Personal Development for Smart People Forums - View Single Post

Ecce Homo · 08-13-2008, 02:12 PM

I notice that people keeping bringing up concepts that sound like, “It is wrong to suggest that nurses and teachers and fire fighters, etc, people who tirelessly serve individuals in their community day in and day out, people who are willing to even sacrifice their lives for others, are being paid what they deserve! It is wrong to suggest that others, like P. Diddy, are being paid what they deserve! It should be the exact opposite! Our society’s system of compensation is unfair and to suggest otherwise is not only morally inexcusable, it also helps to uphold a corrupt status quo!”

Is any of that even true?

“Things should be fair.” That one belief alone assumes a great deal. What’s fair? Who determines what fair means and how? “There exists in the universe a perfect and objective standard of fairness that applies to everyone, everywhere.” Are we certain of this? If so, how? “Steve is suggesting that what society actually values is also morally right.” Is he, really? You might want to look at his article again if you think he’s making a moral argument about the righteousness of P. Diddy’s net worth. “Society should value what I say it should value. It should value the Mother Teresas of the world way more than it values the P. Diddys of the world, and it should do so in the form of financial compensation.” Who needs God when we have you? Many of these kinds of beliefs can be traced back to a belief that goes something like, “If everything was like *fill in the blank* life would be perfect.” This presupposes that perfection looks the way you personally think it looks. Is it possible that you are mistaken? Is it possible that perfection might actually resemble reality?

I am not arguing for the opposite of any of the above either, by the way. In fact, I am not arguing at all. Just throwing out possibilities. As always, we are all free to take it or leave it. Isn’t the freedom to ignore that which does not resonate with you grand?

Steve seems to be particularly gifted at handing people opportunities to really examine their own beliefs in the form of polarizing articles. What a neat gift that must be!

08-13-2008, 02:12 PM	#84 (permalink)
Ecce Homo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 455	I notice that people keeping bringing up concepts that sound like, “It is wrong to suggest that nurses and teachers and fire fighters, etc, people who tirelessly serve individuals in their community day in and day out, people who are willing to even sacrifice their lives for others, are being paid what they deserve! It is wrong to suggest that others, like P. Diddy, are being paid what they deserve! It should be the exact opposite! Our society’s system of compensation is unfair and to suggest otherwise is not only morally inexcusable, it also helps to uphold a corrupt status quo!” Is any of that even true? “Things should be fair.” That one belief alone assumes a great deal. What’s fair? Who determines what fair means and how? “There exists in the universe a perfect and objective standard of fairness that applies to everyone, everywhere.” Are we certain of this? If so, how? “Steve is suggesting that what society actually values is also morally right.” Is he, really? You might want to look at his article again if you think he’s making a moral argument about the righteousness of P. Diddy’s net worth. “Society should value what I say it should value. It should value the Mother Teresas of the world way more than it values the P. Diddys of the world, and it should do so in the form of financial compensation.” Who needs God when we have you? Many of these kinds of beliefs can be traced back to a belief that goes something like, “If everything was like fill in the blank life would be perfect.” This presupposes that perfection looks the way you personally think it looks. Is it possible that you are mistaken? Is it possible that perfection might actually resemble reality? I am not arguing for the opposite of any of the above either, by the way. In fact, I am not arguing at all. Just throwing out possibilities. As always, we are all free to take it or leave it. Isn’t the freedom to ignore that which does not resonate with you grand? Steve seems to be particularly gifted at handing people opportunities to really examine their own beliefs in the form of polarizing articles. What a neat gift that must be!