Whole Episode: 8 January 2012
In the webcast of 8 January 2012, we discussed tenacity in pursuit of goals, sex without love, the ethics of helping inept co-workers, giving back to your communities, and more. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers was my audio co-host.
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Segments: 8 January 2012
My News of the Week: Welcome to 2012! Sadly, our friend and hero Objectivist historian John Lewis died on Tuesday. See John Lewis, Hero and Friend by me and Remembering John Lewis by Paul Hsieh. On the two week break, I've been doing lots of blogging at NoodleFood, plus updates to the Philosophy in Action. Mostly, I'm glad to be webcasting again!
Question 1: Tenacity in Pursuit of Goals (3:55)
How can I become more tenacious in pursuit of my goals? I find that I give up too easily on some of my goals, particularly when success is far away and much effort is required now. What can I do to make myself more tenacious?
My Answer, In Brief: Tenacity is an important quality of character to cultivate, but it must be used selectively. If tenacity is a problem for you, don't wallow in guilt: find creative ways to motivate self.
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Question 2: Sex Without Love (19:19)
Is sex without love or romance irrational? Is it wrong to have sex with someone that you don't love – or don't love yet? (Here, assume that the person isn't unworthy, but just that you're not in love.) Couldn't that be the start of romance? What if you don't have any intentions of pursuing a romantic relationship with this person?
My Answer, In Brief: Sex is an inherently intimate act, requiring well-grounded respect, trust, and affection – even if not love.
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Question 3: The Ethics of Helping Inept Co-Workers (31:21)
Is it moral to help inept co-workers? On my team at work, we have only a very few people who use their time productively. We all get paid for 8 hours of "work", every day, but most of my team would rather talk on their phone, hide from management, and underperform at their job. We also belong to a union, which makes it harder for management to fire the ones who don't work despite being informed about the situation. I often find myself in the position of helping these people, or going in behind them and fixing their work. I am beginning to feel taken advantage of, and am getting fed up with most of my co-workers. Is it moral to continue helping people who do not take their own work seriously?
My Answer, In Brief: There's no injustice or other moral problem with doing mission-critical work for your company, even if not your area, provided that you're honest and compensated fairly.
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Question 4: Giving Back to Your Communities (37:17)
Is a person ever obliged to "give back to the community"? Businesses often speak about their charitable work as "giving back to the community." I know that's wrong, because they didn't take anything from it in the first place. But when a person benefits from a certain group or organization, should he "give back" to it by volunteering his time or donating his money? Why or why not?
My Answer, In Brief: A person isn't obliged to volunteer at every opportunity, but he should want to volunteer for organizations that he derives great value from – for self-interested reasons.
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Rapid Fire Questions (55:27)
- Why was Rick Perry not included in your discussion of four candidates?
- What did you think of Herman Cain?
- Would Hillary Clinton have been a better president than Obama?
- Does the fact that Newt Gingrich takes Catholicism seriously suggest that he is at least as bad as Mitt Romney?
- Is Ron Paul a closet Christian dominionist?
- By not voting for the Republican candidate, are you voting for Obama, in effect?
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Conclusion (1:03:56)
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