Do you know your own self-interest?

Meno2 · August 6, 2016, 10:07pm

Is there any closed argument that refugees make a society sink any faster?

In the US, the minority, yet unproved thought n the matter, is, that the more refugees the batter, because they are an asset, rather then a liability. From an economic point of view, they will take on jobs, for minimum , or even below minimum wage, and their willingness to do so, balance the over the top wages the mainstream is willing to accept. However this issue has not at all been decided in favor of one side, or the other.

One_Liner · August 6, 2016, 10:17pm

Mags, it is sounding less and less like an indeed as time goes on.

Fixed_Cross · August 6, 2016, 10:49pm

thinkdr:

What is in your self-interest? Would a world to live in with less poverty and with more ethical people be in your self-interest? Would it reduce the threat to your health and safety? Would it enable you to not merely survive, but even to flourish?

Would you not flourish more if you gained value in your life? If yes, then let’s investigate: what is this thing called “value”? And how do we gain more of it?
If I start describing a rug on the floor, and I go on and on about it, giving it so much attention, you are justified in inferring that I find value in that rug! Each adjective I use to describe it attributes another property to the rug. If I asked you to describe to me your mother or your best-friend, you wouldn’t know where to begin – because there are so many properties there! It turns out that “value” is a function of properties: the more properties, the more value. To get more value, we add properties, we go in the direction of Life. And when we subtract properties we go in the direction of death. No properties, zero value.

Everybody loves a bargain! When we speak of a bargain, we call it “a value.” So why not optimize the amount of value we get in our lives? Why not’ squeeze every drop’ of value possible out of life? How arrange this? What can we do? One way is – in our personal interactions – to make everyone involved feel like a winner. Let the encounter be one in which you create value, and have it be mutually beneficial: you boost someone up, make someone smile, offer a sincere compliment, show heartfelt appreciation, give the other person recognition, listen intently, show courtesy, offer respect, etc. On a larger scale we take steps to reduce poverty and misery, we help peple find meaningful work to do if they are out of work, we volunteer to serve by taking on a responsibility, and we are ready to be accountable that we aimed for excellence in our performance.

In every situation we look to see how we can add value. And that is in our true self-interest. A better world is in our self-interest. Thus the question arises: What actually is your conception of ‘a better world,’ and if I, along wih others, agree on that ideal, what are the steps that help us get there? If we arrive at a consensus on what we all concur is a worthwhile goal, then what steps lead to it, and how do we implement those steps with a minimum expenditure of time, energy and capital? How do we efficiently begin the process? Those are the relevant questions, the ones of top priority. So let’s get busy on it.

One more observation…. Selfishness is not in our self-interest. Neither is impulsiveness rather than long-range consideration. It is in our best interest to think long-term as well as short-term. Being selfish violates ethics. When we have a “me-first” attitude, and we worship money as a god, we are being selfish. Ethics makes for harmonious interactions, while selfishness causes friction and hard feelings. In my life I must be careful to avoid selfishness! In the popular media self-interest is often confused with selfishness but they are polar opposites.

It is in our self-interest to employ means compatible with out ends-in-view. If we want love in our life, use loving means. If we want peace, use peaceful means, that is, live peaceably. Harm no one intentionally… On a personal level, maintain serenity; on a social level “sign non-aggression pacts” so to speak, with everyone. Call no one your “enemy.” Regard every stranger as a friend – until you understand that there are no strangers. Seek to understand the other person. Consider each individual as highly-valuable. That is what it takes to be ethical.

The content of this link, entitled SUCCESSFUL LIVING: How to have a quality life (2016), made me think and reflect on ethics and morality, even though I could not find either of these words in the brief paper. Can you? Here is the link: - myqol.com/wadeharvey/PDFs/Su … 20life.pdf

What do you think? Do you have any comments or any questions?

Arminius · August 9, 2016, 11:03pm

Yes.

