Maybe. But what is “better?” These examples are extreme but anywhetebon the spectrum works and just makes it more muddled. If you cure all diseases but do so in a horrible way, are you “better” or worse than a parent who was an unemployed recreational drug user who spread happiness and shared all little they had? If you do nothing but travel on the generosity of strangers but spread “peace and love” wherever you go, are you “better” or worse than your tycoon parent? But is that really the meaning of life? It’s sonewhat insectoid isn’t it? What of people who believe the meaning of life is to be happy? They certainly have a good case. One can hardly regret a life where they were mostly happy. Or those who believe life is about serving others? In my opinion, to each, the meaning of life is where we each find meaning in life. If you’re whole life is based on competition (with a parent), and that is what makes sense to you, jolly good. Personally I’d rather just be the best me I can.
Even just being slightly better at one thing or another.
For example: You know a bit more than your parents
You are more kind than your parents
You take with you the knowledge they gave you and develop it. Every little bit makes you better.
Ah. But if you are slightly better at one thing, and as is almost certainly the case slightly worse at another? Or marginally better at one thing, and much worse at several others? What if you are better at something terrible? Like you are able to beat your children and not leave evidence, while your parent always tried but left marks? Have you fulfilled your purpose in life and forwarded society through excellence in secret child abuse? As I say- to each theor own. You find purpose where you find it, and if this is someone’s mantra I mean no offense and I’m happy for them. As a discussion of practicalities however, I don’t see the logic. Like many somewhat “folk” logics and motovationally inspiring words it doesn’t stand up to analysis. In the end, if it motivates it you motivates you. If a sugar pill makes you think a headache hurts less then why would someone take that away from you? If one wants to have the discussion though- I fail to see the logic.
**** to be clear- the “sugar pill” comment wasn’t some catty jab. I meant it sincerely. Plenty of people take comfort or find meaning in the illogical or patently false or unlikely. Generally with some exception where harm is caused by them or to them this is fine. All I meant was that logical or not- one is free to see the meaning of life as they want, and I’m not attacking anyone’s beliefs, merely examining the concept through deconstruction.
Yeeeaaah, that's not going to happen, at least not using my mom as a standard. She's a saint who loves everyone without hesitation until given absolute reason not to, and that basically consists entirely of hurting her babies. She has unfailing patience and generosity, even though we've always lived just on the cusp of poverty. I can only strive to be a fraction of the person, and more importantly the parent, she is. But my father on the other hand is a useless piece of shit with more kids than braincells, so at least I'm definitely winning there.
Interpretation. Your mom is a saint but maybe only in her neighborhood or church. You could be a doctor or lawyer or engineer or scientist and enrich the lives of thousands!
Yeeeaaah, that's not going to happen, at least not using my mom as a standard. She's a saint who loves everyone without hesitation until given absolute reason not to, and that basically consists entirely of hurting her babies. She has unfailing patience and generosity, even though we've always lived just on the cusp of poverty. I can only strive to be a fraction of the person, and more importantly the parent, she is. But my father on the other hand is a useless piece of shit with more kids than braincells, so at least I'm definitely winning there.
No, it really is. Society is advancing faster than we can mature the next generation. We will naturally be more moral than our parents due to our civilization finally reaching that "We should probably be moral" point. It's just a matter of slowly implementing it, and a lot of it is being implemented at once. Even over one generation, the entire attitude towards gender equality has been fixed. From the way things look, the issues with homosexuals is pretty much a done deal in the next decade or so. Trans issues will probably lag a little behind due to the "Yuck" factor that a lot of people still seem to manifest. I'm not sure how the attitude towards different ethnic groups (Mostly from the Middle East) will play out especially in America, but it will eventually fade.
We are the best humans have ever been. Crime is low, war is down, equality is higher than ever, and this is constantly on the rise.
For example: You know a bit more than your parents
You are more kind than your parents
You take with you the knowledge they gave you and develop it. Every little bit makes you better.
No, it really is. Society is advancing faster than we can mature the next generation. We will naturally be more moral than our parents due to our civilization finally reaching that "We should probably be moral" point. It's just a matter of slowly implementing it, and a lot of it is being implemented at once. Even over one generation, the entire attitude towards gender equality has been fixed. From the way things look, the issues with homosexuals is pretty much a done deal in the next decade or so. Trans issues will probably lag a little behind due to the "Yuck" factor that a lot of people still seem to manifest. I'm not sure how the attitude towards different ethnic groups (Mostly from the Middle East) will play out especially in America, but it will eventually fade.
We are the best humans have ever been. Crime is low, war is down, equality is higher than ever, and this is constantly on the rise.