EPTThinking long-term is a presumption upon future generations
Because presumably those future generations will be living in a way that fits those long-term plans.
Romans whose proudest boast was that they have upheld the ways of their fathers we are not
Can't really say anything other than 'yeah'.
nor can we readily believe in a succession of five-year plans which will advance us to a materialist nirvana.
I don't know what the five-year plans are even supposed to make me believe, but I suppose that's the general message appended to them $$$
The collapse of religion, the failure of secular culture to deal with the fundamental problem of death
I'm very unclear on what role religion did or does play as a role for other people and it doesn't play much of a role in my own life. I can at least see that there are good things within religions, although I prefer to think about them or test out different aspects of them without caring to adhere to many of their specifics (I don't care much about the representations of dieties, or going to a church congregation).
Nor can we seek immortality through children in an age of progress, where children are perpetually encouraged to be ashamed of their parents.
I don't need any encouragement to be ashamed of one half of my family, although I can see that this is encouraged. I'd prefer not to feel that way about them but for the time being that's how it is. For many people encouragement might not even be necessary.
The doctrines of liberty destroy orientation.
Not sure what you mean by this other than maybe something like an emphasis on freedom can cause a lack of direction. I don't feel I can relate to that much.
The doctrines of equality destroy ambition.
If you accept that everyone is equal then there isn't really much to aspire towards.
In the perpetual battle between reason and emotion, reason has defeated itself by insisting on its own abolutism, and has thereby reasoned itself into absurdity.
If one's reasoning is not connected to their emotions (themselves) it will inevitably fall short.
Long-term thinkers are the most prone to short-term thinking, thereby proving the cosmic equilibrium of all things!
The long-term is connected to the short-term because doing things that are long-term means making many intermediary short-term steps to reach it. (I'm not sure what the equilibrium part is about).
Try as I might, I cannot take the idea of political remedies seriously. These are personal problems writ large
Agreed.
The answer begins with fixing yourself.
Currently in the process.
As for myself I do not think in terms of long-term vs short-term but instead think in terms of things that grow and things that do not. I'd be interested to know how you tend to think about such things.
