(no subject)
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=C7C87ECC-E7F2-99DF-39AEFF3D7D1A8CFB&pageNumber=2&catID=1
My favorite part:
"Satisfaction is an emotion that captures the uniquely human need to impart meaning to one's activities," Berns concludes. "While you might find pleasure by happenstance--winning the lottery, possessing the genes for a sunny temperament, or having the luck not to live in poverty--satisfaction can arise only by the conscious decision to do something. And this makes all the difference in the world, because it is only your own actions for which you may take responsibility and credit."
The way I read this: we can only be satisfied if we choose to be. Satisfaction can arise only by the conscious decision to be satisfied. But it seems that this may be a two-edged sword. Another quote, from Japan I believe:
"Hunger is the best cook"
The quote was presented in the context of dissatisfaction working as a source of ambition and drive throughout history. People don't like starving to death, having stupid children, sitting on a cold toilet seat (oh Japan), and so forth. Many people just complain about it, yet a few people actually bother to do something about it. Because of this, we have innovation, culture, technology, and those great things.
On a more egocentric level, I think this applies to me as such. I've been satisfied for as long as I can remember, because I've chosen to be satisfied. In other words, I've never been hungry (metaphorically). I've always gotten what I needed, material goods and such, and I'd like to think I've kept my desires and impulses to a minimum.
Because I'm satisfied, and have been for some time, I don't feel any impetus to push forward. Ambition is something I haven't felt in a while. Once I got those college acceptance letters, I just kind of quit. And even before then, I wasn't particularly driven. I didn't even finish the applications until the night before.
And I'm not claiming that these are unique experiences. But it seems that most people have drives, ambitions, passions, whatever you call it. They may be meaningless, or even destructive, but people want things. Big houses, smart kids, nice cars, big breasts (to own or rent) and so they work, steal, cheat, murder for it. People are hungry.
But yet, maybe the ambition for ambition is something to start with, if a bit circular.
I just finished the novel Spring Snow by Yukio Mishima, the ultra-nationalist author who gutted himself the day he finished the last work of his tetralogy. There was a quote about desire being crushed under the weight of logic and rationality. I'll try to find it and post it one day, I like it.
In other news, I have another story bubbling up about the events of this weekend. Probably in the next day or two, be patient.
My favorite part:
"Satisfaction is an emotion that captures the uniquely human need to impart meaning to one's activities," Berns concludes. "While you might find pleasure by happenstance--winning the lottery, possessing the genes for a sunny temperament, or having the luck not to live in poverty--satisfaction can arise only by the conscious decision to do something. And this makes all the difference in the world, because it is only your own actions for which you may take responsibility and credit."
The way I read this: we can only be satisfied if we choose to be. Satisfaction can arise only by the conscious decision to be satisfied. But it seems that this may be a two-edged sword. Another quote, from Japan I believe:
"Hunger is the best cook"
The quote was presented in the context of dissatisfaction working as a source of ambition and drive throughout history. People don't like starving to death, having stupid children, sitting on a cold toilet seat (oh Japan), and so forth. Many people just complain about it, yet a few people actually bother to do something about it. Because of this, we have innovation, culture, technology, and those great things.
On a more egocentric level, I think this applies to me as such. I've been satisfied for as long as I can remember, because I've chosen to be satisfied. In other words, I've never been hungry (metaphorically). I've always gotten what I needed, material goods and such, and I'd like to think I've kept my desires and impulses to a minimum.
Because I'm satisfied, and have been for some time, I don't feel any impetus to push forward. Ambition is something I haven't felt in a while. Once I got those college acceptance letters, I just kind of quit. And even before then, I wasn't particularly driven. I didn't even finish the applications until the night before.
And I'm not claiming that these are unique experiences. But it seems that most people have drives, ambitions, passions, whatever you call it. They may be meaningless, or even destructive, but people want things. Big houses, smart kids, nice cars, big breasts (to own or rent) and so they work, steal, cheat, murder for it. People are hungry.
But yet, maybe the ambition for ambition is something to start with, if a bit circular.
I just finished the novel Spring Snow by Yukio Mishima, the ultra-nationalist author who gutted himself the day he finished the last work of his tetralogy. There was a quote about desire being crushed under the weight of logic and rationality. I'll try to find it and post it one day, I like it.
In other news, I have another story bubbling up about the events of this weekend. Probably in the next day or two, be patient.