Managing your desires.
There are four basic levels of desire. The second level of desires includes wealth, power, and respect.
How do desires from the the second level specifically relate to corporations under the current economic conditions?
How should corporations manage these desires to remain successful in the current state of the economy?
Discuss these questions in the context of the Four Principles of Purposeful Action, with examples and appropriate links. Please review the accompanying video post on “Managing Desires.”
This post was written by Brad Renter, who will lead the blog discussion for the week starting March 3.
Life isn’t meant to be difficult, but many of us find it is. We find it difficult to stay on top of things. we never seem to have enough time. we feel stressed and irritated by small things. we feel that there must be a better solution. There are simple things you can do to improve the quality of your life, and your ability to manage it. Desire is a fundamental aspect of human life, and learning to manage desire is part of normal human development. Overcoming addiction is a special case of managing desire.
http://www.healthandgoodness.com/ManagingLife/
Those are very good illustrations of our lives in this society. There is no doubt that the fast-pace and almost peer pressure like push to magnify desires that take root within us real early in life are a deterrent to the smooth flow through life while still accomplishing the goal and reaching the target. But, the key is to not dry up and quit! Desires should be used to motivate, encourage from within and fuel the ride - when it ceases to do that, put a leash on them!
Great insight nshreesh. I am finding a little difficulty “managing my desires” curently as I am looking for a new place to live. I love my current situation even though it has some small flaws and I have been looking for a better solution. The possible alternatives are probably only going to cost more money even though they will have personal value advantages. A difficult decision indeed.
The simple things in life are easy to find and usually free. Like today (sunday March 8), my family and I went downtown and just walked around in Coolidge Park. And there were a couple hundred other people enjorying the park also.
Simple = free = relaxing
Nice comments sreesh.Unskillful desires don’t really give way, though, until you can show that other, less troublesome desires actually can produce greater happiness. This is why the Buddha emphasizes learning how to appreciate the rewards of a virtuous, generous life: the joy in fostering the happiness of others, the solid dignity and self-worth in doing the hard but the right thing. It’s also why his path centers on states of blissful, refreshing concentration. Accessing this refreshment in your meditation gives you immediate, visceral proof that the Buddha was no killjoy. The desires he recommends really do produce a happiness that can give you the strength to keep on choosing the skillful path
source:http://online-dhamma.net/nanda/AccessToInsight/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/pushinglimits.html
“We are living in a world governed by desire. This is part of being human. As we seek to fulfill our desires we often
do not consider whether or not we are harming others, being truthful, ethical, moral, etc. We also do not consider
whether we are being honest with ourselves, even on a mundane level. In short, in our effort to fulfill our desires
we often hurt others and ourselves.” [ http://www.buddhadharma.com/Desire.html ]
Discipline obviously is the key to managing desires - but outwardly self-restraint as refered to in the article is not in itself the answer! But it is true that: “Too much and excessive desires are stumbling blocks in the path of Light.” [ http://maitreey.org/ceilingondesires.htm ] The strength to balance deep desires with proper guidance comes from extreme introspection followed by extrospection with respect to GOOD role models that are tried and true. Good Luck! [ http://sinivaali.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-to-control-desires.html ]
During a down cycle, like the one we are in, a corporation must make sure they respond in a way that does not take advantage of the situation. Corporations, because of their long long lives, have a greater responsiblity to the community they serve
See Link: http://h71028.www7.hp.com/enterprise/us/en/messaging/feature-sftwr-cms-innovation.html
Roy I agree - They must act in an ethical manner that is beneficial to the community. It is no different for the corporation than for the individual. We should never take advantage of others especially in times of crisis. Anything but this could come back to haunt you.
Roy E and ChrisM i do agree with the statement as long as long long lives, have a greater responsiblity to the community they serve.They must act in an ethical manner that is beneficial to the community.
UK gov’t warned of energy cris:
Scott has pointed out energy business. I found this article that show how bad energy crisis in UK is.
“The government is warned today that Britain’s manufacturing recovery could be derailed by rising energy prices and consumers could face winter blackouts because of a short-fall in generating capacity”.
http://www.energybulletin.net/node/2652
Human desires controls the market? We are buddle of desires.
“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. … corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed”.
(Source)_ U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Nov. 21, 1864 (letter to Col. William F. Elkins) Ref: “The Lincoln Encyclopedia”, Archer H. Shaw (Macmillan, 1950, NY).
This quote above touches the all part of the second level of desire. This economic cris caused by greed toward wealth and power, and no respect human kind with intergrity.
How should corporations manage these desires to remain successful in the current state of the economy?
Re-define the purpose of the corporation.
-Corporations were chartered for a single purpose, had to also serve the public good, and had fixed/limited life spans.
Roy M
Great qoute. I believe that in bad economic times, corporations are given a more detailed look by the consumers and investors. During a “good” economic time, most people are just happy to live their lives and do not care about what the corporations are doing
I agree with you Roy. I believe that the worse times get, the more closely people are looking at what the leaders of the company are doing. When the economy was doing good, I am sure the leaders where performing the same actions. Since everyone’s stocks and money markets were doing good, no one seemed to care. The bottom line was all that mattered. Since the markets are down it is starting to hit home and everyone is beginning to be concerned about the actions of the corporations.
I suppose it depends on the type of market one wants to speak of. I can’t help but think that those in the “energy” business have been taking advantage of their lack of competition for a while and their desires and value systems during the current economic crisis have not really changed even though gasoline prices have gone down since last summer.
When you google the topic, it seems that the British have also seen an overwhelming increase in the cost of energy, perhaps more so than the U.S. You can read some of the links below.
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081122123714AAqlR7b
http://www.energychoices.co.uk/energy-price-rises-uk.html
Energy companies have an almost monopoly, but also remember that the “oil speculators” are the ones that caused oil prices to reach $140/barrel last July.
But, the oil companies “jack” up prices also. With the price per barrel near $44, the oil companies have “cut” gasoline production in an attempt to keep prices high.
So, both the oil companies and the speculators are trying to get “large” profits during this economic downturn