on Ambition

India
April 23, 2011 11:29am CST
Dear Mylotters, Recently, I read a mini-article which stated an idea,which is logical but at the same time-against everything that we have been taught from school onwards. This article said (in short)that, ambition is not the good quality we have been always tutored to believe it is. It supports this statement with the logic that ambition is the reason behind increasing depression rates all over the world. Today, everyone of us is highly ambitious and later, when some of us fail to succeed (as per the laws of probability everyone cannot succeed), we suffer from depression.We are therefore never happy in life and this is all because of Ambition.In an ambition free world we will be more happy-which is the ultimate quality everybody wants. It appeared to me that the article was absurd but the logic is sound. Will my fellow my-lotters care to opine on this matter?
3 responses
peavey
@peavey (16936)
• United States
23 Apr 11
Sounds absurd to me and I don't see much sound logic, either. If we become depressed when we fail, our attitudes are wrong, not our actions. Without ambition, mankind would still be living in caves, if we existed at all. Wasn't it Edison who said he had not failed, but only discovered X number of ways that wouldn't work? I think this article you refer to is twisted logic and one that would have us all become zombies or robots, thinking nothing, wanting nothing, being nothing. That's not what the human mind was created for.
1 person likes this
moirai
@moirai (2853)
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
Haha! I like what you said from Edison... discovered x number of ways that wouldn't work. Hahaha. I love that! =D
peavey
@peavey (16936)
• United States
25 Apr 11
serubhai1, that could evolve into a long discussion. ;) When I mentioned cave men, it was more rhetorical than anything, because I don't believe in the theory of evolution. For the sake of argument, though, if not for ambition, the brain wouldn't have developed. It's proven that activity increases the size and ability of the brain. Identifying problems and solving them is like good exercise to the brain, so brains grow when they're used.
serubhai1
@serubhai1 (203)
• India
23 Apr 11
Hi Peavey, I think that's another side of the coin but do you think that our ancestors-the cavemen had ambition and that is why we are today where we are. Didn't evolution have any role to play in that like making the brain larger then the most advanced primate, and so on. That was a superb quote.. i agree with Moirai. Thanks for your insights and your opinion. Have a nice day! Booga! Booga! Looga! Woooohhhh! (cavemen chant meaning 'thanks")
picjim
@picjim (3002)
• India
24 Apr 11
I feel one should have ambition.Without ambition we shall not aspire for anything.But along with ambition one should be able to take difficulties and not give in to depression.We should have goals but at the same be prepared for difficulties along the way.
serubhai1
@serubhai1 (203)
• India
25 Apr 11
Thanks for your comment!
moirai
@moirai (2853)
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
Hmm... well, for me it is like this... While it is true that the reasoning is logical... (high ambitions - high chance of failure -- depression, therefore being ambitious = bad), the solution is NOT avoid having ambitions. Goals (or ambitions) in life are not one-step things. People should instead learn to celebrate each step of the way. And learn to accept in case they don't reach the highest goal. Anyway, even if there is said to be a high chance of failure, it's still just chance. How sure are you that you won't succeed? =P
serubhai1
@serubhai1 (203)
• India
23 Apr 11
Hi Moirai, the probability theory says 50% chance, if u consider all other things as equal. Thanks for commenting. Have a good day!