What variables define a person's intentions?

I have some thoughts concerning this. But i am curious as to what you think defines our intentionality.

What variables do you think define/constitute a person's intentions?


I thank you in advance for your time and contributions,
john paul

[edit on 5-3-2007 by Esoteric Teacher]

There isn't really a straight answer to this question. People have many motives when they do things, some of which they aren't conscious of.

I can give an example. Recently I got into trouble with someone for saying a few things about them that I thought of as a joke. After some thought I realised I was actually trying to correct them for something they did, but at the time I didn't realise it. My conscious intention was to make a joke, but my unconscious intention was to correct them.

[edit on 5/3/07 by jimboman]

This is an interesting topic. It happens qite often though. When someone, say, shoots people at random in a mall, like the SaltLake City Massacre.. The person doing the shooting most likely has a motive for doing such a thing, mostly the ones who do such things are martyrs to their own beliefs. And also like Harris and Klebold, the Columbine Shootersm i'm certain they had a motive and a message. Their message? It's basically up for society to descipher. It's not just .. KILL KILL KILL. There's more to these kind of things.. But people pass it off as just a tragic event, though it is, there is a lesson that can be learned from such a thing. I don't believe in "right or wrong".. But I do believe in, "Damn...That's F****D up".. Heh. "We are going to kick start a revolution", Eric Harris. They knew what they were doing, and to them they believed it was right.. Although it hurt many people in many hurtful ways, they still believed what they were doing was right, so they carried it out. It's pretty sad when someone considered a nobodie has to do such a thing to be heard in society.

This is an interesting topic. It happens qite often though. When someone, say, shoots people at random in a mall, like the SaltLake City Massacre.. The person doing the shooting most likely has a motive for doing such a thing, mostly the ones who do such things are martyrs to their own beliefs. And also like Harris and Klebold, the Columbine Shootersm i'm certain they had a motive and a message. Their message? It's basically up for society to descipher. It's not just .. KILL KILL KILL. There's more to these kind of things.. But people pass it off as just a tragic event, though it is, there is a lesson that can be learned from such a thing. I don't believe in "right or wrong".. But I do believe in, "Damn...That's F****D up".. Heh. "We are going to kick start a revolution", Eric Harris. They knew what they were doing, and to them they believed it was right.. Although it hurt many people in many hurtful ways, they still believed what they were doing was right, so they carried it out. It's pretty sad when someone considered a nobodie has to do such a thing to be heard in society.

I believe self gratification is the only variable.

Something inside of us feels our needs, and we act on them based on the situation. We try to listen very hard, and "get to know ourselves" better, so we can get closer to what our heart wants.

We can go beyond self gratification, and serve others, but it still stems from a personal desire to serve others.

To see ourselves as insignificant, to see the bigger picture, still comes from a need inside of ourselves.

To be altruistic even, is gratifying to the self.

I mean that in the nicest, positive way. We can shape our attitudes and our intents, but I think it all starts with what gratifies our innermost needs and desires.

Traditional western teaching will refer to Maslow, our basic urge is survival.
Food, shelter, reproduction.
My personal view on this is that even though man in general believe themselves to have moved beyond , the majority remain at the base of the pyramid.
Pure primal, reptile brain survival. The approach is aggressive , territorial.
Most people I find are absolutely unconscious.
Some I believe have moved beyond this, to further evolution.

What are your thoughts ET, you are usually not shy to share them?
WIS

The biggest variable I would say was desperation or selfishness. In that your intentions are determined by how desperate/selfish you were for the desired outcome.


G