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We Can Desire Something We Do Not Want
Wants and desires are different
Introduction
I was looking at my old notes on Catholic virtues and I stumbled upon the beautiful quote above (i.e. We can desire something that we do not want; And that makes us different from animals).
To illustrate this point, my teacher used the example of a colonoscopy. Very little people would desire a colonoscopy (because it’s painful) but some people may want it. They are willing to endure temporary pain to gain insight on their health conditions.
Hence, there is a clear distinction between wants and desires. For the purpose of this article, the following definitions apply:
Desires: Inner longings — Sometimes beyond our control
Want: Conscious decision to acquire something or partake in a particular activity.
Is more always better?
Well, with regard to nutrition, this was what many lay people thought with regard to vitamins and minerals in the mid 20th century. (Some of us still think like this.) Hence, the proliferation of vitamin encapsulation and overconsumption.
Sadly, in the 1990s, scientists discovered that excessive nutrients can be harmful to the body. The CARET study administered extra…
