Jericoacoara
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Posts: 744
Fortaleza IAP 1.0
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« Reply #15 on: March 10, 2008, 04:48:40 PM » |
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I am impressed with the quality of creative writing by everyone here.  I have started something for sure  I guess it all goes to prove that there are no such thing as absolutes, only different perspectives. |
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The greatest tragedy is for a person to die with the music still within them.
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Gojira
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« Reply #16 on: March 10, 2008, 06:42:15 PM » |
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I am impressed with the quality of creative writing by everyone here. I have started something for sure I guess it all goes to prove that there are no such thing as absolutes, only different perspectives. Seriously, I was about to say stop wasting talent and time on IAP and go write a book! |
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Our democracy has created an environment of indecision at times of impending crisis.
If life is easy for you, then you aint livin.
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Viv.
Full Member
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Posts: 244
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« Reply #17 on: March 11, 2008, 05:12:04 AM » |
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I'd say this thread belongs in philosophy, doesn't it?
Jericoacoara, I share this angst and wonder why, and how, some can function in their self-imposed prisons. There is so much more to experience in this world. But then I always think of this from Voltaire's dictionaire philosophique (liberte de penser):
Médroso. — Vous croyez donc que mon âme est aux galères?
Boldmind. — Oui; et je voudrais la délivrer
Médroso. — Mais si je me trouve bien aux galères?
Boldmind. — En ce cas vous méritez d’y être
rough translation:
M - You think that my soul is in the (slave) galleys?
B - Yes, and i want to free it.
M - But what if I am content there?
B - In that case you deserve to be there.
What if the people you paint are content in their lot?
I like this answer. Godot, I have discussed this with socialist/communist posters...they wish for revolution and to overhaul the system as it stands, but it may be that the majority of people are happy enough with how things are. My friends opine that the happy people should be whipped into revolting whether they are ready or not...they say their principles are based on love. I don't see how it can be love to make change where none is sought. And I don't see their right to impose their vision... I would be interested in your own view of this? |
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PinkTickingClocks
Full Member
Karma: +11/-12
Posts: 176
Be always at war with your vices.
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« Reply #18 on: March 11, 2008, 08:53:57 PM » |
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I'd say this thread belongs in philosophy, doesn't it?
Jericoacoara, I share this angst and wonder why, and how, some can function in their self-imposed prisons. There is so much more to experience in this world. But then I always think of this from Voltaire's dictionaire philosophique (liberte de penser):
Médroso. — Vous croyez donc que mon âme est aux galères?
Boldmind. — Oui; et je voudrais la délivrer
Médroso. — Mais si je me trouve bien aux galères?
Boldmind. — En ce cas vous méritez d’y être
rough translation:
M - You think that my soul is in the (slave) galleys?
B - Yes, and i want to free it.
M - But what if I am content there?
B - In that case you deserve to be there.
What if the people you paint are content in their lot?
I like this answer. Godot, I have discussed this with socialist/communist posters...they wish for revolution and to overhaul the system as it stands, but it may be that the majority of people are happy enough with how things are. My friends opine that the happy people should be whipped into revolting whether they are ready or not...they say their principles are based on love. I don't see how it can be love to make change where none is sought. And I don't see their right to impose their vision... I would be interested in your own view of this? Interesting. Although i must admit i don't read all of the posts, just skim. This thread does not seem to be a question of contentment, but to illustrate the brutish nature of people themselves, overtaken by greed and self-indulgence. However, the ones that are most "happy" seems not to thirst of more, but are caught and blinded with routine. (i.e. they just don't know any better) Didn't Volitare himself claim that optimism is the folly of man, and persons may look for happiness, and it never be found. And one at most find contentment through their own work? |
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« Last Edit: March 11, 2008, 08:58:27 PM by PinkTickingClocks »
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If only the transcendent moments were as timeless as a broken clock.
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Viv.
Full Member
Karma: +30/-3
Posts: 244
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« Reply #19 on: March 12, 2008, 09:05:34 AM » |
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I'd say this thread belongs in philosophy, doesn't it?
