“This is the difference between “etiology” (the study of causation) and teleology (the study of the purpose of a given phenomenon, rather than its cause).”
I was reading “The Courage to be Disliked” and this quick definition of teleology really stuck out to me.
You could use a weird tribal tradition as an example. Why does a certain tribe follow a weird tradition? You might say it is because of the weight of the past, that people have done it before and it’s irrational, but they keep doing it.
The teleological perspective is to look for the purpose that this tradition is serving today. It may be a way to bond, to signal your reverence for the tribe, something else.
This is a unique and helpful way to look at our emotions and the actions of others. Instead of searching for the cause of procrastination or anxiety, ask yourself what purpose it is serving. That can offer some insight into why you are doing it and then help you take control of not doing it anymore if it is not serving you.
If someone’s behavior is confusing to you, don’t try to figure out what in the past caused it, instead seek to understand what purpose it serves today.
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