Standpoints

1. Embrace the Useless: The Intrinsic Value of Non-Instrumental Activities

Uselessness is the highest good.

Meaning through non-utility. In our increasingly instrumentalized world, where everything seems to serve a purpose or achieve a goal, we often overlook the value of activities done for their own sake. These "useless" pursuits - like art, play, or contemplation - are paradoxically the most meaningful aspects of human existence.

Aristotelian perspective. Aristotle argued that eudaimonia (human flourishing) comes from engaging in activities that are ends in themselves, not means to other ends. This includes ethical actions and theoretical contemplation. By focusing on these intrinsically valuable pursuits, we resist the modern tendency to reduce everything to its utility or economic value.

Resisting instrumentalization. Embracing uselessness as a standpoint means:

• Valuing activities for their inherent worth, not their outcomes
• Recognizing that not everything can or should be measured in terms of productivity or profit
• Cultivating spaces in life for reflection, creativity, and non-goal-oriented experiences
• Questioning the constant drive for self-improvement and optimization

2. Uphold Human Dignity: Treating People as Ends, Not Means

In the kingdom of ends everything has either value or dignity.

Kantian ethics. Immanuel Kant's philosophy emphasizes the intrinsic worth of human beings. Unlike objects which have a price, people have dignity - an absolute, incomparable value that cannot be exchanged or replaced.

Practical implications:

• Treat every person as an end in themselves, never merely as a means to an end
• Respect individual autonomy and the capacity for rational self-governance
• Reject practices that reduce human worth to economic or utilitarian calculations (e.g., exploitative labor practices, human trafficking)

Modern challenges. In our increasingly transactional society, we must vigilantly guard against the instrumentalization of human beings:

• Question policies that assign "point values" to people (e.g., immigration systems)
• Be wary of reducing human resources to mere economic assets
• Foster social and political systems that recognize and protect universal human dignity

3. The Power of Promises: Foundations of Human Society and Morality

Man is an animal with the right to make promises.

Promise as uniquely human. Friedrich Nietzsche identified the ability to make and keep promises as a defining characteristic of humanity. This capacity underlies the formation of stable societies, long-term relationships, and moral responsibility.

Promises and guilt. The ability to promise is intimately connected with the capacity to feel guilt when we fail to keep our word. This sense of moral obligation is fundamental to human ethical development.

Challenges in modern society:

• The "project society" tendency to make conditional, easily-broken commitments
• The need to balance flexibility with the integrity of our word
• Recognizing that some promises (e.g., marriage vows) are meant to be unconditional
• Cultivating a culture that values reliability and trustworthiness

4. The Self as a Reflexive Relation: Beyond Mere Subjectivity

The self is a relation that relates to itself.

Kierkegaardian perspective. Søren Kierkegaard's definition of the self goes beyond simple subjectivity. The self is not a static entity but a dynamic process of relating to oneself and the world.

Developmental psychology insights:

• The self emerges through social interactions and interpretations by others
• We learn to relate to ourselves by internalizing how others relate to us
• Moral development involves the ability to evaluate our desires and actions

Implications for modern life:

• Question the popular notion of an authentic "inner self" waiting to be discovered
• Recognize the role of community and tradition in shaping who we are
• Resist reducing the self to a commodity or "resource" to be optimized
• Cultivate ethical self-reflection rather than mere self-realization

5. Truth and Reliability in an Uncertain World

Even if there is no truth, man can be truthful.

Hannah Arendt's insight. In a world of constant change and uncertainty, human truthfulness and reliability become even more crucial. We create islands of stability through our commitment to honesty and consistent behavior.

Truth as existential stance:

• Speaking truthfully is valuable in itself, not merely for its consequences
• Reliability in our actions builds trust and social cohesion
• Truthfulness as a way of taking responsibility for our shared world

Resisting instrumentalization of truth:

• Reject the idea that lying is justified if it brings personal advantage
• Question narratives that reduce truth to mere subjective opinion
• Cultivate spaces for open, honest dialogue in personal and public life

6. The Ethical Demand: Our Fundamental Responsibility to Others

The individual never has anything to do with another person without holding something of this person's life in his hand.

