Somehow your comment reminded me of Gatsby's list of "to-do's" (I don't have a copy of that novel and read it a long time ago) and I think Ben Franklin also had lists for character improvement. I think we've seen the excellent argument in many arenas as a draw- in fact, I'd say the USA absolutely loves to grade, fix and improve, reward- but that is related to religions- getting ready for Paradise. On earth it's often related to wealth or status/fame/power but can also be a high work ethic in a particular field- from science to the arts to a smoothly run operation/company,etc. However...there are so many pitfalls along the path- actually, it can also be only one- but one that bites- and so many variables. Also reminded me of that old saying "You're known by the company you keep". (Maybe a saying from Poor Richard?:-) ) At any rate, there are certainly strange surprises along the way and there might have been a very good reason the Catholic Church invented Extreme Unction as a final confession..."it ain't over till it's over".
On Dec 18, 10:29 am, Ash <[email protected]> wrote: > I like the statement made by some that excellence is a habit. Of course > behavior is encouraged by our talents and environments, but the idea > that one can persevere by acquainting and familiarizing with good > character traits is inspiring. > > On 12/18/2010 8:19 AM, rigsy03 wrote: > > > > > Agreed- but there is something to be said for character and natural > > abilities which allows some to "step up to the plate" and others to > > fall on their face. While many of our qualities are inherited or > > mimicked via our parents and society, education and experience can > > form a new "leaf" of self, i.e., your judgement and response are > > different- one has additional options. Maturity, by itself, changes > > one (thank heavens! :-).) Thomas Jefferson is an example of a > > complicated person, for instance- and I can be complicated, myself, if > > I do say so, but it is not an easy state as others like to figure > > people out in a flash for their own comfort and convenience.//Do you > > think our existence was ever meant to be a continuous state of > > "happiness"? Do you think being "sociable" is always positive ( what > > about a sociable Nazi or Muslim terrorist)?//That "tramas" leave a > > mark is probably true but I am not sure it always has to be negative- > > it can also spur a richness of empathy and creativity (music, > > literature, etc.). > > > On Dec 16, 6:07 pm, Diego<[email protected]> wrote: > >> Have you realized about your own identity change through time? This > >> topic made me think, and i started to believe that, my identity has > >> changed because of different situations in my life, for instance when > >> we were a child, when we were teenagers, when we started to study in > >> university or work. I think that the identity is defined by desires, > >> wishes, needs, social life, and economical life. When I reached some > >> important objective in my life, I began to think in other things and > >> do other activities that made me behave different. Also a traumatic > >> event in past times made me change my personality and I became less > >> happy and less sociable for a long time. > > >> On 16 dic, 12:46, DarkwaterBlight<[email protected]> wrote: > > >>> I will give you this much; I am me and no one else; No one else is me > >>> nor can be. You have me mistaken for one who believes that we have > >>> souls! I, on the contrary, believe we ARE souls. > >>> On Dec 16, 11:07 am, RP Singh<[email protected]> wrote: > >>>> A clone would be exactly like me but may differ in personality traits and > >>>> circumstances according to his upbringing. Due to some environmental > >>>> factors > >>>> I might be a failure but he may be a success and as such his identity > >>>> would > >>>> be completely different. If the same environment had been given to me I > >>>> would have been vastly different from what I am today and thus I would > >>>> not > >>>> be what I am. I relate to my identity and what I am I would not be if the > >>>> identity had been different. There is essentially no difference between > >>>> you > >>>> and me except that of identity and we cannot be said to be the same > >>>> individual. The fault in your assessment is that you consider yourself > >>>> to be > >>>> something separate from your body which you are not. You consider > >>>> yourself > >>>> to be an individual in a body and no matter what your personality and > >>>> station you consider it to be yours.The truth is you are one identity > >>>> and I > >>>> am another , the only difference between us is that of identity. If your > >>>> past life and achievements were different it would not be you but that > >>>> other. > >>>> On Thu, Dec 16, 2010 at 8:52 PM, DarkwaterBlight > >>>> <[email protected]>wrote: > >>>>> While I agree that personality has much to do with how we handle > >>>>> circumstances; it is not unusual for people to adopt personality > >>>>> traits seen in others. This is helpful in overcoming adverse > >>>>> circumstances that one might, otherwise, be inequiped to handle. I- > >>>>> dentity, however, might have little or nothing to do with either of > >>>>> these as it can be as fluid as anyone wishes or or is inclined to > >>>>> portray. What of those with multiple personality disorders? Would not > >>>>> you say that there are multiple identities at work or should they be > >>>>> identified as; by their circumstances ie; having a disorder? Very > >>>>> questionable thesis RP! I agree with rigsy that more factors should be > >>>>> taken into consideration. > >>>>> On Dec 16, 9:24 am, rigsy03<[email protected]> wrote: > >>>>>> You still would have been yourself- with a different personality and > >>>>>> altered circumstances. You are not "fixed" like a statue of marble. > >>>>>> Humans are highly adaptable. Chance and luck have a huge impact on > >>>>>> lives and it is impossible to avoid challenges and surprises. Often > >>>>>> our strengths are hidden until provoked or summoned. Plus, you fail to > >>>>>> mention the enormous impact parents have on their children and there > >>>>>> are other "biggies" like war, poverty, intelligence, physical > >>>>>> attributes, religious beliefs or not, etc.// A friend braved the snow > >>>>>> Monday and came for lunch- really to show me the photo of a college > >>>>>> reunion last autumn that I did not attend- amazing to hear all the > >>>>>> dramas and traumas! :-) We have been friends since age 10 and > >>>>>> congratulated ourselves on all the good times- the fun times- the 50's > >>>>>> were a great decade, depending. Anyway, I finally filled in the blanks > >>>>>> of myself from 0 to 10 before we met and she told me to "write a > >>>>>> book"!!! > >>>>>> On Dec 15, 1:25 pm, RP Singh<[email protected]> wrote: > >>>>>>> I am what my identity is. If my personality and circumstances had been > >>>>>>> different , it would have been a different identity and that would > >>>>>>> have > >>>>> been > >>>>>>> someone else and not I.- Hide quoted text - > >>>>>> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > >>>> - Show quoted text -- Ocultar texto de la cita - > >>> - Mostrar texto de la cita -- Hide quoted text - > >> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text -
