In a world where we often treat our bodies, careers, and relationships as mere tools for achieving something else, philosopher Immanuel Kant offers a radical alternative: treat yourself as an end, not just a means. This is the core message of a new video essay from the channel Mentalities, which explores Kant's Formula for Humanity and why it might be the key to escaping burnout, people-pleasing, and existential dissatisfaction.
Most of us live transactionally. We exercise to look good, work to earn money, and socialize to avoid loneliness. But Kant argued that using people—including ourselves—as mere instruments is the root of much misery. Instead, he proposed a simple yet profound principle: always treat humanity, in yourself and others, as an end in itself, never merely as a means.
The video breaks down the difference between "means" and "ends" in everyday life. For example, if you work only for money, your job is a means and you risk feeling exploited or empty. But if you see your work as an opportunity to express your skills and contribute to something meaningful, you treat yourself as an end. The same goes for health, relationships, and personal growth.
Why do we fall into the transactional trap? Kant suggests that laziness, addiction, and people-pleasing are actually ethical failures—they involve treating ourselves as things to be manipulated rather than as beings with inherent worth. The video cites what it calls the "Michael Jackson Maxim": the only way to genuinely improve the world is to first improve yourself. By respecting your own autonomy and value, you become more capable of respecting others.
Practical takeaways include shifting your mindset in career decisions, habit formation, and mental health. Instead of asking "What can I get from this?" ask "Does this respect my worth as a person?" The goal is not to abandon all practicality, but to ensure that you never use yourself as a mere stepping stone to something else.
The one rule for life, then, is deceptively simple: treat yourself as an end. It's a philosophy that demands self-respect, intentionality, and a refusal to reduce your existence to a series of transactions. In a culture obsessed with productivity and optimization, that might just be the most radical act of all.