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| Be Pragmatic |
Be Pragmatic
A pragmatic approach provides another aid to clear thinking. While your thinking should always be guided by your personal philosophy, principles, goals, and ambitions; it is important to retain a degree of flexibility – for two main reasons:
1. You are not infallible. Your philosophy, principles, and goals may contain flaws, errors, or inconsistencies. Your knowledge can never be complete. You should always be willing to learn from others and from your own experience.
2. Often the only way to make progress is to compromise. Every other person on Earth also has his/her own philosophy, principles, and goals. Unless you are an absolute ruler and assume that you are superior to all others, you should consider the positions of others on issues of concern. Considering the positions of others is often the only way to make human progress.
You currently share the surface of the Earth with over six billion other humans. They have explored, farmed, and built in every habitable region on Earth. They all want food, shelter, and clothing. They all want to be part of a social network. They all want to earn a living, and live with personal pride. They are all curious and artistic.
So even though you may feel unique, you are really part of a vast network of similar beings. Understanding and sharing the Earth with so many others often requires a pragmatic approach.
A pragmatic approach provides another aid to clear thinking. While your thinking should always be guided by your personal philosophy, principles, goals, and ambitions; it is important to retain a degree of flexibility – for two main reasons:
1. You are not infallible. Your philosophy, principles, and goals may contain flaws, errors, or inconsistencies. Your knowledge can never be complete. You should always be willing to learn from others and from your own experience.
2. Often the only way to make progress is to compromise. Every other person on Earth also has his/her own philosophy, principles, and goals. Unless you are an absolute ruler and assume that you are superior to all others, you should consider the positions of others on issues of concern. Considering the positions of others is often the only way to make human progress.
You currently share the surface of the Earth with over six billion other humans. They have explored, farmed, and built in every habitable region on Earth. They all want food, shelter, and clothing. They all want to be part of a social network. They all want to earn a living, and live with personal pride. They are all curious and artistic.
So even though you may feel unique, you are really part of a vast network of similar beings. Understanding and sharing the Earth with so many others often requires a pragmatic approach.