Løgstrup's ethics of interdependence. K.E. Løgstrup argues that human existence is fundamentally characterized by mutual dependence, which gives rise to an inescapable ethical demand to care for others.

Key aspects of the ethical demand:

• It arises from our inherent power over others in our interactions
• It is not invented by individuals or society but is a basic fact of human life
• It transcends specific cultural norms or moral rules

Implications for modern life:

• Question the myth of the independent, self-sufficient individual
• Recognize our constant ethical responsibility in all interactions
• Resist reducing ethics to mere personal preference or cultural relativism
• Cultivate awareness of how our actions impact others, even in small ways

7. Love as Self-Transcending Attention

Love is the extremely difficult realisation that something other than oneself is real.

Murdoch's perspective. Iris Murdoch challenges the common view of love as primarily an emotion or means of self-fulfillment. Instead, she sees it as a form of attention directed outward, recognizing the genuine existence of others.

Key aspects of love as attention:

• Requires moving beyond self-absorption and subjective desires
• Involves seeing others as they truly are, not as projections of our wants
• Is closely linked to moral perception and ethical action

Challenges to authentic love:

• The modern tendency to see relationships primarily in terms of personal fulfillment
• Instrumentalization of love for happiness, self-esteem, or other goals
• Conflation of love with fleeting emotions or physical attraction

Cultivating love as attention:

• Practice mindful awareness of others' needs and perspectives
• Question motives in relationships: Are we loving for the other's sake or our own?
• Develop the capacity to see beauty and worth in others, even when difficult

8. Forgiveness: Reconciling the Unforgivable

Forgiveness forgives only the unforgivable.

Derrida's paradox. Jacques Derrida argues that true forgiveness only occurs when we forgive what seems unforgivable. If an act is easily forgivable, it doesn't require genuine forgiveness.

Characteristics of authentic forgiveness:

• Unconditional - not given in exchange for anything
• Not a means to an end (e.g., social harmony, personal peace)
• Often feels impossible or irrational

Challenges to genuine forgiveness:

• Instrumentalization of forgiveness for therapeutic or social purposes
• Expecting forgiveness to always lead to reconciliation or positive feelings
• Pressure to forgive prematurely or without genuine resolution

Cultivating the capacity to forgive:

• Recognize forgiveness as a gift, not a transaction
• Practice empathy and perspective-taking, even for those who have wronged us
• Acknowledge the difficulty and value of forgiving the truly unforgivable

9. Freedom Through Responsibility

Freedom is not constituted primarily of privileges but of responsibilities.

Camus' perspective. Albert Camus challenges the common view of freedom as mere absence of constraints. Instead, he links freedom to our capacity to take on responsibilities and duties.

Key aspects of freedom as responsibility:

• The ability to reflect on and evaluate our desires, not just act on impulse
• Recognizing our obligations to the communities that make individual freedom possible
• Understanding freedom as self-mastery, not just the absence of external constraints

Challenges to authentic freedom:

• The modern tendency to equate freedom with unrestricted choice or pursuit of desires
• Instrumentalization of freedom for economic or productivity gains
• Neglect of the social and ethical dimensions of freedom

Cultivating responsible freedom:

• Develop the capacity for ethical self-reflection and self-control
• Engage actively in building and maintaining the communities that support freedom
• Question narratives that reduce freedom to mere consumer choice or personal preference

10. Confronting Mortality: Death as a Framework for Meaningful Life

He who has learned to die has unlearned to serve.

Montaigne's insight. Michel de Montaigne, following ancient philosophical traditions, argues that confronting our mortality is key to living a meaningful and free life.

Why death awareness matters:

• Provides a horizon that gives shape and urgency to our lives
• Helps us prioritize what truly matters, avoiding trivial pursuits
• Paradoxically, reduces fear of death by making it familiar

Challenges to meaningful mortality awareness:

• Modern tendencies to avoid or sanitize death
• Instrumentalization of death awareness for productivity or achievement ("bucket list" mentality)
• Excessive fear of death leading to paralysis or denial

Cultivating a healthy relationship with mortality:

• Practice regular reflection on the finite nature of life
• Use awareness of death to inform ethical choices and priorities
• Engage with philosophical and cultural traditions that grapple with mortality
• Resist using death anxiety as mere motivation for achievement or consumption

Last updated: October 26, 2024