A Quick Fix?

The last point is an important one. In our post-modern era, we want quick fixes. psychology and religion in our culture claim by therapy or conversion character issues can immediately be resolved. This results in frustration for both the minister and the patient. We tend to become arrogant and judgmental without realizing that people will gravitate toward what they desire and what brings them comfort. There are so many factors involved in our desires that shouldn't be ignored. Personality styles, upbringing, life experiences and circumstances to name a few. It is a tall order to change what a person wants. A person who is passive shouldn't judge a person who is passionate. A passive person will have a much easier time dealing with certain things. If the passive person had the same level of passion, the roles would probably be reversed.

Once someone is an adult, laying down the law won’t change how that person feels. All parties involved end up miserable and there is disappointment when the subject falls off the wagon and goes back to what brought relief to them. How do we mold our desires and get to the point where doing what is good for us is enjoyable? That has always been the big question. But it is worth examining both for ourselves and to help give us patience with others. We see here that ground zero is to want change. Laws serve no purpose but of a band aid to troubled souls. A person first needs to want improvement and be willing to take the actions necessary in order for there to be a true change.  Happiness is having the ability to get what we want. But what if what we want isn't good? That is what needs to be addressed and there is no easy answer. We find them through study, support and example.

A life devoid of passion has no creativity and makes for a miserable person. A life devoid of reason is haphazard and accomplishes little. For each person and each situation there is a proper amount of adjustment that will allow both accomplishment and joy. Each talent, each personality in order to improve themselves will have to find the place where they excel the most. A bookkeeper might need to improve his grasp concerning facts and reason while a writer of fiction would lean toward creative writing. We have seen scandals and failure when they mix these up. The kind of study we are doing now may seem general but gives us more of an ability to examine our own motives, sort out what needs to be improved on and why.

I personally enjoy this kind of examination when it is devoid of dogma. Recently psychology has made a swing toward validating our feelings. Rather than making one feel guilty, they say that we should accept them at face value. It is only then that we can examine ourselves without stress and see where we should improve while steering clear from dogma that leads too far in either direction; to inflexibility or loose living. Where do I need help and to what point will a change benefit my personality and interests? We need to answer these for ourselves and studying ethics is a vehicle.