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Who or what do you care most about?

From these options, who or what do you care most about?

  • Myself

    Votes: 13 27.7%

  • My family and friends

    Votes: 22 46.8%

  • Myself and the people who share the same values as me

    Votes: 1 2.1%

  • My religion and its followers

    Votes: 1 2.1%

  • My city as a whole

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • My state as a whole

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • My country as a whole

    Votes: 1 2.1%

  • My country and our allies

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • The human race as a whole

    Votes: 4 8.5%

  • The planet / ecosystem as a whole

    Votes: 5 10.6%
  • Total voters
    47
Making up my own list...

God (note that I didn't say 'my religion and its followers'... not quite the same thing...)
My son
My self
Other close family
Close friends
People who share similar values to mine and are part of my life in some sense.
Community
Home State
USA
My dogs, cats and other critters
US allied nations
.... everybody else falls somewhere around here, and I figure the environment can largely take care of itself...


I see CC's transaction argument. You could choose to look at it that way. I get something out of every relationship at every level listed so there's an argument to be made there, I suppose.

The two that I listed above "self" are the two that I consistenty sacrifice for and place ahead of my own wants and even needs; this is true regardless of what perspective you want to take on why I do so.
 
I chose the Human race. Don't get me wrong I love my family and friends but I also want the people of the future to enjoy that also. I don't think this is possible however at the rate we are destroying this planet.
 
Jucon said:
May be a tough choice, but choose one you care MOST about.

To make things more interesting, list the top ones you would choose in a post. Feel free to add anything I didn't include.

For me:
1. The planet / ecosystem as a whole
2. The human race as a whole
3. My family and friends
4. Myself
5. My country
Click to expand...

Do you care the most about the biosphere because humanity is dependent upon it for survival or because you have some idealized version of the biosphere that humans are ruining?

The reason I ask is because I cannot understand caring more about the "planet / ecosystem" than my family or the human race.

For me, I care most about the people I love. I place them above all else.
 
BCR said:
I chose the Human race. Don't get me wrong I love my family and friends but I also want the people of the future to enjoy that also. I don't think this is possible however at the rate we are destroying this planet.
Click to expand...


People who think in such very broad terms worry me. Often, they forget to remember that "the human race" consists of individuals, each with their own unique life, values, wants, needs. It can lead to terrible oppression in the name of "the common good".
 
My son. I could give a ^%#@ about anything & everyone else, really.
 
Goshin said:
People who think in such very broad terms worry me. Often, they forget to remember that "the human race" consists of individuals, each with their own unique life, values, wants, needs. It can lead to terrible oppression in the name of "the common good".
Click to expand...

It has a name, it's called socialism.
 
We are all related to each other. Most recent common ancestor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

From article: " Because ancestors of MRCA are by definition also common ancestors, we can continue to find (less recent) common ancestors by pushing further back in time to the MRCA's ancestors. Eventually we reach a point in the past where all humans can be divided into two groups: those who left no descendants today and those who are common ancestors of all living humans today. This point in time is termed the identical ancestors point. Even though each living person receives genes (in original or mutated forms) in dramatically different proportions from these ancestors from the identical ancestors point,[4] from this point back all living people share exactly the same set of ancestors, all the way to the very first single-celled organism.[1]"
 
Dav said:
You got the order wrong. You may think to yourself that it's right, but it really isn't.
#4 comes first for absolutely everyone.
#3 comes second for pretty much all decent people.
Click to expand...

Exactly right! Myself, is called instinct for survival, and everybody's got it. Ever see "Seinfeld" where George ran out of the apt that had a fire before everyone else? Ever see the office fire on the "Office" set by Dwight where Michael ran out first?

I've noticed in a lot of real fires, the adults will get out, but the kids don't.

I don't believe many who wrote family would actually try to save their family if they knew they would die trying to save a life that is futile. That's a quick decision type thing.
 
Marilyn Monroe said:
Exactly right! Myself, is called instinct for survival, and everybody's got it. Ever see "Seinfeld" where George ran out of the apt that had a fire before everyone else? Ever see the office fire on the "Office" set by Dwight where Michael ran out first?

I've noticed in a lot of real fires, the adults will get out, but the kids don't.

I don't believe many who wrote family would actually try to save their family if they knew they would die trying to save a life that is futile. That's a quick decision type thing.
Click to expand...


People frequently die trying to save others. Not just their children, but friends and not uncommonly total strangers. Stuff like that is in the papers regularly.

I think (and this is odd, coming from me) that some of y'all aren't giving human nature enough positive credit (I can't believe I'm the one saying this either.)
 
Goshin said:
People frequently die trying to save others. Not just their children, but friends and not uncommonly total strangers. Stuff like that is in the papers regularly.

