Have you ever met that one person? The wierdo who you feel kinda bad for because they're half a person? This got me thinking of what it means to be a full person, experiencing the full range of everything a person should. So I started making a little mental list of what it means to be a full human being. This is what I came up with.
A full adult human being has:
A professional life or interest A love life Music preferences Art preferences (I lump in movies, plays, and books in here) Friends Family (not necessarily by blood) Traveled Something to look forward to Something fond to look back on A space to call their own
I understand your list, and these are very typical things we use to measure people by. But, I think, perhaps these are merely means to an end? Friends for the sake of friendship makes no sense. What is the real reason to want these things? If you find the real reason, you'll find that there are many paths to that goal, each legitimate in it's own right. Or so I think anyway.
This is silly. So somebody who doesn't appreciate music (or at least doesn't care what they listen to) is not a full adult human being? It sounds to me like you just listed things that make you happy and that's what you expect for others to have in order to be happy. Why does one need to travel in order to be a full human being? And where in your list is there a mention of hobbies and interests? This question you asked is one that humanity has been asking for over 6000 years and you think you can answer it with a list?
On April 12 2013 05:44 Kasaraki wrote: I understand your list, and these are very typical things we use to measure people by. But, I think, perhaps these are merely means to an end? Friends for the sake of friendship makes no sense. What is the real reason to want these things? If you find the real reason, you'll find that there are many paths to that goal, each legitimate in it's own right. Or so I think anyway.
Yeah, this. This list seems very weird, I'm not really sure what the "meaning" behind it is.
"Somehow forgot my name, She blew out the flame, A means to an end... Can't even be friends, it's a song about a friend."
I mean, for a lot of people "music" isn't important at all. Hence, modern pop music. To me, music is poetry and emotions and would not only be in the "art" part of your list, but comprise most of it. but to a lot of people it is meaningless.
On April 12 2013 05:35 Nikoras wrote: Have you ever met that one person? The wierdo who you feel kinda bad for because they're half a person? This got me thinking of what it means to be a full person, experiencing the full range of everything a person should. So I started making a little mental list of what it means to be a full human being. This is what I came up with.
A full adult human being has:
A professional life or interest A love life Music preferences Art preferences (I lump in movies, plays, and books in here) Friends Family (not necessarily by blood) Traveled Something to look forward to Something fond to look back on A space to call their own
we only talking about North America or Europe here?
Lots of people in the third world can't have anything of the bolded things. Do you consider them to be half persons? (if the answer is yes, then you are spoiled)
we only talking about North America or Europe here?
Lots of people in the third world can't have anything of the bolded things. Do you consider them to be half persons? (if the answer is yes, then you are spoiled)
Distance doesn't matter, I consider "traveling" spending time (several days maybe) outside of familiar places. Some people have never left their home town and that strikes me as missing out on a piece of the human experience.
When I said a space to call their own, I didn't mean a space they physically or legally own. For example I have a little hiking spot that I certainly don't own, but it's a place I can go when the world is just too much for me to handle. Maybe that was poor phrasing on my part. Maybe that should be "A place they can feel comfortable and safe." I realize that some people don't have this but it does feel like they are missing a piece of something important when they don't.
Perhaps my tone was too accusatory, maybe I read too many adventure books, and maybe I am spoiled. But it seems to me like when people in the third world have these things robbed of them through an unfair global economic system yes, they are missing out.
I think this list has some merit if we are only talking about experiences here.
But then we can also add some more things like: have succeeded at something, and have failed at something, something to be proud of, something to be grateful for etc etc..
On April 12 2013 06:25 Kalingingsong wrote: I think this list has some merit if we are only talking about experiences here.
But then we can also add some more things like: have succeeded at something, and have failed at something, something to be proud of, something to be grateful for etc etc..
Yeah I really like this. I missed those things along with "has a hobby or interest in something."
Weirdos are more often than not not "half-people". They're people who are fundamentally different from normal people in some ways, whether it be finding flowers disgusting or having a train of thought that just doesn't follow a normal path.
