Showerthoughts @lemmy.world dullbananas @lemmy.ca 3 wk. ago

Getting closer to marriage and approaching your full earthly potential are the same thing (assuming they're done perfectly)

Edit: "getting closer to marriage" is about the whole journey starting from being completely single

Edit: if this shower thought is too confusing to be useful to you, then here is a quote that gives some of the same guidance, is simpler, less philosophical, but less broad: “Don’t waste your time chasing butterflies. Mend your garden, and the butterflies will come” - Mario Quintana

23 comments

In order to comment on this I ask that you please give me a clear and concise definition of what "your full earthly potential" is supposed to mean because I have no idea what you're talking about
- Love, courage, having a personality, etc.
  
  So, I see you've opted to give me vague words you think are "good" instead of answering my question... I don't think I can give you any kind of informed opinion with so little to go on
This assume nobody can reach their potential unless they marry. And that's bogus. Anyone can reach their potential without a partner. Having a family is irrelevant to your human potential and self-actualization. Even most religion would disagree with your idea considering most use chastity and isolation as a means to reach enlightenment.
- This assume nobody can reach their potential unless they marry.
  
  In practice, my shower thought has nothing of value to those who are not on that path, but I gave this comment some thought anyway.
  
  Technically, reaching 100% of our earthly potential requires experiencing the highest level of earthly love and using our ability to reproduce. In practice, no one reaches 100%, and we probably can reach 99% without a spouse and kids.
  
  Even most religion would disagree with your idea considering most use chastity and isolation as a means to reach enlightenment.
  
  Since I'm Catholic, I believe that in a religious vocation, earthly things are given up for supernatural things. In my post, I said "earthly" to exclude religious vocations and Heaven.
  
  What about polyamorous people? They can't reach it without several spouses then. How many are enough? Will a polyamorous person increase their happiness asymptomatically for each person they become partners with? What about aromantic people that don't desire romantic relationships?
  
  I for one think that my personal happiness 'maximum' can be increased with a spouse. But you really can't make that judgement for others.
Me, a divorced person:
Define "earthly potential." Genghis Khan killed like 40 million people. Dude had like 5 official wives and an unknown amount of concubines.
Im just glad you are showering. Its a start.
Can you explain? I can't make any sense of this.
- Properly moving closer to your full potential is how to get a girlfriend. Properly getting a girlfriend and moving closer to family life overall is a way to move closer to your full potential (in other words, living fully). ~~They are the same actions~~ The same actions constitute both.
  
  Edit: should have said "overall mindset" instead of "actions"
  
  You seem to have a very narrow view of what life can offer. There's much more to life than just getting married and pumping out babies. That may be one person's idea of "living fully" but it's hardly applicable to every person in every scenario
  
  Sorry, but I can't help but think that there's a lot more to life than you imagine.
  
  Good drugs
Haha. Marriage is just the beginning. Not anywhere close to actualization. And if you have kids, you'll realize you're still at the beginning.
- Yeah I could have phrased it better
  
  Nahh, you're way too high.
There are many maximums in different types of potential for human beings :

just after birth, before 1-year-old, we are at a maximum in terms of number of neurons

there is another maximum in term of wisdom in the 50 to 80 years range.

This maximum you hint about would be in terms of reproductive potential and attractiveness.
I want whatever you're on
- The autism spectrum.
  
  Actually the main thing I'm on is a great adventure that started less than a year ago in which I built social confidence from scratch and recently figured out how to have balanced focuses when it comes to pursuing girls while still working hard enough to get out of my comfort zone.

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