The new end all-be all form of thought I've been tossing around with serious consideration lately. For those of you who don't know what philosophical utilization or a utilitarian is, here's a good example of utilization:
'Imagine we found a way to make everyone in the world happy. There was no suffering and everyones needs were fulfilled. There's only one drawback. One man... has to constantly suffer...'
This is a world highly utilized, because the suffering of one cannot hardly compare to the happiness and fulfillment in the many. Is this a world you would want to live in though?
The man's suffering is not justified, simply a requirement for all that happiness. What if he didn't have to suffer everyday, but merely slapped on the wrist everyday. It doesn't really matter how much of a punishment the man has to be put through for us to realize though that his punishment is still unjustified, so although we might accept living in a world like that at the cost of the man, we still know it's not right. This is justice vs. utilization. It's very commonsensical.
Anyway, I kind of derailed my thoughts about the utilization of my own life, but hopefully I will type up why so much of this seemingly irrelevant thought has a huge impact on me and personal motivation.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
My Mind is as Blank as uh...
Major props to my good friend Alex Lasota(!!!) in helping me realize a while ago that part of the learning / life experience is traveling, touching, seeing, doing. So much of my life has been devoted to learning about everything. I thought learning was the end all be all to life and its problems. I thought I'd never have to leave my house to know everything. Sounds ridiculous right?
That's basically what school teaches. Remember once-a-year field trips? What's up with that. Do you really only need to leave the classroom once a year to experience what you were learning about? In college field trips vanish completely and learning is strictly limited to books, even much less to videos showing direct application. Yet the point of learning about any subject is because of its real life applicability. Story problems don't suffice! I need to be taught how to apply formulas and critical thinking to seemingly random problems that can pop up in daily life! Book learning seems like it can be summarized as a shortcut to the answers of problems, but it doesn't get me excited, it doesn't ingrain anything, it just presents information. Then the teacher leaves it to the student by saying, "Remember this forever, okay?" I think that's why I can't remember a line from any of my 3 years of spanish, 1 year of japanese, and years of science and math classes. My mind is blank!
Anyway on a more personal level, I used to think if I just studied enough philosophy I'd know all the answers to lives problems, or at least have the tools necessary to deal with a variety. That was quickly shut down when I ran into relationship trouble during the summer. I didn't know anything about something so basic to the human experience - love - How many more pains and joys I was oblivious to became a burden on my mind. I knew I needed to experience more and more to be content with myself. I realized I can't learn my way to happiness either; philosophy never made me happy, maybe more satisfied with my ability to answer difficult questions... but never happy.
That's basically what school teaches. Remember once-a-year field trips? What's up with that. Do you really only need to leave the classroom once a year to experience what you were learning about? In college field trips vanish completely and learning is strictly limited to books, even much less to videos showing direct application. Yet the point of learning about any subject is because of its real life applicability. Story problems don't suffice! I need to be taught how to apply formulas and critical thinking to seemingly random problems that can pop up in daily life! Book learning seems like it can be summarized as a shortcut to the answers of problems, but it doesn't get me excited, it doesn't ingrain anything, it just presents information. Then the teacher leaves it to the student by saying, "Remember this forever, okay?" I think that's why I can't remember a line from any of my 3 years of spanish, 1 year of japanese, and years of science and math classes. My mind is blank!
Anyway on a more personal level, I used to think if I just studied enough philosophy I'd know all the answers to lives problems, or at least have the tools necessary to deal with a variety. That was quickly shut down when I ran into relationship trouble during the summer. I didn't know anything about something so basic to the human experience - love - How many more pains and joys I was oblivious to became a burden on my mind. I knew I needed to experience more and more to be content with myself. I realized I can't learn my way to happiness either; philosophy never made me happy, maybe more satisfied with my ability to answer difficult questions... but never happy.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
A Nonrestricted Lifestyle
I think about eternity a lot... wait no, that's not possible cause eternity is a definable, unconcieveable concept. Take some time to think about it :) What I mean is I think about time a lot, a lot of time, time + time x time. The word is starting to sound funny, but anyway my point is that time exists as a dangerous thought for most people. It's obviously a restriction in setting up our daily activities, but it also has a hazardous affect on long-term goals and our idea of a good life.
If you knew you would live forever would that change the way you act today? There are plenty of things we don't do or never aspire to do because we don't view ourselves as having time for it. It's my view that we have time for everything we could possibly want to do in our entire lives, because of how much time is wasted by not doing much of anything. The skills needed to do anything at all can be learned given enough time. It's not necessary to start sports as a child for instance; like I love it when I see older people snowboarding; hearing about 30 year olds picking up surfing (Rob Lowe for instance); and people like my brother in law starting skateboarding when he was 21 or so. It only takes a few years to become pretty good at just about anything, so why not start doing everything you ever wanted to do!
