We’re here for this short time on this earth, and obviously and death happens to everyone. And look at how many young people and big stars are dying, giving up, petering out, checking out. It’s as if many of them just gave up and decided life was too much trouble. Fleetwood Mac's Bob Welch, Whitney Houston, Davy Jones, Steve Jobs, Michael Jackson, Nora Ephron, Robin Gibb, Ben Gazzara, Peter Falk, Peter Jones, John Ritter, Levon Helm, Tony Scott, Lupe Ontiveros, Natalie Wood, Ron Palillo, Don Cornelius, Leslie Carter, Sherman Helmsley, Chuck Brown, Bruno Kirby, artist Mike Kelley, the sweathog from Welcome Back Kotter, several friends of mine, Sage Stallone, Donna Summer, Michael Clarke Duncan, John Lord, Miss Melodie, Yvette Wilson, Dick Clark, Phyllis Diller, my college roommate Pam, Johnny Lewis, my precious brother Paul,…
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So if Death is inevitable, and this is a temporal zone that we’re just sort of hanging out in, then why can’t we just enjoy this amazing earth experience with all its colors and flowers and creatures and pleasures? Why are we setting ourselves up to suffer and compete and live in misery wanting and striving for “things” and position and acclaim? Why not just be creative and joyous and childlike and gleeful every day of our lives? Why struggle? Why so many “shoulds” about how to raise our children, how to get into the best colleges? Why not explore the world and travel and live off the land. Why NOT HAVE FUN? It’s a short ride and we’ll miss the scenery if we don’t relax and experience this amazing planet.
So, when MItt Romney says something so mundane as "We need to give tax breaks to corporations so they can create jobs... " I ask you: FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS THEY'VE HAD THE BUSH TAX CUTS AND THEY HAVEN'T CREATED JOBS. No, in fact they have no stimulus to do so. If they paid taxes they would be more motivated to create more competition and better products, but instead they have all been hoarding the wealth, downsizing, keeping profits, and shutting down jobs, DESPITE HAVING THESE HUGE TAX BREAKS AND CORPORATE WELFARE -- as Obama said: "Exxon enjoys subsidies!! And makes a killing off us. WHY?
ReplyDeleteI read the article, and yes that is the question of the ages. "why can't we just enjoy our brief time here?".
ReplyDeleteIn fact this is the core in most religions for the concept of an "adversary", or "devil". Man long ago concluded that there must be some sort of opposing force coercing man into vile and selfish behavior, otherwise this life would be pretty easy.
The right wing sorts, those who claim to worship God but in reality they worship capitalism, hence their god is money. And in worshiping that god they deceive the population into believing that money is actually "something".
Its not.
Money is an intangible. Its value we ascribe.
They also lie in that we all have to work work work, till we age and drop dead, which is why our life spans are so short.
They opine about the old days of "hard work", back when people worked backbreaking work from sun up to sunset as if this were something to be desired when in fact its a sure fire guarantee for a short life span. Because back in the "good ole days", the average life span of the working man was about 30 to 40 years.
Now we work less, and live twice as long.
The human body could easily go 150 years. Easily. But it doesn't, because we wear it out prematurely.
We don't honor the temples God gave us to inhabit. We desecrate them, by omitting sleep, stress, redundant physical and mental labors that wear out joints, tendons, sinew, and leave us old, senile and weak. We make foods that are poison to us and pump foul chemicals into our air that poison our lungs and grow cancers in us all.
Capitalism, i.e "greed", stands in the way of truly honoring the lives we are given. Its unholy demands on the majority so that the minority can live in the lap of luxury, is a lie.
The truth?
Our resources on this planet, are sufficient to support all life. There is enough for everyone.
Renewable energies, automation and technology that we possess today could make the world literally the sort of Utopian society ancient authors wrote of.
But we don't. Because of one verse in Genesis, that drives our "Christian" government leaders and their constituents to pigeonhole us all in the dark ages. That verse?
"By the sweat of they brow thou shalt earn they bread all the days of thy life".
That's it. Because of that verse, "Christians" concluded that unless a man works from sunup to sunset, every day of his life. So, that's what we do.
And we wear ourselves out and we pride ourselves on how much meaningless work we can waste our time here on this planet doing, without ever bothering to consider that maybe we could do more, be more, ...if we used our brains a little instead of always our backs.
After all, the book said "by the sweat of thy BROW", not "thy back".
I personally always interpreted that to mean a man, unlike the beasts of the field should use our brains instead of just our brawn. And considering that the frontal lobe is literally in our "brows", I think I'm on pretty good footing with that interpretation.
But either way, its not changing in our lifetimes. It will change eventually, over time as man gets smarter and realizes that our technology can literally now do any and all of the menial labor we now indenture our citizens into wasting their lives on. After all, a robot can do pretty much anything physical that a human can do now, including building and repairing other robots.
ReplyDeleteSo with time, we'll see a change in our society, and that dreaded "socialism" that the lowbrow throwbacks from the dark ages decries will be where our societies eventually navigate towards. And when they do, we'll see crime all but cease to exist as man has sufficient for his needs, and people have more free time to pursue those things they want to pursue.
People will of course still "work", but it won't be work as it is today. It will be play compared to what we do now. Humans will no longer need to indenture a half their waking time a soulless corporation, simply to put food on the table or a roof over their heads.
