Sunday, October 10, 2010

Can't we all be right?

Personal philosophy is just that, personal. When you write something philosophical that rings true to you, you believe it to be fact. Of course you do because you are guided by your own moral compass. When someone disputes your statement, you think they are wrong because you don't agree.

Recently, a close friend told me that I should be happy with myself and not try to find happiness in others. This was during conversation where I told her I was ready to find someone to see romantically. She challenged my preparedness, saying that I must be unhappy with myself to need someone to be happy with. My thought was that, I had to be satisfied with who I was as a person to put myself out there. I need to be whole and solid or it would be unfair to anyone I attempted to pursue.

Another friend, just as close and meaningful to me, if not more, told me that the ultimate goal in life was to make others happy without expectation. That we should go through life bringing happiness to everyone around us regardless of the outcome. This stemmed from me asking her how I could stop being so self-centered. I used to be a giver expecting nothing in return to all who asked. After being taken advantage of too many times, I turned a 180 and when things happened all I could think about was how they affected me.

Obviously, my friends' competing philosophies are in conflict on a certain level with each other.

I personally agree with both philosophies and think they can both stand on their own somewhat. Each of my friends believe their statements to be true and they both are to an extent. This begs the question, “How can that be?” How can two views on a subject be different but still correct?

When I told the altruistic friend the selfish friend's view, she disagreed saying that people wouldn't exist if we depended on only ourselves to be happy.

On the other hand, I disagreed slightly with my selfish friend saying that I could be happy with myself and still want someone else with me to make me happy. She disagreed wholeheartedly, believing that was an impossibility and that I hadn't understood or heard what she had said.

Both had good points and both would not deviate from their personal views which is virtuous in it's own right. However, all of our views, no matter how factual or ingrained they are in our own respective minds are only as true as we say they are. Is there an absolute between all of these beliefs or are we doomed by a reality of choices that are neither right nor wrong?

These are the thoughts I have while I'm pooping.


Edit:  I posted my rough draft like a dumbass.  Here is the final version.  D'oh.  2:12 PM 10/10/10

24 comments:

  1. That is a cool picture. Puts the above in perspective, lol.

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  2. i hate when differences in philosophy clash. that stuff just gets too tense

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  3. yea thats a lot to think about for sure

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  4. How can we prove philosophy as fact though?

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  5. i dont know if that could ever happen

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  6. hahaha at the part about pooping, maybe i should start writing down my thoughts while on the can...

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  7. If that were the case, there would be no war, suffering or pain =/

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  8. Maybe everything would be fine if people just kept their mouths shut on personal opinions.

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  9. i guess life is relative and everyones point of view is unique in the end

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  10. I always have these thoughts when I'm in the shower. There's just something about the shower that clears my mind and helps me think.

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  11. You are absolutely true in believing that to be in romantic relationships with others that you must love yourself. That is the first step.

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  12. whoa, great post man. i love how much thought you put into these..

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  13. base your beliefs on fact

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  14. hmmm... thanks for finding it for me!

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  15. one cannot achieve perfect happiness alone, i for one

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  16. one cannot achieve perfect happiness alone, i for one would be happy by having the most awesome son in the world

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  17. very deep bathroom philosophy here, I believe there's a moderation between being selfish and altruistic, and yes once you are happy with yourself that is when you can please someone else romantically.

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  18. im sure plato made up most of his stuff in the bathroom too.

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  19. I agree that in the end, you will need others to completely fulfill yourself

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