On April 12 2013 06:34 AnachronisticAnarchy wrote: Weirdos are more often than not not "half-people". They're people who are fundamentally different from normal people in some ways, whether it be finding flowers disgusting or having a train of thought that just doesn't follow a normal path.
I agree, and I really regret my wording there. It just feels to me like someone missing something from that list is missing a piece of themselves to me. I'm very aware that I'm a white male living in a first world country. I am very privileged (although I didn't hit the complete genetic lottery but I won't get into that here). I am also aware that this list is entirely relative from my own perspective, and someone from subsaharan Africa would probably come up with a very different list.
On April 12 2013 06:34 AnachronisticAnarchy wrote: Weirdos are more often than not not "half-people". They're people who are fundamentally different from normal people in some ways, whether it be finding flowers disgusting or having a train of thought that just doesn't follow a normal path.
I agree, and I really regret my wording there. It just feels to me like someone missing something from that list is missing a piece of themselves to me. I'm very aware that I'm a white male living in a first world country. I am very privileged (although I didn't hit the complete genetic lottery but I won't get into that here). I am also aware that this list is entirely relative from my own perspective, and someone from subsaharan Africa would probably come up with a very different list.
I wonder if there's possibly some acceptable universal list that more or less spans culture and maybe time period. TL philosophy majors, ATTACK!
On April 12 2013 06:34 AnachronisticAnarchy wrote: Weirdos are more often than not not "half-people". They're people who are fundamentally different from normal people in some ways, whether it be finding flowers disgusting or having a train of thought that just doesn't follow a normal path.
I agree, and I really regret my wording there. It just feels to me like someone missing something from that list is missing a piece of themselves to me. I'm very aware that I'm a white male living in a first world country. I am very privileged (although I didn't hit the complete genetic lottery but I won't get into that here). I am also aware that this list is entirely relative from my own perspective, and someone from subsaharan Africa would probably come up with a very different list.
I wonder if there's possibly some acceptable universal list that more or less spans culture and maybe time period. TL philosophy majors, ATTACK!
A full adult male is a male with a penis.
IF you are a male and you are missing penis (aka you are Varys from Game of Throne) you are obvious not whole.
On April 12 2013 08:24 GMarshal wrote: so, a deaf person isn't human. Interesting definition
I assume this is a troll. It's already been clearly established that the deaf are indeed people, they just happen to fall under the category of half humans.
If it makes it easier for you to understand, try to relate them to the "halfling" hobbits of J.R Tolkien's universe.
The issue with the OP is that it gives zero arguments. But then again almost nobody who replied to it gave any arguments either...
Another funny thing to point out is that OP included a 'love life' but not 'having children' - the latter has become quite unfashionable in our modern day and it is now perfectly acceptable to decide against having kids (but not against being in a relationship); but if he were to give any argument whatsoever as to why we should accept his list, the lack of 'having children' on his list would be a great counter-example to whatever he could come up with; but he didn't give an argument, so who cares. 1/5
All he did was insult a huge majority of people to boost his own self confidence with not even an attempt at reason.
I have no problem with people who blog to get unpleasant opinions off their chest, but this is just an insult.
Hey, you reading this: If you don't have a pet your not even worth calling a member of the human race, you halfbred excuse.
That's the kind of message hes sending in a cowardly and passive aggressive way. I can't even imagine typing something like that with the intent of being serious.
On April 12 2013 05:49 Tommie wrote: The goal is to decompose. That is where it all leads to.
Isn't the goal to not decompose for as long as possible?
I love the dynamic that's suggested here.
From my experience people who dislike the idea of "getting decomposed" fear death, both their own and others, and are permanently suffering because in the end it's suggesting to try and avoid the unavoidable.
The other option is to embrace it as a part of life. Life as we know it would be impossible without death. It's not inherently bad or evil, it's neutral just like life. It's nothing to be afraid of.
Where did you even come up with the idea of "full humans" and "half humans" ? And why does, in your view, a full human have only positive aspects to his life? Where's the pain, where are the other factors in our lives? I think we are defined more by the saddest moments in our lives than the happiest, but then again, I never was an optimist.
