How many of you 20 year-olds were asked ''What do you want to do in life''? The proper answer to this question is ''What would you like me to say?''
This society is more and more devaluating jobs that are not only respectable, but also crucial for the well functioning of any community. What kid dreams of becoming a plumber? None, obviously, because we look down to them. Still, I'm not worried about technical jobs. It's the social science jobs that worry me the most. A few hundred years ago, being a philosopher maybe wasn't high on the social ladder, but there was nothing wrong with that. Now, we look at humanities and liberal arts with a criticizing eye. In our society, people are born, go to school, obtain a job, rush to that job, rush from that job to their home, go to bed and repeat the cycle until they retire and die. Very few of these so called humans (whom are closer related to sheep) ever stop and wonder 'is this significant'. 'Does what I do matter?'
Chances are, if you ask yourself that question, the answer is no. And it should be no! Think about it, unless you're self-employed (which you probably aren't) you're making someone else rich. So your labor matters to him (or her) more than to you. That's why humans build families and friendships. But can you really find meaning in going out with some people, copulating with others and growing tiny humans you call children? If the answer is yes, congratulations, you're not much different than any other herd animal.
'Well then, if you're so smart, what's YOUR purpose in life?', would ask anyone and everyone that got offended by the previous statement. To these people, I toss back a question: 'what's the difference between a human and a cow?'. You guessed it, humans, unlike cows, are capable of reason. And if that is the only (except for the physiological and even so for some individuals debatable difference) difference, wouldn't that be our ultimate goal? I think it's not a bad one.
We humans are born to reason. That sounds about right. Sadly, most people forget reason exists and behave like sheep. Stop living on the automatic. Put your phone away, look at people and ask 'why'. If not to them, ask it to yourself.
This society is more and more devaluating jobs that are not only respectable, but also crucial for the well functioning of any community. What kid dreams of becoming a plumber? None, obviously, because we look down to them. Still, I'm not worried about technical jobs. It's the social science jobs that worry me the most. A few hundred years ago, being a philosopher maybe wasn't high on the social ladder, but there was nothing wrong with that. Now, we look at humanities and liberal arts with a criticizing eye. In our society, people are born, go to school, obtain a job, rush to that job, rush from that job to their home, go to bed and repeat the cycle until they retire and die. Very few of these so called humans (whom are closer related to sheep) ever stop and wonder 'is this significant'. 'Does what I do matter?'
Chances are, if you ask yourself that question, the answer is no. And it should be no! Think about it, unless you're self-employed (which you probably aren't) you're making someone else rich. So your labor matters to him (or her) more than to you. That's why humans build families and friendships. But can you really find meaning in going out with some people, copulating with others and growing tiny humans you call children? If the answer is yes, congratulations, you're not much different than any other herd animal.
'Well then, if you're so smart, what's YOUR purpose in life?', would ask anyone and everyone that got offended by the previous statement. To these people, I toss back a question: 'what's the difference between a human and a cow?'. You guessed it, humans, unlike cows, are capable of reason. And if that is the only (except for the physiological and even so for some individuals debatable difference) difference, wouldn't that be our ultimate goal? I think it's not a bad one.
We humans are born to reason. That sounds about right. Sadly, most people forget reason exists and behave like sheep. Stop living on the automatic. Put your phone away, look at people and ask 'why'. If not to them, ask it to yourself.
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