What is the “ideal” person?

[Nyoskova]

I cannot answer this. Sorry.

[Msje]

The ideal person is someone who chews before speaking.

[Cyptopir]

The ideal person for me will be anyone I damn well please.

[Adharcaili]

The ideal person is someone who chews before speaking.

*chews* *speaks* *spits food all over the other person* *swallows*

[Statesburg]

Someone as unlike me as possible.

[Ineva]

Someone as unlike me as possible.

Aw, come on States, you're seriously not nearly that bad.

[Suriyanakhon]

Griffith from Berserk.

[Technoscience Leftwing]

Well, if the goal is “to create the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people,” then who is most useful for this task?

An active, energetic person with progressive views.
* This could be a scientist, an inventor who explores nature and creates new technology for peaceful purposes, useful for satisfying the mass need for comfort, satiety, entertainment and knowledge of the world.
* This could be a creative altruist who creates and uploads software, games, and music online for free.
* This could be a revolutionary or a politician who fights against predatory social Darwinists and against hedonophobic obscurantists.

But we should not imitate Procrustes and force ordinary people to reach an ideal level, this is unrealistic idealism. We must proceed from the fact that most people have been and will remain lazy hedonists, and there will be a small proportion of energetic altruists among them. But it is necessary to create conditions under which these energetic people could realize themselves for the benefit of humanity.

[Soviet Haaregrad]

Konata Izumi

[Boston Mass]

I believe an ideal person can be anyone who has a code of ethics or morals that allows themselves and the people around them to pursue a good life. Now what that good life looks like is not up to me but to the said individual. The qualities that in my opinion lead to the good is having the capacity to give and receive love, always practicing patience, humility, desire to learn, and acknowledgement of the self through reflection. These are some of the virtues that make up the good. I'm sure there could be more.

[Washington-Columbia]

Samwise Gamgee.

[I-love-uranium]

The ideal person is one who does not hold themselves to the "idealistic" requirements of others.

[Nantoraka]

They need to sparkle, have pointy ears, and have cool mind powers.

[A m e n r i a]

Depends, what for? Dating? Presidency? Mentorship?

[The Vooperian Union]

Depends, what for? Dating? Presidency? Mentorship?

Friendship? A QPR? A WORKER FOR THE GLORIOUS MOTHERLAND???

[Aiporhtse]

My bf.

[New Lockelle]

Didn't Hitler already answer this?

/JK

[Mikustania]

Someone who can deal with my insanity.

[The Vooperian Union]

If this is about dating, nobody, because, namely, I'm aroace.
For a friendship, probs someone as silly as I, who is also a furry. And smart, I guess.

[Soviet Haaregrad]

They need to sparkle, have pointy ears, and have cool mind powers.

Aren't those elves?

[San Luis Abbey]

I do not believe there is some ideal form of a person - the ideal of each person varies based on their cultural context and personal aptitudes. I would rephrase the question to "in an ideal world, what qualities would every person possess?" This recognizes that there's no singular ideal human (just like there's no singular ideal dog), while leaving space for virtues by which the character of a person can be measured. This is not to say that one must live these virtues purposely to be considered a "good person". I merely propose a transcendent horizon - something we can strive for regardless of whether or not we actually get there.

As such, I would propose these ideal human virtues to be as follows: mercy, contemplation, hope, and a sense of pragmatic selflessness.

The most important of these, I believe, is sense of pragmatic selflessness. It challenges us to embrace the reality of sonder, a word coined by John Koenig to represent the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. The virtuous person ought to recognize their own life, needs, and wants as equally important as the lives, needs, and wants of others. This is in accord with Kant's position that humans ought never be treated as means to an end, but as ends in and of themselves. The pragmatism comes into play considering the messed-up state of the world. It would be unreasonable to expect someone to, for instance, feed a stranger at the cost of starving their children or themselves. However, it is not unreasonable to ask the same person to feel sorrow for the plight of the less-fortunate and support them however they are able.

This brings me to mercy. Mercy stems from the Latin misericordia, which directly translates to misery of the heart. It is not simply about writing a check to a charitable organization or calling your congressman. Mercy is hurting with the hurt and letting your heart break for the broken-hearted. This ought to be supplemented with hope, the virtue which sustains and invigorates. Just as the virtuous person weeps with the sorrowing, they should hope for the time when they can both laugh together.

My final proposition is contemplation. Aristotle claims contemplation to be the greatest activity in which a person can engage because it is a pure experience of the divine. While I believe there to be some truth to this, there is also a great benefit in self-reflection. By finding this time to pause and examine ones own life, the contemplative person may identify missed opportunities, new perspectives, or points of consolation which, in turn, help them to grow in selflessness, mercy, and hope.

These are just my philosophical musings. Thanks for reading, and thanks for the great discussion question! :)

[The Web Citadel]

subjective question. in my eyes, it's me, because i'm the only person i know enough about to make an informed judgement on this. despite the many, MANY flaws i have, they're what make me feel like me. i wouldn't want to live as anyone else.

[Cerespasia]

There's no such thing as an "ideal person".

[Gorutimania]

Didn't Hitler already answer this?

/JK

[El Lazaro]

Depends, what for? Dating? Presidency? Mentorship?

All three, obviously