tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post5721609972419827383..comments2023-09-13T06:17:38.045-05:00Comments on Try Reason!: My purpose in lifeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-22008181262417096502009-09-17T08:57:00.570-05:002009-09-17T08:57:00.570-05:00Burgess, I'm not sure if you were responding t...Burgess, I'm not sure if you were responding to my statement that John's purpose seemed too abstract. I agree that it needs to be abstract exactly as you indicate. But it can be too abstract. <br /><br />John, would you be willing to share your revised CPL? Also, you never stated the 5 year goals except by implication. Do you have a short statement that you could share as a concrete example for us? (Maybe this discussion needs to be moved to your most recent post or in a new post but I'll leave that to you.) Thanks!Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16540136429022445258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-41700362965616324502009-09-17T08:42:43.104-05:002009-09-17T08:42:43.104-05:00A central purpose in life is a succinct (one sente...A <a href="http://aristotleadventure.blogspot.com/2008/05/what-is-central-purpose-in-life.html" rel="nofollow">central purpose in life</a> is a succinct (one sentence easy to remember) ABSTRACT statement of ACTION.<br /><br />Example 1 (Ayn Rand): My central purpose in life is to PORTRAY the ideal man in fiction.<br /><br />Example 2 (my inference about Howard Roark): My central purpose in life is to DESIGN AND BUILD buildings.<br /><br />Example 3 (my own): My central purpose in life is to TELL success stories from history.<br /><br />A proper CPL would not be: My central purpose in life is to be a novelist or architect or historian.<br /><br />The CPL needs to be abstract enough to subsume a wide range of job titles, particular projects, and even several careers if appropriate -- but without specifying them. In her career leading up to Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand portrayed the ideal man in a prose-poem, short stories, novels, and stage plays. A CPL does not name such things.<br /><br />A CPL, which covers a lifetime potentially, is always a single sentence, the shorter the better -- thus making it easy to recall even when one is confused or exhausted or temporarily defeated. A CPL is an integrator.Burgess Laughlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13865479709475171678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-9434177728348693652009-09-17T08:40:08.488-05:002009-09-17T08:40:08.488-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Burgess Laughlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13865479709475171678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-76609065900180313892009-09-17T08:06:44.438-05:002009-09-17T08:06:44.438-05:00Amy,
I agree with you. This post was written pri...Amy,<br /><br />I agree with you. This post was written prior to reading Burgess's excellent post on the subject. In my latest post "Writing 5 year goals", I have done a bit more thinking on the subject and have modified my CLP to focus on productive work goals, not just my virtues.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-69933835761288773072009-09-17T07:41:27.285-05:002009-09-17T07:41:27.285-05:00John, isn't your purpose too general? You see...John, isn't your purpose too general? You seem to be restating 3 of the cardinal virtues that may be the most important to you. I think purpose needs to be more specific. As Burgess said, "... a CPL is not a statement of philosophical values or virtues."<br /><br />I think Burgess' CPL is at about the right level of abstraction. I need to go back and read his CPL posts myself. I'm at a stage in my life when I think I'm ready to develop my own CPL. I might try the Steve Palina technique along with Burgess' suggestions. Thanks for the reminder.<br /><br />Also, you can find the lexicon online at <br />www.aynrandlexicon.comAmyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16540136429022445258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-54141889708788023272008-05-20T16:03:00.000-05:002008-05-20T16:03:00.000-05:00The May 20, 2008 post for Making Progress describe...The May 20, 2008 post for <I>Making Progress</I> describes my view of a central purpose in life.<BR/><BR/>http://www.aristotleadventure.blogspot.com/<BR/><BR/>(I do not know how to create a word-link in a comment section, so I have listed the short address above.)Burgess Laughlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13865479709475171678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-31314326878072796102008-05-01T10:12:00.000-05:002008-05-01T10:12:00.000-05:00Burgess,Thank you for those excellent points. I d...Burgess,<BR/><BR/>Thank you for those excellent points. I do not own The Ayn Rand Lexicon... yet. The clarification between ultimate purpose and central purpose is important. I would agree, my ultimate purpose is happiness.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-38482422859843088852008-05-01T08:09:00.000-05:002008-05-01T08:09:00.000-05:00The "Purpose" entry in The Ayn Rand Lexicon contai...The "Purpose" entry in <I>The Ayn Rand Lexicon</I> contains two other excerpts of Ayn Rand's writings on purpose. One excerpt describes Purpose as one of the three highest philosophical values. The other excerpt elaborates on the idea of "central purpose," that is, the form of productive activity, stated as an abstraction, that one chooses to pursue.<BR/><BR/>My ultimate purpose in life is happiness. My central purpose in life is to tell success stories drawn from history, especially the history of philosophy. I have two other, lesser purposes: friendship and my favorite leisure activity.<BR/><BR/>Purpose provides integration. Without purpose--and a hierarchy of purposes--even the best life is nothing more than a heap of experiences.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for your article on purpose. It is one of the most important issues in life. Only a few raise the issue and resolve it. You are one of the few.Burgess Laughlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13865479709475171678noreply@blogger.com