To dominate or to serve, there is the rub.
It appears to me that our human instincts are to dominate or to serve. I would like to suggest that we concentrate our critical skills upon seeking to focus attention upon synthesis.
When I read history I see primarily a dual human need exerting itself—we seem to have a two class social system; we have the few who dominate the vast subservient majority. The subservient take this roll both because humans crave order and stability and because such a roll is the path to power. Humans crave dominance and they crave order and stability. Is their a third way?
When we are dominating objects we are united in a common goal. Our unified goal is to dominate objects as much as possible and we have proven to be very good at it. When we try to serve both a roll as dominant and as subversive we appear to create a society that is constantly at war with it self.
Power is the siren song we all hear. We all want power and we get it by dominating or we get it by being subservient to power. Our newspapers abound with such stories daily of the struggle for power, i.e. power is the means to get what we want when we want it.
Acquisition of power is a human imperative. We can acquire and use power either rationally or irrationally. One of the primary motivating forces behind irrational behavior is considered to be human egocentrism, which is “to view everything within the world in relationship to oneself, to be self-centered.
To be rational in one’s desires is to use intellectual standards of thinking and to be irrational in one’s desires is to use egocentric standards to determine what to accept or what to reject as true.
To dominate or to serve, there is the rub
To dominate or to serve, there is the rub
we seem to have a two class social system; we have the few who dominate the vast subservient majority.
I bought my kids 2 10-week-old bunnies - bucks and litter mates.
They are adorable together!
However, yesterday they suddenly attacked each other quite visciously - the fur literally flew!
I tried to explain to my daughter that in a bunny society there has to be an alpha male - whether it's in a bunny warren with 100s of rabbits or whether it's in a pen with just 2 rabbits.
She asked why they can't be 'civilised' like us. And I realised that even in our society we have the 'alpha male' be he Prime Minister or President, who oversees our own bunny warrens or rat races; because without that 'alpha male' our society would collapse and we would be like wild animals, struggling to survive against the odds.
It's not a case of a 2 class social system, it's more a case of a hierarchical society IMO whereby you need to have hierarchical 'layers' in order that everyone can have a place in that society and everyone can add to it and benefit from it - rather than each just fighting for what he can get.
BTW - they're now penned separately until their castrations next week!
Do you reckon that would work for the Pres and the PM? :wah:
I bought my kids 2 10-week-old bunnies - bucks and litter mates.
They are adorable together!
However, yesterday they suddenly attacked each other quite visciously - the fur literally flew!
I tried to explain to my daughter that in a bunny society there has to be an alpha male - whether it's in a bunny warren with 100s of rabbits or whether it's in a pen with just 2 rabbits.
She asked why they can't be 'civilised' like us. And I realised that even in our society we have the 'alpha male' be he Prime Minister or President, who oversees our own bunny warrens or rat races; because without that 'alpha male' our society would collapse and we would be like wild animals, struggling to survive against the odds.
It's not a case of a 2 class social system, it's more a case of a hierarchical society IMO whereby you need to have hierarchical 'layers' in order that everyone can have a place in that society and everyone can add to it and benefit from it - rather than each just fighting for what he can get.
BTW - they're now penned separately until their castrations next week!
Do you reckon that would work for the Pres and the PM? :wah:
To dominate or to serve, there is the rub
Rapunzel wrote: I bought my kids 2 10-week-old bunnies - bucks and litter mates.
They are adorable together!
However, yesterday they suddenly attacked each other quite visciously - the fur literally flew!
I tried to explain to my daughter that in a bunny society there has to be an alpha male - whether it's in a bunny warren with 100s of rabbits or whether it's in a pen with just 2 rabbits.
She asked why they can't be 'civilised' like us. And I realised that even in our society we have the 'alpha male' be he Prime Minister or President, who oversees our own bunny warrens or rat races; because without that 'alpha male' our society would collapse and we would be like wild animals, struggling to survive against the odds.
It's not a case of a 2 class social system, it's more a case of a hierarchical society IMO whereby you need to have hierarchical 'layers' in order that everyone can have a place in that society and everyone can add to it and benefit from it - rather than each just fighting for what he can get.
BTW - they're now penned separately until their castrations next week!
