Do you think people _should_ seek to opt into cultures where they can become maximally skilled? If you do believe that, is this an obligation to themselves, or to others?
I sort of go back and forth, and its kind of a fundamental question right? How much should we aim for “success” rather than happiness? What should societies look to aim for?
Some days, I think about all the harms done by intensive parenting. All the studies that show how much it increases stress and causes burnout, and my mom’s stories of how much her parents, as Jews living in the mostly WASP midwest, pressured her to excel in school and gain entry into upper class institutions. On a societal level, I’ll think about the claim (from some book I read, maybe it was David Brooks?) that when colonists first came to the Americas, some of them (despite their superior technology) chose to defect to the Native tribes to live a happier life, while there were never any records of Natives trying to defect to the colonists.
Other days, I think about the other studies that show that intensive parenting basically works. The “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” author’s kids both went to Harvard Law School, and whether or not they’re happier now it certainly gives them far more options down the road to tame ownership of their lives. On a societal level, I think about this post by (ugh, sorry) Yascha Mounk: https://www.persuasion.community/p/europes-coming-fall about how Europeans may be living more comfortable lives than Americans now, but their lack of innovation and economic stagnation could very likely haunt them. (The Natives may have been happier in the 1600’s, was that still true 200 years later?)
I think of things differently on the societal vs individual level.
At a societal level, having some number of ambitious people helps drive increased happiness for others. So I think it’s good that there are cultures that incentivize ambition. The most ambitious people in the world can come to the US and that’s great!
Should every culture try to become more ambitious? My sense is that lack of cultural ambition is usually a bigger problem than not enough ambition (Ken Opalo has good work on the lack of ambition among African elites)
At an individual level, I wish on the margin people were more ambitious in trying to improve the world. And for myself, I am actually happier being ambitious! Encouraging others to be ambitious in a way that is genuine to themselves is often positive.
(I have anti preference towards imposing a high level of ambition on kids. But I think there are lots of right ways to parent and that my view is largely a preference here)
Good faith question, not intended as a trap:
Do you think people _should_ seek to opt into cultures where they can become maximally skilled? If you do believe that, is this an obligation to themselves, or to others?
Ooh interesting. I’d say mostly no.
I don’t think everyone’s calling is to be maximally skilled in their career.
What do you think?
I sort of go back and forth, and its kind of a fundamental question right? How much should we aim for “success” rather than happiness? What should societies look to aim for?
Some days, I think about all the harms done by intensive parenting. All the studies that show how much it increases stress and causes burnout, and my mom’s stories of how much her parents, as Jews living in the mostly WASP midwest, pressured her to excel in school and gain entry into upper class institutions. On a societal level, I’ll think about the claim (from some book I read, maybe it was David Brooks?) that when colonists first came to the Americas, some of them (despite their superior technology) chose to defect to the Native tribes to live a happier life, while there were never any records of Natives trying to defect to the colonists.
Other days, I think about the other studies that show that intensive parenting basically works. The “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” author’s kids both went to Harvard Law School, and whether or not they’re happier now it certainly gives them far more options down the road to tame ownership of their lives. On a societal level, I think about this post by (ugh, sorry) Yascha Mounk: https://www.persuasion.community/p/europes-coming-fall about how Europeans may be living more comfortable lives than Americans now, but their lack of innovation and economic stagnation could very likely haunt them. (The Natives may have been happier in the 1600’s, was that still true 200 years later?)
So really yeah I don’t know.
Very interesting
I think of things differently on the societal vs individual level.
At a societal level, having some number of ambitious people helps drive increased happiness for others. So I think it’s good that there are cultures that incentivize ambition. The most ambitious people in the world can come to the US and that’s great!
Should every culture try to become more ambitious? My sense is that lack of cultural ambition is usually a bigger problem than not enough ambition (Ken Opalo has good work on the lack of ambition among African elites)
At an individual level, I wish on the margin people were more ambitious in trying to improve the world. And for myself, I am actually happier being ambitious! Encouraging others to be ambitious in a way that is genuine to themselves is often positive.
(I have anti preference towards imposing a high level of ambition on kids. But I think there are lots of right ways to parent and that my view is largely a preference here)