Of course I describe the world of the future. A world where right wing won't exist. Nor will left wing.
Just "smart wing".
Sorry for the rampant typos by the way. Worfy's tired, and going to bed.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, before the lowbrows come in to call Worf lazy, just remember.
ReplyDeleteWorf's been working longer than most of these lowbrow throwbacks, have been breathing oxygen.
This isn't about politics. This is about facing reality. And reality is there's ample materials and resources for us all.
The problem is simply greed.
By the way, what's that you're drinking in that last picture Lydia?
ReplyDeleteLooks like a Red Bull.
"What do you think the meaning of life is?"
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my greatest difficulties. What is the meaning and purpose?
Johnny, have you ever read "Jonathan Livingston Seagull", by Bach?
ReplyDeleteIts an analogical story that offers keen insight into our time in this mortal sphere and purpose.
Those who assume that this dimension is all there must be to existence, haven't really taken the time to think it through.
I call atheists 'lazy brained'. If its not in front of their noses, then they're too lazy to think beyond it.
... and if Jonathan Livingston Seagull is too hard for you;
ReplyDeleteTry the Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Very good explanation of the meaning of life in there if you can find it.
PS if you liked Jonathan Livingston Seagull,
try Illusions, very good book by Richard Bach also.
lol, the Little Prince.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading that in grade school Clif.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing mans found since he's been here, is just accepting what's visibly in front of his nose, is not a good way to fly.
ReplyDeleteCareful examination has opened all sorts of doors into other worlds we didn't know existed, from the microcosmic life forms, quantum physics, and now even dimensional theory that is becoming more and more evidenced by findings in other areas.
And once you get to the point where you can wrap your brain around the concept of another dimension, then all sorts of possibilities open up.
Now let me be clear. I don't believe organized religion has all the answers if any. And I know I don't have any answers. I don't know what's there, or where there is or even what there is. If there's anything at all. But it does seem to point to it the more you study the question.
A good place to start, is draw a picture of the universe. Its really not round but for ease just draw that circle. Then ask yourself, what's beyond that. Draw another circle, simulating whatever you think might be beyond that. If you think its nothing, then fine. Draw a nothing. But pic a point to where that nothing reaches. Then draw what's beyond that.
Soon your brain will begin to see the problem with the tangible and temporal. It will help open the door for your brain, to expand the concept of this life.
Frozen beer infuriates me.
ReplyDeleteOn the bright side,however,my fortune cookie just said that "I will be honored.
: )
Hmmmmmmmm........I wonder who is going to hold the ceremony?
Britney, from Big Brother, would be my first pick.
She's purrrrrttty!
I don't like the fat ones....LOL!
So glad we could share this moment.
ReplyDeleteJohnnymoomoo said...
ReplyDelete"What do you think the meaning of life is?"
This is one of my greatest difficulties. What is the meaning and purpose?
3:44 AM
Johnnymoomoo said...
Frozen beer infuriates me.
On the bright side,however,my fortune cookie just said that "I will be honored.
: )
Hmmmmmmmm........I wonder who is going to hold the ceremony?
Britney, from Big Brother, would be my first pick.
She's purrrrrttty!
I don't like the fat ones....LOL!
4:53 PM
stick to the Little Prince ......
trust me on this one mook mook.
No,Cliff,you seem to focus on "Relative meaning" ( achievement, love, marriage, children, enjoyment, & religion.)
ReplyDeleteI consider these items "vagaries of perception" however what is the ultimate purpose of these relative meanings???
"Relative meaning contains the possibility of disillusionment.
If we put our trust in possessions, success,
marriage, children, enjoyment, religion,
we can be profoundly disappointed if that 'meaning' fails."
..........we might still feel an ultimate hollowness,
a spiritual or existential meaninglessness.
I'm talking about "Existential meaning."
"Human life seems like a useless, meaningless treadmill.
It is like a huge industrial complex for producing oil,
but all of the oil is needed to keep the machines running!
All it accomplishes is its own perpetuation.
What's the point of running around in a squirrel-cage if I am giving my life to a rat-race without a goal?"
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfkaqlVBWC1qzs7dpo1_500.png
ReplyDeleteThe very act of asking what is the purpose, ....implies there might be one.
mook mook
ReplyDeleteREAD the little prince,
the book discusses EXACTLY what you're moaning about.
Oh yea not beer but the other thingy,
the meaning of life in the rat race.
Years ago,Lydia, suggested I read Viktor Frankls "The Meaning of Life."
ReplyDeleteAlthough an excellent read it certainly did not answer any deep philosophical questions......he seemed to focus on relative meaning albeit,his marriage and love which I know is an illusion........fact!!
Ultimately,Cliffy,I don't have time to read children's books.....LOL!
How about giving me a synopsis?
At least,Worf,seems to be a little bit more open minded. He uses words like might or may......smart!
ReplyDeleteMy grade 12 philosophy 101 book says that human beings are greedy by nature. Is this meaning & purpose?
I hope there is some ultimate purpose but I will never dis illusion myself with opiates and conjecture until I see hard evidence.
Spite, Johnny, Spite.
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of life is to simply take everything the universe can throw at you and survive.
To come out the other side and flip a big metaphysical bird at the universe.
This is the meaning of life...
Go to the new thread. I'll respond in there.
ReplyDelete