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Life is an amazing adventure with endless possibilities. I feel sorry for those that think otherwise.
Agree. We were never promised a rose garden. It's what you make of what you have. Stop worrying about others. Sure there are people in this world that are stuck in some bad situations. But even many of them find happiness. It's out there.
The four noble truths are dukkha, samudaya, nirodha, and marga. Roughly translated to suffering, the cause of suffering, the end of suffering, and the path that leads to the end of suffering.
All life is suffering. That's not pessimistic nor optimistic. It just is.
Suffering is caused by greed and desire, ignorance, and hatred.
The end of suffering is liberation, enlightenment, nirvana.
The path to liberation is the eightfold path.
I see responses ranging from naturalism (we are animals) to cokeyed optimism to optimism to practical-ism to the Buddhist philosophy to pessimism. Being a pragmatist I favor the pessimism and pragmatic. Life is good for the well-to-do 10%. For the other 90% of us it's dog-eat-dog. It shouldn't be that way but as one responder said, "It is what it is." That's life.
I see responses ranging from naturalism (we are animals) to cokeyed optimism to optimism to practical-ism to the Buddhist philosophy to pessimism. Being a pragmatist I favor the pessimism and pragmatic. Life is good for the well-to-do 10%. For the other 90% of us it's dog-eat-dog. It shouldn't be that way but as one responder said, "It is what it is." That's life.
But, again, that's not immutable. To shrugh and go "that's life" is to give up, imo. People can change life! It doesn't have to be dog-eat-dog!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thrillobyte
I see responses ranging from naturalism (we are animals) to cokeyed optimism to optimism to practical-ism to the Buddhist philosophy to pessimism. Being a pragmatist I favor the pessimism and pragmatic. Life is good for the well-to-do 10%. For the other 90% of us it's dog-eat-dog. It shouldn't be that way but as one responder said, "It is what it is." That's life.
Seriously, refer back to my comment. I am far from being in the "well-to-do 10%". My father worked in a rubber factory and never made over $10 an hour and came home filthy after each shift or double-shift he worked. It's amazing he hasn't died from black lung honestly. I grew up in a very modest home, but was fortunate in that I never went to bed hungry. Faced with no way to pay for college after High School, I enlisted in the military which in turn helped with college, which in turn helped with life.
I am doing well (not 10% well) but only because I took advantage of opportunities along the way. BTW, I believe you meant "cockeyed" optimism, as I have no idea what this "cokeyed" optimism that you speak of is. I am certainly an optimist, but far from foolish or cockeyed. You sir, have a case of cockeyed pessimism. Best to you...you'll need it.
...Life is good for the well-to-do 10%. For the other 90% of us it's dog-eat-dog. ...
I don’t resent that the wealthy or the talented or the fortunate, might have better lives than mine. Life’s unfair. But most certainly I DO resent when others didactically inform me, that it is foolish to be unhappy, and that it’s incumbent on me to “stay positive” and to “be thankful” for being alive. My complaint isn’t that life is bad, but that complaining itself is viewed as being bad. To be irritable, irascible and pessimistic is, at least for me personally, a great release and a pleasure. But our society limits and corrals such pleasure, even more than it does all sorts of licentious indulgences.
Life is pretty much dog-eat-dog in any echelon, high or low. The only difference is in the contents of the diet.
If all one sees in life is pain and misery you're bound to be a bitter, miserable person. Its not karma, its not fate or your "destiny" It's a choice. Some folk haven't figured it out. They're the ones complaining about their neighbors, or pets or house or relatives or jobs. The ironic thing is they're all complaining about things well within their control.
Life is good for the well-to-do 10%. For the other 90% of us it's dog-eat-dog. It shouldn't be that way but as one responder said, "It is what it is." That's life.
Being well-to-do has its own problems. You have to be guarded about your money and your relationships with people. You have to sacrifice many things in your life to earn and accumulate more money. Rich people can still have problems with drugs and depression.
So, it's not exactly easy street, although I agree it beats living in poverty and dirtiness. Can't really argue with that.
I don’t resent that the wealthy or the talented or the fortunate, might have better lives than mine. Life’s unfair. But most certainly I DO resent when others didactically inform me, that it is foolish to be unhappy, and that it’s incumbent on me to “stay positive” and to “be thankful” for being alive. My complaint isn’t that life is bad, but that complaining itself is viewed as being bad. To be irritable, irascible and pessimistic is, at least for me personally, a great release and a pleasure. But our society limits and corrals such pleasure, even more than it does all sorts of licentious indulgences.
Life is pretty much dog-eat-dog in any echelon, high or low. The only difference is in the contents of the diet.
It's all those "happiness gurus" (and the people who buy into their brand of BS) who peddle "if you are not happy it's your own fault and I will teach you how to be 100% happy, 100% of the time, for only $$$$ per workshop".
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