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Buddhism Debate

Straw Dog

Well-Known Member
I'll admit, this does sound kind of harsh, but why does the suffering of others matter?

Think about all the food you eat and all the possessions you own, did you farm or mine the materials that you consume and use on a daily basis? Did you construct the roof over your head? Did you sew and stitch your clothing together? Are you responsible for the education you have access to? Do you know how the Internet even works? Do you know how your computer works?

My point is that no man is an island. Virtually everything that came about in your life arose because of everything that came before it. You are a product of nature and you are protected and provided for by society. What's more, you are actually dependent upon other people for your very happiness. That's right, the overwhelming evidence arising through the discipline of positive psychology is that "other people matter".

Nobody can help each other out with their basic needs, desires, or even happiness if everybody is too busy suffering all the time. The only solution is to actually care about the suffering of others with an aim to alleviate that which is within your own capacity in your daily life. I'm not saying being a martyr or even a hero, but just learn to care for others and cultivate compassion and you will find your own level of happiness increasing as well. Virtue and happiness cannot be separated and yet virtue is fundamentally opposed to power, ergo much of the strife and depression in the world today.

"Happiness only real when shared." - Christopher McCandless
 
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The Sum of Awe

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
Think about all the food you eat and all the possessions you own, did you farm or mine the materials that you consume and use on a daily basis? Did you construct the roof over your head? Did you sew and stitch your clothing together? Are you responsible for the education you have access to? Do you know how the Internet even works? Do you know how your computer works?

My point is that no man is an island. Virtually everything that came about in your life arose because of everything that came before it. You are a product of nature and you are protected and provided for by society. What's more, you are actually dependent upon other people for your very happiness. That's right, the overwhelming evidence arising through the discipline of positive psychology is that "other people matter".

Nobody can help each other out with their basic needs, desires, or even happiness if everybody is too busy suffering all the time. The only solution is to actually care about the suffering of others with an aim to alleviate that which is within your own capacity in your daily life. I'm not saying being a martyr or even a hero, but just learn to care for others and cultivate compassion and you will find your own level of happiness increasing as well. Virtue and happiness cannot be separated and yet virtue is fundamentally opposed to power, ergo much of the strife and depression in the world today.

"Happiness only real when shared." - Christopher McCandless

I didn't mean intend to purposely harm other people, but I meant life sucks, indulge for yourself. People are jerks in the world, so the only way to survive it is to be a jerk yourself.

But I certainly am not a 'jerk', I don't purposely make people feel bad nor did I say you should.

BTW, that quote I disagree with, there's a difference between Peace and Happiness.
 

idav

Being
Premium Member
I'll admit, this does sound kind of harsh, but why does the suffering of others matter?
If your able to detach then it wouldn't matter but try to tell some starving kid that hunger is an illusion.

Using empathy we know why we would want to teach others to do the same which is why a Buddha would choose to relive lives to continue helping others out. For ourselves and others it is proven over and over that indulgence in pleasure or pain is harmful long term. Temporary pleasure is short lived and likely contributes to more misery for the self and others in the long run.
 

idav

Being
Premium Member
I didn't mean intend to purposely harm other people, but I meant life sucks, indulge for yourself. People are jerks in the world, so the only way to survive it is to be a jerk yourself.
I disagree with the left path idea. I do believe that altruism is more beneficial long term for the self and your offspring. I benefit much from society and others and I would not have much to indulge in if everyone kept all the good ideas and goods for themselves.
 

Straw Dog

Well-Known Member
I didn't mean intend to purposely harm other people, but I meant life sucks, indulge for yourself. People are jerks in the world, so the only way to survive it is to be a jerk yourself.

But I certainly am not a 'jerk', I don't purposely make people feel bad nor did I say you should.

BTW, that quote I disagree with, there's a difference between Peace and Happiness.

Most of the people I meet on a daily basis seem to be kind down-to-earth human beings. It's relatively rare that I actually encounter a 'jerk' and when I do, such as my girlfriend's sister's boyfriend, then I treat them well to the best of my ability. I counter hate and anger with patience and love. Adding more flames to a fire will not put it out, one must fight fire with water.

You say that being a jerk is necessary for survival and you admit that you are not a jerk, and yet you seem to be surviving just fine. You may not be a jerk, but being apathetic towards the suffering of those around you is just as destructive to society.

You can disagree with the quote but you can't disagree with science, well you can I guess haha, but then you're being willfully ignorant of facts. Other people matter and are a central component of your happiness. That doesn't mean you have to care about everyone everywhere because that would probably be dishonest, but just the people you encounter and interact with in your daily life. If you did go out of your way to help some homeless now and again, however, it would increase your own happiness as well. It turns out that it feels good to do good, go figure.
 

SCHIZO

Active Member
monk.jpg


I do disagree.

An illusion. If you don't think that man senses pain and fear you are living in the illusion. A human being cannot overcome pain unless he has some sort of neurological problem. You cannot disconnect nerve endings no matter how Buddhist you are. A Buddhist simply dwells with the pain and fear--that is his discipline.
 
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