“The best way to give advice to other people is to find out what they want and then advise them how to attain it.”
Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion expressed above. Support your point of view with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.
I agree with the opinion only to the extent that “best” refers to the maximization of short-term happiness. People are happy when their wants are satisfied. It follows that they will hold in high esteem anyone who can help them achieve their wants. However, in the long run, maximization of short-term happiness may have severe consequences. If wants in the form of destructive behavior are reinforced, then giving advice on how to continue these vices is counter-productive. For these reasons, I believe that the best way to give advice to other people must take into account both the short and the long run.
A want is anything nonessential that a person does not currently have but would like to have. Clearly, upon attaining the want, that person will be happy. It makes sense that if a person’s want is determined, then advising him on how to obtain his want will make it more likely that he will actually obtain it and thus be thankful for the advice. Given that this method helps people attain their wants and makes them happier, how can it not be the best way to give advice?
Surely, if advising people on how to attain their wants led to the reinforcement of destructive behavior, then the method would be very poor. Advising a drug addict on where to obtain his next fix can make him satisfied in the short run, but in the long run, it can easily lead to his death. Thus, figuring out a person’s wants and advising him on how to attain it is good only if we are solely focusing on the short run.
In sum, although promoting destructive habits might result in temporary utility, overall, it harms far more than it helps. The best way to give advice to other people must take into account the long-term consequences of attaining wants.
Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion expressed above. Support your point of view with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.
I agree with the opinion only to the extent that “best” refers to the maximization of short-term happiness. People are happy when their wants are satisfied. It follows that they will hold in high esteem anyone who can help them achieve their wants. However, in the long run, maximization of short-term happiness may have severe consequences. If wants in the form of destructive behavior are reinforced, then giving advice on how to continue these vices is counter-productive. For these reasons, I believe that the best way to give advice to other people must take into account both the short and the long run.
A want is anything nonessential that a person does not currently have but would like to have. Clearly, upon attaining the want, that person will be happy. It makes sense that if a person’s want is determined, then advising him on how to obtain his want will make it more likely that he will actually obtain it and thus be thankful for the advice. Given that this method helps people attain their wants and makes them happier, how can it not be the best way to give advice?
Surely, if advising people on how to attain their wants led to the reinforcement of destructive behavior, then the method would be very poor. Advising a drug addict on where to obtain his next fix can make him satisfied in the short run, but in the long run, it can easily lead to his death. Thus, figuring out a person’s wants and advising him on how to attain it is good only if we are solely focusing on the short run.
In sum, although promoting destructive habits might result in temporary utility, overall, it harms far more than it helps. The best way to give advice to other people must take into account the long-term consequences of attaining wants.
