Question

Adam Smith Theory of Moral Sentiments:

1. Given the natural propensity to sympathize, what motivates people to “pursue riches and avoid poverty?” What does it mean to “seek approbation?” How do we do this?
2. What motivates people to pursue wealth? Is his account here different than in Wealth of Nations? What do you make of his assertion that “It is not ease or pleasure, but always honor, of one kind or another, though frequently an honor very ill understood, that the ambitious man really pursues?”

will vote

Answer 1

THE STATEMENT ' PURSUE RICHES AND AVOID PROPERTY' IS THAT EVERY OTHER PERSON WANTS TO BE WEALTHIER THAN THE OTHER PERSON AROUND US, NONE WANT TO LIVE IN POVERTY LEVELS, THE RICH LIFE WOULD HELP IN GETTING BETTER FOOD, LUXURY LIFE, BETTER HEALTH CARE, UNACCOUNTABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY. THESE ARE THE REASONS THAT MOTIVATES ANY ONE TO BECOME RICH RATHER THAN DYING IN POOR. THIS WAS HAPPENED MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE RICHEST PERSONS AROUND US.

TO 'SEEK APPROBATION' MEANS AN APPROVAL OR ACCEPTANCE. THE SELF MINDED PEOPLE I.E THE SELF VALIDATED PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT ONLY WEALTH CAN BUILD US STRONG AND BELIEVE TO BE BECOMING OF RICH. THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO SELF APPROBATION SOME OF THEM ARE AS FOLLOWS:-

1. THINKS HE IS RIGHT OF HIS OWN THOUGHTS.

2. SELF WORTH.

3. TRUSTING HIMSELF MORE THAN ANYTHING.

THE THING THAT INFLUENCE PEOPLE IN PURSUING WEALTH IS THAT WE MAY BE HAPPY OR SAD WHILE A CLOSE QUARTER IS HAPPY OR SAD LIKE WISE THE SAME HAPPENS WHEN A PERSON WITH THE SOCIETY WE LIVE IS RICH WE ALSO INTEND TO BECOME RICH LIKE HIM.

NO, AS THE WEALTH OF NATIONS ALSO STATES THE SAME THING THERE ADAM SMITH SAYS ABOUT THE WEALTH THAT WAS POSSESSED BY THE NATIONS HERE THE WEALTH WITH A MORAL SENTIMENTS AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON IS IN CONSIDERATION , RATHER THERE IS NO CHANGE IN IT.

I AGREE WITH HIS ASSERTION BECAUSE THE AMBITIOUS PERSON WITH A MORAL VALUES BELIEVES IN SELF VALIDATION WITH MAKING HIMSELF RICH ENOUGH TO SEEK THE HEIGHTS IN THE SOCIETY, AS IT SHOWS A GREAT IMPLICATIONS WHICH BRING DUE RESPECT & HONOUR.