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Life Motto?

Blogs > teekesselchen
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1 2 Next All
teekesselchen
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Germany886 Posts
May 05 2011 19:55 GMT
#1
Hey,
just wondering: Have you ever encountered a single phrase worth to be considered a life motto?

The first one I saw as one possibly beeing good enough was simply:
"Live and let live."
As a point for tolerance: As long as someone is not threatening me, there is no reason to to act against that person in some way.
Big negative: It's very passive and does not include when it is good to act and when not. For example helping somebody in need is no part of it. So this can only be a part ultimately.

One motto deeply impressing me instead was the "ethical imperative" by Heinz von Foerster:
"Act always so as to increase the number of choices"
It's part of Radical Constructivism, which in itself might sound a little passive, too: It is stating that everyone creates his own reality, but nobody can ever be certain of what reality is like. This means everyone is responsible for how he sees his own reality, but has to respect that everybody else have their own reality, too.
It is often reasoned by the fact that people are really bad at creating good concepts of reality, for example shown in "Non-Contingent Reward Experiments.".

About the meaning of the phrase itself: I think it's a brilliant attempt of boiling down what an "ethical good" action is. Briefly thinking about it:
What increases the number of choices more? Preserving something (or: someone), letting it be destroyed, or destroying it oneself? Most obviously, preserving does, because when something is destroyed one can't interact with it as much as when it is intact. For example, our environment is definitly worth beeing protected, in order for us to be able to interact with it.

Von Foerster himself was an Austrian-American scientist and philosopher, researching (and partially founding) cybernetics (System/Control Technology). Perhaps it's no surprise that such a mixture of specialisations would lead to a very systemic, neutral but still deeply ethical idea.




When they were introduced, he made a witticism, hoping to be liked. She laughed extremely hard, hoping to be liked. Then each drove home alone, staring straight ahead, with the very same twist to their faces.
Southlight
Profile Blog Joined August 2007
United States11768 Posts
May 05 2011 19:57 GMT
#2
Always do what you want, and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.
-Dr. Seuss
oraoraoraoraoraoraoraora
BouBou.865
Profile Joined December 2010
Netherlands814 Posts
May 05 2011 20:30 GMT
#3
I am the only constant in my life. Therefore, to improve my chances of happiness, forget about unfair chances, god or anything else and focus on improving myself.
Playing League of Legends. IGN: Plain Skill
XXGeneration
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
United States625 Posts
May 05 2011 20:37 GMT
#4
If if life is in control, you're going too slow.
"I was so surprised when I first played StarCraft 2. I couldn't believe that such an easy game exists... I guess the best way to attract people these days is to make things easy and simple." -Midas
baeric
Profile Joined October 2010
Germany649 Posts
May 05 2011 20:44 GMT
#5
If you can chill, chill

TadH
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
Canada1846 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-05-05 20:49:53
May 05 2011 20:48 GMT
#6
edit
bonifaceviii
Profile Joined May 2010
Canada2890 Posts
May 05 2011 20:49 GMT
#7
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
Stay a while and listen || http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=354018
neobowman
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Canada3324 Posts
May 05 2011 21:07 GMT
#8
"Listen up, Simon. Never forget. Just believe in yourself. Not in the you that I believe in; not in the me that you believe in. Believe in the you who believes in yourself."

"Don't be distracted by the what-ifs, should-haves, and if-onlys. The one thing you choose yourself - that is the truth of your universe."
57 Corvette
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Canada5941 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-05-05 21:16:12
May 05 2011 21:15 GMT
#9
"I don't need to fight to prove i'm right."

Edit: Damnit, why do I keep spelling "right" with a W
Survival is winning, everything else is bullshit.
niteReloaded
Profile Blog Joined February 2007
Croatia5281 Posts
May 05 2011 21:30 GMT
#10
On May 06 2011 04:57 Southlight wrote:
Always do what you want, and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.
-Dr. Seuss

That's a pretty good one; first time I hear it.
Ilikestarcraft
Profile Blog Joined November 2004
Korea (South)17727 Posts
May 05 2011 21:37 GMT
#11
thats my way of the ninja
"Nana is a goddess. Or at very least, Nana is my goddess." - KazeHydra
Dalguno
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
United States2446 Posts
May 05 2011 21:38 GMT
#12
Work hard.
"I'm gonna keep making drones cause I'm a baller, and ballers make drones." -Snute
Kolvacs
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
Canada1203 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-05-05 22:01:35
May 05 2011 21:58 GMT
#13
"Nothing is true, and everything is permitted"
- Assassin's Creed

Jacked from the Wiki:
"The maxim simply means that society is forever changing, therefore an Assassin should not bind themselves to certain practices. However, it does not give the Assassin the freedom to do as they wish, but only grants them the knowledge that there is always an alternate option."
EdSlyB
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
Portugal1621 Posts
May 05 2011 22:08 GMT
#14
"Don't do to others what you wouldn't like they do to you".

Something along these lines. Respect others and expect respect from them. And if they don't respect you then you don't respect them.
aka Wardo
MetalMarine
Profile Joined June 2007
United States1559 Posts
May 05 2011 22:30 GMT
#15
Be chill with everyone and if they aren't chill, never chill with them again. Personal motto
KRaver
Profile Joined February 2010
Canada1264 Posts
May 05 2011 22:56 GMT
#16
"There are no coincidences in life . . . only the inevitable" - xxxholic
Duo Maxwell: If you're joking that's just cruel, but if you're being sarcastic, that's even worse.
prplhz
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
Denmark8045 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-05-05 23:44:47
May 05 2011 23:44 GMT
#17
"Ass, gas or grass. Nobody rides for free."

or maybe

"No fat chicks."
http://i.imgur.com/M7t7egx.png
Hurricane
Profile Blog Joined October 2006
United States3939 Posts
May 05 2011 23:49 GMT
#18
"Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty."
RIP CHARLIEMURPHY 11/25/10 NEVER FORGET | Hurricane#1183 @ B.net
Thrill
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
2599 Posts
May 06 2011 00:44 GMT
#19
I don't have any specific motto, but i'll share with you what i think is one of the most underrated gems of wisdom out there..

In the chorus line of "Hell of a Life", Kanye West brilliantly sums up the situation of the unprivileged throughout history:

// No more drugs for me, pussy and religion is all I need //

Crude, but unnervingly correct. The key to the appeasement of masses, the plebeians of society if you will, lies in the creation of the traditional family home and the presentation of easy and believable answers to life's questions.

Happiness?

Pussy & religion.
Drugs.

--

I suppose what this teaches us is that simplicity is not always to be preferred. Perhaps we should lift our veils of ignorance, experience discomfort, become malcontent and see who really benefits from the systems of society.

Revolutions are not always for the better, but any biologist will agree that forest fires are a part of the natural cycle and ultimately necessary.

Don't succumb to the dream - don't settle for a house in suburbia and a happy marriage. You owe your kids a shot at becoming players in society and you won't help them accomplish it by enjoying sunny afternoons on the porch.
Tazza
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
Korea (South)1678 Posts
May 06 2011 02:06 GMT
#20
Here's another really underrated quote from a rapper.

‎"Life is such a roller coaster, then it drops, but what should I scream for, this is my theme park"

-Lil Wayne
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