Phillipe Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 well, I don't know the person I previously replied to at all, and you not very well, & would not be presumptuous enough to comment on other ppl's lives, so I can only speak from my own: if, given the way my life has been thusfar, and especially the goings-on of the last few years, and with nothing "good" or "positive" ahead to logically look forward to, if I can hold this point of view, anybody can:even in the worst of times, in the most **ty godawful hopeless situations where it seems like something like 'hope' would be flat-out foolish, there is SOMETHING there- some little hidden unseen something to uncover, hold on, and build on- and from that, you can move forward.I understand about speaking for only yourself: that's a point that often goes by the wayside.But I seriously don't think I could hold that point of view. It just isn't my nature. My boys are the only things that are really holding me here (and with one in college, that connection is growing longer and weaker) - other than them, or when they decide they don't need me anymore, there really isn't anything. Which is kind of nice, in a way - it's a freedom to move on.But where's the worth? (Remember Clara Peller? - "Where's the beef?!?") I don't see any finish line in front of me - no piles of treasure, no assurances of eternal paradise. I have no proof that I'll be reincarnated, or that my energy will survive my organic shell. Some of those could be supplied by my belief system, and that's probably at the root of why mankind wants so desparately to believe in something - the fear of nothingness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverRose Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 I understand about speaking for only yourself: that's a point that often goes by the wayside.But I seriously don't think I could hold that point of view. It just isn't my nature. My boys are the only things that are really holding me here (and with one in college, that connection is growing longer and weaker) - other than them, or when they decide they don't need me anymore, there really isn't anything. Which is kind of nice, in a way - it's a freedom to move on.But where's the worth? (Remember Clara Peller? - "Where's the beef?!?") I don't see any finish line in front of me - no piles of treasure, no assurances of eternal paradise. I have no proof that I'll be reincarnated, or that my energy will survive my organic shell. Some of those could be supplied by my belief system, and that's probably at the root of why mankind wants so desparately to believe in something - the fear of nothingness.you don't need an "afterlife" or some kind of future "reward"- by 'worth it' I'm referring to THIS life... next year, tomorrow- if you don't see something there, it'd be a good idea to start... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillipe Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 you don't need an "afterlife" or some kind of future "reward"- by 'worth it' I'm referring to THIS life... next year, tomorrow- if you don't see something there, it'd be a good idea to start...Again...why?Why search for something? If it isn't readily apparent, it seems like a waste of energy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qryos Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 ~ Ahhh Phil! Haven't you ever enjoyed a sunset? A really good one's worth waiting around for.& oh, a grandchild! That's a pile of treasure for sure!!!You're going to die. That's something guaranteed. In the meantime, before that, there's that really good cup of coffee on a patio with Spring blooming about.There's probably going to be a good book or maybe even a few...A really comfortable moment before a fire with a smile on your lips.They may be small moments, but each is unique & once-in-a-lifetime & so why not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mererdog Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 (edited) Prove it.There's an old Taoist saying that goes something like "Everything smells like **, when your head is up your ass." Ok, maybe I'm paraphrasing just a bit, but the core message remains untouched. Life is worth it because I decided that life is worth it. If you decide that life is not worth it, life will not be worth it. And that will be entirely your doing. Edited March 16, 2008 by murphzlaw1.5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fawzo Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 There's an old Taoist saying that goes something like "Everything smells like **, when your head is up your ass." Ok, maybe I'm paraphrasing just a bit, but the core message remains untouched. Life is worth it because I decided that life is worth it. If you decide that life is not worth it, life will not be worth it. And that will be entirely your doing.Can we assume then from the Taoist parable that anyone who perceives life that way is surely twisted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillipe Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 ~ Ahhh Phil! Haven't you ever enjoyed a sunset?I've experienced them...A really good one's worth waiting around for.The same with women, but you won't catch me holding my breath...