{"id":174949,"date":"2019-09-27T11:49:06","date_gmt":"2019-09-27T18:49:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=174949"},"modified":"2019-09-27T12:13:28","modified_gmt":"2019-09-27T19:13:28","slug":"is-productivity-a-virtue-or-vice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2019\/09\/27\/is-productivity-a-virtue-or-vice\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Productivity a Virtue or Vice?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Why do we care so much for productivity?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the insane points of modern society:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are so hyper-focused on productivity (for the sake of it).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But why? What are the downsides to this line of thinking, and life philosophy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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The protestant work ethic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The basic notion of the ‘protestant work ethic’:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re not working and making money and spreading the glory of God, you are sinning, and you are thus a despicable human being.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

And this is the funny thing: most of us are no longer religious, yet we still have this protestant work ethic embedded within ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example a lot of my American friends (who aren’t religious) follow this line of thinking. They don’t go to church or believe in God, yet they still follow Christian-Protestant morals\/ethics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Be humble<\/li>
  2. Work hard (industriousness seen as a virtue)<\/li>
  3. Strive to make a lot of money “honestly”, yet don’t be overly extravagant with your spending behaviors.<\/li>
  4. Don’t show off too much, yet you are permitted to buy some<\/em> nice things for yourself.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Now, are these ethics we desire to follow? Are these ethics good for humanity?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Why is productivity seen as a virtue?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    Productivity is generally seen as a virtue because of American-British notions of utilitarianism: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To maximally benefit the most peoples is the highest good.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    This means the individual is only a means in order of empowering the maximum number of human beings. This means the individual isn’t the end goal; humanity as a whole is the goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But the question is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is improving the happiness of everyone by 10% more important than increasing the happiness of a small percentage of people by 1000%?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    Empower a few.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    My personal belief:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Perhaps to maximally benefit humanity, we actually must maximally-empower a small number of individuals, leaders, and brazen individuals.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    What is society’s goal?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    For example when we have a society “run by committee”, we just get a lot of (slightly above-average) mediocre individuals. The word ‘mediocre’ actually just means “middle” (although it has a negative connotation in modern times).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Do we want a society of lots of middle-class “average” people, or a society of a small number of great individuals?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Then comes the question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is it possible to have a society of LOTS of great individuals? <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    Tough to say. I think every individual (no matter how rich or poor) has the potential<\/em> to become great, but very rarely do great individuals come into existence. Why? Perhaps it is the “general leveling-down of mankind” which prevents a few great individuals to come into existence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Your life’s task is to maximize your own personal greatness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    I will refrain from getting too much into this rabbit-hole of critiquing ‘society’. I think more effective is this:Let us become hyper-focused onto ourselves, and make it our own personal life’s task to mould ourselves into the most epic individual (whatever that looks like to you).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How to maximize you<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    What are practical strategies in terms of maximizing your own personal greatness? Some ideas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Creative isolation<\/strong>: Hyper-ignoring of the outside world. Focusing on building your own inner-world.<\/li>
    2. Brazen thinking and living<\/strong>: Ruthless self-experimentation of how you live. Constantly tweaking your own lifestyle, to create the optimal conditions of your personal thriving.<\/li>
    3. Valuing yourself above others<\/strong>: This sounds evil, but I think this is one of the most ‘selfless’ things you can do. Focus on building yourself into a great individual, then naturally let your hyper-abundance spill unto others.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      BRAVE ON!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      ERIC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      Philosophy by KIM<\/a><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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      Dictate your meaning and purpose in your life with ZEN OF ERIC<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      Philosophical Essays<\/h2>\n\n\n\n