On April 12 2013 05:44 Kasaraki wrote: If you find the real reason, you'll find that there are many paths to that goal, each legitimate in it's own right. Or so I think anyway.
But real reason is just to find ways to cope with the harsh realities of existing - pretty simple.
On April 12 2013 08:01 PassionFruit wrote: That's a ridiculous way to measure fulfillment. A full adult human being is a human being who feels he is a full human being. That is all.
Passion fruit :D. I always seem to agree with you. But I think a full adult human being, generally speaking, has very similar desires. So we can say at least what the common factor is in those desires, and make a list of what most of us already feel are necessary.
I agree on the principle that no one list should be capable of defining it for everybody. There are always outliers...but I think its safe to make a list for the majority.
Being able to look up. Being aware that there exist things greater than oneself and immediate surroundings. Understanding one's own ignorance, limitations, and shortcomings. Being aware of being aware. Thinking about abstract things, such as what it means to be human. Experiencing awe. Bringing ideas to reality in the physical world.
On April 12 2013 15:52 AKA. wrote: All he did was insult a huge majority of people to boost his own self confidence with not even an attempt at reason.
I have no problem with people who blog to get unpleasant opinions off their chest, but this is just an insult.
Hey, you reading this: If you don't have a pet your not even worth calling a member of the human race, you halfbred excuse.
That's the kind of message hes sending in a cowardly and passive aggressive way. I can't even imagine typing something like that with the intent of being serious.
Why are you taking this personally? He's talking about himself, and is making a list of everything he feels he needs to feel fulfilled. Just calm down.
On April 12 2013 05:49 Tommie wrote: The goal is to decompose. That is where it all leads to.
Isn't the goal to not decompose for as long as possible?
I love the dynamic that's suggested here.
From my experience people who dislike the idea of "getting decomposed" fear death, both their own and others, and are permanently suffering because in the end it's suggesting to try and avoid the unavoidable.
The other option is to embrace it as a part of life. Life as we know it would be impossible without death. It's not inherently bad or evil, it's neutral just like life. It's nothing to be afraid of.
I do like this idea, because it very much touches on the most fundamental aspect of being human: being able to ask "why?". For example, a dog in a cage would think "I hate being in this cage, I don't like it here, I wish I could get out." but never asks "Why am I in this cage?". This ability allows us to change patterns in our behavior and environment proactively, whereas other non-human animals must be prodded by outside forces into a new pattern of behavior if they are ever going to change.
Incidentally, asking "why?" has not, so far, been able to change the pattern of death. Not that death is a 'behavior', but it is definitely a pattern, which some people fear, and some face without fear. But to ask "Why", with no clear answer means the question has to be changed to "Why do we live?". Because people tend to proactively answer their question, the answer can come out really poorly, and because we must answer the question for ourselves, if we cannot, then we find the most simple solution possible, which break down into many answers, but many of which are (but not limited to):
- We are part of a higher supreme being made of energy, and when we die, our energy is reabsorbed back into the supreme being. - We were made by a higher supreme being made of energy, but when we die, we can maintain our energy independent from the supreme being. - There is no reason for us to exist. - There is a reason we exist, but we cannot know the answer at this time because we are still learning. - Materialism, i.e., money, fame, power, sex, etc. - We don't really exist at all, it's just an illusion, and our consciousness is part of the illusion. - To do drugs.
On April 12 2013 05:43 Tommie wrote: A love life. Sure Are escort girls a love life?
You know, for most of human history, marriages were for 1) social status 2) wealth, and 3) children. Love mattered little. Men and women found love through courtesans (both paid and unpaid), mistresses, and discreet affairs.
Lists like this will simply trick your brain into believing that achieving this shit will be helpful.
It's not.
It's like the difference between having sex and watching a porno - lists like this are for people who haven't lived and experienced life yet.
Once you've gone through the dark abysses of having and then losing everything and then picking up the pieces of your life and ascending once more, then you'll know what it's like to be a person. Win, lose, laugh, cry, scream in joy or in pain - then you'll know what separates people from animals.