In my view, there is no common goal of human beings, individually or collectively, in this or any age. We each have our own interests, those interests change over time, circumstance, context. Those interests are influenced by family, social groups, and media, perhaps giving an impression of commonality, but identifying for instance the most common goal is saying nothing more than "At this time, more people are interested in X than Y."
For instance, right now a very prominent goal is to stop governments from using a made-up virus to microchip people for purposes of monitoring and control. No people had this goal two years ago; far fewer people will have it a few years hence. But right now that is the most important and urgent matter to millions of people sharing a particular context: having no functioning brains.
For other people it's halting manmade climate change. For others it's rebuilding the Russian empire. For others it's finding their next meal. For others it's beating that deadly pandemic. For others it's getting justice, liberty and equality for them and their community. For others it's the transfer of wealth and power from the many to the few.
It's a pluralism, right down to not just the individual but the individual in a given time or context.
I think everyone has different goals in life. It is a value of one's psychology. Some will never think about goals in life. Just living healthy and happy everyday, and doing whatever they want to do, might be sufficient for good life. Living itself is the goal of life.
god must be atheistJuly 26, 2021 at 09:34#5720070 likes
Goals of theists: "Drop-kick me, Jesus, through the goal-posts of life!"
Goals of atheists: scored in world cup soccer matches.
Anti-goals of theists: Jesus saves!
Anti-goals of atheist: Henderson winds up... he shoots! But Jesus saves! (Hernando Jesus is the Goal Keeper for the Los Angeles Ducks hockey team.)
A person's highest goal – always act today to prevent increases in and/or to reduce the gratuitous harms (re: suffering, misery) to one's future-present self.
A people's highest goal – always be the kind of ancestors whose every consequential decision today serves to prevent increases in and/or to reduce the gratuitous harms (re: suffering, misery) to our future-present descendants.
(NB: Reply to 180 Proof re: the tensed-self (i.e. suspended ego) of moral agency)
Of course, this bleeding, old world turns on lesser goals ...
I think at individual level there are many, including conflicting goals depending on the part of the world you happen to live, like getting a better job, buying a bigger house, getting a richer husband or younger and prettier wife, moving to a better area or country, etc.
Collectively, I can't think of any to be honest. Though, of course, there may be an evolutionary goal that Nature or God has planned for us and that has not yet been revealed. And even if it was revealed, most of us would probably be too busy with their own personal goals to be too concerned about the collective one.
Having said that, it is not entirely inconceivable that some collective goals may still exist if not globally, at least country-wise. For example, China's collective goal may be to take over the world in the near future.
Dopamine and friends. Along with security for a reasonably consistent environment in which it can be produced, procured, and enjoyed. That last bit is an understanding that differentiates modern man from his predecessors and fellow organisms.
It's all the same. Happiness. Love. Camaraderie. Entertainment. Some people want to start a family, some people just want to hang out or otherwise pursue some sort of nondescript inner joy that has long eluded them, etc. It's a combination of what makes one "happy" ie. brings joy and contentment and what one logically believes. For some people, mostly children, it's getting new things and having new/fun experiences whenever possible. For others, it's about solving problems, "moving society forward" as some would say.
Nietzsche has interesting things to say about this. Let us say: the overman is the meaning of the earth, and the highest goal. I personally like that.
I think you’re asking an important question. Individually, we have all kinds of unique problems and goals for ourselves. This is enough to occupy most of our time and energy. It’s also a terrible mistake and the source of untold suffering. Happiness comes from caring about something beyond yourself and in joining with others. For most it’s a partner or children or religion— that’s fine, as long as it wakes us up from our otherwise narrow concerns. But until it does, we’re stuck in a seemingly meaningless cycle of personal habits and routines.
Beware of those who discourage collective goals and collective action— they’ve been ensnared by a false ideology: the ideology of self. Where this thinking abounds, there’s always unhappiness and destruction.
