May 21, 2005
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Topic: The following is in response to keppiezpt, regarding our effect on the world…
I need to come up w/ a short and sweet life philosophy, something like, “life is short and fleeting,” or whatever. Because the type of thinking you’re thinking just keeps coming up over and over. My personal beliefs err on the pessimistic side, so I just don’t dwell on them often. Why waste your time thinking, “shit…in 1000 years, i’ll be meaningless.” When I hear people, environmentalist type people (maybe including yourself) say how we’re heating up the earth too fast, and this might shorten our brief stay on planet earth, all I think is, “Shit…whether we like it or not, at some point mother nature is just gonna kick our asses like the tsunami. Whether it happens in 1,000 or 10,000 years really makes little difference to me.” To me, that’s the reality of the situation. But…today in the shower the thought that I wanted to re-do my life crossed my mind, followed immediately by the reality that whatever the hell this short and fleeting life is, this is it. The whole “you only get 1 shot at life,” thing hit me hard.
I just read the alchemist a few weeks ago, and yeah, it inspired me at first. The whole idea of finding your personal legend, the quote you put up there about your effect on the world. I like the idea of looking at life in a romantic way like that, but I think it can be misleading at times.
Che Guevera in Motorcycle Diaries, when he was overlooking Macchu Pichu in Peru, made a comment, “how could a civilization so amazing, be destroyed, and be replaced by this,” looking at a more modern looking city. Part of Che’s idealism was assuming the grass was greener in older times, when in fact life was probably more difficult, and life certainly shorter. Also, he looked at modern society as it were all bad.
I’m beginning to think that there is no such thing as true “progress,” in terms of creating a better world. Life itself is both misery and joy, and of course, it’s also “short and fleeting.”
We all know this quote, “life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Is there really any other way to view it?
Comments (4)
hey man, soccer is just not what it is in Europe… try going there and finding NFL news…its just isnt very easy to find…just how it goes i guess..
Afew different thoughts here. Yes, life does move pretty fast and if we dont stop and smell the roses, it will be over before we know it. its the whole idea of “be here now”, live in the moment, the infinite now and life is an eternity. and yes, we just get 1 go at this so that is why I want it to make the most of it. to look back and say, i did all i needed and could do because if I have regrets on my death bed, there is no chance to correct them.
As I tell my parents constently, the world never changes- there is always joy, always suffering, happiness and sorrow. there is also always crazy people out there. there have always been and will be for as long as i can invision. the only difference now is that the weapons change. We all urn for the past when things were so much simplier, the good old days, but the truth is, the past is no different from the present. Human problems have always remained the same and will continue to do so as long as we cannot get a long with each other.
I do disagree with you about the idea of progress. I think there is progress. I think we live in a better society then we did 100 years ago, 1000 years ago, or 2000 years ago. we have a lot we still need to change and many miles to go (i mean our materialism is a problem) but we are closer than we were yesterday. Humans have A LOT of problems and the more of us there are the worse our problems will become but I think, if we can get over the environmental crunch that will come and we dont nuke each other to death, we might be alright. (big things to overcome I know)
finally, mother nature always win and one day the sun will swallow the earth but does that mean we should accept that? fuck no. we are destorying the planet. I don’t know when or if jesus will come back or whatever and I don’t know when the next ice age will come but I odnt htink we should quicken it. I dont think to say well eventually we are going to die anyways is a good reason to not try to save the planet. living in harmony with nature is part of that progress I talk about. we can live with nature and I think when we do we will propel ourselves to a level of understanding that will allow to achieve in greater things. I’m a little surprised at what you said. maybe it came out worng but to say ehh we are going to die anyways, is such a defeatist pessimistic view.
i don’t think it’s necessarily a defeatist view, to say that “we’re gonna die anyways.” i’m a realist, never believed in god or supernatural things. although we can put meaning into life, it’s still the reality. it’s a pessimistic/defeatist view, but it can also be used in an optimistic, “make the most of it,” sort of thing, and that’s more what i was getting at.
i question why you say we’ve made great progress, yet you say we’re still plagued by materialism…what is the progress you see in the world, if not material progress? i think you think (and i was like this once), that there is some sort of a perfect world that could be achieved. “If only…” if only we weren’t destroying the earth, if only there wasn’t the threat of war. Are these things to work for? Of course, both because they give us purpose and it’s practical, I would never vote against these things. But…in your writing, you talk about working towards a world devoid of ALL problems. You say “we are closer that we were yesturday” Closer to what? I know what you’re getting at, closer to a world in which we all live in peace and harmony and share and smile and laugh and help one another, but I think the world is too complex a place to ever be like that.
I am going to hop in this conversation as well!
First of all, I think that it’s a very good insight to the whole response you have for the grass is greener. I know that there have been time and travels in my life, where I have been amazed by buildings and writings of ancient times. I have never really thought about it that way, that of course it would have it’s problems. I think that most of us today are quick to jump on the idea that times were better anytime else but this one. I am just glad to be alive, to be here right where I am, and to be who I am. I couldn’t ask for much more.
When it comes to utopiast ideas, I have to say that I am with Matt on this one, where I am going to do everything that I can to make the world a better place. Perhaps it is too unreal an idea, and that I am willing to accept. But it doesn’t mean that I am going to give up on the idea of it either. Perhaps one of the goals you strive to achieve the most are those that are the most difficult to achieve. But I think that either way, there is always the possibility that you can make a difference, no matter how small. It’s exhausting and daunting at times, but there is always an idea that the world and the people in it can be a better place. When it comes to the environmental stuff, for me that runs even deeper. I am considering going eventually into environmental law, so maybe this is why. But I believe that we are going to be the ones that destroy this place, and I don’t want to see the children that come after me paying for our mistakes. When it comes to environmentalists, it can be something spritual, not just something that they are fighting for. It can even run as deep for some people that practice radical “ecotage” as them seeing it as a form of self defense. When someone harms the environment, it can be seen as hurting themselves or their sprituality. Have you read any of Aldo Leopold? This might help to describe something of that feeling. But for me, it just makes sense. It makes sense to try and preserve this place for my children, and my children’s children. I think it takes an ability to see beyond today and think about tomorrow. But that’s just me, and I know that many people see it very differently.
Thank god that the world is as complicated as it is though, or it could be a very boring place.