Worst case standard principle - why almost no one is really your enemy - stoicism, Stoic cosmopolitanism | Forum

What most people fail to understand is that often the only reason they hate some people is because better people appear.

this is usually called "relative value" affected by comparison.

But the comparison actually only begins to show truth once you apply worst case standard for comparison.

to person who has many friends and plenty of options in life, such person naturally moves to best available options.

But to a very lonely person, almost any other person is welcome to be friend because alternative is no friends and no one to talk to.

this is also true in relationships. Women pick from what is best among available. But if the only available men are bad men, women will pick them.

Person who has plenty of money usually chooses other people who have plenty of money, to be friends with, and can be picky about who to hang out with, and doesnt need to be kind to most people.

Person who is very poor, on the other hand, will happily be friends with anyone generous enough to provide help.

Standards are usually made by comparison.

there are things person would never accept under any circumstances. these are "worst case" standards. Anything above them is generally accepted depending on circumstances and available options.

And people often have wrong idea about what their "worst case standards" are. But best way to establish what they are is by experiencing lack.

Experiencing lack of all better options truly shows if some option is then acceptable or not.

Same with people. You might hate trump, but if he and you were last people on Earth, you would quickly become friends because alternative would be eternal loneliness.

People often experience severe drop in standards once they actually experience a complete lack. And people who have abundance usually experience rise in their standards.

this is why stoicism is about experiencing lack, to find out if things have value when no better options exist.

Because value is a very relative thing, and depends entirely on what is available in the first place. For example, I can set my standards very high, but if nothing in reality matches them, then my standards fail and leave me in complete lack of anything to satisfy them.

So standards naturally move as reality moves. Person who lacks food for a long time appreciates food more. Person who lacks water for a longer time appreciates water more. Person who is poor appreciates more any display of kindness. Person who has complete lack, appreciates almost anything to remove a lack.

Once you realize that the only reason you hate a lot of people is because better people exist, and if those better people didnt exist, you would actually stop hating the people you hate, you begin understanding stoic philosophy more.

Because value is found in lack. Sure, if I have million dollars, I wont appreciate at all someone giving me 10$ randomly, I might even feel insulted. But if I am on streets starving, no money for food, and someone gives me 10$, I begin to see that person as my savior. Exactly same action valued completely differently due to available options.

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What most people fail to understand is that often the only reason they hate some people is because better people appear. this is usually called "relative value" affected by comparison. But the comparison actually only begins to show truth once you apply worst case standard for comparison. to person who has many friends and plenty of options in life, such person naturally moves to best available options. But to a very lonely person, almost any other person is welcome to be friend because alternative is no friends and no one to talk to. this is also true in relationships. Women pick from what is best among available. But if the only available men are bad men, women will pick them. Person who has plenty of money usually chooses other people who have plenty of money, to be friends with, and can be picky about who to hang out with, and doesnt need to be kind to most people. Person who is very poor, on the other hand, will happily be friends with anyone generous enough to provide help. Standards are usually made by comparison. there are things person would never accept under any circumstances. these are "worst case" standards. Anything above them is generally accepted depending on circumstances and available options. And people often have wrong idea about what their "worst case standards" are. But best way to establish what they are is by experiencing lack. Experiencing lack of all better options truly shows if some option is then acceptable or not. Same with people. You might hate trump, but if he and you were last people on Earth, you would quickly become friends because alternative would be eternal loneliness. People often experience severe drop in standards once they actually experience a complete lack. And people who have abundance usually experience rise in their standards. this is why stoicism is about experiencing lack, to find out if things have value when no better options exist. Because value is a very relative thing, and depends entirely on what is available in the first place. For example, I can set my standards very high, but if nothing in reality matches them, then my standards fail and leave me in complete lack of anything to satisfy them. So standards naturally move as reality moves. Person who lacks food for a long time appreciates food more. Person who lacks water for a longer time appreciates water more. Person who is poor appreciates more any display of kindness. Person who has complete lack, appreciates almost anything to remove a lack. Once you realize that the only reason you hate a lot of people is because better people exist, and if those better people didnt exist, you would actually stop hating the people you hate, you begin understanding stoic philosophy more. Because value is found in lack. Sure, if I have million dollars, I wont appreciate at all someone giving me 10$ randomly, I might even feel insulted. But if I am on streets starving, no money for food, and someone gives me 10$, I begin to see that person as my savior. Exactly same action valued completely differently due to available options.

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