Life
Highlights of Part C:
Chapters 14 to 22
14. BEHAVIOUR & PHILOSOPHY
A delineation of the two tools of the short-term and the long-term as used for evaluation and direction on how to live. Included are the much used OCEAN Personality Traits and similar discussions, including the Dark Triad.
Why do we think and act the way we do? It's complex but overall, it is about deciphering the following concepts:
Is and ought. Descriptive and prescriptive. Informative and normative. Instincts and ideology. Nature and nurture. Innate and learned. Unconscious and conscious. Biological and cultural. Passion and planning. Feeling and reason.
Behaviour & Traits (OCEAN):
Openness per curiosity and creativity
Conscientiousness per dependability and discipline.
Extravertedness per boldness and, confidence.
Agreeableness per affection and consideration.
Neurosis per patience and self-control.
Philosophy:
Epistemology (knowledge and reasoning) - How to think.
Metaphysics (existence and the supernatural) - What is real.
Ethics (rights, values and purpose) - How to live.
15. MOTIVATION
"Mourn intelligence without motivation."
Reminders per our Motivators:
Behaviour per Emotions = Short-term immediacy.
Philosophy per Ethics & purpose = Longer-term ideals.
Abraham Maslow's categories - roughly here as:
Survival - “lower” needs of food, sleep, and safety, etc.
Social - friendship, family, love, self-esteem, etc..
Self-actualization - “higher” needs like creativity, etc.
or similarly as per the next three chapters:
Emotions - short-term urges, desires and restraints.
Ethics - social concepts that control and discipline.
Purpose - long-term concepts or “Meanings of Life”.
16. EMOTIONS
Know thy real self . . .
Emotions and Happiness - the introduction.
Categorization of Emotions - identifying the differences.
Emotion review - Fortunes, Actions and Aspect.
Sensory Awareness - per sentiments and contentment.
Discipline - appropriate use of our emotions.
Living the Moment - letting your emotions enjoy life.
Microexpressions.
Masking and Hiding.
LSAG formula for happiness.
Categorization of Emotions
FORTUNES of Ourselves
Happiness & Hope
Sadness & Fear
FORTUNES of Others
Happy-for (others)
Gloating (happy-that others are not doing well)
Envy (sorry-that another is doing well)
Pity (sorry-for the condition of another)
ACTIONS of Ourselves
Pride
Guilt & Regret
ACTIONS of Others
Gratitude & Anger
ASPECT of Ourselves
Self-love & Shame
ASPECT of Others
Love & Lust
Hate & Disgust
17. ETHICS
Ethics usually implies probabilities. Ask about sufficiency.
Ethics always implies a beneficiary. Ask who that person is.
The two main ethical classifications are:
Deontology - directly considering the consequences.
Consequentialism - directly considering consequences.
Various Ethical Issues
Culturalism, Racism, Discrimination and All
Futurity Issues
Overpopulation and Extremism
Probability in Ethics
Responsibilities
Validity of Ethics
18. PURPOSE
Fear purpose without thought.
You are not the property of others. Neither is your purpose.
Three methods used to find one’s purpose:
(2 of them not so great)
Religious Purpose
Archetypical Purpose
Practical Secular Purpose
PAW Diagram (combining the following:)
Passion
Ability
World
19. INDIVIDUALS
An overall examination of how to live better.
Three Choices for the Individual:
Foundational Choices
Social Choices
Enrichment Choices
Miscellaneous Topics such as:
Communication
Relationships
Criticism
Street Epistemology
Discipline
Self-esteem
Eight Considerations Discussed per Having Children
Your parents had you, therefore you owe it to them to provide grandchildren. Or society helped raise you, therefore you should raise kids in return. Ask if this is a fair obligation.
etc . . . etc . . .
20. GROUPS
"Can we all — get along?" - Rodney King.
The longest chapter — mostly in the form of essays of varying lengths.
Essays:
Trust Rule Strategies
Trust and the Prisoner’s Dilemma
Proportionality and Bullying
Freedoms and Conflicts
Non-Zero-Sum Activities
Group Sanctioning
Civility
Leadership
Dictatorships
Political Differences
Trends Toward Peace
Causes of Violence
Motivators of Peace
Population Management
The MAC Progression
We Can Do Better
Practical Things to Consider
21. EIGHT PRINCIPLES FOR LIFE
They would look great on stone tablets . . .
Or maybe write a book about them.
Hmmm . . . maybe . . .
EIGHT PRINCIPLES FOR LIFE
FOUNDATIONAL: Truth - Environment
1. Freely embrace and distribute truth and knowledge.
2. Create a benefiting and sustainable environment.
SOCIAL: Reciprocity - Leadership - Democracy - Tolerance
3. Apply appropriate reciprocity of justice and compassion.
4. Develop and elect leaders of character and ability.
5. Build a responsible and informed democracy.
6. Encourage tolerance of differing opinions.
ENRICHMENT: Purpose - Beauty
7. Inspire life with meaning and purpose.
8. Search for beauty and wonderment.
22. LIVING WELL
Basically the author's final rant . . .
Think Well - Believe Well - Live Well
Including a list of . . .
(17 Good Things to Consider Doing)
There — you have now basically read the book.
But there is lots more. It is after all — well over 300 pages.
So consider a purchase. Then do some writing in the margins per what you agree or disagree with — or for what you want to ponder more about.
Recommendation:
The paperback is significantly easier to read than the ebook imo. It is just that the pages (LHS - RHS) have been carefully tailored to be read contiguously.
Understanding Life was written to scratch notes inside of — and paper is better for doing that.
Or consider it as a great resource for generating and fleshing out a multitude of presentations and discussions ideas. Also see the topics listed on this website for same.
Again, I strongly prefer the paper version. It just gives a better reading experience.
But your choice. I know, I know — paper does take up space.