Ok. So it's been a while since i've blabbered some shite on here so i'm gona give you a little one to think about in he meantime.

Probably going to fall a little off the subject as usual too.

So does anyone really believe in utilitarianism these days?

For those of you who have no idea what i'm talking about this basically means: "the greatest good for the greatest number." This obviously makes it the opposite of ethical egoism which denotes that it is perfectly moral to do what is in their own self-interest.

Now again i'm not just looking to be the dictator here. i'm unsure of my standpoint on these issues so am looking for your input.

Perhaps it's just the way you interpret the morality of these ethical doctrines but my problem is: At a glance many may claim to be utilitarians but does it not seem more likely that most people are going to look after themselves first and then think of others as a secondary objective? (perhaps I have a poor, pessimistic opinion of society!)

Even indirectly; when you offer a favour to another individual is it really because they want to create “the greatest good for the greatest number?” Or is it so that when you need a favour they will feel obliged to do it or even the simplicity of their gratitude making you feel good about yourself?

Surely this must be Egoism. Perhaps the boundaries are blurred but I’m confident (sceptical as this may be) that if people could see their moral standpoint “on paper” many would question how everyone makes their decisions about what‘s right and wrong and what makes a good/bad person.

I know what you’re thinking; I’m a negative prick, perhaps, but it’s food for thought.

I‘ve not said everything I want to say but you get the idea.

Think about it and post a comment if you have some light to shine on the discussion or even just tell me how you feel about it.

Why are we so obsessed with finding a meaning of life? A purpose, path etc. Finding it important to collect our memories and pass them on to other generations, nothing ever seems to come of them however; no single final goal. It’s amazing how much faith people actually still have with so little reason to continue believing. I can’t decide if it’s a good or bad thing. People spend forever asking: Why? But A: Does anyone really care? And B: There is no answer. For some reason we feel the need for justification to keep us from all opting for suicide at the realisation that we’ll never singularly make a difference. Isn’t it true that the sooner everyone realises the depressing futility of life the happier the world will be? The irony of which I am quite aware.

At the end of the day our existence comes down to the most basic of animal instincts. Yes we may be more intelligent than all of the other creatures which grace this planet but that doesn’t alter the fact that it is our animal, survival instinct that drives us. Most predominantly sex; almost all of our decisions are based on our desire to mate. To break that down a bit: someone wanting to get a good job and have money is really just help to attract the opposite sex, particularly for men who in prehistory were seen as protectors and providers, and hence this modern equivalent. The clothes we wear and the company we hold, or would like to hold, are all ways to promote the chance of reproduction.

When a woman gets pregnant hormone changes make them really want to nurse the baby and look after it regardless of their usual stance on motherhood. This is one of the main reasons abortion is so difficult for so many people. An in built paternal instinct; it’s just in our nature.

I’m already miles away from where I started but anyway.

Homosexuality is a difficult thing for me to grasp; since our existence is procreative, just like other animals, it seems its counter-productivity is against human nature. So is this a defective gene? Or a product of irregular nurture? I do wonder if all these people have an emotionally different make-up. It would appear unlikely for there to be no other effect of such a radically different life.

The same questioning applies to asexuality; although this is far rarer it is still equally if not more difficult to fathom.

Ok I don’t know if you’ll all get this one but I kind of wrote it like a letter because I didn’t intend to post it on here, since it was just a random bunch of thoughts I needed to get out when there were no ears to tell. See what you think anyway. If you see any similarities to any real life situation maybe you should stop reading.

It seems you have some issues in rationalising and seem to have suffered almost complete severance from any understanding of youth culture. Apart from the fact that anyone older being unable to comprehend the most simplistic of young adult behaviour seems ridiculous due to the obvious fact that it is part of life for anyone, it is rather more unfair when - from what I can gather - this treatment doesn’t fall across the board. Instead it is unevenly spread to those who do not need it most.

To me this indicates three possibilities: some parties have too many issues to easily address in the manner you would like so u don’t pick up on any of them, it is easier to tackle a problem with someone who will cause less trouble in the re-coil, or there is possibly some bias favouritism at hand. The latter seems less likely although I have seen it happen before.

It would appear that you are trying to do the right thing and that by itself is worthy of respect. The problem lies in the fact that you create unnecessary polemics which often lead to your own offence. Luckily for you, due to the timidity of your opposition there has usually been little in the way of reciprocation so far. I think the concern for you in the future will be resentment; the loss of respect for a parent is something that is very difficult to re-kindle.

Another issue is the fact that parents presume that their child is always correct over third parties regardless of whether they know the history of a particular situation. Indeed, support is important but the correct placement of such is crucial.

Perhaps maturity is also an issue. Often - as people get older - there becomes less of a need to appear mentally mature, due to the fact that they have settled down with children etc. The problem with this is that issues can’t be tackled by having a tantrum or not speaking to someone for some reason or other. It reminds me of primary school; the girls in my class falling out for no apparent reason but by the time the next day had rolled on they were best friends again. One of the main implications of this is the blatant obviousness that the disagreement was of very little real meaning or worth; If they can be friends again straight afterward without any attempt to settle the quarrel. This can be easily applied to many other situations between “mature adults.”

At the end of the day you have to calm down, take a deep breath and ask yourself: What do I want? If the answer is, “the well-being of my child” then that equates to their happiness and if you prevent them doing harmless things which they want to do then you are negating their happiness and therefore creating a sort of “false economy.”