Comparing Nietzsche s Vision Of Geothe - 2856 Words

Many philosophers, throughout centuries of human existence, have deciphered, or at least attempted tried to cast some light on to, our purpose. Consulting their findings could give several answers on whether we should live to maximize our pleasure, minimize our pain, avoid frustration or achieve greatness. In my own considerations, though, sorting through the tumultuous noise and clutter of the world around me for the some obscured or hidden meaning was not necessary. To me, the noise and clutter is the meaning. I do not live for what is hidden; I live for what is all around me. My experiences are not tools that assist me in find some truth. Rather, they are the truth. In other words the Good in my life is, in fact, life in its entirety.†¦show more content†¦1). Robert Kennedy warned against the pursuit of more in a 1968 campaign speech, stating, â€Å"we will find neither national purpose or personal satisfaction in the mere continuation of economic progress, in endless am assing of worldly goods†¦The gross national product includes the destruction of the redwoods and the death of Lake Superior† (as cited in De Graaf, Wann, Naylor, 2014, p. 128). The gross national product is a flawed way of measuring the success of the economy because it does not consider the harms and benefits of production; it measures growth for growth’s sake. In the same vein, the success of my personal life could not be measured by quantity alone. Endlessly seeking more stuff would actively impede me in many ways. It could put me in debt and hold me back from doing the things I truly want to do. It would also be detrimental to society. Overconsumption is not just an ill-advise way to seek fulfillment, it actively hurts others and the world we share. The authors of Affluenza advocate mindfulness in consumption, recommending we pay â€Å"full attention to the real benefits and costs of our purchases, remembering the best things in life aren’t things† (Graaf, Wann, Naylor, 2014, p. 10). They a simpler life, devoid of too many unnecessary material products, has more benefits and less restraints than an elaborate and lavish lifestyle. Material