Is this statement true?

[cjames]

Do we always know what is best for ourself? If so, does this also apply to people who f.ex is mentally ill? What things can cloud our mind and make us do bad things to ourself (damaging ourself etc), and are these (sub-conscious?) acts necessarily a bad thing?

[boagie]

Originally Posted by cjames

Do we always know what is best for ourself? If so, does this also apply to people who f.ex is mentally ill? What things can cloud our mind and make us do bad things to ourself (damaging ourself etc), and are these (sub-conscious?) acts necessarily a bad thing?

cjames,

As the essence of all organisms self-interest is paramount, your genes have constructed you for a most particular job, stay alive, eat and reproduce. It is a sick, if not a dead organism, that does not function to its own self-interest.

[Didymos Thomas]

Do we always know what is best for ourself? If so, does this also apply to people who f.ex is mentally ill? What things can cloud our mind and make us do bad things to ourself (damaging ourself etc), and are these (sub-conscious?) acts necessarily a bad thing?

As self is illusory, and therefore any striving to benefit the self is made of ignorance, self interest is the root of suffering.

your genes have constructed you for a most particular job, stay alive and reproduce.

Self-interest refers to the motivations of an agent. To assign our genetic code a motivation is at least misleading.

It is a sick and ignorant organism that allows egoism to motivate it's action.

I don't mean to be aggressive boagie, I just figured we should start by making clear the sharp contrast between our views.

[boagie]

Originally Posted by Didymos Thomas

As self is illusory, and therefore any striving to benefit the self is made of ignorance, self interest is the root of suffering.

Self-interest refers to the motivations of an agent. To assign our genetic code a motivation is at least misleading.

It is a sick and ignorant organism that allows egoism to motivate it's action.

I don't mean to be aggressive boagie, I just figured we should start by making clear the sharp contrast between our views.

Thomas,

Really how then do you account for survival in a situtation of life lives upon life. You are aggressive, but, mistakenly so. What do you imagine Thomas, the situtation to be? I should qualify this, even Nietzsche pointed out how a delusion could be in one's self-interest, in other words, one has better survival prospects under certain illusions/delusions then without out them, this of course depends upon context.

[de_budding]

'delusion could be in self-interest'
Yeh I think it is other's delusions we must be wary of... e.g. christianity *cough*

[de_budding]

james,
I guess my answer would be of no help, I've always felt I have lost myself somewhat, and it is hard to know what is best for someone you don't feel you know completely.

Again james, this is a very interesting question. And I hesitate to suggest that todays society will make some attempt to look after you if they feel you don't know what is best for yourself. But for all the complications I could rake in to the discussion (e.g. self-decpetion.) I got to agree with Boagie on this one, you will automatically be looking out for yourself, and that is where the self delusion lies.

Do you consider 'your best interests' to be rooted in survival, i.e not dying? Or is there a fat worse than this to you?

Dan.

[boagie]

Originally Posted by de_budding

james,
I guess my answer would be of no help, I've always felt I have lost myself somewhat, and it is hard to know what is best for someone you don't feel you know completely.

Again james, this is a very interesting question. And I hesitate to suggest that todays society will make some attempt to look after you if they feel you don't know what is best for yourself. But for all the complications I could rake in to the discussion (e.g. self-decpetion.) I got to agree with Boagie on this one, you will automatically be looking out for yourself, and that is where the self delusion lies.

Do you consider 'your best interests' to be rooted in survival, i.e not dying? Or is there a fat worse than this to you?Dan.

de budding,

Yes, certainly there is a worse fate, although most people cannot see it for their instinctive fear of death. Only life can be unfortunate and often is, but death, we all know from this side of the riverbank, the other side is safe and secure. Plato, "Be kind to everyone you meet, they are all on a difficult journey", to all organisms life is struggle.

[Arjen]

I am going to add to Boagie and de buddings posts. They are remarking that delusions can be in someone's self interest. I would like to say that they are not. They are in the interest of the definitions of oneself and not in the interest of oneself. The difference is very important to me and goes a long way in proving the deni-all involved in ego.

I hope this short post makes sense to anyone

[boagie]

Originally Posted by Arjen

I am going to add to Boagie and de buddings posts. They are remarking that delusions can be in someone's self interest. I would like to say that they are not. They are in the interest of the definitions of oneself and not in the interest of oneself. The difference is very important to me and goes a long way in proving the deni-all involved in ego.

I hope this short post makes sense to anyone

Arjen,

Please expand upon your theory, remember however, that it is largely context which defines, certainly it is context which determines what behaviours will be in ones best interest at any given time. In America if you are a politican, would it be in ones self-interest to be an atheist, it is against the law in most states for an atheist to hold office----you do see what I mean about context.

[cloverleaf]

i always know what is best for me but unfortunately i cant do the best things for myself because its not easy to do
mentally ill people cant do best things for themselves because they cant make comparession between things