Comments on: Replacing Passion With Vitality http://www.productiveflourishing.com/replacing-passion-with-vitality/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Strategies for Thriving in Life and Business Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:44:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Charlie http://www.productiveflourishing.com/replacing-passion-with-vitality/#comment-734 Charlie Sat, 21 Jun 2008 13:36:01 +0000 http://www.productiveflourishing.com/?p=137#comment-734 @ Duff: Nice insights and etymology on eros. I'd forgotten that Jung and the early psychologist were so misogynist - it's been awhile since I read their original works. Nonetheless, I agree that I could use a little more eros (not just sex) into my thinking, as I tend to be the "stale, over-intellectual" type - not my fault, I swear, it's academic training! The next post "Why don't we get to choose what our words mean" has a longer reply and continuation to this discussion. Thanks so much for adding to the discussion! @ Duff: Nice insights and etymology on eros. I’d forgotten that Jung and the early psychologist were so misogynist – it’s been awhile since I read their original works. Nonetheless, I agree that I could use a little more eros (not just sex) into my thinking, as I tend to be the “stale, over-intellectual” type – not my fault, I swear, it’s academic training! The next post “Why don’t we get to choose what our words mean” has a longer reply and continuation to this discussion. Thanks so much for adding to the discussion!

]]> By: Duff http://www.productiveflourishing.com/replacing-passion-with-vitality/#comment-729 Duff Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:05:16 +0000 http://www.productiveflourishing.com/?p=137#comment-729 I somewhat disagree with "passion" being problematic. Often our passions are a bit painful, like if we don't create what we are here to do we might burst. Vitality is also a great word. Buddhist texts translated into English talk of "passion, aggression, and delusion" as things to overcome through practice, but they mean "lust" more than passion as I understand it. Passion also coveys a sense of "eros," which is not simply sexual desire but can also metaphorically stand for the desire to create in general (not just babies but also outcomes of projects/goals/visions). From Wikipedia as Freud saw Eros: In Freudian psychology, Eros, also referred to in terms of libido, libidinal energy or love, is the life instinct innate in all humans. It is the desire to create life and favours productivity and construction. Eros battles against the destructive death instinct of Thanatos (death instinct or death drive). Interesting that they used the word productivity! :) From Wikipedia, Jung's take on Eros: Carl Jung used the term eros to denote the basic fundamental of feminine psychology: "Women's psychology is founded on the principal of eros, the great binder and loosener, whereas from ancient times the ruling principal ascribed to men is logos. The concept of eros could be expressed in modern times as psychic relatedness, and that of logos as objective interest." Many men in particular could use a little more passion, romance, and eros in their stale, over-intellectual lives. Vitality conveys to me life force energy, the drive to live, which may be more accurate for most discussions of passion, although I associate vitality with robust physical health. Oh words! :) Duffs last blog post..<a href="http://precisionchange.com/2008/06/18/episode-11-everything-youve-learned-from-personal-development-blogs-is-wrong/" rel="nofollow">Episode 11: Everything You've Learned from Personal Development Blogs is Wrong</a> I somewhat disagree with “passion” being problematic. Often our passions are a bit painful, like if we don’t create what we are here to do we might burst. Vitality is also a great word. Buddhist texts translated into English talk of “passion, aggression, and delusion” as things to overcome through practice, but they mean “lust” more than passion as I understand it.

Passion also coveys a sense of “eros,” which is not simply sexual desire but can also metaphorically stand for the desire to create in general (not just babies but also outcomes of projects/goals/visions).

From Wikipedia as Freud saw Eros:
In Freudian psychology, Eros, also referred to in terms of libido, libidinal energy or love, is the life instinct innate in all humans. It is the desire to create life and favours productivity and construction. Eros battles against the destructive death instinct of Thanatos (death instinct or death drive).

Interesting that they used the word productivity! :)

From Wikipedia, Jung’s take on Eros:
Carl Jung used the term eros to denote the basic fundamental of feminine psychology: “Women’s psychology is founded on the principal of eros, the great binder and loosener, whereas from ancient times the ruling principal ascribed to men is logos. The concept of eros could be expressed in modern times as psychic relatedness, and that of logos as objective interest.”

Many men in particular could use a little more passion, romance, and eros in their stale, over-intellectual lives.

