It reminded me of two quotes about building on what others provide as stated by two of world’s greatest achievers.
“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”
-Isaac Newton
“Each generation stands on the shoulders of those who have gone before them, just as I did as a young PhD student in Cambridge, inspired by the work of Isaac Newton, James Clerk Maxwell and Albert Einstein."
-Stephen Hawking
In any event, physically, emotionally or intellectually, humans need the support of others to excel, indeed, to survive. Stephen Hawking more-so, perhaps, than any other.
I do love metaphors. It is trough examples we humans start learning, in the first years of our lives. This is (trough telling histories) itself proof we humans are social beings.
Doing things in teams is, for me, like a never completely fulfilled dream - at least the matters of thinking. Our writings are translations (and if we do not take care, "the translator is the traitor"). Apart from being social driven beings, we are absolutely alone within our mental realm.
The barber tale has a "foreign" element to this equation, that being the figure of the sultan, the government and the laws. This context should not be an example for the application of our ethics, as the same absurd social rules of the metaphor do have examples in the real world.
My point is, let us not confuse the state with the social, as the ethics point us to what is right, whether it is not always the case with the laws.
As stated, we are interdependent with others, but "decisions" are absolutely individual.
Hello! Of course, as you say, decision making is a completely individual thing. What I wanted to emphasize with the story is that sometimes we think it is possible to solve everything by ourselves, when it is impossible and we depend on others.
Ola Alvaro, agreed. I recognize in myself this tendency of doing everything by myself - and it does have a price... Like they say in the administrative professions, what is not essential would better be made by a 3rd party, for the sake of having things done. This is a different kind of metaphor (I used to do consulting in the industry) where something could even be solved by oneself - but frequently, it is not the better path to the solution.
Thanks for that. That's an inspiring story, because we tend to think it's all up to us, 100% of what we do. As if we were superheroes, but the reality is that this is not so, we are social beings and success grows exponentially when you add your strengths with other people.
Great essay
It reminded me of two quotes about building on what others provide as stated by two of world’s greatest achievers.
“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”
-Isaac Newton
“Each generation stands on the shoulders of those who have gone before them, just as I did as a young PhD student in Cambridge, inspired by the work of Isaac Newton, James Clerk Maxwell and Albert Einstein."
-Stephen Hawking
In any event, physically, emotionally or intellectually, humans need the support of others to excel, indeed, to survive. Stephen Hawking more-so, perhaps, than any other.
Wow, I loved that reflection!!!!
Newton's phrase is really inspiring and perfectly summarizes the idea I wanted to convey with this post. Thanks for sharing it with me :)
Stephen Hawking is another magnificent example of how far you can go with the help of others.
We must not fall into extreme individualism, many times messages are spread that “everything depends on you” and that is not so.
I do love metaphors. It is trough examples we humans start learning, in the first years of our lives. This is (trough telling histories) itself proof we humans are social beings.
Doing things in teams is, for me, like a never completely fulfilled dream - at least the matters of thinking. Our writings are translations (and if we do not take care, "the translator is the traitor"). Apart from being social driven beings, we are absolutely alone within our mental realm.
The barber tale has a "foreign" element to this equation, that being the figure of the sultan, the government and the laws. This context should not be an example for the application of our ethics, as the same absurd social rules of the metaphor do have examples in the real world.
My point is, let us not confuse the state with the social, as the ethics point us to what is right, whether it is not always the case with the laws.
As stated, we are interdependent with others, but "decisions" are absolutely individual.
Hello! Of course, as you say, decision making is a completely individual thing. What I wanted to emphasize with the story is that sometimes we think it is possible to solve everything by ourselves, when it is impossible and we depend on others.
Ola Alvaro, agreed. I recognize in myself this tendency of doing everything by myself - and it does have a price... Like they say in the administrative professions, what is not essential would better be made by a 3rd party, for the sake of having things done. This is a different kind of metaphor (I used to do consulting in the industry) where something could even be solved by oneself - but frequently, it is not the better path to the solution.
Wonderful story and an important message. Thank you.
Hi David!
Thanks for that. That's an inspiring story, because we tend to think it's all up to us, 100% of what we do. As if we were superheroes, but the reality is that this is not so, we are social beings and success grows exponentially when you add your strengths with other people.