I think (and this is odd, coming from me) that some of y'all aren't giving human nature enough positive credit (I can't believe I'm the one saying this either.)
Click to expand...

Indeed. I've put my life in jeopardy more than once to ensure the safety of others - some of them complete strangers.
 
Goshin said:
People frequently die trying to save others. Not just their children, but friends and not uncommonly total strangers. Stuff like that is in the papers regularly.

I think (and this is odd, coming from me) that some of y'all aren't giving human nature enough positive credit (I can't believe I'm the one saying this either.)
Click to expand...

It's not that frequent. Most wouldn't do it if they knew they'd end up dying. The "rare" instances where someone saves someone usually does make the papers, but all the times people take off running for their lives leaving people behind doesn't make the papers cause it's unknown and those people aren't going to advertise their cowardice.

I know people do good things, and sometimes it's selfless, but I don't believe it's the norm, it's more unusual and accidental.

Anybody remember Ted Kennedy & Mary Jo Kopecne. If Ted had tried to save Mary Jo he would have also died. He was such a vagabond for abandoning her, but that's probably not what happened. He probably barely got out himself.

I don't feel that trying to save yourself is a bad thing. It's normal.
 
Marilyn Monroe said:
It's not that frequent. Most wouldn't do it if they knew they'd end up dying. The "rare" instances where someone saves someone usually does make the papers, but all the times people take off running for their lives leaving people behind doesn't make the papers cause it's unknown and those people aren't going to advertise their cowardice.

I know people do good things, and sometimes it's selfless, but I don't believe it's the norm, it's more unusual and accidental.

Anybody remember Ted Kennedy & Mary Jo Kopecne. If Ted had tried to save Mary Jo he would have also died. He was such a vagabond for abandoning her, but that's probably not what happened. He probably barely got out himself.

I don't feel that trying to save yourself is a bad thing. It's normal.
Click to expand...

That's the thing... it's never selfless.
 
[GOOGLE][/GOOGLE]
rivrrat said:
That's the thing... it's never selfless.
Click to expand...

I should have said appears selfless. My husband always says that when we cry when someone dies we cry for selfish reasons, and I always wanted to disagree, but I knew what he was saying. We cry because we feel sad, or we lost someone. It's all about us.
 
Marilyn Monroe said:
[GOOGLE][/GOOGLE]

I should have said appears selfless. My husband always says that when we cry when someone dies we cry for selfish reasons, and I always wanted to disagree, but I knew what he was saying. We cry because we feel sad, or we lost someone. It's all about us.
Click to expand...

We also often laugh for those same reasons.
 
1. My country
2. My family and friends
3. Myself and people who share the same value
4. Myself

Pretty sums up myself especially #1 and my username
 
Mellie said:
The people who chose "myself" ..... are you Ayn Rand fans by any chance?
Click to expand...

huge Ayn Rand fan! I love the way she thinks and I disagree with her occassionally... But she certainly sparks a lot of thoughts. I choose myself. And as rivrrat explained so well, it's because I love myself that I would die for who I care about. But I wouldn't be willing to do that if I didn't care for myself and what myself cares for. I make sacrifices for loved ones because it makes ME happy to do it. I'm happy to. Or would be too upset with myself not to. regardless, I do it for me
 
fredmertz said:
huge Ayn Rand fan! I love the way she thinks and I disagree with her occassionally... But she certainly sparks a lot of thoughts. I choose myself. And as rivrrat explained so well, it's because I love myself that I would die for who I care about. But I wouldn't be willing to do that if I didn't care for myself and what myself cares for. I make sacrifices for loved ones because it makes ME happy to do it. I'm happy to. Or would be too upset with myself not to. regardless, I do it for me
Click to expand...

It's called narcissism
 
LiberalAvenger said:
It's called narcissism
Click to expand...

If you truly 'love' yourself and stare in a mirror all day - that's narcissism. Again, you're taking it to an extreme unecessarily to prove a point that's not there. If you can't argue the points that are actually being made and only choose to argue the point if it's taken to the extreme, then it seems like your side is fairly week on any topic. Which is a shame because I often agree with you and you just make the arguments worse. please, let's debate the actual points.
 
fredmertz said:
If you truly 'love' yourself and stare in a mirror all day - that's narcissism. Again, you're taking it to an extreme unecessarily to prove a point that's not there. If you can't argue the points that are actually being made and only choose to argue the point if it's taken to the extreme, then it seems like your side is fairly week on any topic. Which is a shame because I often agree with you and you just make the arguments worse. please, let's debate the actual points.
Click to expand...

There are head doctors who believe there is such a thing as good narcissism. Some people with low self esteem could actually benefit by being a little narcissistic. Then at the other end there is a disorder called NPD.

I did not imply that it was a bad trait. Different smokes for different folks.
 
‘I’m all by myself; nobody was looking…I was thinking of you.’
 
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