Are people guided by ideas?

[Nehru]

Or by material realities?

Or a bit of both?

Please discuss.

[RGacky3]

both, they influence each other, its kind of a question of the chicken or the egg, although I believe the material realities generally come first.

[Demogorgon]

People are capable of thought and clearly we consciously and subconsciously make decisions and act upon them. To say otherwise would be ridiculous. Our decisions and actions are based upon our environment however, in other words material reality. Trying to ignore material reality in making your decisions is not a good idea and probably not possible really, you are more likely to act against your environment than make decisions divorced from it, I suspect.

[Chris]

I think people are guided by ideas formed from material realities. Only the insane makes opinions devoid of material conditions supporting it.

[L.A.P.]

Only the insane makes opinions devoid of material conditions supporting it.

Libertarians are insane.

[Dogs On Acid]

Libertarians are insane.

Just because you got the wrong idea doesn't make you insane. For example, Youth can turn to Fascism for Material reasons, they aren't cuckoo y'now.

[Rafiq]

Most people here are wrong.

There could be people guided by Ideas, but Ideas themselves are mere reflections of the world (mode of production) around it. Take for example Libertarianism, which is an attitude that best reflections the interests of the Bourgeoisie and the Petite Bourgeoisie.

Humanity is in a constraint of advancement and development. Capitalism grew it, but we have reached a limit.

[Dogs On Acid]

Humanity is in a constraint of advancement and development. Capitalism grew it, but we have reached a limit.

Not yet, Technology and other areas are still advancing considerably under Capitalism. It's getting bad, but it can get much worse.

That doesn't mean the time isn't ripe for Revolution though...

[DinodudeEpic]

Humans are free willing creatures. They can think for themselves, and they guide themselves via ideals and goals. Whether that ideal is gaining material power or serving a greater purpose. Material reality doesn't change a person or his goals, but changes the path to the goals. You can do whatever you want if you work towards, but material reality can change the path.

But, other people can oppress you via enforcing authority over you. When they have authority over you, they can prevent you from expressing your ideas and goals. Oppressive governments, corporations, and all other forms of hierarchy will take away your free will.

The only way you can get your free will back is to overthrow the authority that controls you.

Free willing individuals can associate with each other democratically to advance their ideas without establishing a hierarchy.

So, people are guided by ideas. Material reality only simply changes the path for better or worse.

[Dogs On Acid]

Humans are free willing creatures. They can think for themselves, and they guide themselves via ideals and goals. Whether that ideal is gaining material power or serving a greater purpose. Material reality doesn't change a person or his goals, but changes the path to the goals. You can do whatever you want if you work towards, but material reality can change the path.

But, other people can oppress you via enforcing authority over you. When they have authority over you, they can prevent you from expressing your ideas and goals. Oppressive governments, corporations, and all other forms of hierarchy will take away your free will.

The only way you can get your free will back is to overthrow the authority that controls you.

Free willing individuals can associate with each other democratically to advance their ideas without establishing a hierarchy.

So, people are guided by ideas. Material reality only simply changes the path for better or worse.

Material reality creates those ideas in the first place.

[Islamosocialist]

I agree with everyone saying both.

I believe that anyone with exactly my life circumstances--same parents, same city, same school, same friends--would make similar, and, depending on their personality, very different choices.

[Rafiq]

No, genetics has some involvement, but what you call "Their personality" is a collection of experiences they had throughout growing up.

It doesn't matter if people grew in the 'same' conditions you did, because of course they would make different choices, that's not an argument against Materialism.

The reason they would make different choices is because they didn't have the same experiences you had, they could be of the opposite gender, younger, taller, shorter, physically different in any way, etc.

[L.A.P.]

Just because you got the wrong idea doesn't make you insane. For example, Youth can turn to Fascism for Material reasons, they aren't cuckoo y'now.

It's a joke man.

[TelevisionIncarnate]

Ideas come from our brain...which is technically material soo Material Reality :)

ps. I'm trolling

[Rusty Shackleford]

No, genetics has some involvement, but what you call "Their personality" is a collection of experiences they had throughout growing up.

It doesn't matter if people grew in the 'same' conditions you did, because of course they would make different choices, that's not an argument against Materialism.

The reason they would make different choices is because they didn't have the same experiences you had, they could be of the opposite gender, younger, taller, shorter, physically different in any way, etc.

i guess ill add to this.

even two siblings with the same parents may not make the exact same decisions even if they experienced the same material interactions.

they may have the same biological parents but even then it varies. and the body itself is material, which is obvious, that is in relation with all other material things. the mind may process things differently than another mind which can also change their abstract interpretation of material interactions because of the genetic make up of the body may be different and thus may, or will, lead to a physically different brain in some way.

but generally, they may have the same opinions but may express them differently. Someone with an extra Y chromosome may have the same love of cats as someone with an extra x cromosome. though their bodies function differently they may come to similar conclusions. the same goes for the opposite.