You Don't Need to be Told This...(rant)

In every facet of this industry people are desperate to get it, whether it's the money or fame or prestige of it all, lies here and there help facilitate a leap upward when
really it's just a downward spiral.

I do remember they asked the actor, forgot the guy's name, the one who was the heavy weight champion in the Rocky movie if he knew how to box. He lied. Got the part.

Sometimes it works, but I'd stick to the truth.
 
Not gonna argue that, and that's why I left it open ended. I don't really do unto others as I would want done to me, since others have different goals and priorities. Rather I do unto others in a respectful, thoughtful, and whenever possible, a mutually beneficial way.
 
Well, the saying doesn't suggest particulars. It's usually been interpreted as meaning 'do unto others' as a loose guide, not a carefully-researched-and-engineered approach to being unto every person the person they want you to be...

...and yeah, what David said.
 
And, it all goes back to how you choose look at it.

Personally I think that "doing unto others" or "reaping what you sow" are fine platitudes and they all have their place but it still goes back to the fact that we are inherently selfish anyway. But from person to person it's a matter of how selfish. At one time or another, we will screw over somebody even in some small way for our own benefit. So, the question remains, how unselfish are we willing to be? And, when you are being selfish do you acknowledge it or justify it to mitigate your actions?

And of course, this changes depending upon circumstance. If you are the CEO of a high powered development company you've got stockholders to consider and money to make, you might be very willing to demolish a string of mom and pop stores to erect a mall knowing full well you are killing the community. That nameless faceless punkass, whom I still hate, who stole my iPod. This person used their probable situation of poverty to justify taking what wasn't theirs. Somebody just trying to eek out a living selling cars very well may sneak in a $2,000 "processing fee" to up their commission.

It aint pretty but it's human nature. I guess the irony is that because people are selfish, you have to be a little selfish to prevent people from taking advantage of you.
 
Not sure I completely agree with that.

I believe it is possible to look after one's own best interest without "screwing" anyone. They don't have to be mutually exclusive. I think that the perception that they are comes from a pervasive cultural misconception that if someone gains, then someone loses. And that is not necessarily true.

Arriving at mutually beneficial outcomes requires more work and effective, honest communication. They also require the type of transparency of intent that makes most feel too vulnerable to pursue.

There are times where choices do benefit one and cost another. When one person or a group of people have to make that choice, they will be lauded by the former and vilified by the latter. Loyalties certain come in to play...as does something I call the Arrogance of Personal Ethics...but that's another debate.

But as individuals I believe we have a responsibility to act in a way that stands in the light of inspection, both of our intentions and our actions. Like writing a script, if you cannot defend your actions, then you have not thought them through well enough.

Life is messy and complicated. Being honest in your endeavors simplify it a bit.
 
Jim Brennan said:
Not sure I completely agree with that.

I believe it is possible to look after one's own best interest without "screwing" anyone.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, thing is there are many different scenarios which could give a nod to both of our points of view. But I don't think you can be selfish without "screwing" someone over at least in some small way. Being selfish and looking out for one's own best interests aren't always the same thing. Being selfish would imply that another human being is in the equation. But you could be on stranded island and do the things necessary for survival and be looking out for your best interests without being selfish.
 
my philosophy has always been: shoot first and then lie about it and make it seem like one of the other neighbors killed that lady's cat.
 
Rick Meyer said:
Hmmm, thing is there are many different scenarios which could give a nod to both of our points of view. But I don't think you can be selfish without "screwing" someone over at least in some small way. Being selfish and looking out for one's own best interests aren't always the same thing. Being selfish would imply that another human being is in the equation. But you could be on stranded island and do the things necessary for survival and be looking out for your best interests without being selfish.
Click to expand...

No disagreement.
 
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