Just saying... (Poll) - Page 3

I'm not entirely sure I get what you're saying when you talk about this 'twinkle in the eye'. Do you simply mean contentment? If so, I would say that contentment in itself is not deceptive. It is what we are contented by or what we think will content us that can be deceptive, e.g. the mirage of the oasis in the desert. The rat race that so many partake in, for what is at the end only fake cheese, is another way to look at it.

If you find your contentment without having to hold on to illusions, or rather if you only have a minimal amount to sustain your own life, then in my view you have succeeded. The main question of philosophy, of how to live it, is something that has no definitive answer and which we all have to answer on our own as best as we can. Even for [philosophical] pessimists, the answer has been varied. Distraction, denial, I'm afraid is not an answer, yet it remains the most popular course of action in human beings. Only contemplation can help us navigate through life lucidly.


"We should repeat to ourselves, every day: I am one of the billions dragging himself across the earth's surface. One, and no more. This banality justifies any conclusion, any behavior or action: debauchery, chastity, suicide, work, crime, sloth, or rebellion.... Whence it follows that each man is right to do what he does." - Emil Cioran


This is the attitude that matters, not the result. In the beginning, it may strike us as nothing other than a mere laissez-faire attitude, where everything is seen as equal; but it is so only if it has started with the initial contemplation, with the acknowledgment of the absurdity of human existence and the meditation on its meaninglessness. This is the essential step that most people won't take, and as such they will end up fooling themselves and adhering to what they do believing it has real meaning. It is with such self-deception that some will want to conquer the cosmos, will praise religion or transhumanism or will see terraforming as something positive. They will impose unnecessary suffering on others because of their false view of themselves and their own heroic "immortality project" (Ernest Becker).

On January 26 2014 18:24 Loco wrote: I'm not entirely sure I get what you're saying when you talk about this 'twinkle in the eye'. Do you simply mean contentment? If so, I would say that contentment in itself is not deceptive. It is what we are contented by or what we think will content us that can be deceptive, e.g. the mirage of the oasis in the desert. The rat race that so many partake in, for what is at the end only fake cheese, is another way to look at it. If you find your contentment without having to hold on to illusions, or rather if you only have a minimal amount to sustain your own life, then in my view you have succeeded. The main question of philosophy, of how to live it, is something that has no definitive answer and which we all have to answer on our own as best as we can. Even for [philosophical] pessimists, the answer has been varied. Distraction, denial, I'm afraid is not an answer, yet it remains the most popular course of action in human beings. Only contemplation can help us navigate through life lucidly. "We should repeat to ourselves, every day: I am one of the billions dragging himself across the earth's surface. One, and no more. This banality justifies any conclusion, any behavior or action: debauchery, chastity, suicide, work, crime, sloth, or rebellion.... Whence it follows that each man is right to do what he does." - Emil Cioran This is the attitude that matters, not the result. In the beginning, it may strike us as nothing other than a mere laissez-faire attitude, where everything is seen as equal; but it is so only if it has started with the initial contemplation, with the acknowledgment of the absurdity of human existence and the meditation on its meaninglessness. This is the essential step that most people won't take, and as such they will end up fooling themselves and adhering to what they do believing it has real meaning. It is with such self-deception that some will want to conquer the cosmos, will praise religion or transhumanism or will see terraforming as something positive. They will impose unnecessary suffering on others because of their false view of themselves and their own heroic "immortality project" (Ernest Becker).

Yeah, I kind of took that twinkle in the eye idea and ran with it. I would define it as happiness, contentment, transcendence. Being in that moment in which ones' brain is getting that smooth influx of endorphins and everything in the world is ok.

Great posting again Loco. I agree with the oasis in the desert and rat race concept. The problem is some of the oasis-es and fake cheese are actually real. The other problem is that advertising and coercion through power work. The two of those combined make it exceptionally more difficult to navigate through the world unscathed by all sorts of symbols, programming, and authority. At the end of the day we are all nothing more than evolved monkies. It is similar to that psychology experiment where the bird hits the button and gets food or not at random except with humans there are all sorts of signals that are saying "hey, push this button here and get happiness and contentment!" To complicate it, it is not as simple as just food. It is not as simple as things we actually need to survive. Almost all people with the capability to post on LP already have what they need in terms of being physically healthy and not dying. With humans a lot of the time it's randomly pushing all these buttons for things they think they need/want and to make matters worse, buttons one pushed the previous day, previous hour, previous minute might no longer "work." For example, one night you might push the button and find yourself at a cool jazz club on a great date packed with a bunch of people full of je ne sais quoi with a live band just killing it. The eye twinkling is strong and magical that night. The cheese is real and it tastes fantastic. Another night you are having a bad day, you go and push the button and the place is empty, there's no live music and you get diarrhea and the toilet does not work.

Fake cheese is soda. It is nothing more than sugared water. The problem is even the most cynical of all evolved monkies can watch an ad where a family of polar bears does something cute, funny, whatever and a part of the brain goes "awe... maybe this world is alright after all." Then one finds oneself in a situation where someone offers a coca cola and one obliges and then consumes it and it actually tastes f'ing delicious and the sugar and caffeine and fizziness makes one feel good as well as the communal act of sharing a cold drink and experience with fellow tribe mates is deeply satisfying.

Also, even an "oasis" that proves to be real may not be sustainable or satisfying. One morning you wake up in your dream vacation spot... there is a knock at the door... It is your fantasy woman whoever that may be and she informs you that there is a line of your fantasy women downstairs all completely smitten with you and your penis... An army of iron chefs are in the kitchen ready to prepare whatever you want whenever you want... How long does it take before you say "ughhhh, morimoto's best sushi and kate upton again? sheesh, I would love to go surfing, or lay on the beach and read a book, or help someone out, or or or... just be for once..."

I like the Emil and Ernest quotes and overall agree with the sentiment and attitude. From my own experiences so far, I like to always add that some sort of blueprint based in ethics is a wise choice but like both Emil and Ernest posit at the end of the day nothing actually matters and like I do not even remember at this point but probably Sartre, Kierkgard, Neitszche, a ton of people posit one has to find ones' own meaning in the time between non-existence and non-existence.

That last sentence is likely a run on and it's always a bit awkward when you are having a great time and then have to decide how you want to leave for the time being but until next time... Take care LP.