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There are something approaching 6 billion people on this planet. Of those, none can say with absolute clarity and accuracy where we came from, what we're doing here, and what makes us so different from the millions upon millions of other forms of life that can be found all around us on this planet.
Of course, some people have what they believe to be the answer, be it religion, science, unproven or untested theory, or even complete nonchalance. We live our lives, and at some point often look for a reason as to why we're living them. For some greater purpose? As the love toys of some greater being? As chance in nature's great plan of selection? Or perhaps, as many would say, the ultimate of life is simply to enjoy it, and that's all we're here for.
Now there's a great thought indeed! That we are here simply to enjoy ourselves, and have the best life we can carve out for ourselves. Truly then, our capacity for joy, love and happiness is without boundaries. Unfortunately not. For if we are here to enjoy ourselves, why do so many of us fail so miserably in so simple a task? Hundreds of millions of people the world over are unhappy. Many to the point where the ultimate moments of their life are spent not enjoying life, but instead taking it away from themselves because they cannot bear to live with the burden of living.
It's tragedy enough that some people cannot survive the stresses life sets out, but if truly the meaning of life is to make yourself happy, then this becomes a tragedy of unparalleled misfortune. That so many can fail in the worst possible way is almost enough to invoke tears.
But with so many getting it so wrong, could it be that we live for a different purpose? Perhaps this tragedy comes about because we're trying to achieve happiness via the wrong methods. Selfish methods. Perhaps instead we should look to other ways to make ourselves enjoy life. Tell someone that the meaning of life is to enjoy it, and they'll start saving for a holiday in the Bahamas. Maybe instead they should be saving for something that will make someone else happier than it will make them. Maybe if everyone drops the notion of what is possibly a terribly deluded self-interest, we can be happier through helping eachother reach heights of elated well-being otherwise reserved for fables and fantasies.
Today, charities do moderately well, if that well, mainly because so comparatively few people help them, or donate to them. Imagine the difference that could be made if everyone had an interest in charity. Either through donations or volunteer work. The extra help would be worth tens of billions worldwide, enough to turn economies around, enough to turn wastelands into bustling cities, deserts into crop yielding farmland, and warscorched earth into playgrounds.
Millions of people would benefit from the aid, and would surely give thanks for it - thanks which would reach those who contributed, and being thanked by someone who's life you have turned around for the good will gratify any decent man far more than a brief trip to some far flung paradise.
Imagine how the world would benefit long-term. Western-class education for millions more people than who currently benefit from it, leading to more skilled individuals, leading to further invention and technological advance.
Perhaps this way is the only way for the world to move forward. At the moment, the world walks with two separate minded feet. One lumbering slowly forward, only as the second slips slowly backwards. Only through sacrifice can we find happiness. Only through dedicating ourselves to the rest of our fellow kind can we better understand the trials we face.
Only through loving, caring and contributing with the world can we reach the stars.
There are a lot of "maybe"'s up there, and of course, this solution doesn't answer the greater questions. Those questions to which there are no immediate answers. But surely it makes more sense! More sense than running yourself into the dirt to afford a holiday, a brief escape from the life you're leading. There is too much living involved in 50 weeks for 2 weeks to cure it. We need more. And by helping eachother, others help you. A united front leading to a greater people.
Of course, some people have what they believe to be the answer, be it religion, science, unproven or untested theory, or even complete nonchalance. We live our lives, and at some point often look for a reason as to why we're living them. For some greater purpose? As the love toys of some greater being? As chance in nature's great plan of selection? Or perhaps, as many would say, the ultimate of life is simply to enjoy it, and that's all we're here for.
Now there's a great thought indeed! That we are here simply to enjoy ourselves, and have the best life we can carve out for ourselves. Truly then, our capacity for joy, love and happiness is without boundaries. Unfortunately not. For if we are here to enjoy ourselves, why do so many of us fail so miserably in so simple a task? Hundreds of millions of people the world over are unhappy. Many to the point where the ultimate moments of their life are spent not enjoying life, but instead taking it away from themselves because they cannot bear to live with the burden of living.
It's tragedy enough that some people cannot survive the stresses life sets out, but if truly the meaning of life is to make yourself happy, then this becomes a tragedy of unparalleled misfortune. That so many can fail in the worst possible way is almost enough to invoke tears.
But with so many getting it so wrong, could it be that we live for a different purpose? Perhaps this tragedy comes about because we're trying to achieve happiness via the wrong methods. Selfish methods. Perhaps instead we should look to other ways to make ourselves enjoy life. Tell someone that the meaning of life is to enjoy it, and they'll start saving for a holiday in the Bahamas. Maybe instead they should be saving for something that will make someone else happier than it will make them. Maybe if everyone drops the notion of what is possibly a terribly deluded self-interest, we can be happier through helping eachother reach heights of elated well-being otherwise reserved for fables and fantasies.
