7 ms·

> Don't be angry at the people who are benefiting from a system, or at the system itself. Most just end up that way, the same way a river meanders towards the s

> Don't be angry at the people who are benefiting from a system, or at the system itself. Most just end up that way, the same way a river meanders towards the sea This is absolutely brilliant, going to favourite it and steal your quote! The only thing I'd contribute is to also think about the system from your perspective, wherever you've ended up. Zoom out. Think about how you got here. How much of it is truly deliberate and chosen, how much is the default path of least resistance? How much did you create, how much did you accept and learn from others? How much is earned, how much is luck? What do you want to change, what can you change? Are you able to help others change? Are you able to help others by changing the system itself? Things how they happen to be now aren't necessarily how they ought to be. Indeed probably as a rule they aren't. It's not the natural order of things just because it's been that way all your life, or you've been a part of it all your life. At any moment, you have the ability to put your head up, think critically about things, act deliberately and independently, and change yourself and the system around you for the better.

notduncansmith 7y ago
> Think about how you got here. I would add that, when asking yourself questions, make sure it’s your intellect and not your ego answering. They’re part of the same machine, but sometimes they give very different responses to the same question. Be suspicious of any answer that’s easy to accept.
tehjoker 7y ago
The reason you get angry at those people is because when you try to change the system they try to stop you. ;) Just my 2c
kazagistar 7y ago
I mean if a system is bad and anger helps to change it for the better, then it seems like that's fine. Anger, outrage, etc are all systems as well, that you shouldn't be "angry" at, right? The rejection of the utility of emotion is itself irrational.
- sevilo 7y ago
  I have rarely seen people solve problems or make changes out of anger and outrage. Everyone can be angry because victimhood is easy, but only few who are able to rationalize, understand their goals and understand the resistance they'd need to go through end up taking actions to make changes.
- muzani 7y ago
  Anger is a way for your body to pool resources for a fight. It destroys the body in a sense, for short term gain. If you do not act upon that anger, it becomes less effective, and only serves to sabotage yourself. Save the anger for actual wars you intend to fight.
crimsonalucard 7y ago
The only type of person who will like this kind of quote is someone disproportionally benefiting from the system in an unfair way. Let me tell you absolutely that if such people exist in the system then the system is flawed, unfair and such a person is indeed exploiting the system. Systems can be made fair or unfair, that is what you must derive from the fact that everything is a system. It is pure stupidity to accept that all systems are unfair. This is not true and is nearly an obscene belief. Think about it. The logical consequence of people disproportionally benefiting from the system means someone must be losing. If you must accept this, then you must accept that people working 3 jobs to stay afloat or people in poverty are just part of the system at work. Don't get angry at those facts.
- reroute1 7y ago
  > Systems can be made fair or unfair, that is what you must derive from the fact that everything is a system. Or conversely, as the OP suggested systems end up that way. Not necessarily designed fairly or unfairly, they can become that way over time. > It is pure stupidity to accept that all systems are unfair. This is not true and is nearly an obscene belief. Where did anyone say that all systems are unfair? Where did anyone say you should just accept the way they are? Those do seem stupid and I don't see where anyone posited those ideas. On the other hand it does seem very useful to understand that unfair systems do exist, how and why they came about. And if you have no control or influence over a system, then you need to accept it. Those are all pretty obvious truths and is what the OP highlighted...
  - crimsonalucard 7y ago
    This post seems to imply such unfair systems are emergent in nature. Possibly so. But is the system emergent among a group of human beings who are fully aware of the actions they are taking? No. That's like saying global warming is an emergent phenomenon of human society.
    - reroute1 7y ago
      Right, it is emergent among a group of human beings who may or may not be aware of the actions they are taking as is the case with global warming. Although nowadays more and more people are aware of what causes global warming and how they contribute. That also doesn't mean that some people aren't trying to keep the status quo or rig a system. Just that if a system is unfair, that could be something that was not necessarily designed or intended, but happened anyway.

notduncansmith 7y ago

> Think about how you got here. I would add that, when asking yourself questions, make sure it’s your intellect and not your ego answering. They’re part of the same machine, but sometimes they give very different responses to the same question. Be suspicious of any answer that’s easy to accept.

tehjoker 7y ago

The reason you get angry at those people is because when you try to change the system they try to stop you. ;) Just my 2c

kazagistar 7y ago

I mean if a system is bad and anger helps to change it for the better, then it seems like that's fine. Anger, outrage, etc are all systems as well, that you shouldn't be "angry" at, right? The rejection of the utility of emotion is itself irrational.

sevilo 7y ago
I have rarely seen people solve problems or make changes out of anger and outrage. Everyone can be angry because victimhood is easy, but only few who are able to rationalize, understand their goals and understand the resistance they'd need to go through end up taking actions to make changes.
muzani 7y ago
Anger is a way for your body to pool resources for a fight. It destroys the body in a sense, for short term gain. If you do not act upon that anger, it becomes less effective, and only serves to sabotage yourself. Save the anger for actual wars you intend to fight.

crimsonalucard 7y ago

The only type of person who will like this kind of quote is someone disproportionally benefiting from the system in an unfair way. Let me tell you absolutely that if such people exist in the system then the system is flawed, unfair and such a person is indeed exploiting the system. Systems can be made fair or unfair, that is what you must derive from the fact that everything is a system. It is pure stupidity to accept that all systems are unfair. This is not true and is nearly an obscene belief. Think about it. The logical consequence of people disproportionally benefiting from the system means someone must be losing. If you must accept this, then you must accept that people working 3 jobs to stay afloat or people in poverty are just part of the system at work. Don't get angry at those facts.

reroute1 7y ago
> Systems can be made fair or unfair, that is what you must derive from the fact that everything is a system. Or conversely, as the OP suggested systems end up that way. Not necessarily designed fairly or unfairly, they can become that way over time. > It is pure stupidity to accept that all systems are unfair. This is not true and is nearly an obscene belief. Where did anyone say that all systems are unfair? Where did anyone say you should just accept the way they are? Those do seem stupid and I don't see where anyone posited those ideas. On the other hand it does seem very useful to understand that unfair systems do exist, how and why they came about. And if you have no control or influence over a system, then you need to accept it. Those are all pretty obvious truths and is what the OP highlighted...
- crimsonalucard 7y ago
  This post seems to imply such unfair systems are emergent in nature. Possibly so. But is the system emergent among a group of human beings who are fully aware of the actions they are taking? No. That's like saying global warming is an emergent phenomenon of human society.
  - reroute1 7y ago
    Right, it is emergent among a group of human beings who may or may not be aware of the actions they are taking as is the case with global warming. Although nowadays more and more people are aware of what causes global warming and how they contribute. That also doesn't mean that some people aren't trying to keep the status quo or rig a system. Just that if a system is unfair, that could be something that was not necessarily designed or intended, but happened anyway.