# how refined are your principles?



## Adam Bristol (Jan 7, 2013)

please list all your own categories of principles.

please elaborate on each category.


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## adultchildofalieninvaders (Aug 29, 2014)

Don't be a dick: self explanatory.

I fail to think of anything that's not covered by the above. Direct, non aggressive communication? That goes under "don't be a dick" too. Outside that, I don't have principles, I'm motivated by my curiousity and interest in people. And I like my life to be simple because I'm not, so I take this into account when dealing with people and choosing what to do.

Well, that was easy.


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## PoisonPill (Mar 8, 2015)

People should be free to live their lives by their own wills, and allow others to do the same. That's it, everything else is derived from that.

It's sadly depressing how even something so simple can't be accomplished by humanity.


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## cerenach (Mar 26, 2015)

To borrow from deGrasse Tyson: Know more than I did yesterday and avoid contributing to the suffering of others unnecessarily. That's really it.


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## Clyme (Jul 17, 2014)

Adam Bristol said:


> please list all your own categories of principles.
> 
> please elaborate on each category.


It's pretty straight forward.

Be kind, be honest, and be intellectually curious.


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## bionic (Mar 29, 2010)

Not very refined. I only adhere to some principles:

1. Be Honest
2. Take ownership when wrong
3. Be Genuine
4. Take Risks
5. Don't do anything that could bite you in the ass someday.
6. Always look at things with an open mind.
7. Too much pride kills
8. Aim for equality
9. Do it with passion.
10. Don't be stupid.


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## ArBell (Feb 10, 2014)

bionic said:


> Not very refined. I only adhere to some principles:
> 
> 1. Be Honest
> 2. Take ownership when wrong
> ...


Preach.
My second on the list would be: Do NOT be selfish.


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## bionic (Mar 29, 2010)

ArBell said:


> Preach.
> My second on the list would be: Do NOT be selfish.


Oh yeah, that's a good one. We should re-write the 10 commandments together.


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## devoid (Jan 3, 2011)

Most of morality I view as a grey area, but there are certain things which I'm extremely solid on and refuse to compromise.

1. Avoid harming others.
2. Prioritise the group over the individual.
3. Prioritise children over adults.
4. Seek personal improvement and help others improve.
5. Take care of myself insofar as I am a vessel and require maintenance to do good.
6. Love everyone.
7. Seek perfection in all things.
8. Embrace diversity so long as it harms no one.
9. When in doubt, be positive.
10. Actively pursue justice, until the point at which the repercussions outweigh the good.

I was delighted to see that all of these align with the teachings of Jesus, which is part of why I converted to Christianity. It helps to remind me of my principles, because I often do fail in all areas.


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## Doran Seth (Apr 4, 2015)

I have actually been compiling my principles in a Word document and updating it as needed. 

I have two categories:

Principles regarding the self
Principles regarding others

Firstly I want to adopt practices that will help me throughout my life. These deal with keeping myself healthy and happy.

The second category governs the way I treat others. For instance, I vow to never discriminate based on race/ethnicity, gender, background, sexual orientation, nationality, or physical characteristics. There is a lot more to this category but this is just an example.


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## with water (Aug 13, 2014)

My principles go to tea parties wearing monocles and drink with their pinkies extended.


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## Croaker (Nov 5, 2014)

I'm struggling to contribute to this thread because I feel like my ideas are so connected and interdependent that there is no starting point. I can say that they are not grey but the judgements that follow from them are nuanced. I consider myself to be dogmatic but I can't think of a single person who would agree with me. This sounds like a riddle... Croaker out.


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## Powershower (Feb 19, 2015)

Adam Bristol said:


> please list all your own categories of principles.
> 
> please elaborate on each category.


Honesty, I can tell when you are lying in general, I can also tell if you are nervous, I understand that you are protecting yourself unless you are lying about something that means a lot to me. I don't care. 

Respect and equality, I will say something if someone is being mean and demeaning. My tolerance level is low for petty acts of social latter climbing.

Sexuality and Intimate relationships, I don't care what others do in their relationships. Seeing others cheat will be a negative in my book if I know they are exclusive with someone else. If their relationship isn't defined in any manner then I don't view it as cheating though. You will be dropped and I will not look back if you do any of the above to me though. 

Do you have any specific principle or categories that you are curious about?


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## thedoodle (Oct 6, 2014)

1. Be kind when interacting with people, unless they are disrespectful. 
2. Be loyal and respect your closest friends, and don't backstab them regardless of situation.
3. Always protect your friends/family regardless of obstacle.
4. Always work in the best interest of yourself, and your group/friends.
5. Self-improvement is key to enlightenment. Always adhere to improve yourself, and seek to inspire others to do the same.
6. Be honest to yourself and others.
7. Treat people as equals.
8. Always comply to your own principles, they are the essence of your being. A principle about principles.

devoid and bionic had some good ones, some of which I share, but haven't mentioned.


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## starscream430 (Jan 14, 2014)

1. Follow your dreams in a practical way
2. Always be sure to have a backup plan for your goals
3. Be honest with yourself
4. Embrace diversity
5. Accept other people's idea without discriminating against such information


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## Grandalf (Jun 7, 2014)

*1. Never think in black and white*
Never accept when people tell you to choose A or B. If someone makes a generalization, ask them why they believe it and discuss why it can't be absolute.
*2. If your position is weak, improve it*
If you value something and doesn't stand to opposition, refine it. Look at various sources and the other side of the issue and see why it is successful.
*3. Tear down a bad castle for a good hut*
Sometimes we need to leave many things behind for a better life. Our family, friends, heritage. Eliminating all these things that oppose a better future will pay off in the future.
*4. Meritocracy is key*
Only the most qualified should be allowed to work in respective roles.
*5. Don't have an age bias*
Never accept something because it is 'traditional' or 'unconventional'.


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## FreyaLuna (Aug 13, 2014)

Anywhere between Chaotic Good and Chaotic Neutral.


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## SoulScream (Sep 17, 2012)

1. As @adultchildofalieninvaders - Don't be a dick
2. Be open minded 

The combo seems to confuse a lot of people.


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