To me, being "passionate" about things seems like a very American thing (USA), or at least the extent to which it's encouraged.
I'm not sure that "passion" is usually a healthy thing at all. It's good to like things (playing the piano, going out with friends, writing novels, coding, etc.), and it's good to arrange your life in a way that you have the resources to do what you like.
But when I hear the word "passion" I think of CEO's who neglect their wives and families because they're passionate about their company, or of 35-year-old painters who realize they need to forgo ever having a family they can support because of their passion for painting, or musicians who write things only they themselves like, because of their passion for being authentic and non-commercial. Basically "passion" seems like unhealthy navel-gazing which is the antithesis of a healthy balance of things in your life.
And I think I'm at least somewhat justified in saying this, because passion comes from romantic passion, which is by definition a short period of time when you are infatuated by somebody else, usually to the detriment of other things in your life (friends, hobbies, etc.). There's a reason it's called "love sickness".
So maybe it's a semantic thing, that people now say "passion" when they actually just mean "things they like" -- but which cheapens the real meaning of "passion", because then how do you express that? And if people seriously encourage people to be truly passionate about things, I think that can be very unhealthy, and lead to a great deal of unhappiness.
Passion comes from the Latin deponent verb patior: to suffer, undergo, endure. (Whence the phrase 'Passion of Christ,' which doesn't mean 'Jesus was passionate about stuff.')
Anyway, there are a whole host of value assumptions built into that "healthy" word you're waving around. If I'm passionate about painting and don't care about having a family, then I'm going to paint. I'm not obligated to have a family just because it's a social norm.
""" If I'm passionate about painting and don't care about having a family, then I'm going to paint. I'm not obligated to have a family just because it's a social norm."""
And this attitude is exactly what the parent commenter was ranting about.
Especially if you DO have a family, and it's more like "I don't have to care for my family over my business just because it's a social norm".
Passion is what inspires people to do all kinds of things - healthy and unhealthy. But without passion we might as well just be worker drones leading a meaningless existence. The richness of our culture as a human race is all due to passion, for better or worse.
As far as the USA, feel like Europe, South America and many other places are known as more passionate cultures. Perhaps it is not as pragmatic as some other communist societies, but I don't think the USA is on the top of the "passion" scale.
I lived in Brazil for many years, and I can tell you -- for most people, if you told them you were "passionate" about your job, they'd look like you like you had mental issues. It's almost like, in the US, if you said you were passionate about doing your taxes. When I said that passion seems like an American thing, I should have limited it to say with regard to your income-producing work.
On the other hand, in Brazil, being passionate about football, and passionate about women -- now that's a given.
But as for:
> without passion we might as well just be worker drones leading a meaningless existence
Do you really think so? Can't you enjoy a beautiful garden, without being passionate about it? Can't you love you kids without saying you're "passionate" about them? Can't you enjoy a fine meal with fine wine, without having a passion for food and wine? I think you can do all of these things, and find great meaning in your life.
Why do you have to have passion, for something to be meaningful? I don't see the connection at all.
Passion could be viewed as the most extreme form of interest, motivation, and enjoyment. If you aren't passionate about something, you're missing out on the full depth of human experience.
I think that's a good definition, and that's my whole point -- passion is so extreme that, almost by definition, it means your whole life balance is out of whack, and other things are suffering as a result.
And sure, I might be missing out on the full depth of human experience, but I also don't know what it's like to be insane, or be manic, or addicted to cocaine, nor do I think it's worth the price to pay.
I'd rather forego all those "extreme" things, whether they be manias or "passion" about a cause, and just stick to normal, balanced human happiness. And this cultural norm which is very prevalent in the US, which says you're supposed to be passionate about things, frankly just annoys me. I don't think it's healthy, and I don't think it's something we should be encouraging in people.
I guess "follow a nice balance of things in your life, and be happy" just doesn't have the same ring to it as "follow your passion".
I'm not sure that "passion" is usually a healthy thing at all. It's good to like things (playing the piano, going out with friends, writing novels, coding, etc.), and it's good to arrange your life in a way that you have the resources to do what you like.
But when I hear the word "passion" I think of CEO's who neglect their wives and families because they're passionate about their company, or of 35-year-old painters who realize they need to forgo ever having a family they can support because of their passion for painting, or musicians who write things only they themselves like, because of their passion for being authentic and non-commercial. Basically "passion" seems like unhealthy navel-gazing which is the antithesis of a healthy balance of things in your life.
And I think I'm at least somewhat justified in saying this, because passion comes from romantic passion, which is by definition a short period of time when you are infatuated by somebody else, usually to the detriment of other things in your life (friends, hobbies, etc.). There's a reason it's called "love sickness".
So maybe it's a semantic thing, that people now say "passion" when they actually just mean "things they like" -- but which cheapens the real meaning of "passion", because then how do you express that? And if people seriously encourage people to be truly passionate about things, I think that can be very unhealthy, and lead to a great deal of unhappiness.