Jericoacoara, I share this angst and wonder why, and how, some can function in their self-imposed prisons. There is so much more to experience in this world. But then I always think of this from Voltaire's dictionaire philosophique (liberte de penser):
Médroso. — Vous croyez donc que mon âme est aux galères?
Boldmind. — Oui; et je voudrais la délivrer
Médroso. — Mais si je me trouve bien aux galères?
Boldmind. — En ce cas vous méritez d’y être
rough translation:
M - You think that my soul is in the (slave) galleys?
B - Yes, and i want to free it.
M - But what if I am content there?
B - In that case you deserve to be there.
What if the people you paint are content in their lot?
I like this answer. Godot, I have discussed this with socialist/communist posters...they wish for revolution and to overhaul the system as it stands, but it may be that the majority of people are happy enough with how things are. My friends opine that the happy people should be whipped into revolting whether they are ready or not...they say their principles are based on love. I don't see how it can be love to make change where none is sought. And I don't see their right to impose their vision... I would be interested in your own view of this? Interesting. Although i must admit i don't read all of the posts, just skim. This thread does not seem to be a question of contentment, but to illustrate the brutish nature of people themselves, overtaken by greed and self-indulgence. However, the ones that are most "happy" seems not to thirst of more, but are caught and blinded with routine. (i.e. they just don't know any better) Didn't Volitare himself claim that optimism is the folly of man, and persons may look for happiness, and it never be found. And one at most find contentment through their own work? I don't know if we are hijacking Jeri's thread, but ...sorry Jer, just kick me if we are... xx I agree it may be that those who don't actively strive toward happiness could be the fortunate ones. Those who don't notice or much consider what is around them and just accept. That must be an easy life. Optimism is surely a qualiity worth having. It can carry people through the most horrible of circumstances. I have a bouncy little optimist living inside me and you could drop me in the desert, I'd think the sand was nice...lol...and this may be irritatingly cheery in some settings but when the chips are down it's a good outlook to have, I think. Even if optimism does cause discontentment, it does not always relate to discontent. Could be just that those who are content with life as it stands are the real optimists. The strivers are something else...  |
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Jericoacoara
Hero Member
Karma: +59/-9
Posts: 744
Fortaleza IAP 1.0
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« Reply #20 on: March 12, 2008, 06:18:19 PM » |
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I don't know if we are hijacking Jeri's thread, but ...sorry Jer, just kick me if we are... xx
Not at all. It is a really interesting debate you guys/girls are having |
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The greatest tragedy is for a person to die with the music still within them.
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Gojira
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« Reply #21 on: March 12, 2008, 07:10:33 PM » |
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Ah....happiness. We are the only animals on this planet that worries about it.
Other animals could just "be." Maybe we should all just "be."
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Our democracy has created an environment of indecision at times of impending crisis.
If life is easy for you, then you aint livin.
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PinkTickingClocks
Full Member
Karma: +11/-12
Posts: 176
Be always at war with your vices.
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« Reply #22 on: March 12, 2008, 07:31:22 PM » |
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Ah....happiness. We are the only animals on this planet that worries about it.
Other animals could just "be." Maybe we should all just "be."
Perhaps it is all the "should bes" and the "maybes" that makes unhappy. |
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If only the transcendent moments were as timeless as a broken clock.
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Gojira
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« Reply #23 on: March 12, 2008, 07:59:57 PM » |
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Ah....happiness. We are the only animals on this planet that worries about it.
Other animals could just "be." Maybe we should all just "be."
Perhaps it is all the "should bes" and the "maybes" that makes unhappy. That was a cute one. Applaud. |
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Our democracy has created an environment of indecision at times of impending crisis.
If life is easy for you, then you aint livin.
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Viv.
Full Member
Karma: +30/-3
Posts: 244
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« Reply #24 on: March 13, 2008, 08:36:45 AM » |
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Ah....happiness. We are the only animals on this planet that worries about it.
Other animals could just "be." Maybe we should all just "be."