Vitality conveys to me life force energy, the drive to live, which may be more accurate for most discussions of passion, although I associate vitality with robust physical health.

Oh words! :)

Duffs last blog post..Episode 11: Everything You’ve Learned from Personal Development Blogs is Wrong

]]> By: QuietRebelWriter http://www.productiveflourishing.com/replacing-passion-with-vitality/#comment-319 QuietRebelWriter Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:50:19 +0000 http://www.productiveflourishing.com/?p=137#comment-319 I like 'vitality.' The first part of the word is 'vital,' meaning what we're devoting ourselves to is essential for our personal development, joy, enthusiasm, etc. Seems a very apt description of what we normally describe as passion. BTW - very nice theme and other changes. Looking good! <em>QuietRebelWriter's last blog post..<a href='http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/11/word-porn-gets-literal/' rel="nofollow">Word Porn Gets Literal</a></em> I like ‘vitality.’ The first part of the word is ‘vital,’ meaning what we’re devoting ourselves to is essential for our personal development, joy, enthusiasm, etc. Seems a very apt description of what we normally describe as passion.

BTW – very nice theme and other changes. Looking good!

QuietRebelWriter’s last blog post..Word Porn Gets Literal

]]> By: Don't We Get To Choose What Words Mean? | Productive Flourishing (formerly APPD) http://www.productiveflourishing.com/replacing-passion-with-vitality/#comment-316 Don't We Get To Choose What Words Mean? | Productive Flourishing (formerly APPD) Sun, 13 Apr 2008 16:03:32 +0000 http://www.productiveflourishing.com/?p=137#comment-316 [...] ← Replacing Passion With Vitality [...] [...] ← Replacing Passion With Vitality [...]

]]> By: Clay Collins | The Growing Life http://www.productiveflourishing.com/replacing-passion-with-vitality/#comment-313 Clay Collins | The Growing Life Sun, 13 Apr 2008 06:31:42 +0000 http://www.productiveflourishing.com/?p=137#comment-313 I say to hell (mostly) with etymological roots :-) (Unless you're translating or trying to understand a historical text) Words are symbols and we can imbue them with the meanings we chose. And it's completely possible to do this while avoiding miscommunication. For example, in a recent post I spoke about how when we come alive our true selves wake up and *wreak havoc* on the world in beautiful ways and people knew what I meant. Interesting ideas, but don't we get to "own" our own words? Don't we get to muddy them up with our thoughts and ideas and emotions and transfer them into things that are personally relevant? Isn't language a living, growing, constantly developing thing that should be constrained as little as possible by academic notions about how it *ought* to be used? Words are symbols, and when it comes to our internal (and even external) personal development dialog, don't we get to chose the referent? ********(I LOVE your blog, Charlie, and this is just a friendly thread appended to an interesting conversation). <em>Clay Collins | The Growing Life's last blog post..<a href='http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheGrowingLife/~3/268298460/' rel="nofollow">How to Take the Red Pill</a></em> I say to hell (mostly) with etymological roots :-)

(Unless you’re translating or trying to understand a historical text)

Words are symbols and we can imbue them with the meanings we chose. And it’s completely possible to do this while avoiding miscommunication. For example, in a recent post I spoke about how when we come alive our true selves wake up and *wreak havoc* on the world in beautiful ways and people knew what I meant.

Interesting ideas, but don’t we get to “own” our own words? Don’t we get to muddy them up with our thoughts and ideas and emotions and transfer them into things that are personally relevant?

Isn’t language a living, growing, constantly developing thing that should be constrained as little as possible by academic notions about how it *ought* to be used?

Words are symbols, and when it comes to our internal (and even external) personal development dialog, don’t we get to chose the referent?

********(I LOVE your blog, Charlie, and this is just a friendly thread appended to an interesting conversation).

Clay Collins | The Growing Life’s last blog post..How to Take the Red Pill

]]> By: Tina Russell http://www.productiveflourishing.com/replacing-passion-with-vitality/#comment-312 Tina Russell Sat, 12 Apr 2008 21:31:37 +0000 http://www.productiveflourishing.com/?p=137#comment-312 I finally decided to write a comment on your blog. I just wanted to say good job. I really enjoy reading your posts. Tina Russell I finally decided to write a comment on your blog. I just wanted to say good job. I really enjoy reading your posts.

Tina Russell

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