dwtbd

People can attach all kinds of bs to things , when we lose sight of what a thing is , the 'thing' that humanity is is 'everyone else' .Would you permit others to generalize about yourself, probably not, but for some reason we find it easier to generalize about everyone else individually as long as we try and point to all those others together.

RobbyRobot

That's one way to go with it, lol. Me, I'm more upbeat on humanity having both "lightness and darkness" as being reflective of our true nature. Can we make choices? Yeah, we can and we do. Is life fair? I don't see life being fair about much really. Does it even matter? Yeah, the living of life matters just for its own sake.

The poem below is more to my experience with my own walk and talk on my journey. I suppose self-honesty is importantly what we have to offer from ourselves when we don't collectively agree on the circumstances of life, yeah?



Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be critical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be careful. Strive to be happy.

© Max Ehrmann 1927

Olive1

Is it copyright infringement to get that poem tattooed on my person?

trachemys

I much prefer this one:

Deteriorata.

Go placidly amid the noise and waste,
And remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Avoid quiet and passive persons, unless you are in need of sleep.
Rotate your tires.
Speak glowingly of those greater than yourself,
And heed well their advice, even though they be turkeys.
Know what to kiss, and when.
Consider that two wrongs never make a right, but that three do.
Wherever possible, put people on hold.
Be comforted that in the face of all aridity and disillusionment,
and despite the changing fortunes of time,
There is always a big future in computer maintenance.

Remember The Pueblo.
Strive at all times to bend, fold, spindle, and mutilate.
Know yourself. If you need help, call the FBI.
Exercise caution in your daily affairs,
Especially with those persons closest to you -
That lemon on your left, for instance.
Be assured that a walk through the ocean of most souls
Would scarcely get your feet wet.
Fall not in love therefore. It will stick to your face.
Gracefully surrender the things of youth: birds, clean air, tuna, Taiwan.
And let not the sands of time get in your lunch.
Hire people with hooks.
For a good time, call 606-4311. Ask for Ken.
Take heart in the bedeepening gloom
That your dog is finally getting enough cheese.
And reflect that whatever fortune may be your lot,
It could only be worse in Milwaukee.

You are a fluke of the universe.
You have no right to be here.
And whether you can hear it or not,
The universe is laughing behind your back.

Therefore, make peace with your god,
Whatever you perceive him to be - hairy thunderer, or cosmic muffin.
With all its hopes, dreams, promises, and urban renewal,
The world continues to deteriorate.
Give up!

Cow

Attention SR shoppers! Is special on dueling existentialist poem in Aisle Cow!

alphaomega

It is SO much easier to sit and p1ss and moan about how awful the state of the world is, and how nasty people really are underneath, and how there is nothing but darkness and void and what a grand mistake human beings are, then it is to get up off your sorry ass and actually do something to change it.

Cow

I prays to thee Mother Mary and you magic Baby Jesus, Buddha and you magic tree, Krishna and you magic flute, AlphaOmega and you magic wand! I calls upon thee Shiva and you third eye, Sauron and you allergy eye! I begs of you Zeus and you menacing thunderbolt, Hall and you menacing Oate! All Gods, I beseeches you reveal unto me meaning of this absurd and gossamer existence twisted 'round its fleeting mortal coil! ...oh, and if you could maybe also smote Justin Bieber at you earliest convenience, that be awesome! Amen.

gardendiva

Not pissing, not moaning, don't think the state of the world is only awful, don't think all people are nasty underneath, don't think everything is darkness.

Just realistic about humanity: we ain't all that grand.

Cow

For record I not think everything is stone cold darkness either, but I think humans is mostly greedy, corrupt, violent, lying, territorial, intolerant, destructive, selfish species ...with couple good apples throw in. I not a good apple, although I enjoys a good apple, usually with nice piece of Manchego cheese, artisanally craft by human. And creativity, to me, is the great characteristic of human. I does say total bravo to that. And thank gods, cuz that way we can listen to Mozart or watch Hell's Kitchen instead of news about latest child sex crime or bombings of civilian.

AO, I can no barely get off "sorry ass" to take shower, so I not gonna be changing world any time soon. Sorry. And to be honest, if I ever does feel better, and find I has some energies and/or motivations, I gonna use them all up on myself.
(Sounds you hear is AO striking me with her magic wand.)

trachemys

Yes, total bravo to Mozart and Smite Bieber!

We need t-shirts.

RobbyRobot

I think humans mostly simply human. Its not difficult to realize being human doesn't always satisfy all humans. Why should it? Even so, this doesn't mean humanity is base and nasty. Humans are as humans do.

Some people just can't handle the truth. No matter. What's to do for it?

Life before death is the only show in town. The cost of admission is priceless, lol.

dSober

Well this has become a real pick me upper. Anybody got a gun I can borrow? Only need one bullet, lol.

Cow

Is you think is fair to say, Robot, that humans live together collectively worse than any other species on planet, and they is least in balance with they habitats and resources. Also, I has NEVER had judgement about humans. Everybody think my adjectives is judgements. No, is just observations and realities. Humans not ASK to evolve and at end of day they do what they do. And at extinction of species, they will has done what they done. Is not for me to judge, any more than for me to judge dinosaur.

RobbyRobot

If we're to be considered just another species, then the writing on the wall is clear: we're at the top of the food chain, honey. End of story. It may not be pretty, but there it is. As a species we rule - just like the dinosaurs, yeah?

Judgments not to you liking? Me, I judge others as I judge myself. I don't know how not to judge. Nothing in my life frees me from the responsibility of owning what I am. And as well what I am not. I am not judgment free, I know that like I know death follows life.

I understand people want to live in a judgment free existence. How sweet that might be if it was doable. There are no free lunches for any of us. I can appreciate how people shape their beliefs to fit what they can live with for themselves. I do the same, don't we all?

Cow

I think you misunderstands me, Robot. Is no question human on top food chain, but that have nothing to do with query about how we doing comparative as far as living well collectively and living in balance with our habitats and resources.

I make no judgement on any species as whole, existentially, but of course I has personal judgements of individuals within many species, particularly, pissy chihuahua next door.

I not has ANY worry about judgements after death and not think universe give rat's ass about behavior of human or any species. Is not relevant to universe. Universe going with the flow. We might as well be end tables as stars as chihuahuas. (Goddman that hard to spell!)

Also, I write many many post about my being rather crappy individual, so I not trying to escape any judgements, including my own.

dSober

Yep, we're infinitesimal dots, only relevant to ourselves and each other.

Soberpotamus

Ha! Awesome

Soberpotamus

I get that, Cow. I often have those thoughts... like, wow what are the odds? I was born human instead of ant, or tree. How do I feel about that? It brings me back to a philosophical position or argument that goes something along the lines of... is a man happy he's a man and not a pig? What if you were the pig? And you didn't have the headaches and concerns of a man? Whose life truly is superior? And how will we ever know what it is like to be another species to make that judgement call?

Interesting stuffs.

Cow

But really, is no 'cost' of admissions. Some would say YOU is total random chance. Some would say YOU is miracle. I think everything that exist is just giant blip of infinite universal Mandelbrot set and is really nothing any individual ever can truly comprehend. (In case you not familiar, although lot of it look similar each speck of Mandelbrot set is total unique. It demonstrate infinite derivative which to Cow make most sense as model for ever expanding universe full of unique objects.)

Deepest Mandelbrot Set Zoom Animation ever - a New Record! 10^275 (2.1E275 or 2^915) - YouTube

dSober

2.1E275, WOW! A little bit closer. Infinitely little bit, lol.