You make a good point about the lack of a clear distinction, and at a fundamental level I believe that our genes and external environment determine our behaviour (I am a determinist, i.e. I don’t believe in free will). However, I think that it is also possible to be highly motivated about different things which can cause a lot of mental stress and conflict. I think this occurs because we have a number of distinct evolved motivations which can drive us in opposing ways (e.g. the desire to eat, the status desire of being thin, the moral desire to eat healthily etc.). What I mean by “deep down” is the result of balancing these motivations to provide a satisfying compromise. The reason I emphasise culture is because I feel that society has developed powerful means of manipulating our motivations. This is good to the extent that it can make our sense of motivation (and enjoyment) more intense but can also lead to these strong internal conflicts, which, at least for myself, are not enjoyable.
I am fascinated by how these manipulations of our motivation occur and like yourself experience a strong resistance towards authority. I think the strength of these feelings is a reflection of my personality. On a Myers Briggs assessment I am an ENTP and descriptions of this type indicate a common resistance to authority. In part I suspect this is because I don’t find arguments not based on reason to be that legitimate. I’m not sure whether this personality is ‘more natural’ or is merely one form of survival strategy reflected by the interaction of my genes with the environment.
I do feel a strong disparity between the world as it is and how I think it could (should?) be. In particular I think there is a great difference between peoples internal stories of why they act as they do and the true dynamics of how they have been influenced. For example, I find the ideas of Adam Curtis, John Taylor Gatto and Alain de Botton very interesting. I recognise that the society we currently have may well require the kind of values and conditioning described by these authors but I think it would be preferable to have a society with less of it, or at least have it performed much more openly and explicitly. I also feel that a stable society is possible with a much greater degree of emotional ‘freedom’ than we currently experience. Particularly through the use of technology. For example, by providing comfortable technologically based self sufficiency so that a competitive externally rewarded role is viewed as a lifestyle option rather than a necessity.
Thanks for the link.
You make a good point about the lack of a clear distinction, and at a fundamental level I believe that our genes and external environment determine our behaviour (I am a determinist, i.e. I don’t believe in free will). However, I think that it is also possible to be highly motivated about different things which can cause a lot of mental stress and conflict. I think this occurs because we have a number of distinct evolved motivations which can drive us in opposing ways (e.g. the desire to eat, the status desire of being thin, the moral desire to eat healthily etc.). What I mean by “deep down” is the result of balancing these motivations to provide a satisfying compromise. The reason I emphasise culture is because I feel that society has developed powerful means of manipulating our motivations. This is good to the extent that it can make our sense of motivation (and enjoyment) more intense but can also lead to these strong internal conflicts, which, at least for myself, are not enjoyable.
I am fascinated by how these manipulations of our motivation occur and like yourself experience a strong resistance towards authority. I think the strength of these feelings is a reflection of my personality. On a Myers Briggs assessment I am an ENTP and descriptions of this type indicate a common resistance to authority. In part I suspect this is because I don’t find arguments not based on reason to be that legitimate. I’m not sure whether this personality is ‘more natural’ or is merely one form of survival strategy reflected by the interaction of my genes with the environment.
I do feel a strong disparity between the world as it is and how I think it could (should?) be. In particular I think there is a great difference between peoples internal stories of why they act as they do and the true dynamics of how they have been influenced. For example, I find the ideas of Adam Curtis, John Taylor Gatto and Alain de Botton very interesting. I recognise that the society we currently have may well require the kind of values and conditioning described by these authors but I think it would be preferable to have a society with less of it, or at least have it performed much more openly and explicitly. I also feel that a stable society is possible with a much greater degree of emotional ‘freedom’ than we currently experience. Particularly through the use of technology. For example, by providing comfortable technologically based self sufficiency so that a competitive externally rewarded role is viewed as a lifestyle option rather than a necessity.