need to leave a legacy can be construed as selfishly motivated as well. I'll give you an example: Some people have the overwhelming need to procreate in the interest of having a "Mini-Me". It doesn't matter that there are bunches and bunches of children without parental units stuck in a screwed-up system. It doesn't matter that adding mouths to feed to an already taxed system of existence (some moreso in other countries) continues to further the problem. No. It's all about "this person needs to be of me. Mine. My genes. My contribution. Mine."
That's not to say that all people are like that, but I do think that some of your motivations (in the context of this discussion), when applied to people in general, can also at times be construed as selfish.
no subject
no subject