Does your concept of time have any real life restrictions on what you allow yourself to do? I saw myself as overweight for the last year or so and I was afraid to get into heavy aerobics, because I knew how long it would take. I knew though that I'm going to be living soo long that I might as well lose the weight now and enjoy being healthy longer.
Have you ever just sat and watched a clock move for 16 hours straight (one day ish)? No one has! It'd be too boring!! Yet that's how much time we have everyday to do whatever we want. It's a lot of time whether or not we fill it with activities.
Do you have apportioned segments of your life lined out to do certain things? education, work, family, retirement, vacation, etc.? If we view time as lasting forever we don't have to worry about 'just finishing school up', we can enjoy it for what it is and realize a good life most likely includes some form of continual education, work, family/friend sacrifice, vacation, etc.
In my opinion life is so long that I don't see a point in thinking about it ever ending. I view life as eternal. There is no light at the end of a tunnel, it's just a tunnel, so do whatever constitutes a good life now.
If you knew you would live forever would that change the way you act today? There are plenty of things we don't do or never aspire to do because we don't view ourselves as having time for it. It's my view that we have time for everything we could possibly want to do in our entire lives, because of how much time is wasted by not doing much of anything. The skills needed to do anything at all can be learned given enough time. It's not necessary to start sports as a child for instance; like I love it when I see older people snowboarding; hearing about 30 year olds picking up surfing (Rob Lowe for instance); and people like my brother in law starting skateboarding when he was 21 or so. It only takes a few years to become pretty good at just about anything, so why not start doing everything you ever wanted to do!
Does your concept of time have any real life restrictions on what you allow yourself to do? I saw myself as overweight for the last year or so and I was afraid to get into heavy aerobics, because I knew how long it would take. I knew though that I'm going to be living soo long that I might as well lose the weight now and enjoy being healthy longer.
Have you ever just sat and watched a clock move for 16 hours straight (one day ish)? No one has! It'd be too boring!! Yet that's how much time we have everyday to do whatever we want. It's a lot of time whether or not we fill it with activities.
Do you have apportioned segments of your life lined out to do certain things? education, work, family, retirement, vacation, etc.? If we view time as lasting forever we don't have to worry about 'just finishing school up', we can enjoy it for what it is and realize a good life most likely includes some form of continual education, work, family/friend sacrifice, vacation, etc.
In my opinion life is so long that I don't see a point in thinking about it ever ending. I view life as eternal. There is no light at the end of a tunnel, it's just a tunnel, so do whatever constitutes a good life now.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
A Useful "Thought Experiment"
I was challenged to assign 100 "value points" to the categories of Love - Talent - Recognition. Here's me:
60 Talent
30 Recognition
10 Love
Do those numbers look strange? Try it for yourself and post :]
Another exercise I have to try is writing down what I value in life. Here's mine again:
Happiness, peace, natural beauty, excitement, active sport participation, improving my body, entertainment, TV, video games, movies, fun group activity, socializing with friends, love, being viewed positively, being nice, being funny, being silly, money, financial security, a nice place to live, close family, music, music participation, public performances, fame, healthy food, nice clothes, learning, continuous formal education, a fulfilling job, travel, airplane flying, art, the newest gadgets.
It's sad to say far too many people don't know what they want. Many spend their entire lives chasing things before they've sat down and determined that it's worth chasing in the first place. Will what I pursue now be best in the future? What do I really need to be happy? Questions we need to constantly know the answers to.
60 Talent
30 Recognition
10 Love
Do those numbers look strange? Try it for yourself and post :]
Another exercise I have to try is writing down what I value in life. Here's mine again:
Happiness, peace, natural beauty, excitement, active sport participation, improving my body, entertainment, TV, video games, movies, fun group activity, socializing with friends, love, being viewed positively, being nice, being funny, being silly, money, financial security, a nice place to live, close family, music, music participation, public performances, fame, healthy food, nice clothes, learning, continuous formal education, a fulfilling job, travel, airplane flying, art, the newest gadgets.
It's sad to say far too many people don't know what they want. Many spend their entire lives chasing things before they've sat down and determined that it's worth chasing in the first place. Will what I pursue now be best in the future? What do I really need to be happy? Questions we need to constantly know the answers to.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
The Value of a Life
One of those really tricky topics right? 'How much is life worth?' I'm going to try and hit it for fun and the consolidation of my thoughts online. It helps weed out any indiscrepancies.
