A philosophical question....

Ilander · 05-17-2004, 10:48 AM

Yes, I'm serious...not joking...philosophy...

Okay, so here's the question: Why has humanity invented the idea of success? It's not about survival anymore (it hasn't been about that for a while in the "civilized" world)...a successful person is no longer a person who lives, but is instead a myraid of other things...so what is success? Why does it exist? What societal role does it serve, and what advantage does it give us over other species?

Dragonshadow · 05-17-2004, 10:58 AM

Sucess is an idea that humans have. It isn't a real hing, it is and IDEA of something which humans belive to be real.

I think.

JrKASperov · 05-17-2004, 11:50 AM

Succes is when a set goal has been reached.

'nuff said

uss · 05-17-2004, 11:57 AM

Success can be giving oneself a purpose in life and acheiving it. It is what makes people wanting to live on. The purpose can vary greatly - money, career, friendship, knowledge are common things you can 'successfully' achieve. [img]smile.gif[/img]

The purpose I have given myself that I value the most currently is learning Japanese, the Kana writing system and drawing Manga(as a hobby). [img]smile.gif[/img]

Illumina Drathiran'ar · 05-17-2004, 03:13 PM

Since survival is nothing special, we had to invent the concept of success. Man is, by nature, a political animal, this is true, but man is also a competitive animal. And besides, it's not like the human race as a whole has anything better to do than compete with itself.

Timber Loftis · 05-17-2004, 03:20 PM

I like Illumina's answer. Once success quit being simply "live and eat until tomorrow," man needed to create other measures by which to compare himself to other men. Or, more pragmatically, man developed other wants and desires. Success is defined by achieving those wants and desires, regardless of your era. We set goals because we want things. We're greedy little gits, one and all. [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img] *ducks*

Jorath Calar · 05-17-2004, 03:32 PM

Or as Bart Simpson put it:

"S.U.C.E.E.S, thats the way you spell success"... [img]smile.gif[/img]

mad=dog · 05-17-2004, 07:42 PM

Success is the opposite of failure and is used to describe a favorable outcome of an event. Note that a success demands some element of chance. The line "success guaranteed" used in commercials is per definition a contradiction of terms.
By a successful life one would mean a life that (so far) has had a favorable outcome. This is largely determined by circumstances. In the middle of a war zone a successful life would simply mean that you have managed to survive. In the western world a successful life is usually considered a life where you have been able to reproduce and yet have maintained material independence. It is a rare thing not even the richest can boast about.

Animal · 05-17-2004, 08:06 PM

Define success?

Did the caveman feel success when he killed the sabertooth tiger?
Did the egyptians feel success when they built the pyramids?
Perhaps bees feel success when they complete the hive?
Or beavers feel success after building a dam?

As I see success is more of a feeling than an idea.

Harkoliar · 05-17-2004, 09:30 PM

without success we would be still in the stoneage for survival. success is what makes us apart from normal animals

05-17-2004, 10:48 AM	#1
Ilander 20th Level Warrior Join Date: December 28, 2003 Location: Kentucky Age: 38 Posts: 2,820	Yes, I'm serious...not joking...philosophy... Okay, so here's the question: Why has humanity invented the idea of success? It's not about survival anymore (it hasn't been about that for a while in the "civilized" world)...a successful person is no longer a person who lives, but is instead a myraid of other things...so what is success? Why does it exist? What societal role does it serve, and what advantage does it give us over other species? __________________ Is that what you really want to say?

05-17-2004, 10:58 AM	#2
Dragonshadow Quth-Maren Join Date: February 17, 2003 Location: Portsmouth Age: 34 Posts: 4,145	Sucess is an idea that humans have. It isn't a real hing, it is and IDEA of something which humans belive to be real. I think. __________________ aka Loc der Graf, Quillruke

05-17-2004, 11:50 AM	#3
JrKASperov Fzoul Chembryl Join Date: July 16, 2003 Location: Wa\'eni\'n Age: 38 Posts: 1,701	Succes is when a set goal has been reached. 'nuff said __________________ God is in the rain.

05-17-2004, 03:13 PM	#5
Illumina Drathiran'ar Apophis Join Date: July 10, 2002 Location: I can see the Manhattan skyline from my window. Age: 38 Posts: 4,673	Since survival is nothing special, we had to invent the concept of success. Man is, by nature, a political animal, this is true, but man is also a competitive animal. And besides, it's not like the human race as a whole has anything better to do than compete with itself. __________________ http://cavestory.org PLAY THIS GAME. Seriously. http://xkcd.com/386/ http://www.xkcd.com/406/ My heart is like my coffee. Black, bitter, icy, and with a straw.

05-17-2004, 03:20 PM	#6
Timber Loftis 40th Level Warrior Join Date: July 11, 2002 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 11,916	I like Illumina's answer. Once success quit being simply "live and eat until tomorrow," man needed to create other measures by which to compare himself to other men. Or, more pragmatically, man developed other wants and desires. Success is defined by achieving those wants and desires, regardless of your era. We set goals because we want things. We're greedy little gits, one and all. [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img] ducks __________________

05-17-2004, 11:57 AM	#4
uss 20th Level Warrior Join Date: November 16, 2001 Location: Estonia Age: 35 Posts: 2,775	Success can be giving oneself a purpose in life and acheiving it. It is what makes people wanting to live on. The purpose can vary greatly - money, career, friendship, knowledge are common things you can 'successfully' achieve. [img]smile.gif[/img] The purpose I have given myself that I value the most currently is learning Japanese, the Kana writing system and drawing Manga(as a hobby). [img]smile.gif[/img]

05-17-2004, 03:32 PM	#7
Jorath Calar Harper Join Date: October 6, 2001 Location: Iceland Posts: 4,706	Or as Bart Simpson put it: "S.U.C.E.E.S, thats the way you spell success"... [img]smile.gif[/img]

05-17-2004, 07:42 PM	#8
mad=dog Avatar Join Date: April 18, 2004 Location: Copenhagen Age: 48 Posts: 549	Success is the opposite of failure and is used to describe a favorable outcome of an event. Note that a success demands some element of chance. The line "success guaranteed" used in commercials is per definition a contradiction of terms. By a successful life one would mean a life that (so far) has had a favorable outcome. This is largely determined by circumstances. In the middle of a war zone a successful life would simply mean that you have managed to survive. In the western world a successful life is usually considered a life where you have been able to reproduce and yet have maintained material independence. It is a rare thing not even the richest can boast about. __________________ [url]\"http://www.dsr.kvl.dk/~maddog/isur.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Ooooookay. I surrender.</a><br />Sometimes I get the eerie feeling that my computer is operating me and not the other way around.

05-17-2004, 08:06 PM	#9
Animal Gold Dragon Join Date: March 29, 2002 Location: Canada Age: 51 Posts: 2,534	Define success? Did the caveman feel success when he killed the sabertooth tiger? Did the egyptians feel success when they built the pyramids? Perhaps bees feel success when they complete the hive? Or beavers feel success after building a dam? As I see success is more of a feeling than an idea. __________________ It\'s all fun and games until somebody loses an eye...then it becomes a sport.<br /> [img]\"http://members.shaw.ca/mtholdings/bsmeter.gif\" alt=\" - \" />

05-17-2004, 09:30 PM	#10
Harkoliar Jack Burton Join Date: March 21, 2001 Location: Philippines, but now Harbor City Sydney Age: 41 Posts: 5,556	without success we would be still in the stoneage for survival. success is what makes us apart from normal animals __________________ Catch me if you can..

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