Today, charities do moderately well, if that well, mainly because so comparatively few people help them, or donate to them. Imagine the difference that could be made if everyone had an interest in charity. Either through donations or volunteer work. The extra help would be worth tens of billions worldwide, enough to turn economies around, enough to turn wastelands into bustling cities, deserts into crop yielding farmland, and warscorched earth into playgrounds.
Millions of people would benefit from the aid, and would surely give thanks for it - thanks which would reach those who contributed, and being thanked by someone who's life you have turned around for the good will gratify any decent man far more than a brief trip to some far flung paradise.
Imagine how the world would benefit long-term. Western-class education for millions more people than who currently benefit from it, leading to more skilled individuals, leading to further invention and technological advance.
Perhaps this way is the only way for the world to move forward. At the moment, the world walks with two separate minded feet. One lumbering slowly forward, only as the second slips slowly backwards. Only through sacrifice can we find happiness. Only through dedicating ourselves to the rest of our fellow kind can we better understand the trials we face.
Only through loving, caring and contributing with the world can we reach the stars.
There are a lot of "maybe"'s up there, and of course, this solution doesn't answer the greater questions. Those questions to which there are no immediate answers. But surely it makes more sense! More sense than running yourself into the dirt to afford a holiday, a brief escape from the life you're leading. There is too much living involved in 50 weeks for 2 weeks to cure it. We need more. And by helping eachother, others help you. A united front leading to a greater people.
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You should stop changing your name so much. I didn't recognise you.
I'm sorry but i cant beleive people would think we have been put on this world to just enjoy life and have fun.... that is stupid. I agree with Rosalind and Pandemonium, how do you know what happiness is, if you havn't experienced unhappiness? and life does include pain, joy, love, sadness, happiness etc etc, even if you dont want it to.
You're saying that when someone dies, a close member of the family, friend or loved one, you would just say "oh well, life goes on, lets have a party"? and be happy? I dont think so, you need to mourn an cry... well at least I would hope you need to mourn and cry.
I dont understand why you are saying this either as it's blatently not true even from your own experience in life..... you are depressed, angry a lot of the time, never have (what I class as) real fun with friends etc etc...
It would be brilliant if we could just enjoy ourselves all the time... that would be brilliant, but it will NEVER happen and could never happen, what will the situation of probably WW3 arrising and just not enough peace in the world full stop.
Ok so next year we wont go on holiday and the money you would spend on a holiday, you give it to someone else in need to see if your theory works... If it will make you happy and the person/thing you are giving it to will be happy... I dont think you can or will do that for the mear fact that it is your money you worked hard for and you would deserve to go on a relaxing holiday, rather than give it to someone you dont know and you probably wouldnt see the benefits of why you gave them the money.
If you are a selfish person, I dont think you could ever change.... So I dont think that if there was a rich person and they were really selfish and only cared about themselves and you had a wor with them and told them to give all their spare riches to a poor country or something, I dont think they would do that. Even if you showed them pictures of the country and educated them to understand what the money would do for them... I still dont think they would give them any money.
It's like murderers... It is proven that murderers have a different brain layout to non murderers. This is reapeted murderers, or just one time murderers. The front of their brian is (i think this is right) more developed than a non murderer. So in this case, you could not teach them to stop murdering as it is in the head already. So this will case pain and suffering to someone one day, unless the murderer is locked up forever, or killed themselves.
I think everyone has a selfish streak in them sometimes, and I mean this could be giving a crisp to their kid orsomething, ranging to a billionaire not giving £100,000 to charity or somthing. I know if I had the money I would give it to one chairity inparticular, and that would be the born free foundation. But how to people choose who to donate to? I'm choosing born free as I love animals and do not want them to suffer or be caged up and treated nasty. I wouldn't give it to (for example) Ethiopia, because I know that oxfam ect etc are there for that and red nose day etc etc.
You're saying that when someone dies, a close member of the family, friend or loved one, you would just say "oh well, life goes on, lets have a party"? and be happy? I dont think so, you need to mourn an cry... well at least I would hope you need to mourn and cry.
I dont understand why you are saying this either as it's blatently not true even from your own experience in life..... you are depressed, angry a lot of the time, never have (what I class as) real fun with friends etc etc...
It would be brilliant if we could just enjoy ourselves all the time... that would be brilliant, but it will NEVER happen and could never happen, what will the situation of probably WW3 arrising and just not enough peace in the world full stop.
Ok so next year we wont go on holiday and the money you would spend on a holiday, you give it to someone else in need to see if your theory works... If it will make you happy and the person/thing you are giving it to will be happy... I dont think you can or will do that for the mear fact that it is your money you worked hard for and you would deserve to go on a relaxing holiday, rather than give it to someone you dont know and you probably wouldnt see the benefits of why you gave them the money.
If you are a selfish person, I dont think you could ever change.... So I dont think that if there was a rich person and they were really selfish and only cared about themselves and you had a wor with them and told them to give all their spare riches to a poor country or something, I dont think they would do that. Even if you showed them pictures of the country and educated them to understand what the money would do for them... I still dont think they would give them any money.