Arminius · August 9, 2016, 11:05pm

How quick is your sinking?

Arminius · August 9, 2016, 11:07pm

Yes.

MagsJ · August 22, 2016, 1:57am

Not the fact that they are refugees, the fact that they are many.

MagsJ · August 22, 2016, 1:59am

This has been proven to be true, so indeed doesn’t apply to them.

One_Liner · August 22, 2016, 8:32am

Does Indeed apply to you and if so, why?

MagsJ · August 22, 2016, 9:53am

I replied “Indeed” to this post.

…but not much utopian vision overlapping is going on.

One_Liner · August 22, 2016, 7:49pm

That’s why I said that it is sounding less and less like an indeed.

WendyDarling · August 23, 2016, 9:24pm

Do I know my own self-interest?

Within the context of being human…yes.

Within the context of being…no.

Arcturus_Descending · August 24, 2016, 4:18pm

Sure there is. It’s called the action of “walking away” . It is NOT in one’s best self-interest to stay.

Arcturus_Descending · August 24, 2016, 4:20pm

Why do you find there to be a difference between the two?

Arcturus_Descending · August 24, 2016, 5:05pm

thinkdr

There are many answers to that. The first which comes to me is to look before I leap. To sometimes tred lightly. To reflect on as many possibilities as I can before making a decision. To do no harm in the long run can also be within my own best interest. Nothing selfish about it.
See there are legions.

Yes, in the long run, yes. We’re all affected in a sense by poverty and with unethical people.

Possibly - depending on how much disease could be done away with. But we still have to learn to take care of ourselves in the here and now. That’s in our own best interest.

I can do that now even as things are but who knows in the future if things go so down hill?

More value, discerning value, more flourishing.

What is optimum to enhance the quality or the qualia of our lives.

By discovering and reflecting on what does enhance our lives and gives quality to it…and going after that.

Give me a scenario here?

That sounds a bit like hedonism wouldn’t you say? There has to be a balance and a harmony.
Too much of a good thing soon gets quite rusty or stale I think.

That balances things better.

Better world? Gees, that’s a large order. I might say where these devilish tv preachers, after giving their sermons, would NOT ask for a thousand dollars to be given from people who are so desperate to hear the word of their god and who are manipulated into believing that god will answer their prayers but only in the giving of their hard-earned living. Get rid of these so-called preachers and the world would be a better place.

It would also be a better place if people stopped suing at the drop of a hat.
Also, if people would stop the stupidity of texting while driving and talking on the phone while driving.
Also, if medical insurance was not so high.

I’m not so sure about this one. Might this sound a bit like communism…I might be wrong though.

That sounds like a sweet little village.
Donald Trump - do you hear this?

One_Liner · August 25, 2016, 10:40am

Dead people don’t walk away.

Arcturus_Descending · August 25, 2016, 1:40pm

“Wanting” to kill is not the same as already having done it, One Liner. Why would we accept that as the final answer?
Getting out, running away, fighting our way out, either figuratively or literally, is what we have to do when any of those ways of killing which you mentioned above are happening ~~ that is, if we value ourselves.

What does a defeatist attitude do for us? At least we would go down fighting.

One_Liner · August 26, 2016, 7:58pm

So when a woman gets raped, it’s her fault for not running fast enough or not fighting hard enough?

Mictlantecuhtli · August 29, 2016, 3:17am

Yes, indeed I think I can say that I do.

Arcturus_Descending · August 29, 2016, 3:02pm

Never! As far as I am concerned, it is always the rapist who is at fault - no matter how many idiots try to point out that the woman deserved it or asked for it. - because she was in a particular place or dressed in a particular way. Exercising poor judgment is not asking to be raped except in the mind of the rapist or idiotic petty and biased men and women.

My having said the above does not imply that a woman is looking to get raped. The woman who doesn’t try to run might just be too paralyzed with fear/petrified to move as was my case - at first, until I made the decision, to MOVE, to fight back.