I also worry about if what I think I want is what I actually want or just what society makes me think I want. In the end I think as long as you want it (for whatever reasons, societal or internal) then it's all the same.
I thought about this when P and I decided to get married. Were we doing it because society expected us to or were we doing it because we wanted to?
I don't think there are any independent wants, everybody wants something because of some outside force (except maybe food, people generally want that because their tummy says so). Pressure to do better at a job and get more money, pressure to be successful in career, pressure to have kids/get married. People may think that they want it entirely of their own accord but I think at the root there's probably some societal pressure there too. There are no new ideas (for those who've read Anathem :P).
Agree (100)
I thought about this when P and I decided to get married. Were we doing it because society expected us to or were we doing it because we wanted to?
I don't think there are any independent wants, everybody wants something because of some outside force (except maybe food, people generally want that because their tummy says so). Pressure to do better at a job and get more money, pressure to be successful in career, pressure to have kids/get married. People may think that they want it entirely of their own accord but I think at the root there's probably some societal pressure there too. There are no new ideas (for those who've read Anathem :P).