The immediate standard response I'd get from asking just about anyone is either, "i dunno lol," or "invaluable." But if a single life is invaluable or say, infinite value, then how much are two lives worth? Infinite value would still be the answer. And the same for 3, 4, 5 lives, 1000 lives, every life on earth is worth infinite. But that would mean that 1 life is equal to all lives put together in value, and that makes no applicable sense. To put it in a simple way - if you had to decide between saving one person live vs. saving 1000, wouldn't you always pick the latter?
Therefore, lives do have a subjective value.
Life is just a higher value, valued above all else. At least that's what I think. On an applicable level - all life is to be preserved at the cost of anything but life.
I know people though who would give up their life for a year as a celebrity, or even claim not to love life at all (although still obviously enough to take care of themselves). So obviously not everyone holds my view on the value of a life.
The immediate standard response I'd get from asking just about anyone is either, "i dunno lol," or "invaluable." But if a single life is invaluable or say, infinite value, then how much are two lives worth? Infinite value would still be the answer. And the same for 3, 4, 5 lives, 1000 lives, every life on earth is worth infinite. But that would mean that 1 life is equal to all lives put together in value, and that makes no applicable sense. To put it in a simple way - if you had to decide between saving one person live vs. saving 1000, wouldn't you always pick the latter?
Therefore, lives do have a subjective value.
Life is just a higher value, valued above all else. At least that's what I think. On an applicable level - all life is to be preserved at the cost of anything but life.
I know people though who would give up their life for a year as a celebrity, or even claim not to love life at all (although still obviously enough to take care of themselves). So obviously not everyone holds my view on the value of a life.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Deeper than a Puddle
Hey I thought I'd make my first blog more of a biblio cause it seems appropriate.
A little about me~
Dudes call me Dan, girls call me Daniel, but I'm the type of guy that purposely goes to the first day of class late so that I have to sit next to someone. I don't reeaally like meeting new people but I love friends and talking to everyone; especially in school cause that's where people stress out, and I usually have a relaxing affect :)
I worked out for about 3 years, skateboarded for 5 years and was just a skateboard-kid for most of my teenage years, but have always played video games for fun. And not games like... wii... or mario party... but tons of RPGs until I discovered MMOs and MMORPGs.
A movie called Patch Adams changed my life when I was 13 and super depressed. I realized that my life was extremely self centered and I need to pay attention to the needs of others. People have always called me a super nice guy, so I just really appreciate that and smile back; of course though, I don't always put others first and have withdrawn before to spare myself arguments and stuff like that. I am a work in progress.
I come from a family of psychologists who are extremely concerned with studying motives. I feel like lately I've been trying to separate myself from that mindset and just trust everyone until proven otherwise.. like not to trust.
I learn from anything I can and constantly study philosophies. Maybe not in a formal sense, but through a small library of audio courses. I've definitely thought about all of life's biggest questions and am one of those rare people who can give an answer for everything they believe, hahaha
My general philosophy about life has got to be - others need lifting - you can do anything unless proven otherwise - avoid dogmatic restraints :)
A little about me~
Dudes call me Dan, girls call me Daniel, but I'm the type of guy that purposely goes to the first day of class late so that I have to sit next to someone. I don't reeaally like meeting new people but I love friends and talking to everyone; especially in school cause that's where people stress out, and I usually have a relaxing affect :)
I worked out for about 3 years, skateboarded for 5 years and was just a skateboard-kid for most of my teenage years, but have always played video games for fun. And not games like... wii... or mario party... but tons of RPGs until I discovered MMOs and MMORPGs.
A movie called Patch Adams changed my life when I was 13 and super depressed. I realized that my life was extremely self centered and I need to pay attention to the needs of others. People have always called me a super nice guy, so I just really appreciate that and smile back; of course though, I don't always put others first and have withdrawn before to spare myself arguments and stuff like that. I am a work in progress.
I come from a family of psychologists who are extremely concerned with studying motives. I feel like lately I've been trying to separate myself from that mindset and just trust everyone until proven otherwise.. like not to trust.
I learn from anything I can and constantly study philosophies. Maybe not in a formal sense, but through a small library of audio courses. I've definitely thought about all of life's biggest questions and am one of those rare people who can give an answer for everything they believe, hahaha
My general philosophy about life has got to be - others need lifting - you can do anything unless proven otherwise - avoid dogmatic restraints :)
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