Monday, February 20, 2006
My life goal: An economist's view (or Economics=Philosophy)
My life goal is to maximize my own personal happiness. Ideally every decision I make for the rest of my life will make my life better. Not better but best of all possible options. It may be possible where I will have several choices that all make my life better, it is important in that scenario to pick the one that makes myself most happy. Or, a situation might arise where all options will make my life worse and the goal is to select the option that will make my life least worse.
It may seem selfish or short sighted to make all decisions with only your personal happiness in mind. As far as short sighted, I am considering a lifetime of happiness. It is worth it to do my homework for a class because although it may not be as enjoyable as playing football or videogames or whatever, it is essential to getting passing grades, a degree, and so on. A small temporary sacrafice in happiness will help improve my happiness significantly in the long run. But on that note, I believe like money an equal amount of happiness now or in the future is always better now. This is due to an unlikely untimely death scenario. Any happiness closer to the present I am more likely going to be able to enjoy.
Is this philosophy selfish. I would say yes, but only to a certain extent. It does mean that I will hold my interest in highest regard, which might be the very definition of selfish but I must believe that it is in my interest to have approval of those close to me. For a lonely life is certainly not a happy life. There are also instances where my interests will allign with the interests of society. I would say in most cases this is true. I would like to be wealthy, to be wealthy you must provide a service that people can improve their welfare by purchasing. I like coaching youth football, kids that play football need coaches. If I commit a crime, I will not only likely feel bad I risk being caught and punished. The idea of a well run capitaliist government is one that can effectively allign the interest of it's people with that of society (through peer pressure, laws, markets or otherwise)
With that in mind it is impossible to predict the future and understand all of the consequences of every possible decision. Every moment I choose almost certainly a non-optimal decision. I guess that is being human. I guess we are all unique because we make different mistakes.
That being said I think it is best that I don't forgot about one of my goals to talk more about people and events in my life.
It may seem selfish or short sighted to make all decisions with only your personal happiness in mind. As far as short sighted, I am considering a lifetime of happiness. It is worth it to do my homework for a class because although it may not be as enjoyable as playing football or videogames or whatever, it is essential to getting passing grades, a degree, and so on. A small temporary sacrafice in happiness will help improve my happiness significantly in the long run. But on that note, I believe like money an equal amount of happiness now or in the future is always better now. This is due to an unlikely untimely death scenario. Any happiness closer to the present I am more likely going to be able to enjoy.
Is this philosophy selfish. I would say yes, but only to a certain extent. It does mean that I will hold my interest in highest regard, which might be the very definition of selfish but I must believe that it is in my interest to have approval of those close to me. For a lonely life is certainly not a happy life. There are also instances where my interests will allign with the interests of society. I would say in most cases this is true. I would like to be wealthy, to be wealthy you must provide a service that people can improve their welfare by purchasing. I like coaching youth football, kids that play football need coaches. If I commit a crime, I will not only likely feel bad I risk being caught and punished. The idea of a well run capitaliist government is one that can effectively allign the interest of it's people with that of society (through peer pressure, laws, markets or otherwise)
With that in mind it is impossible to predict the future and understand all of the consequences of every possible decision. Every moment I choose almost certainly a non-optimal decision. I guess that is being human. I guess we are all unique because we make different mistakes.
That being said I think it is best that I don't forgot about one of my goals to talk more about people and events in my life.
