Late Night Thoughts

I created this despite my many other methods of blogging because it seems to be the new "in" thing to do. Yes, i am a slave to trends as much as the next person. Although i can't honestly say how much i will use this. I have an open diary that has lasted me years and years. Oh well, I'm in it for the adventure.

I don't really have anything specific to write on except for a discussion that happened in my 19th European Philosophy Class. We are reading some lectures done by Fichte and in it he begins to argue about a man's vocation and the roll it plays in society. whether it should follow from his talents or what is deemed needed by society. In part, after picking an argument with a fellow classmate it begin to make me contemplate my own ideas on the subject. Is it really necessary for an individual to play a roll with his vocation in society or should he follow his natural born talent, or yet even again should he go with what he desires to do with his life.

For many, i believe the obvious answer would be that one should choose what he wants to do with his life, rather than have it decided for him. I would agree except for this method can lead too many astray and often leaves people miserable for failing so horribly. (ex: one could find joy in laundering money or American idol contestants who cannot sing worth shit but are convinced they can till they are utterly shut down on national television.) On the reverse side, to deny such desire could cripple the development of talents that could have yet to been revealed by nature. Imagine if Michael Jordan hadn't been allowed to hold a basketball..... what majesty and great entertainment would have been lost.

The problem with following one's talent is that it leads to unnecessary callings that don't seem to aide society in anyway, or worse yet that other talents are crippled by focusing on one. (ex: one could have a great talent for rape. extreme but very plausible). One could even harm society by such vocations. This however, would drag the concept of Good and Bad into the mix and would only cloud situation even more im afraid.

Lastly, society could see an individual for one thing when he has talents for another, thus withholding from itself something great and replacing it with something practical. A doctor when they could be a great singer, a philosopher when they could be a great blacksmith, etc etc. One could almost see Michaelangelo being forced to be a stable boy, or Sir Issac Newton being a squire because they were more practical than art or gravity (ha).

This whole situation only leaves me more confused on my opinion of what needs to be done. It brings into it too many factors. Who determines what is necessary? Who judges on behalf of good? What are the objectives of the society? How large is it? Does it vary on sex and age? With many other questions. Thus, im afraid that it boils down to this. One should first choose what will be satisfactory for themselves and what they believe will aide another. Everything else will fall into place or it will fail miserably and nature will neccesarily cause it to start again. There is one thing i believe to be certain.... there will always be progression.