Like many topics in this blog, I enjoy contemplating the big unifying theories. Pervasive topics with elusive truths - the sort that if I could merely glimpse a semblance of an answer for it - would help me to rationalise the world on a meaningful scale. I find solace in thinking and intepreting what this means to me, my world view and eventually thinking “yea that makes sense” when aliens invade one day. No surprises.
One area is Human Nature. A bit of a catch-all ; a cop-out, but theres a lot to unpack. In my usual dilettante approach - I have never studied this topic academically. I’m curious as to which disciplines looks at this actually - sociology? Psychology? Philosophy? hmmm
Like cycles, the topic has been explored across mankind’s history, cultures and geographic regions. It is everywhere.
I construe human nature as a credible explanation (still a cop-out..) for explaining the unexplainable. Why are humans so irrational? So petty? So stupid?
And these are highly impactful. There are innumerable pivotal moments in history that I believe could derived from the deviancy of single “great man” (admittedly, in the right environment, being around at the right time and right place for significant change).
Akrasia or, OmgWhyCantIDoTheThingIKnowIsRightButIDontWanna
“Akrasia” was a word I came across in 2017 and it was one of those moments where I felt - ah! this explains a lot. And of course, something the Greeks came up with millennia ago. Akrasia, thanks to the usual Wikipedia look-up, is characterised as the “lack of self-control, or acting against one’s better judgment.”
Sounds familiar yes?
- Drinking one drink too many and puke? - Akrasia
- Drinking more immediately after puking? - Akrasia
- Eating an entire bucket of KFC and wreck your toilet the next morning? - Akrasia.
- Can’t get out of bed to Gym? - Akrasia
- Eating an entire bucket of KFC and wreck your toilet the next morning? - Akrasia.
- Binging YouTube at 3am when theres a 9am meeting? - Akrasia
This, in chronological order, could literally be an episode spanning a Saturday night to Monday morning . Far, far too relatable.
Its almost as if there is a pleasure receptor connected to inherently unproductive things; and conversely, reading an enlightening book, though enjoyable, may not necessarily be relaxing.
WHY????
Philosophers past and present have tried to tackle this - whether through Logic; psychology or deep facnciful investigations into rationality.
But my satisfactory answer - is that there isn’t a rational explanation for this. I could relentlessly devote my time as others have into the pursuit of truth in this, but I am happy and satisfied with explaining such phenomena just “Human Nature”.
And so this series focuses on this and similar topics. There is something consistent and empirically evident in the quirkiness and stupidity of human actions against our pride in rational thought.
Is it Moral? Is it right? Why am I so unproductive? Why am I writing a blog post on Akrasia when I could be sleeping early?
More to come.