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> the easier it is to meet material needs, the lazier people get and more prone to instant gratification. It's not that difficult to extrapolate from this one s

by marquis 15y ago

> the easier it is to meet material needs, the lazier people get and more prone to instant gratification. It's not that difficult to extrapolate from this one simple truth And yet all literature (fiction and non-fiction) ever written on this topic concludes that above all humans want to feel connected and valued. I completely disagree with your theory and believe that given the opportunity to not require demeaning work for subsistence, our species will overwhelming choose to seek meaningful activities above becoming a permanent couch potato. Why else would we have such a rich culture of arts and music, if our ancestors preferred to spend their downtime watching the horizon/fireplace instead of creating. Yes, there may be some who choose a less engaging existence but given that of everyone I know, from poor cousins to independently wealthy ex-financiers prefers to do something with their time, I am confident the majority will also prefer meaning over stagnation.

127 15y ago
>all humans want to feel connected and valued. Being lazy and prone to instant gratification does not mean not having friends or family. Why would you see these two points as mutually exclusive? >rich culture of arts and music Are you assuming that everyone can produce something of value in this regard? They can't. A very large majority of it is complete crap. >prefers to do something with their time I didn't say people wouldn't do anything, just that they wouldn't do much anything they found uncomfortable to meet some abstract, long term goal. The ability to work to embetter themselves is not the same as mental masturbation. >I am confident the majority will also prefer meaning over stagnation. People need reasons to do things they find difficult. Motivation and drive is not born out of a vacuum. Remove a reason like the need to have food, water, heat, electricity, sanitation and housing; lose much of the need in creating wealth for yourself.

by marquis 15y ago

127 15y ago

>all humans want to feel connected and valued. Being lazy and prone to instant gratification does not mean not having friends or family. Why would you see these two points as mutually exclusive? >rich culture of arts and music Are you assuming that everyone can produce something of value in this regard? They can't. A very large majority of it is complete crap. >prefers to do something with their time I didn't say people wouldn't do anything, just that they wouldn't do much anything they found uncomfortable to meet some abstract, long term goal. The ability to work to embetter themselves is not the same as mental masturbation. >I am confident the majority will also prefer meaning over stagnation. People need reasons to do things they find difficult. Motivation and drive is not born out of a vacuum. Remove a reason like the need to have food, water, heat, electricity, sanitation and housing; lose much of the need in creating wealth for yourself.