The human species needs a goal, and right now we have none whatsoever— other than personal gain and greed. This will likely turn the future into an unlivable hell hole, thanks to what essentially amounts to nihilism in the wake of Christian dominance — represented in scientism, in capitalism, in technological advancement — and with nothing and no one steering the ship.
Reply to mindgame There is no determinate goal, just a perpetual drive for progress and improvement of efficiency. Things are just supposed to keep getting better and better, without rest, and certainly without any hesitation or doubt or worries that they might be getting worse. If we don't keep going forward we might start wondering why we are going forward, and we can't have that...we must progress, for the sake of progress!
Comments (13)
For instance, right now a very prominent goal is to stop governments from using a made-up virus to microchip people for purposes of monitoring and control. No people had this goal two years ago; far fewer people will have it a few years hence. But right now that is the most important and urgent matter to millions of people sharing a particular context: having no functioning brains.
For other people it's halting manmade climate change. For others it's rebuilding the Russian empire. For others it's finding their next meal. For others it's beating that deadly pandemic. For others it's getting justice, liberty and equality for them and their community. For others it's the transfer of wealth and power from the many to the few.
It's a pluralism, right down to not just the individual but the individual in a given time or context.
Goals of atheists: scored in world cup soccer matches.
Anti-goals of theists: Jesus saves!
Anti-goals of atheist: Henderson winds up... he shoots! But Jesus saves! (Hernando Jesus is the Goal Keeper for the Los Angeles Ducks hockey team.)
If you make one you’ll find out.
Collectives cannot make goals. Each node within its boundaries has its own goal, and since each node is different, so is each goal.
A person's highest goal – always act today to prevent increases in and/or to reduce the gratuitous harms (re: suffering, misery) to one's future-present self.
A people's highest goal – always be the kind of ancestors whose every consequential decision today serves to prevent increases in and/or to reduce the gratuitous harms (re: suffering, misery) to our future-present descendants.
(NB: re: the tensed-self (i.e. suspended ego) of moral agency)
Of course, this bleeding, old world turns on lesser goals ...
I think at individual level there are many, including conflicting goals depending on the part of the world you happen to live, like getting a better job, buying a bigger house, getting a richer husband or younger and prettier wife, moving to a better area or country, etc.
Collectively, I can't think of any to be honest. Though, of course, there may be an evolutionary goal that Nature or God has planned for us and that has not yet been revealed. And even if it was revealed, most of us would probably be too busy with their own personal goals to be too concerned about the collective one.
Having said that, it is not entirely inconceivable that some collective goals may still exist if not globally, at least country-wise. For example, China's collective goal may be to take over the world in the near future.
It's all the same. Happiness. Love. Camaraderie. Entertainment. Some people want to start a family, some people just want to hang out or otherwise pursue some sort of nondescript inner joy that has long eluded them, etc. It's a combination of what makes one "happy" ie. brings joy and contentment and what one logically believes. For some people, mostly children, it's getting new things and having new/fun experiences whenever possible. For others, it's about solving problems, "moving society forward" as some would say.
At least, those are the rational explanations.
Nietzsche has interesting things to say about this. Let us say: the overman is the meaning of the earth, and the highest goal. I personally like that.
I think you’re asking an important question. Individually, we have all kinds of unique problems and goals for ourselves. This is enough to occupy most of our time and energy. It’s also a terrible mistake and the source of untold suffering. Happiness comes from caring about something beyond yourself and in joining with others. For most it’s a partner or children or religion— that’s fine, as long as it wakes us up from our otherwise narrow concerns. But until it does, we’re stuck in a seemingly meaningless cycle of personal habits and routines.
Beware of those who discourage collective goals and collective action— they’ve been ensnared by a false ideology: the ideology of self. Where this thinking abounds, there’s always unhappiness and destruction.
The human species needs a goal, and right now we have none whatsoever— other than personal gain and greed. This will likely turn the future into an unlivable hell hole, thanks to what essentially amounts to nihilism in the wake of Christian dominance — represented in scientism, in capitalism, in technological advancement — and with nothing and no one steering the ship.
I’m with you on the UBERMENSCH
:sweat: Just call me Mike.