It's like murderers... It is proven that murderers have a different brain layout to non murderers. This is reapeted murderers, or just one time murderers. The front of their brian is (i think this is right) more developed than a non murderer. So in this case, you could not teach them to stop murdering as it is in the head already. So this will case pain and suffering to someone one day, unless the murderer is locked up forever, or killed themselves.
I think everyone has a selfish streak in them sometimes, and I mean this could be giving a crisp to their kid orsomething, ranging to a billionaire not giving £100,000 to charity or somthing. I know if I had the money I would give it to one chairity inparticular, and that would be the born free foundation. But how to people choose who to donate to? I'm choosing born free as I love animals and do not want them to suffer or be caged up and treated nasty. I wouldn't give it to (for example) Ethiopia, because I know that oxfam ect etc are there for that and red nose day etc etc.
Insane Bartender wrote:
> I don't think you need to have suffered to have a basis of comparison
> for joy. More the other way around. Much that causes suffering is
> loss, not lack.
How can you really know what happiness is unless you have been sad.
I didn't know that I could see the world in such vivid colours until I saw it in black.
Umm I don't mean that to be so cryptic.
> I don't think you need to have suffered to have a basis of comparison
> for joy. More the other way around. Much that causes suffering is
> loss, not lack.
How can you really know what happiness is unless you have been sad.
I didn't know that I could see the world in such vivid colours until I saw it in black.
Umm I don't mean that to be so cryptic.
Rosalind wrote:
> If you never suffer then you have nothing to compare your hapiness
> with and therefore you won't be as happy.
I don't think you need to have suffered to have a basis of comparison for joy. More the other way around. Much that causes suffering is loss, not lack.
> If you never suffer then you have nothing to compare your hapiness
> with and therefore you won't be as happy.
I don't think you need to have suffered to have a basis of comparison for joy. More the other way around. Much that causes suffering is loss, not lack.
Where did I say that genocide was? I'm talking about personal suffering. I like to think that I'm considerate to people around me, listen and help my friends and am generaly a nice person.
My life is not a happy time at certian points however.
My life is not a happy time at certian points however.
If you never suffer then you have nothing to compare your hapiness with and therefore you won't be as happy.
For me, life is about my friends, family and trying to cause as little distress/harm/injury to people as possible.
I get on with my business and dont presume to tell anyone else how to live and all I ask in return in the same courtesy.
I dont know the answers to the world's problems. If I did then I could solve them today, instead I try to understand as much as possible to the best of my ability.
I have no sense of patriotism at all, cliche though it may be I consider this entire world my playground and intend to skip through as much of it as possible.
I look out for my gang and will fight for them if necessary and I hope they would do the same.
Pain and suffering exist, it would be foolish to think otherwise. But I try to minimise that as much as I can. Be it supporting friends in their decisions, helping out when I can, being there if needed etc etc.
But I also like to spend time by myself, taking stock of things around me and seeing what sense, if any, I can make.
I take life as it comes, float along happily and tend, more often than not,to find things work out for me at the last minute when it seems like everything's going to hell.
I believe in standing up for the things you believe in, things you consider correct and right. But not at the cost of being unwilling to accept that you dont know everything, and there's a chance that someone may come along and alter your view on something. Keeping an open mind, I feel, is the key to living my life.
And porno.
I get on with my business and dont presume to tell anyone else how to live and all I ask in return in the same courtesy.
I dont know the answers to the world's problems. If I did then I could solve them today, instead I try to understand as much as possible to the best of my ability.
I have no sense of patriotism at all, cliche though it may be I consider this entire world my playground and intend to skip through as much of it as possible.
I look out for my gang and will fight for them if necessary and I hope they would do the same.
Pain and suffering exist, it would be foolish to think otherwise. But I try to minimise that as much as I can. Be it supporting friends in their decisions, helping out when I can, being there if needed etc etc.
But I also like to spend time by myself, taking stock of things around me and seeing what sense, if any, I can make.
I take life as it comes, float along happily and tend, more often than not,to find things work out for me at the last minute when it seems like everything's going to hell.
I believe in standing up for the things you believe in, things you consider correct and right. But not at the cost of being unwilling to accept that you dont know everything, and there's a chance that someone may come along and alter your view on something. Keeping an open mind, I feel, is the key to living my life.
And porno.
There's nothing rich about genocide my friend. Personally, I think such things can be avoided. That it is a part of life at all is a callous blasphemy.
But that is my point. All of these elements are part of life in general. We are always going to suffer no matter what whether it be health, failed relationships or weaknesses on our part.
No matter how we live our lives, these elements are always going to be part of it no matter what our wishes.
All of them add up to the rich tapestry of life.
No matter how we live our lives, these elements are always going to be part of it no matter what our wishes.
All of them add up to the rich tapestry of life.
Ok, I'm off for a smoke and then I'll attempt to give my idea of what life is about. But it'll only be my idea for me, otherwise I'd be President of Everything and this world would be the land of milk & honey. And porno. And pringles. With possibly some free movies as well.
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