In response to a classmate who replied to The Manifesto of Love...
I am honestly so glad that you are putting my business philosophy to the test! Thanks for doing this!
The points that you brought up are very real and very valid. But first, I feel that a bit of clarification on my part is necessary to clear things up. It was not my intention to imply that applying business with a perspective of love was overly simple nor easy. I would argue that working a monotonous corporate job can still be a way to live out a lifestyle of love, depending on how the money earned from that job is used. For instance, if it is used to provide for an entire family, then what an incredible sacrifice that is!
I would also like to add that I don't think that pursuing our passions always leads to wealth, and I would be inclined to say that it rarely does.
But the point I was trying to stress was that I believe that material wealth pales in comparison to the riches of love. I would rather deprive my children of a meal than sell away my ability to love them. Providing wealth is just one way to show love - there are many more ways.
But it is important to note that we can still love without pursuing our personal passions. There really ought to be a threshold here; if I was pursuing my personal dream of being an artist and my children were starving, then I am definitely not taking care of them in love. Love is selfless; it would obviously be my responsibility to put aside my personal passions and find another way to take care of them.
So then, you are absolutely right - not everyone who is passionate about tea can become successful in their own tea business. They could work for a tea business though. Or they could find another way to be fulfilled by loving.
This is getting a tad weird though, because I feel as though I am writing in such a way where everyone is obligated to love, which is not my intent.
No one is obligated to love. It is precisely because no one is obligated to love that love is all the more precious.
The darker the world, the brighter the love.
I'm not quite so brave as to create a utopian society here - I am challenging whoever is reading this to consider making an individual change - however big or small - in how you choose to live.
Now to the dog dilemma. You have some great points here! In retrospect, I should have explained the question in more detail. In my head, I was envisioning a fully-functioning, do-everything-that-a-real-dog-can-do, look-and-feel-exactly-like-a-dog kind of AI dog. So yes, I imagined that they would be indistinguishable - but even if I did know which was which, I would still choose the real dog.
That being said, you've still done a good job in putting a few cannons into my hull! If AI dogs could also 'choose' to love like a real dog, I would still choose the real dog, though I could see why it would not make a difference to other people. Admittedly, you almost got me on the idea that an AI dog could live forever. Just imagine! It could have video cameras for eyes, and be able to replay memories of generations past to generations future!
But I would still choose the real dog.
Your question, "Is the pain of loss truly worth it..." got me thinking. Because that right there really would be the difference between an AI dog and a real dog - the inconveniences, the disobedience, and the pain - including the pain of its death. It made me realize how much I value pain. Would you like to have CIPA? CIPA is a disease where you can't feel physical pain. What about a condition where you can't feel emotional pain?
I say, please give me both pains!
Think about the consequences of this question... how much would it take to extrapolate this question into a spouse question? Do you want to marry an AI human that looks like and does everything a human can do, and more? Far be it from me!
The human dignity is not a perfect dignity; it is flawed and it is beautiful. Who cares if the AI can live forever, choose to love, and never make a single mistake? There is beauty in he or she who is hurt and broken, but chooses to love anyways, and receives love from others. There is beauty in the pain and in the struggle.
I suppose it comes down to what you want. Do you want to live a mundane, comfortable life, or do you choose to live a life of extremes?
The former gives you minimal pain, and minimal joys.
The latter takes you into the valley, and above the clouds.