& oh, a grandchild! That's a pile of treasure for sure!!!A pile of something, for sure...just not something I choose to deal with right now.You're going to die. That's something guaranteed.Is it? With all the advances of science, is it really? Couldn't I be frozen before I go? I'd still be technically alive, no?In the meantime, before that, there's that really good cup of coffee on a patio with Spring blooming about.There's probably going to be a good book or maybe even a few...A really comfortable moment before a fire with a smile on your lips.They may be small moments, but each is unique & once-in-a-lifetime & so why not?So it all comes down to "why not", huh?Hmmm......but why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillipe Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 There's an old Taoist saying that goes something like "Everything smells like **, when your head is up your ass." Ok, maybe I'm paraphrasing just a bit, but the core message remains untouched. Life is worth it because I decided that life is worth it. If you decide that life is not worth it, life will not be worth it. And that will be entirely your doing.Was the saying old, or just the Taoist saying it? Might be important if this ever goes to court...Yes, perception is everything, as I miss no opportunity to remind people.So Silver Rose's announcement that "life isn't easy but it's worth it" - it had meaning to you, right? But not to me. ......So therefore, I can sue her for the alienation of my spirituality, forcible belief-system alteration and felony happy-happy, right? See? I knew this would end up in court... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bel Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Was the saying old, or just the Taoist saying it? Might be important if this ever goes to court...Yes, perception is everything, as I miss no opportunity to remind people.So Silver Rose's announcement that "life isn't easy but it's worth it" - it had meaning to you, right? But not to me. ......So therefore, I can sue her for the alienation of my spirituality, forcible belief-system alteration and felony happy-happy, right? See? I knew this would end up in court...Phil my Sweet, this is making you grumpy. Go to my room, I know how to fix that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillipe Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Phil my Sweet, this is making you grumpy. Go to my room, I know how to fix that.NO!Don' WANNA!!! Don' Wa......your room?...OK... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverRose Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Again...why?Why search for something? If it isn't readily apparent, it seems like a waste of energy.you say one thing in this post, something entirely different in one a ways later on... which is it- are u disillusioned and bummed-out, or just lazy?no one can force u to "go for" the good things in life... it is 100% in your own hands whether or not to do so... but if you acknowledge that, and decide 'no,' for whatever your reasons, that's a huge difference from there not being anything there at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argonious Posted March 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Wow it is really a new insight on things with this post to see, that maybe there isn't that glorification of living forever in any state of being or mind..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bel Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 NO!Don' WANNA!!! Don' Wa......your room?...OK... I know what you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillipe Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Wow it is really a new insight on things with this post to see, that maybe there isn't that glorification of living forever in any state of being or mind..... Not if people go back and forth like this for eternity! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillipe Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 you say one thing in this post, something entirely different in one a ways later on... which is it- are u disillusioned and bummed-out, or just lazy?Yes.no one can force u to "go for" the good things in life... it is 100% in your own hands whether or not to do so... but if you acknowledge that, and decide 'no,' for whatever your reasons, that's a huge difference from there not being anything there at allJust as there's a huge difference if you take the position that life IS worth living, yet there really is nothing there at all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillipe Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 I know what you want.You couldn't handle what I want... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverRose Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 wooo, trouble's gonna brew NOW.....!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fawzo Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 I don't think we should let him drive the bus with his present state of mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mererdog Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 (edited) Yes, perception is everything, as I miss no opportunity to remind people.Perception isn't everything. Perception is predicated by perspective, and perspective is predicated by attitude. Change your attitude, and your perception changes.So Silver Rose's announcement that "life isn't easy but it's worth it" - it had meaning to you, right? But not to me.If it had no meaning for you, you wouldn't have asked her to prove it: You'd have asked her what she was talking about. It has meaning for you. You are simply denying that meaning. As you said, "My boys are the only things that are really holding me here". There are two ways to read that. One, is the way that you wanted it read: "Look how little I care about everything." The other way is "Look at these things I care about so much that they make life worth it." Things would be much easier for you if you honestly didn't care- if you honestly didn't think that life was worth it. I can see that. But that simply isn't the case, is it? Edited March 16, 2008 by murphzlaw1.5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillipe Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Things would be much easier if you honestly didn't care- if you honestly didn't think that life was worth it. But that isn't the case, is it?After participating in this thread, I can honestly say that NO, it isn't worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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