Edit: “getting closer to marriage” is about the whole journey starting from being completely single
Edit: if this shower thought is too confusing to be useful to you, then here is a quote that gives some of the same guidance, is simpler, less philosophical, but less broad: “Don’t waste your time chasing butterflies. Mend your garden, and the butterflies will come” - Mario Quintana
There are many maximums in different types of potential for human beings :
- just after birth, before 1-year-old, we are at a maximum in terms of number of neurons
- there is another maximum in term of wisdom in the 50 to 80 years range.
This maximum you hint about would be in terms of reproductive potential and attractiveness.
Haha. Marriage is just the beginning. Not anywhere close to actualization. And if you have kids, you’ll realize you’re still at the beginning.
Yeah I could have phrased it better
Nahh, you’re way too high.
Define “earthly potential.” Genghis Khan killed like 40 million people. Dude had like 5 official wives and an unknown amount of concubines.
This assume nobody can reach their potential unless they marry. And that’s bogus. Anyone can reach their potential without a partner. Having a family is irrelevant to your human potential and self-actualization. Even most religion would disagree with your idea considering most use chastity and isolation as a means to reach enlightenment.
This assume nobody can reach their potential unless they marry.
In practice, my shower thought has nothing of value to those who are not on that path, but I gave this comment some thought anyway.
Technically, reaching 100% of our earthly potential requires experiencing the highest level of earthly love and using our ability to reproduce. In practice, no one reaches 100%, and we probably can reach 99% without a spouse and kids.
Even most religion would disagree with your idea considering most use chastity and isolation as a means to reach enlightenment.
Since I’m Catholic, I believe that in a religious vocation, earthly things are given up for supernatural things. In my post, I said “earthly” to exclude religious vocations and Heaven.
What about polyamorous people? They can’t reach it without several spouses then. How many are enough? Will a polyamorous person increase their happiness asymptomatically for each person they become partners with? What about aromantic people that don’t desire romantic relationships?
I for one think that my personal happiness ‘maximum’ can be increased with a spouse. But you really can’t make that judgement for others.
Im just glad you are showering. Its a start.
Me, a divorced person:
