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So perpetual horror and sadness is the human condition, regardless of how much we try to teach people not to be dickweeds
Teaching people not to be dickweeds, and trying to not be dickweeds ourselves, is the Sisyphean task of all good people.
I’d prefer a rock. At least then I’d feel like I’m doing something
In early human bands and with the invention of projectiles weapons such as slings, we had an answer.
“The Great Mammoth Who Lives in the Sun created cavemen. Grugnog Who Sharpens Sticks made them equal.”
“If Grugnog hero. Why Grugnog in gulog? Me no understand.”
This is basically the central conceit to Buddhism
Eh, I think Buddhism is moreso about managing longings to minimize personal suffering.
Y’all seem to be extrapolating things from the OP that I’m not sure is really there.
Literally the first thing that Buddhism has to teach is “Life is suffering”. Its the first Noble Truth
People added the “Life is” part. The four noble truths are written like a doctor’s diagnosis for the time.
Issue: Suffering, particularly clinging to the aggregates
Cause: Craving Is it treatable: Yes, by ending craving
Prescription: Eightfold pathBuddhism doesn’t deny that life contains pleasure and joy. In a very real way, part of the path includes its development through the jhanas, or right concentration.
I know, I wasn’t coming in here to have a theological discussion. I’m just pointing out the similarities.
And there you go! 🙂
Right. So that seems pretty similar to
So perpetual horror and sadness is the human condition, regardless of how much we try to teach people not to be dickweeds
doesn’t it?
Not to my mind, sorry.
Now, I don’t mean to disagree for the sake of internet battles or ego (because who the hell am I?),But… I find OP’s statement a super-generalistic, toxic, self-defeating takeaway from both the OP quote, and as you say, Buddhism in general. (that said, there are plenty of valid critiques upon various schools of Buddhism IMO)
If you truly believe in kindness, know this: It must be cultivated, it must be won, fiercely, and it must be defended, with every last drop of blood
What a stupid world. Fighting for kindness is an oxymoron
We claw at the walls of the hole, till our fingers are bloody, knowing we won’t achieve much. However, with enough time and effort, those scrapes will become the footholds for future generations to climb that much higher out of hell. Just as we stand braced by the effort of our ancestors.
It’s not an easy climb, but each attempt makes the next one that bit easier.
But we’re never getting out of this hole
The goal isn’t to get out, just improving things is a win. Even when we backslide, reclimbing an existing path, or forging a new one, based on the lessons of a failed path is an improvement.
Yeah but we’re still gonna be in a hole
Oh wait, I get it, being human is the hole
Each step up is still an improvement, in absolute terms. Most of human development has been finding out how to move up the hole.
I’m happy if I can leave things for our children even slightly better than we received it. It’s the ultimate relay race.
“One day this hole will be yours. Don’t even think of getting out.”
Welcome to life. I can’t get you out of it, all I can do is make it that bit better, in the hope that you can build on that further.
This is where I embrace absurdism.
Have an absurd cake day!
No one listens to old people because, “Ew”.
But, also because old people’s advice can be, not necessarily is, but can be outdated and irrelevant. So, it can take some effort to parse and sort what they say.
Young person says something.
Old person, “Yes, I remember believing that, here’s why I changed my mind. Have you considered…”
Young person: “You smell bad.”
Yeah, but previously these people threatened cities, states, even nations and ethnic groups. Today I claim it’s different. These people are threatening humanity as a whole and life itself. One cannot be docile
