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“The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being.” — Socrates
Beware Malagenda: second degree pipedream and heteronymous taboo upon agenda discussion
Eudemonia = freedom + friendship + thought
Indeed,
freedom and dignity, beyond essential personal
autonomy
in and of itself alone,
is also a practical question
beyond any subjective
will to power,
regarding needed
situations of real
capability
beyond sheer abstraction: connections and resources, wherewithal
of opportunity without which even the greatest talent and
highest competence become useless, much less freedom
entirely in the abstract. Real freedom then, so often
greatly depends upon the mitigation of such mundane
practicalities as making enough money
but without incurring onerously restrictive
travail and consuming obligations to others. And indeed, greater
freedom and power so yearned for and admired, is attained in actually doing what you
want:
fulfillment
from full
engagement
in
meaningful
interaction, and better still, if possible, also achieving
the pleasures of wealth and influence thereby! Such is the
highly coveted
ideal
condition of alignment between, in
fulfillment
of, often
conflicting
intrinsic and
extrinsic
motivation,
the very hope and attractive appeal of lifestyle Entrepreneurship.
-Or more altruistically, of
Social Entrepreneurship and
Activism. Or else
play with nothing at stake. Indeed, a fine
outlet for creativity for its own joy, is
collaborative fiction writing,
drama and
Science Fiction
speculation
and that depth of
engagement
that is sheer expansive awe.
“The
researchers [who published: ‘The
power to be me: Power elevates self-concept
consistency and authenticity’] theorized that being in a position of authority
would make individuals feel enhanced well-being. [...] "Because power
increases the correspondence between internal states and behavior [or
(this above all): truth to thine own self], we
hypothesized that power enhances
subjective well-being (SWB) by leading
people to feel more authentic.”” —
Medical Daily
“There is one thing to watch out for in all of this, though. While having power can make you happier, seeking power does not make you happier. There is quite a bit of evidence that people who spend their lives seeking power do not focus on the intrinsic joy of life. So, people who seek power are actually less happy than those who do not. [...] A second way to become powerful is to spend your life getting things done. [...] If you consistently do things in your life that help you and others achieve goals, then your journey is a happy one.” — Psychology Today
A better way, together? But how can such peaks of sustained happiness best be achieved, on ones own terms, while steering clear of stultifying unhappy and un-free servitude of dysfunctional family, school and employment? Most people largely tolerate things as they are, only much interesting themselves in at least seemingly moderate and realistic ambitions. For in the immortal words of George Bernard Shaw: “Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. All progress, therefore, depends on unreasonable people.” Indeed, from much that very sentiment, often ensues enthusiastic recommendation of whatever strategies of extreme rugged self reliance, ever so much easier said than done, frustrating and often intensely lonely. Others, even the more introvertedly, go further, extolling either heteronymously collective cheerful delusion or else the private crushing extinction of all hope in order to achieve sublime apathy and become free of often frustrated desire and therefore suffering, while others still extol amoral manipulation as key to popularity and success. But in the alternative to sheer predation, going it alone, utter denial, making do or just giving up, as Margaret Mead famously and "unreasonably" remarked: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” And to quote Epicurus once more: “Of all the means to insure happiness throughout the whole life, by far the most important is the acquisition of friends.” Indeed, as Schopenhauer observes: “Friends and acquaintances are the surest passport to fortune.” Moreover, even every pleasure, creativity and discovery on the journey to success, all quickly fade, becoming empty and dull with no one to share it with. And as shall be seen, only in respecting autonomy is there possibility of meaningful engagement into true attachment. That is why social isolation, particularly as deliberately inflicted by bullying, is so destructive. Are bullies destroying your ability to compete?
Private reflection better informs consultation and deliberation with others towards free decision for oneself, what is important, not just as to such matters of practicality as when to spend, when to invest, or even personal preferences such as to what stuff you really even want, where and how best to make acquisition, but that all resources, tangible and intangible, are well directed towards real value and effect, and not just frittered away on associated advertising mystique and sublimation. Because care and savvy consumerism in the acquisition of material possessions, is the least of challenges to rational scrutiny and informed consent to every cherished value in which we are each so vested in the ongoing Existential bait-and-switch that is the human condition. In the words of Socrates: “The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being.” Therefore, we must never quail from Philosophy and the scientific quest for truth (defined as: correspondence to reality in assertions) in the responsible honest autonomy of unfettered reflection, open Dialectic discourse and fearless controversy of critical investigation and creativity among equals, Axiologically and strategically. Because, while social support stands among the strongest known predictors of individual success with the possible exception of self-efficacy, cooperation in tough and realistic though no less ambitious hardnosed planning, endless research, feasibility study and preparation, above all staying interested: persistence in due diligence, all remain key in addressing the issues and vastly underserved needs of the fist concept "kitchen table stage" or phase of new venture creation all from scratch, ex nihilo.
Eudemonia is not asceticism. Opulent standards of living are among the great achievements of civilization, industry and automation. But higher even ever more care free standards of living, food, medicine, convenience, relative comfort, even luxury and hedonistic pleasure, are only the beginning of human needs. It turns out that experiences are a better buy for happiness than possessions. As Epicurus said: “Not what we have but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance.” Eudemonia subversively embraces life, purposeful work and the leisure of play, not just acquisition and possession. Leading a life, and not just making a living, depth, not just immediacy, quality over quantity. Real growth in every sense, not just economic boom and bust: In entrepreneurial terms, creation of meaningful value not empty travail.
Writing challenge: Not convinced? Am I entirely off target? Can you do better? The preceding discourse in pursuit of Eudemonia may be taken as an sample description or blueprint for an intentional community providing social environment of human interaction designed to fulfill intrinsic stimulus needs in harmony with personal values. -not merely character, even howsoever sterling, in the abstract, but real opportunity for life lead in integrity.
But perhaps, gentle reader, whatever your own intrinsic needs, deep desires and cherished values simply differ at all from my own.
The range of longstanding traditional recommendations herein rejected as oppressive and unsuitable, how and why so...
So, what is the true essence of arête, and how might your own better new ideas, considered recommendations and personal wish list take shape and unfold, differently than mine as on this page?
Let's all talk this over!
Are you bullied?
Am I your unmet friend?
Let's do something amazing together!
Solicitation for entrepreneurial co-founders
and
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brainstorming
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Copyright 2012 - 2013 by Aaron Agassi