"it is not just what the individual wants to do, we are fighting a war..."
- - Dr. Frances Cress-Welsing
Clarity is not the absence of confusion. Clarity is the understanding of confusion.
As long as you can control the institutions, you can control the [thinking and] behavior of people. - Dr. Bobby E. Wright
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Mutual Benefit Is Not Collectively Beneficial
Unity Consciousness #412
Unity Consciousness #412
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There are many ways to think about relationships. One way is "mutual benefit.” Are both sides of the relationship benefiting?
Even though mutual benefit seems like a good way to look at relationships, it's not. Mutual benefit is suboptimal. Mutual benefit is based on the considerations of two people or two groups. This makes this type of thinking the same as the destructive selfish philosophy of “to each his own.”
Under a mutual benefit approach, each person decides the relationship is okay as long as both of them get what they want.
This is the same as "to each his own" times two.
Mutual benefit is not a good way to decide if a relationship is appropriate when mutual benefit is the only consideration. Yes, use mutual benefit, but then take the crucial next step of taking into account collective benefit. Consider how does the relationship affect all other relationships and responsibilities each person has?
Usiku