Chasing after

Its quite sad, but in school, there are many people who are motivated to do things predominantly for the sake of portfolio. Yucks. Seems so forced. I believe it to be right if you WANT to do the thing anyway. In that case, the portfolio is a additional reward. I believe it to be okay, if you want to do the thing, and has the portfolio as a side motivation. I believe it to be quite stupid to NOT want to do the thing, but does it anyway FOR THE SAKE of the portfolio.

Why anyway, must the society work on this basis. Is "attending a leadership seminar" such a significant thing? And why must things even be "presented" in a positive light? The thing is just whatever it is, and should not be made to look more important or significant than it really is. Why then should companies look at how it is presented?

I highly dislike it when the school talks about "grooming" of scholars. You can encourage people to be more interested in things, to want to try out new things etc. But you cannot force it upon people. That is not real at all. So what if a person has a list of leadership position as long as his arm if he doesn't like it at all?

There is a proper reward for things. The proper reward of a General fighting in battle is the victory of the battle, not the medal that will be given because of the battle. It is right and proper to celebrate the award of the medal, but it is not right to fight for the sake of getting the medal. (Credit CS Lewis for the analogy). It is right and proper to go to many activities, and as a result, have an excellent portfolio. It is not right and proper to go after an excellent portfolio, and to go to many activities just for that.

Qualifier. We are motivated by one or the other to some extent for most things. But I think that it is better to be motivated far less by the portfolio.

Even more so for us as Christians, who have a much better goal to chase after.

Maybe I am an idealist :/ And one with many blind spots at that too :S