For me: I'm trying to find a way to help improve the way we 'taker-humans' live. It's of vital importance to me I contribute something positive to this world that will last beyond my lifetime.
I don't know exactly how to do this though, but I think this place could be part of it, or rather, is meant to be part of it.
I now see things rather different.
How can I NOT contribute, seeing that I AM on this world? Isn't the very fact that I exist enough?
Isn't to willingly share one's riches with one's surroundings enough?
What has (e.g.) Ken Lay contributed, though? Has he shared "his" riches with his surroundings (not being limited to the direct circle of relatives and friends, but rather pertaining to the land he lives off (and all humans and nonhumans who live(d) there), the places whence he has taken "his" resources)?
This is both a rhetorical and a real, practical question.
To what degree is "willingly shar[ing] one's riches with one's surroundings" corollary to "the very fact that [one] exist[s]", in this regard?
Posts: 2736 | Location: Andijvie | Registered: 25 June 2002
I don't know, I really don't. I only know that for ME, personally, that's more or less the way it seems to work. I think.
I can't speak for Lay, but it would seem that his life's ambition was to NOT share in the community of life on this planet, whereas I'm trying to learn if that is MY life's purpose.
<Miles>
Posted
BTW> Could it be that to some, this site functions as a sort of aid to perpetuate abusive behavior? Not THAT would be ironic on SO many levels...
Alrighty. It just sounded like a general statement, that's why I asked.
Still, to what degree is "willingly shar[ing your] riches with [your] surroundings" corollary to "the very fact that [you] exist", in this regard - if it is? Could you provide a glimpse of your (attempted?) learning process here? And how do you, would you or will you know what your purpose is? (Thought, sensory perception, emotion, feeling, etc.?)
Posts: 2736 | Location: Andijvie | Registered: 25 June 2002
BTW> Could it be that to some, this site functions as a sort of aid to perpetuate abusive behavior? Not THAT would be ironic on SO many levels...
I would reckon that given the level of projection and deflection in every case of abuse, to those "some" (by golly, if only there were but some) everything potentially functions thusly. As such, I suppose this website functions as a mirror and a school and a community and a city and a family and basically anything just as well.
Posts: 2736 | Location: Andijvie | Registered: 25 June 2002
Still, to what degree is "willingly shar[ing your] riches with [your] surroundings" corollary to "the very fact that [you] exist", in this regard - if it is?
I'm of course not sure, but that seems to be the way it works (at least for now). This is not to say I don't actively look for ways to 'share', but I think this kind of thing more or less regulates itself.
The key is that as a part of the community of life, we can only take FROM it if we are prepared to equally contribute TO it. Obviously, most of us (me included) don't.
This is also relevant to the Lay example: this dude most definately was NOT interested in 'returning the favor', all he did was grab as much as you can and run.
<Miles>
Posted
You may notice I find it hard to talk about these things, this is because I very much feel I'm learning; I don't want to come across as someone who 'knows how to live', or like some sort of wannabe guru or something ( I percieve this type of attitude to be one of the prime problems in the world.) My posts regarding this are mostly thinking outloud.
The key is that as a part of the community of life, we can only take FROM it if we are prepared to equally contribute TO it. Obviously, most of us (me included) don't.
The technical name for this is 'reciprocation'. Theories about this abound in the social and evolutionary sciences as well as in Game Theory, a branch of mathematics.
People like Lay, those who take but do not reciprocate, are called Cheaters.
Baloney: A uniformly textured, mildly flavored immitation meat product for consumption comprised mainly of fat, meat by-products, salt and flavor enhancers which is high in calories and low in nutrition.
Posts: 861 | Location: Over Here | Registered: 06 July 2002
I'm not particularly interested in leaving something that will last after I'm gone. I'm interested in my own process while I'm still in this body.
And I don't care whether I achieve certain goals or somebody else beats me to it.
My participation here is a way to spend some time and to define myself in relation to others who post here. Writing makes it easier for me to express myself. And I enjoy it.
No earth-shattering reasons, I know...
It is still pretty much how I feel. I was never good at finding reasons for things. And, I am still not. Should there even be a reason, I often wondered.
I found that with myself, when I think of a reason for doing something, that reason changes pretty quickly. Whereas when I do not have a reason, my choice will last a whole while longer.
Basically I feel that what we give back to this world is reason free. There are things we do with a reason, such as donating to charity, or whatever form one chooses to consciously and reasonably give back.
Yet, when we move past the reason (or rather, *before* the reason) we will be showing how we give back by *being*, before all reason and symptoms attached to that reason (i.e. addiction, attachment etc.)
quote:
Miles: My posts regarding this are mostly thinking outloud.
It is that process, I feel. It is about growth, on a mental, emotional, physical and spiritual level.
quote:
Miles: I now see things rather different.
How can I NOT contribute, seeing that I AM on this world? Isn't the very fact that I exist enough?
Amen
Posts: 1927 | Location: pending | Registered: 18 December 2004
Re: this site functions as a sort of aid to perpetuate abusive behavior?
**You seem to be suggesting that this site has some inherent negative character? My observation is that the site aids whatever the humans bring to it. If we treat each other like crap, it aids that. If we listen to one another and speak respectfully, it aids that.
Like it or not, it seems to me, we are part of this movement called life. Given that fact, as long as we are alive, we will be acting and affecting (contributing to) what is going on in life. If we act compassionately, that's what we'll bring to the mix. If we act divisively, that's what we'll bring to the mix. The choice to not contribute is not an option as long as we are alive, it seems to me. And if we choose to remove ourself from this life, that too will be a contribution.
That's my observation, anyway.
Regards - Howard
"Thought works by conditioning. It has to get conditioned. You need conditioning to learn a language, to learn how to write, or to do all sorts of things. When the conditioning gets too rigid, though, it won't change when it should." - David Bohm
Posts: 1211 | Location: Southern California | Registered: 16 August 2002
You seem to be suggesting that this site has some inherent negative character?
No, I'm not. I'm merely wondering if it would at all be possbile that certain people make use of this website in such a way that it perpetuates and enforces their abusive mindset and behaviour.
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