The title of this entry made me think of Adam Smith’s “Invisible Hand Theory.” This particular theory says that everyone is inclined in satisfying self-interest. Hence, no one is what some called “selfless.” We all are selfish in our own ways. As Smith had said, it is not from the generosity of the baker that we get our bread, but from their own interest. As a business student myself, I really can understand. At the end of the day, we are for profit. Thus, we are guided by our self-interest.
Furthermore, this process of gratification of self-interest in the extreme could be very harmful. This I understand from the material. It is dangerous in the sense that it degrades others. We as selfish selves could just think of them as some kind of controllable commodity. We could manipulate them just to get what our selves want of them. Hence, committing violence and crimes.
That having said, I am somehow strengthened and enlightened at the same time. I am my own self. I won’t conform to others will that is against my own. I won’t allow myself to be manipulated to be at other’s benefit and to my expense. I will uphold my own being. I won’t allow myself to be abused, to be subjects of crime or violence. I will fight.
I too have my own needs. I’m not saying that I’m not selfish in my own ways. I also have needs that others only could satisfy. It’s just that others are also selves outside our own selves that need to be upheld. I won’t do what I don’t want others do to me.
Indeed, it’s true that we give the standard of measurement in judging others. Our own selves strive to be more of power than others. No one must be lowered down as well as to be stuck in it. We all struggle to be up there, higher and more powerful than others. In essence it’s very good. We are just optimizing our talents and abilities to be of benefit to our selves and to the community as a whole. It just goes bad when we get too engaged with it too much that we are stepping and looking down at others. How to avoid this? I don’t know. We all have different values. We grew at different environments. We all are our own selves. As for me, I think I was raised relying on my own abilities and not on others as stepping stone.
Perhaps, it really is very different from each of us. Some say that those who are criminals and inflicting harms against others are those who are kind of empty in a sense. Their emptiness in a way finds a way to be filled up through others. Thus, I believe, it’s a crucial job for the parents and the society as a whole to instil and promote good values. Families, as the basic unit of the society must be very keen as to raising their own children taking note of the needs of their children in every aspect. I am lucky to have been born to a good family. I’m not saying that my family is perfect though. I just have been taught of the things that actually matter.
Being in this kaleidoscope world, it is not inevitable that some persons would be better than others in various aspects. I think it’s just the job of the self to find its own talents. In this way, he won’t be feeling deprived that he would actually satisfy this in the most inhumane ways. I for instance have also my weaknesses. But I know my strengths. There are times that I feel insecure of others, but it just passes by. I am my own self. They are others. We are different. Perhaps, we are what they call diverse. Together, we make a world.
There are times that I think of being manipulative. There are times that I feel I am using my wit just to get what I want. I believe it’s inevitable for teenagers like me. We are not given all things that we want. We find ways. Sometimes these ways are wrong. But it is in a way, making us live our lives happily. A potential danger, isn’t it?
At the end, of this paper, I am making a pledge, not of being selfless because it’s impossible, but of controlling this potential in the lower concentration. I could use of it sometimes, but of minimum harm. At the end of the day, we have our own needs to satisfy, we have others to satisfy, we have others as hindrances for this satisfaction.
No comments:
Post a Comment