Monday, March 29, 2010

Motives for actions

What comes first? The Chicken or the egg?

What do you think? Yes, you - you know I'm referring to you. Don't look behind you. Ahh, I finally have you undivided attention.

Why would I pick motives for a discussion? That's another question for another day.

Motives are the objectives required for taking a particular line of action based on a set of conditions/criteria which have been evaluated internally. These conditions maybe personal reasons (in most cases they will indeed be personal) and thus they will undoubtedly influence the motive.

Humans are an undoubtedly selfish species like every other group on earth - our higher intelligence should actually come to our rescue but we seemingly have not learnt to harness this vast pool objectively. There in lies our quagmire.

The influence of emotions and other subjective factors have often swayed thinking in non-logical or subjective directions. It is one source of strength sometimes but in most cases it is a major hindrance and weakness.

In this light - the underlying motives required to justify action is based on these sometimes unspecified objectives of ours.

For instance in the pursuit of any female of interest, there are various considerations that make her fit a given criteria - these range from physical appearance, carriage, poise, confidence, character, integrity, intelligence, wisdom, objectivity, personality to more esoteric  characteristics etc

These listed traits might to a great degree affect who decides to initiate the chase and who decides to pass the chance. And yet these are all objectives that were considered when arriving at the motive.

The motive in some cases can be intangible but it summarises the internal value map for the respective individuals.

Motive creates the necessary drive for action - motive provides purpose and purpose is the engine room of action.

My motives may not always be laudable, they may not always meet a higher moral code and they may lack integrity but the motive once it has been defined from misplaced objectives will often be itself misplaced.

The motive thus then produces the action which is characterised either as appropriate or not appropriate.
Alas man has always leaned towards the less appropriate channels.

Man's motives are a question of his inner considerations - to each man, his own.

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