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The Rubinshteinic Philosophy Against Discarding People

Updated: Jan 5



An old man with a smiling face.

The Rubinshteinic Philosophy Against Discarding People


"Well, you know what they say. Can't bake a pie without losing a dozen men." -- Big Jack Horner


Being discarded is one of the most challenging experiences anyone can face in life, whether it's at work, by a love interest, by family, or even by a group of friends. The possibility transcends the boundaries of wealth, privilege, and misfortune, as worth is estimated both emotionally and intellectually. However, due to a lack in either, who's to say we estimate people's worth in great correlation with our plans?


Rejection is a universal experience, likely to occur at least once or twice in a lifetime, and its impact can be particularly severe depending on the depth of the connection with the person or group responsible for the rejection. Did you know? Rejection can be traumatic.





Even "giants" like Mark Zuckerberg are not immune to rejection from the world when presenting their ideas and endeavors. At the inital time of this article's publish date (look above), Zuckerberg has recently announced that the major social media platforms he owns will be united under a new umbrella entity called "Meta", thus forming one of the biggest online empires today.


While ambitious, this concept has been met with widespread ridicule, not only due to the logo's design but also because the word "Meta" translates to "she died" in Hebrew. Yes, "Meta" means "she died" in Hebrew (Met in male form).


Despite his immense power, Zuckerberg's external respect has long been disposed by many, who often cite him as an example of a "non-human" individual, disconnected from the rest of humanity (ironically), and is mocked for being a "lizard person". (I myself am a tomato! Hehehe. Like Dr. Eggman I actually embrace the insult. Not giving in to belittlement can be done by subverting one's expectations. Also a good way to deal with rejection).


Anyways, rejection/disposability is something that can happen to anyone. It doesn't matter who you are, or who you think you are, but as long as the other side believes you are unnecessary, they might be inclined to dispose of you from their lives. No one actually has the privilege of having either themselves or their reputation be non-disposable. Even the Abrahamic God is despised and mocked by many anti-theists.


And the thing is, it's a very human, because pets who are loyal to you enough like dogs, will stay by your side until either one of you dies and even after your death. That pet doesn't even have to be a dog, it could be a cat. My own cat always returns after his outdoor adventures, and he is aware that it's his home and that I'm his owner and friend. I'm sure that, since I raised him, he won't abandon me like different people in my life have done. He adopted me.


However, relationships with other people are like a big interview, where you constantly have to prove to them, and vice versa, that you should not be disposed of and that you are still valuable to either them or the world in general. The world isn't like a video game where you can keep everyone you meet alongside you (although some video games won't allow or ensure that). Anyone can leave you in the real world at any time and it is a very isolating thought, because in the end, even with much power at your hands, you would still find yourself the most trusting person you can have (you).


If you've been blessed with loving parents, they are the most likely people who will not dispose of you, because, unlike other people, they love you the most. During my late grandma's funeral, after she was buried, I was told that she loved me the most in her life, much to my surprise.


People who aren't loving family and friends are the likeliest to dispose of you from their world, should they reach the conclusion that you are unnecessary. It's a cruel thing to do, even at work. But the truth is, not all of the people in one's life are seen by them as important enough to resume keeping. You know, this attitude can backfire by one of the heart's "naturally evil" emotions -- revenge. Why use your own power against yourself?


You can preserve loyalty like a dictator does -- make it a collective interest. Constantly reward them with gifts and money, and even marry them to your children. Being relevant is the key of staying in power and thus, be not disposeable, but irreplaceable.


But when you no longer have stuff to offer them, from contribution to their own survival, they might abandon you, if not betray you. That's especially true if you happen to be in a position of higher authority. Humans are political animals, as claimed by Greek philosopher Aristotle, and to be political is to be defined by interests. Hidden or otherwise.


Some people do not care if they are disposed of. They are strong enough to move on to the next "phase" of people. However, when you value yourself far enough, you will feel hurt when someone you appreciate disposes of you, because being disposed of is a sign of no importance, and wastefulness.


Why would someone like being unimportant; a waste; an irrelevancy; or dysfunctional? Unless you embrace your flaws, of course! But still, that message, that reminder, isn't something that everyone can necessarily endure, once it has been done multiple times, especially if it's in a field that's important to the disposed person. No one, for instance, would normally like to be fired from a job they enjoy doing.


As I said before, I don't like to dispose of people. I was taught in life that since anyone with enough respect for me can help me as I can help them, there isn't much necessity in disposing of them. I even I received a positive review of my site, once, from someone I haven't seen physically in half a decade. Being good to others pays. Not necessarily by cash, but by other means as well.


See how good it is to keep people in your life, even if they might not be as close as others? Anyone could be useful once they are on "your side", and thus I don't see any reason to dispose of people who are good to me and vice versa. Anyone can return the benefit sometime in the future.


(It doesn't mean that others should "walk over you" per se, just for said benefit. Having standards is key to self-respect).


How can you know whether someone is evil in a piece of fiction? See if they dispose of people who help them, from friends to faceless henchmen, from abandoning them to actually abusing or killing them. Then, you will know that they are indeed villains. Why? Because heroes do not betray the favor of those who are on their side. Many villains are too sociopathic/psychopathic to care about that.

This is why I am determined to show her, the one I made my nemesis, that I am relevant. I don't consider her evil, but I do believe she underestimates the value of having a vast network of connections. And I believe she underestimated me as well. Still, it's not my place to tell her to accept me; that's no longer my goal. My objective is to demonstrate to the world that she was wrong in calling me irrelevant, by adding irreplaceable value to the world in the form of Philosocom, my article empire.


You don't have to like everyone and everything, but labeling someone "irrelevant"? I've had enough of forgiving such behavior; of maintaining the "dignity" to ignore it. This was the tipping point, after years of insults from people. The very thing that changed me and made me dead inside.


And power is best gained in the name of doing good. So, I will be good.





Imagine devoting eight years of your life to someone only to be labeled "irrelevant" at the end of that period. How would you feel, having invested so much time in such a careless person? That's when I realized that I am indeed expendable to some; the character in movies who is killed and forgotten, the worker who is laid off due to being an expense... The one with untapped potential who remains indefinitely side-lined.


I will turn this into my strength, proving that even if she doesn't have to accept my company, humanity will, for more than my own lifetime. I will use it to become even more valuable to the world than I could've been.


Learn from my example. It's the very reason I record it for you.

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Tomasio A. Rubinshtein, Philosocom's Founder & Writer

I am a philosopher. I'm also a semi-hermit who has decided to dedicate my life to writing and sharing my articles across the globe to help others with their problems and combat shallowness. More information about me can be found here.

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