This is a form of cognitive dissonance, where you notice your actions and your values are incongruent, and the resulting discomfort motivates you to reduce the gap between them. You can change your actions and leave your values the same, leave your actions the same and change your values, or somewhere in between.
Other people much, much prefer you change your actions—this is because your values are the guilt-free way of manipulating you. If I want Albert to make a paperclip, and I know Albert also wants to make a paperclip, then I can motivate Albert by making a case that his actions negative impact further paperclip production. I wouldn’t like it if I said, “Albert, this doesn’t help paperclip production,” and he responded, “Yeah, you’re right. Well, paperclips are overrated.”
Basically, I want Albert to want something he doesn’t already have, because then I can manipulate him without threatening him, which has large social consequences for me. If the only things Albert wants are things he already has, then I’m boned—I can either threaten him or give up.
SU&M is when you want something you don’t have. SU&D is when you have everything you want.
Nietzsche wrote about this. “I want to learn more and more to see as beautiful what is necessary in things… I do not want to wage war against what is ugly. I do not want to accuse; I do not even want to accuse those who accuse. Looking away shall be my only negation.” This is about as SU&D as you can get.
This is a form of cognitive dissonance, where you notice your actions and your values are incongruent, and the resulting discomfort motivates you to reduce the gap between them. You can change your actions and leave your values the same, leave your actions the same and change your values, or somewhere in between.
Other people much, much prefer you change your actions—this is because your values are the guilt-free way of manipulating you. If I want Albert to make a paperclip, and I know Albert also wants to make a paperclip, then I can motivate Albert by making a case that his actions negative impact further paperclip production. I wouldn’t like it if I said, “Albert, this doesn’t help paperclip production,” and he responded, “Yeah, you’re right. Well, paperclips are overrated.”
Basically, I want Albert to want something he doesn’t already have, because then I can manipulate him without threatening him, which has large social consequences for me. If the only things Albert wants are things he already has, then I’m boned—I can either threaten him or give up.
SU&M is when you want something you don’t have. SU&D is when you have everything you want.
Nietzsche wrote about this. “I want to learn more and more to see as beautiful what is necessary in things… I do not want to wage war against what is ugly. I do not want to accuse; I do not even want to accuse those who accuse. Looking away shall be my only negation.” This is about as SU&D as you can get.