Are we important?

This topic was discussed briefly on another thread but I thought it deserved it's own thread.

So what is "important"? I would assume that depends solely on the perspective on the person being asked. Without personal bias, importance has no meaning. Only when we assign certain things or people worth do they become important.

So what is important to you and are you important?

I was asked if I thought I was important in comparison to the greater scheme of things.

I think that this question was asked with an underlying assumption that things have more or less worth based upon the premise of size or power or quantity.

What say you? Do such factors as size or power or quantity increase or decrease ones importance?

Are we important.... to whom?

Originally posted by @tom-wolsey
Are we important.... to whom?

Exactly! What is important to you?

Additionally, are politicians more important because they can force us to do things?

Does power and might make us more important?

Originally posted by @whodey
So what is important to you and are you important?

Only when we assign certain things or people worth do they become important. Whatever or whoever affects me or whose actions and ideas have an impact on me is important to me to varying degrees and, yes, I am important to some people in the same way.

Originally posted by @fmf
Only when we assign certain things or people worth do they become important. Whatever or whoever affects me or whose actions and ideas have an impact on me is important to me to varying degrees and, yes, I am important to some people in the same way.

You’re important to me, Kiddo. And I know I’m important to you.

More importantly, you’re important to God. You know the parable about the 99 sheep?

Originally posted by @whodey
...
So what is "important"? ...
So what is important to you and are you important?

Its an evaluation based on a desire to achieve a particular goal. So, it has subjective and objective components.

What is important to me depends on what we're talking about. Same with whether I'm important or not. Btw I think 'importance' is is scalar and not binary.

Should I give examples? Maybe not, because I think you know all this already.

Originally posted by @whodey
...
What say you? Do such factors as size or power or quantity increase or decrease ones importance?

Depends on the desired goal. 🙂 (You understand 'the desired goal' implies also the particular source of that desire?)

Some people want to steal my stuff. I want them not to. If I lock my doors to keep the thief out but she's using my window to crawl in, well I thought locking my doors was important while the thief could hardly care less!

Originally posted by @romans1009
...
More importantly, you’re important to God. ...

You're a prophet! I find that to be pretty unimportant.

Originally posted by @apathist
You're a prophet! I find that to be pretty unimportant.

Profits are very important.

Ask Joel Osteen.

Originally posted by @fmf
Only when we assign certain things or people worth do they become important. Whatever or whoever affects me or whose actions and ideas have an impact on me is important to me to varying degrees and, yes, I am important to some people in the same way.

So someone's importance boils down to how they can effect you?

Originally posted by @whodey
So someone's importance boils down to how they can effect you?

Yes. No. It boils down to how it affects what you care about.

Originally posted by @whodey
So someone's importance boils down to how they can effect you?

My answer was already boiled down. If you are looking for something to fit on a fridge magnet, that's a matter for you.

It’s important to me to be important to the people who are important to me.

This is a twist on an old friend’s idea for a country title, “Why ain’t I good enough for the women who are good enough for me.”

Originally posted by @apathist
You're a prophet! I find that to be pretty unimportant.

I don’t speak for God. God speaks for Himself through the Bible. It’s a pity more people aren’t listening.