virus: Logic and happiness

Reed Konsler (konsler@ascat.harvard.edu)
Sat, 15 Nov 1997 01:48:40 +0100


Me:
>>Furthermore, my purpose is not to encourage people to think
>>like me...but to encourage people to be happier and more
>>comfortable with their own decisions and beliefs.

David:
>I don't believe you on two counts:
>- - encouraging people to be happier with their own decisions
>and beliefs *is* encouraging people to think like you

That isn't what I meant. I recommend ways of thinkinging that
I have found useful in the past...but I would rather people
were happy in themselves than like me. I think that the world
would be a better place *for me* if people we happier than
if they were more logical. Frankly, I can deal with irrational
people fine...it's angry, unhappy, confused and anxious
people that I find difficult...and some of them are the most
rational.

>- - I don't believe you would encourage every decision and
>belief, good and bad.

I didn't say I encourage particular decisions or beliefs...I
do sometimes, but only as a compromise. I said I encouraged
people to be happy with their lives. In my experience, being
happy with your decisions involves a sober assesment of the
likely consequences of them prior to their initiation. That is
about as close as I get to moralization...except in my private
mind, or course.

Reed

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Reed Konsler konsler@ascat.harvard.edu
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