Perhaps it is all the "should bes" and the "maybes" that makes unhappy. Totally agree. Those are the unhappy people...but without them, nothing would ever get done. We'd all still be living in caves... And I guess they are happy when they achieve something. |
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Fredledingue
Global Moderator
Hero Member
Karma: +28/-29
Posts: 749
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« Reply #25 on: March 14, 2008, 04:07:00 PM » |
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I agree with Viv.: The urban world is not that sad.
Some poeple are happy and do talk with their floor neighbourgs.
Loneliness is terrible but it's also up to each individual to fight it.
I have been lonly too, many years, anonymous in the big city but I went out of my 4-walls an managed to meet poeple with whom I could share common interests.
Everybody even old poeple can say "hello" to poeple they know from view. Doesn't cost anything even when money is the first thing in your life.
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 Dr. Zoidberg is jewish (and an important AIPAC donator!)  |
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Dormouse
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« Reply #26 on: May 01, 2008, 11:27:14 AM » |
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At precisely 7pm in any given western society;
A train pulls away from an underground station, carrying a wide variety of professions amongst their commuters, who listen to their mp3 players, read the evening newspaper,start chapter 2 on a formula written book or look outside the train window at the roads clogged with cars like a blood clot, carrying peak hour commuters; their faces fixed in concentration of not making eye contact with another soul on the journey home.
A truck driver starts on his hamburger and fries at the roadhouse diner. He tiredly glances at his watch and notices a perfect numeric symetry. 15 hours to go until he finishes his shift, and 15 people sitting on their own in the diner, eating their way through their daily dinner.
An old lady, sits on her brand new sofa in her brand new apartment in the retirement home and switches on the television set to watch the news. Her attention is not on the television set but of the calender directly above it. She smiles with the thought that only 3 days to go until she will receive her weekly telephone call from her daughter.
A office worker arrives home to his empty flat filled with empty memories, and contemplates whether he will put a packaged chicken or beef meal into the microwave oven.
A young girl,with 2 more hours to go until both her parents arrive home, sits in the chair opposite her greatest friend the computer, and searches on the internet for a definition of "Loneliness".
In 19th century America, most Americans lived in isolated rural communities where they could easily go days or weeks without seeing anyone save their own family. That looks more remote and lonely than your examples from today. Why is the 19th century often used as an example of 'community' and nowadays as some anomoly of loneliness? Looks to me like there is more human interaction going on these days than ever before. |
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Patton
Global Moderator
Hero Member
Karma: +88/-94
Posts: 1,248
"Battle is an orgy of disorder"
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« Reply #27 on: May 02, 2008, 11:39:21 AM » |
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7pm(MST) El Paso, TX
"What time does the plane land?"
"About 20 minutes"
"Should we bring her in and prep her?"
"I suppose....no sense having those guys wait on us"
"Do we know what they will be taking?"
"I heard heart, kidneys, pancreas, liver and corneas"
"No lungs?"
"She was a smoker....."
"What happened again?"
"Motorcycle......no helmet"
"Any family here?"
"They are saying their Goodbye's now.....so tough to watch....she was only 19"
8pm(CST) Indianapolis, IN
"What time does the plane land?"
They should be there in about 20 minutes"
"How long before we need to get him ready?"
"Transplant team estimates start at about 1am"
"He's so lucky.....getting this heart at 12.....he will be able to lead a long life now....."
"Yes....his mother is so happy.....she says it is an answer to her prayers"
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I do not measure a mans success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.
-G.S. Patton, Jr.
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Factinista
Full Member
Karma: +17/-34
Posts: 209
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« Reply #28 on: May 04, 2008, 03:34:04 PM » |
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Well My 7 pm is normally pretty cool.
I'm done with classes, probably finishing up the last of my essays due tomorrow. Maybe I'll tune into the news... naa, too biased on this channel, to dumb on the others. Play some video games for a bit, then lacrosse practice. Get back around 9. Have a drink and wait for the Daily Show to come on.
A good end to the day in my part of Western Society.
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