(no subject)

[darcydodo]

Is patience really a virtue? I mean, couldn't it be that someone out there's trying to trick us into being patient by telling us this, when really we should be as impatient as possible? I say this only because I'm amazed at precisely how difficult it is to wait two days to watch the Angel episodes I've just downloaded, simply because I'm going to watch them with girlwithjournal — but then again, does that count as patience, or as being nice to one's friends?

Really, I'm sure that deep moral implications hinge on these issues, and I fear for my hypothetical soul if I somehow don't manage to properly resolve such dilemmas. Not that I'm going to watch the episodes — I don't want to make girlwithjournal jealous or unhappy — but I think to a certain extent it's the desire to watch them in the first place that's problematic. And I think this is a question of patience.

Just how much am I babbling?

Comments

[midnightmelody.livejournal.com]

I don't think this is a case where patience-as-virtue really applies. I think of patience as being close to the serenity clause of the serenity prayer - it's about keeping calm and not letting the things you *can't* change upset you.

For a discussion of patience in the Christian tradition, see
http://www.rosary-center.org/ll47n2.htm

On the other hand, 'Patience is a virtue' can be misused to make people tolerate horrible conditions that they *can* change, or as an excuse for laziness. This is bad.

wrt Angel-watching, there is nothing wrong with wanting to watch those episodes (in isolation of any other concerns) - thus a desire to watch them for their own sake is fine. The problem comes because you have a clashing priority, ie the desire not to upset a friend. The decision is then made *not* to watch, but I can see how a residual want-to-watch would remain.

It depends how strict you are with yourself. The not-acting is the most important thing, and admitting the desire is better than denying its presence, but I suppose ideally the desire would be absent as well. It's equivalent to missing absent friends in some ways - so if you think that's acceptable, this is too.

As for babbling, not as much as I just have. :)

[whiskeypants.livejournal.com]

babblemeter: 6.5/10

fearing for your hypothetical soul is not really productive, especially if you can end up hypothetically immortal and watch your soul bounce in and out of your hypothetical vampire body.
patience is also hypothetical. even real patience. if you are telling yourself to be patient, you aren't actually being patient--you are simply working on self-control.

[lordelessar.livejournal.com]

patience is most definitely a virtue. Unfortunately, you don't have it, I don't have it, and probably about 65% of all Americans don't have patience.

Just wait....

[sampiano.livejournal.com]

When I first met you, you were Patience :)

I don't think what you are talking about is a matter of Patience... surely the virtue is being able to hold back on something you desire because of other commitments. If you didn't want to do it, then waiting is not an issue.

I don't think controlling desires on a subconcious level is what one should be aiming for. Personally, I think you have to realize that you will have a lot of cravings that you don't necessarily want to have, this is human nature, a lot of them come from survival instincts and I think wanting to watch an Angel episode a few days before you had arranged to is one of the lesser worries of a normal subconsious. What one should be heading for is controlling ones actions as a response to these desires, and furthermore control the extent of the desire; although realising that one can't get rid of it completely. That, I see as virtue.

There is interesting game theory arguments about how we might have evolved like this... I'm not sure I believe them but they are certainly interesting to look at. I'll try and find some references when I've finished my thesis.

But now, I'm babbling.

SMILE :)