Is it wrong to want the best/fantastic version of something...

[Paragon Fury]

...even if you know you can't have/won't realistically ever have anything than the basic version of something, if you ever get it at all?

Or, to put it another way - just because you can't have that nice steak you see in the window doesn't mean you should the gristle you might fish out of the dumpster.

I ask because it seems a pretty common theme recently that you shouldn't hope/dream about something nice if you're going have to settle for something less, if you get any at all.

 

[tippy2k2]

Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

Motto to live by in all aspects of your life from your personal situation to what you're buying to kill some free time.

You can set yourself up to be in the best possible position to succeed (look into that company before you accept that job, read reviews before you buy that $60 game, find out the safe word BEFORE the Furry Orgy, etc.) but ultimately, you're going to win some and you're going to lose some.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Like we shouldn't try for anything if we can't A. Be the best and B. Do it the best?
That seems slightly defeatist, because the best human in the world, Lieutenant General Sir Manley Power, has already existed and died. And after that, what's the point of names?!

Its perfectly fine to want the best, even if you have to settle for something less.

 

[davidmc1158_v1legacy]

I'll just go with this old quote (and I've forgotten to whom it is originally attributed):

"Of course a man's dreams should exceed his grasp. Else, what is heaven for?"

 

[DefunctTheory]

You should hope for the best, but keep in mind that the best isn't a condition one should pin their happiness to.

For example, it's fine to lust after a 500 thousand dollar super car. It really is. But just try to keep in mind that your life isn't automatically shit just because you can't get one.

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

Best is great when it doesn't become the enemy of good.

 

[Phasmal]

[small]... Y'know, forgive me for jumping a little bit to conclusions but I really hope you're not talking about women. [/small]

Anyway, assuming that's totally off-

I can't really think of a thing that I wanted in my life that I completely disregarded unless I could have the very best thing.
To use your steak analogy, just because you can't afford the very best steak equally doesn't mean that you should just not eat.

I dunno. I'm not particularly a perfectionist.

There's nothing wrong with wanting the best, but if focusing on "the best" is stopping you from enjoying what is attainable for you, that's probably a bad thing.

Spoiler: Basically...

 

[DefunctTheory]

[small]... Y'know, forgive me for jumping a little bit to conclusions but I really hope you're not talking about women. [/small]

I think Paragon Fury long ago accepted that his perfect woman simply doesn't exist. Evolution simply doesn't build tits that big, nor spines strong enough to support fake ones of sufficient weight to satisfy his 'best woman' standards.

 

[Zhukov]

Why are you being all vague? Do you really think we can't tell that you're referring to women?

Or was this supposed to be a rhetorical trap? We say, "Of coooourse it's okay to want the best!" Then you say, "Aha! I was talking about women the whole time!"

Also, I wish I had got here before Phasmal, it would have made me look a bit more clever.

Anyway, to answer the actual question, you can want whatever you damn well please. You can want to dance with a paraplegic gorilla on Neptune if that's your fancy. Just know that no amount of wanting will automatically make the object of your wanting want you back. I hear paraplegic gorillas can be awfully picky about their dance partners.

 

[Dizchu]

There's nothing wrong with wanting exceptional things, but they shouldn't be expected.

Last year I had a 5 month relationship with a beautiful girl who accepted me for who I am, who was able to err... "tick many of my boxes" and made me feel really good about myself. This relationship came right out of nowhere and I honestly was not expecting it to ever happen. But it couldn't last, we lived too far apart and neither of us had the means of moving in together. So the relationship ended and we're both still friends. But I became addicted to that feeling, because I craved her so much. Every time we made our separate ways I always expected to see her again, even the last time. But now I know that I shouldn't have, because it's an addictive feeling that can really mess you up.

People aren't saying that you should settle for less than excellence, because I sure didn't. But you have to learn how to make do without it, you have to learn to compromise. We all make compromises and it's up to each of us to figure out where to draw the line. For example if I wanted Coke and all that was available is Diet Coke, I'd just go without. But in another situation, if I wanted a 14-inch pizza and all that was available was 12-inch pizzas, I'd go with the smaller pizza because hey, even if it's not as much pizza as I wanted it's still pizza.

What you need to do is balance being honest with yourself with being realistic.

 

[Erttheking]

Is it wrong? No. But it's not particularly realistic most of the time either.

 

[Paragon Fury]

[small]... Y'know, forgive me for jumping a little bit to conclusions but I really hope you're not talking about women. [/small]

I think Paragon Fury long ago accepted that his perfect woman simply doesn't exist. Evolution simply doesn't build tits that big, nor spines strong enough to support fake ones of sufficient weight to satisfy his 'best woman' standards.

Until I make it so.

Why are you being all vague? Do you really think we can't tell that you're referring to women?

Or was this supposed to be a rhetorical trap? We say, "Of coooourse it's okay to want the best!" Then you say, "Aha! I was talking about women the whole time!"

Also, I wish I had got here before Phasmal, it would have made me look a bit more clever.

Anyway, to answer the actual question, you can want whatever you damn well please. You can want to dance with a paraplegic gorilla on Neptune if that's your fancy. Just know that no amount of wanting will automatically make the object of your wanting want you back. I hear paraplegic gorillas can be awfully picky about their dance partners.

I was actually thinking about because of reading the comments sections of a few articles recently about housing and food. While yes, it can apply to relationships and men/women, that wasn't actually the cause of my making this topic.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

I like to point to my dear Irish sage; David O Doherty...


And to quote Lionel Shriver when posed the question; what has been your biggest disappointment? "Getting exactly what I wanted."

 

[Vicarious Reality]

I always get the best version of everything

 

[Saltyk]

I generally go with what works. But every so often I spoil myself. That might be as small as buying a milkshake on a hot day, but it helps. It's always wise to give yourself something to help you keep your spirits up. I've literally told coworkers this sort of thing. Even had a few perk up at the thought and do exactly what I suggested they do. They thanked me for the advice, saying it was just what they needed, too.

So don't eat that steak, today. But maybe next week, you can get that steak and enjoy it. It will make it taste all the better, too, if you "earned" it. Good way to motivate yourself to do something you don't wanna do, too.

Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

That's literally my motto. Even have it on my profile here, if memory serves.

 

[FalloutJack]

Aim high, and work for it. You'll be satisfied that the effort paid off.

However, if it's the most OP Superman you're aiming for, you're on your own, buddy.