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Comments
I still have yet to get some of those plushies.
Or to watch Moyashimon, for that matter.
@LouieW: Actually, I was thinking about how it hasn't been easy to find former classmates to consult about career paths, as well as profs to ask for recommendations. It's much easier to remember someone if they did something memorable (and preferably positive, if you're asking them for help).
Abyss_Worm,
Not really. At first glance, I wondered why this wasn't in Wonderful Posts, because the idea of putting on a personality mask is silly.
I would agree with you except that in certain circumstances it seems pretty necessary. I mean, if you want to be in business, especially in say marketing or customer service, I think you kind of have to take on a certain personality and follow certain customs. To some extent, I feel like school settings can be similar.
Juan_Carlos,
I only see vanity as bad from the ones you've listed here.
This might just be a personal preference, but I think that craving attention and wanting to be "important" are problematic for basically the same reasons that being vain is. From what I can tell, all three of those attitudes can lead to selfishness and valuing things that are essentially empty (e.g., how many fans you have or how many people think you are important).
It seems to me that if people want to be ambitious they should focus on doing things that are important, not trying to be important themselves. I guess it is alright if other people happen to consider them important because of what they do, but that should not be a goal.
In short, I guess I dislike big egos.
glennmagusharvey,
Actually, I was thinking about how it hasn't been easy to find former classmates to consult about career paths, as well as profs to ask for recommendations. It's much easier to remember someone if they did something memorable (and preferably positive, if you're asking them for help).
You are probably right about that. I guess developing trust is one advantage to having those kinds of connections. I suppose you tend to have to be doing something right if people are willing to put in a good word for you.
I think you're conflating superficial values like "How many people think you are important?" with things that I think people need to a degree such as attention or being relevant.
I'd argue that desiring attention is not bad provided you restrain said desire for attention and do not engage in annoying actions such as bothering other people in order to get it. We all desire, to a degree, to be known, if only by the people we value in one way or another.
the thing is, though, everybody wants to be important and good at what they do. To contribute in some way to the world and stuff. There's nothing wrong with such a desire.
Juan_Carlos,
I think you're conflating superficial values like "How many people think you are important?" with things that I think people need to a degree such as attention or being relevant.
Sorry if I was unclear before, but I actually agree that people may need attention since it is (unfortunately in my opinion), kind of tough to have much of a positive impact without getting attention and you are probably going to need to get some recognition to publicize a good cause.
I'd argue that desiring attention is not bad provided you restrain said desire for attention and do not engage in annoying actions such as bothering other people in order to get it. We all desire, to a degree, to be known, if only by the people we value in one way or another.
I think you are right to the extent that just having a desire for attention is not bad and that trying to act on it in annoying ways is not appropriate. I am not sure if it is really true that we all desire to be known, but I suppose it is probably tough to disprove that claim anyway.
the thing is, though, everybody wants to be important and good at what they do. To contribute in some way to the world and stuff. There's nothing wrong with such a desire.
Sure, wanting to be good at what you do and wanting to contribute to the world both seem like fine goals to me. I guess my point, if I have one, is that if you want to make a difference, you should do so for the sake of making things better for others, not in order to get attention or to be considered important.
I think very very very few people would consider being unknown by everyone, including people they like and appreciate a good thing. In any case, I think the whole "He who seeks to be ignored wishes to ignore others" thing applies. And to be honest, ignoring other people or social contact is the kind of thing that you should try to not do.
I don't see how they are mutually exclusive at all. You can desire to help others and receive gratitude in return and there's no reason for that to be a bad act or a bad thought. We all desire to be rewarded for our work in some way, and is there anything wrong with thinking that other people knowing your name and appreciating who you are is a valid reward?
Juan_Carlos,
I think very very very few people would consider being unknown by everyone, including people they like and appreciate a good thing. In any case, I think the whole "He who seeks to be ignored wishes to ignore others" thing applies. And to be honest, ignoring other people or social contact is the kind of thing that you should try to not do.
I certainly agree on the first part, I guess saying "we all desire to be known" kind of tripped me up, since I feel like it is generally not a good idea to use absolutes (unless you are a sith that is).
As for the second part, I think it is definitely possible to be a friendly stranger, that is, to be nice to people without necessary being social enough to leave a lasting impression on anyone. I admit that that approach probably does not work for everyone, since some people are just naturally more social. That different people have different strategies on how to be friendly is of course fine though.
I don't see how they are mutually exclusive at all. You can desire to help others and receive gratitude in return and there's no reason for that to be a bad act or a bad thought. We all desire to be rewarded for our work in some way, and is there anything wrong with thinking that other people knowing your name and appreciating who you are is a valid reward?
Good point, maybe I should have phrased that differently. Doing good stuff seems alright to me, but doing something for others for its own sake seems even better since some jobs are both thankless and important.
Plenty of times, good things are not rewarded. If your main goal in helping others is to receive some kind of reward then it seems like you are less likely to help out in those occasions when there is no reward to be had. Basically, I believe that one should do what is right even if no one is looking or is going to ever know that you are the one who did it. Focusing on trying to get attention seems like an obstacle to that attitude to me.
If your point is to get attention, then your focus should be on public relations and advertising (or its equivalent in other situations) anyway.
Being the joker does have its bad sides though.
While most people I've met remember me, and in the studio people do laugh at my jokes and often wait for what I'll say next when they notice a new importunity for me to take advantage of. But I've found that staff and superiors do not believe I can be reliable or responsible, which is a problem.
TheConductor,
I think that is a pretty interesting point. I guess one problem with trying to gain a certain reputation is that it can be difficult to shirk once you actually have it. I feel like that can also apply to people who try to appear cute and such since other people may be less inclined to take what they say seriously.
I figure that that difficulty has implications for redemption too because people may be less likely to give you a second chance after you have done something wrong. That might make you more likely to keep doing bad stuff since your bad reputation seems to be pretty much set in everybody's minds.