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

  • 🇰 🌀 🇱 🇦 🇳 🇦 🇰 ℹ️@yiffit.netEnglish
    1·
    5 months ago

    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.

    • dullbananas (Joseph Silva)@lemmy.caOPEnglish
      01·
      5 months ago

      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.

      • LightSalty/TomatoBurger@feddit.dk
        1·
        5 months ago

        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.

  • AnalogyAddict@lemmy.world
    0·
    5 months ago

    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.