My problem with this is that I want people to be agenty. For me the distinction between agent and complex system is about self-awareness and mindfullness. If you think about yourself and what you are and aren’t capable of and how you interact with the world, you will have more agency and be a better person. I’m disgusted by people who just live like thoughtless animals.
I guess the obvious solution is to get over it. But I’m not sure I want to. It holds people to a higher standard.
I think what OP meant was the following. Having two people with the same, positive aims (e.g. be a good parent, do your job well), the agency-driven one will achieve more with the same hard work as the another. Therefore, for people around you, you would wish them to be more agenty as a default.
My problem with this is that I want people to be agenty. For me the distinction between agent and complex system is about self-awareness and mindfullness. If you think about yourself and what you are and aren’t capable of and how you interact with the world, you will have more agency and be a better person. I’m disgusted by people who just live like thoughtless animals.
I guess the obvious solution is to get over it. But I’m not sure I want to. It holds people to a higher standard.
I think you’re confusing being proactive and being a good person.
If a homicidal maniac acquires more agency that doesn’t make him a better person, it just makes him more dangerous.
I think what OP meant was the following. Having two people with the same, positive aims (e.g. be a good parent, do your job well), the agency-driven one will achieve more with the same hard work as the another. Therefore, for people around you, you would wish them to be more agenty as a default.
That’s generally described by words like “effective” and “high-productivity”.
Why are you assuming that people around me have positive aims? Moreover, what’s important is not just aims, but also the costs (and who pays them)