Immanuel Kant wrote "So act that you use humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end, never merely as a means" (if one were to act morally) should always be treated as ends in themselves and not to means to other ends presumably for ones own selfish reasons. I works as the rule for a theoretical moral system and I would say that most people would on a surface level agree with the statement, but it seems like the exact opposite of how every single human these days interacts with other humans. Every single human interaction is when we are being honest in some way being used for a selfish end. With the social arrangement of modern society and individuals network of contacts is the most significant aspect in whether they will succeed in life. This success isn't just economic I actually think that economic success is becoming secondary these days to the purely social. We have unconciously applied the networking of the business world to basic human interaction where the goal isn't profit, but basic human companionship. If a friend can't bring friends or increased clout they are gotten rid of, every personal interaction is at some stage of generating social profit or it is ignored. This doesn't even include dating which practically requires an established network to prove value as well as notorised excerpts of precious experience. What's the point of even trying, despite being terrible at the game all that can actually be gotten out of it is as satisfying and as profundity an experience as getting a soul destroying desk job. We have taken humans from the highest position as individual ends in themselves as the only fully sentient creature and the albeit momentary pinnacle of existence to another resume.
P.s first discussion
now it is a rambling rant
Sorry for the long post
P.s first discussion
now it is a rambling rant
Sorry for the long post