Do you reckon that would work for the Pres and the PM? :wah:
I think that power serves a useful purpose and power serves an irrational and thus dangerous purpose. It seems to me that we need to find some way to deal with the irrational purpose. We do not want someone to decide to do to us what you have decided to do to your rabbits.
They are adorable together!
However, yesterday they suddenly attacked each other quite visciously - the fur literally flew!
I tried to explain to my daughter that in a bunny society there has to be an alpha male - whether it's in a bunny warren with 100s of rabbits or whether it's in a pen with just 2 rabbits.
She asked why they can't be 'civilised' like us. And I realised that even in our society we have the 'alpha male' be he Prime Minister or President, who oversees our own bunny warrens or rat races; because without that 'alpha male' our society would collapse and we would be like wild animals, struggling to survive against the odds.
It's not a case of a 2 class social system, it's more a case of a hierarchical society IMO whereby you need to have hierarchical 'layers' in order that everyone can have a place in that society and everyone can add to it and benefit from it - rather than each just fighting for what he can get.
BTW - they're now penned separately until their castrations next week!
Do you reckon that would work for the Pres and the PM? :wah:
I think that power serves a useful purpose and power serves an irrational and thus dangerous purpose. It seems to me that we need to find some way to deal with the irrational purpose. We do not want someone to decide to do to us what you have decided to do to your rabbits.
To dominate or to serve, there is the rub
Hamster wrote: I think that if we can serve humanity by addressing a basic need then we gain spiritual power by being indespensable to people...What can you do or offer humanity that will benefit everyone and increase your financial standing at the same time? When you find this you will serve but also be very dominant in society and people will look up to you.....One of those paradoxes in life!
Dominating people does give power but it is ego based power and is therefore not permanent..as soon as the position of power goes (i.e PM or President) so does your power....By addressing spiritual needs you will automatically assume some measure of power....
I agree that an individuals power does disappear at some time but does that mean that it is ego based power. I am puzzled by your statements. How do we address spiritual needs?
Dominating people does give power but it is ego based power and is therefore not permanent..as soon as the position of power goes (i.e PM or President) so does your power....By addressing spiritual needs you will automatically assume some measure of power....
I agree that an individuals power does disappear at some time but does that mean that it is ego based power. I am puzzled by your statements. How do we address spiritual needs?
To dominate or to serve, there is the rub
coberst wrote: I think that power serves a useful purpose and power serves an irrational and thus dangerous purpose. It seems to me that we need to find some way to deal with the irrational purpose. We do not want someone to decide to do to us what you have decided to do to your rabbits.
It's not what I chose to do, it's what the vet says HAS to be done to make them lovable house bunnies again instead of dangerous aggressors!
Likewise, we have to live by rules and we're metaphorically castrated by government (with laws, police and taxes) in order to make us socially acceptable and capable of living together rather than being separately penned.
What is irrational about wanting to be a part of society and be accepted by society?
It's not what I chose to do, it's what the vet says HAS to be done to make them lovable house bunnies again instead of dangerous aggressors!
Likewise, we have to live by rules and we're metaphorically castrated by government (with laws, police and taxes) in order to make us socially acceptable and capable of living together rather than being separately penned.
What is irrational about wanting to be a part of society and be accepted by society?
-
Accountable
- Posts: 24818
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 8:33 am
To dominate or to serve, there is the rub
coberst wrote: To dominate or to serve, there is the rub.
It appears to me that our human instincts are to dominate or to serve. I would like to suggest that we concentrate our critical skills upon seeking to focus attention upon synthesis.
When I read history I see primarily a dual human need exerting itself—we seem to have a two class social system; we have the few who dominate the vast subservient majority. The subservient take this roll both because humans crave order and stability and because such a roll is the path to power. Humans crave dominance and they crave order and stability. Is their a third way?
When we are dominating objects we are united in a common goal. Our unified goal is to dominate objects as much as possible and we have proven to be very good at it. When we try to serve both a roll as dominant and as subversive we appear to create a society that is constantly at war with it self.
Power is the siren song we all hear. We all want power and we get it by dominating or we get it by being subservient to power. Our newspapers abound with such stories daily of the struggle for power, i.e. power is the means to get what we want when we want it.
Acquisition of power is a human imperative. We can acquire and use power either rationally or irrationally. One of the primary motivating forces behind irrational behavior is considered to be human egocentrism, which is “to view everything within the world in relationship to oneself, to be self-centered.
To be rational in one’s desires is to use intellectual standards of thinking and to be irrational in one’s desires is to use egocentric standards to determine what to accept or what to reject as true.Since you only allow 2 categories, coberst, which are you?
It appears to me that our human instincts are to dominate or to serve. I would like to suggest that we concentrate our critical skills upon seeking to focus attention upon synthesis.
When I read history I see primarily a dual human need exerting itself—we seem to have a two class social system; we have the few who dominate the vast subservient majority. The subservient take this roll both because humans crave order and stability and because such a roll is the path to power. Humans crave dominance and they crave order and stability. Is their a third way?
When we are dominating objects we are united in a common goal. Our unified goal is to dominate objects as much as possible and we have proven to be very good at it. When we try to serve both a roll as dominant and as subversive we appear to create a society that is constantly at war with it self.
Power is the siren song we all hear. We all want power and we get it by dominating or we get it by being subservient to power. Our newspapers abound with such stories daily of the struggle for power, i.e. power is the means to get what we want when we want it.
Acquisition of power is a human imperative. We can acquire and use power either rationally or irrationally. One of the primary motivating forces behind irrational behavior is considered to be human egocentrism, which is “to view everything within the world in relationship to oneself, to be self-centered.
To be rational in one’s desires is to use intellectual standards of thinking and to be irrational in one’s desires is to use egocentric standards to determine what to accept or what to reject as true.Since you only allow 2 categories, coberst, which are you?
To dominate or to serve, there is the rub
Accountable wrote: Since you only allow 2 categories, coberst, which are you?
I am always rational, I think. Of course, we all have strong ego and socio centric forces draging us into the alley.
I am always rational, I think. Of course, we all have strong ego and socio centric forces draging us into the alley.
-
Accountable
- Posts: 24818
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 8:33 am
To dominate or to serve, there is the rub
I like Stephen Covey's descriptions as levels of maturity. Starts with dependence, then progresses to independence, then a few of us make it to interdependence.
-
Accountable
- Posts: 24818
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 8:33 am
To dominate or to serve, there is the rub
Hamster wrote: He is an amazing author/speaker AC..which books have you read by him?I read 7 Habits and First Things First. I also took the facilitator's course to teach 7 Habits. It's alot to try to live up to.
-
daBunnyWendy7
- Posts: 457
- Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2006 5:55 pm
To dominate or to serve, there is the rub
Accountable wrote: I read 7 Habits and First Things First. I also took the facilitator's course to teach 7 Habits. It's alot to try to live up to.
DING...hit the mark! IMO
INTERDEPENDANCE IS far greater goal than independance.
DING...hit the mark! IMO
INTERDEPENDANCE IS far greater goal than independance.
Wendybunny
Everyone can make the world a better place!
Everyone can make the world a better place!
-
anastrophe
- Posts: 3135
- Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:00 pm
To dominate or to serve, there is the rub
there are two kinds of people in the world: those who believe that there are only two kinds of people in the world, and those who have the sense to know better.
[FONT=Franklin Gothic Medium][/FONT]
-
Accountable
- Posts: 24818
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 8:33 am
To dominate or to serve, there is the rub
anastrophe wrote: there are two kinds of people in the world: those who believe that there are only two kinds of people in the world, and those who have the sense to know better.:wah: ............... :-2 ..................:p
-
daBunnyWendy7
- Posts: 457
- Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2006 5:55 pm
To dominate or to serve, there is the rub
anastrophe wrote: there are two kinds of people in the world: those who believe that there are only two kinds of people in the world, and those who have the sense to know better.
so one is clean t otter is GREENSOwry...am I now caste inTA outter darkness am I OFF THREAD???YI kes IM spinning off into da outter darkness 3* BBBBBBBrrrrrrrrrrrrr:-3
so one is clean t otter is GREENSOwry...am I now caste inTA outter darkness am I OFF THREAD???YI kes IM spinning off into da outter darkness 3* BBBBBBBrrrrrrrrrrrrr:-3
Wendybunny
Everyone can make the world a better place!
Everyone can make the world a better place!