Australian Politics Forum - Inevitable Suffering.

NorthOfNorth

Gold Member

Offline

OzPolitic

Posts: 17258
Gender: male

Re: Inevitable Suffering.
Reply #15 - May 21^st, 2012 at 8:31am

First world affirmations are usually those imbued with the notion that the affirmer has absolute control over destiny... Its genesis is an amalgam of existentialism, self-serving mysticism and a sense of entitlement to cosmic good luck.

The idea that we are thrown into the world and largely at its mercy has little or no place among the materially affluent who cannot imagine a cosmos that does not bend to their will.

Back to top

Conviction is the art of being certain

IP Logged

Postmodern Trendoid III

Gold Member

Offline

Posts: 10266
Gender: male

Re: Inevitable Suffering.
Reply #16 - May 21^st, 2012 at 12:32pm

NorthOfNorth wrote on May 21^st, 2012 at 8:31am:

First world affirmations are usually those imbued with the notion that the affirmer has absolute control over destiny... Its genesis is an amalgam of existentialism, self-serving mysticism and a sense of entitlement to cosmic good luck.

The idea that we are thrown into the world and largely at its mercy has little or no place among the materially affluent who cannot imagine a cosmos that does not bend to their will.

The truth lies somewhere in between those two extremes.

Do you believe people are able to overcome (some) of their problems?

Back to top

IP Logged

NorthOfNorth

Gold Member

Offline

OzPolitic

Posts: 17258
Gender: male

Re: Inevitable Suffering.
Reply #17 - May 21^st, 2012 at 1:14pm

Postmodern Trendoid III wrote on May 21^st, 2012 at 12:32pm:

NorthOfNorth wrote on May 21^st, 2012 at 8:31am:

First world affirmations are usually those imbued with the notion that the affirmer has absolute control over destiny... Its genesis is an amalgam of existentialism, self-serving mysticism and a sense of entitlement to cosmic good luck.

The idea that we are thrown into the world and largely at its mercy has little or no place among the materially affluent who cannot imagine a cosmos that does not bend to their will.

The truth lies somewhere in between those two extremes.

Do you believe people are able to overcome (some) of their problems?

Yes, but few bother thinking out where the buses don't run about the kinds of problems that can be overcome - including those resulting from a character flaw - What features in the affirmations of those who cannot imagine a cosmos that does not bend to their will, is a god that seems obsessed with the affirmer's affluence or a cosmos that has the affirmer in mind and exists in part to assure them wealth and success.

"My right to riches" - The manifesto of the first world self-absorbed.

Back to top

Conviction is the art of being certain

IP Logged

Postmodern Trendoid III Gold Member Offline Posts: 10266 Gender:	Re: Inevitable Suffering. Reply #18 - May 21^st, 2012 at 2:49pm Yes, well, I agree that too many people have a sense of entitlement when it comes to money and possessions.
Back to top	IP Logged

muso

Gold Member

Offline

Posts: 13151
Gladstone, Queensland
Gender: male

Re: Inevitable Suffering.
Reply #19 - May 21^st, 2012 at 7:16pm

NorthOfNorth wrote on May 21^st, 2012 at 8:31am:

First world affirmations are usually those imbued with the notion that the affirmer has absolute control over destiny... Its genesis is an amalgam of existentialism, self-serving mysticism and a sense of entitlement to cosmic good luck.

The idea that we are thrown into the world and largely at its mercy has little or no place among the materially affluent who cannot imagine a cosmos that does not bend to their will.

Yet there are two sources of suffering that can not be ignored, and I wish I could find the quote from Buddha. The first lies with concerning yourself with matters that are outside your control*. The second lies with failing to address those matters that are within your control.

Some things that are not directly within your control are within your sphere of influence.

Modern cognitive psychologists refer to this as having an internal locus of control. We can recognise those who have an external locus of control They continually complain about how everybody else is to blame for their personal woes. They have nothing to do with it.

Quote:

It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.

* To take an example, if you are in a uncontrollable burning building, the fact that the building is burning may be outside your control, but planning an escape from that building may very well be within your control.

Back to top

« Last Edit: May 21^st, 2012 at 7:23pm by muso »

1523 people like this. The remaining 7,134,765,234 do not

IP Logged

NorthOfNorth

Gold Member

Offline

OzPolitic

Posts: 17258
Gender: male

Re: Inevitable Suffering.
Reply #20 - May 21^st, 2012 at 7:33pm

muso wrote on May 21^st, 2012 at 7:16pm:

Yet there are two sources of suffering that can not be ignored, and I wish I could find the quote from Buddha. The first lies with concerning yourself with matters that are outside your control*. The second lies with failing to address those matters that are within your control.

And, oh how seductive it is to look outside oneself for the cause of suffering. How easy to assign blame to render oneself "innocent".

The path of lazy least resistance.

muso wrote on May 21^st, 2012 at 7:16pm:

* To take an example, if you are in a uncontrollable burning building, the fact that the building is burning may be outside your control, but planning an escape from that building may very well be within your control.

Or may not.

Back to top

Conviction is the art of being certain

IP Logged

muso

Gold Member

Offline

Posts: 13151
Gladstone, Queensland
Gender: male

Re: Inevitable Suffering.
Reply #21 - May 22^nd, 2012 at 6:07pm

NorthOfNorth wrote on May 21^st, 2012 at 7:33pm:

Or may not.

So the logical course for every potential issue that could affect you is to determine what you personally can do about it, and then act accordingly. The action may be as simple as "doing nothing", avoidance, calling the Fire Brigade or taking direct personal action to address the issue. (put out the fire.)

Back to top

1523 people like this. The remaining 7,134,765,234 do not

IP Logged

NorthOfNorth

Gold Member

Offline

OzPolitic

Posts: 17258
Gender: male

Re: Inevitable Suffering.
Reply #22 - Dec 23^rd, 2012 at 10:01am

NorthOfNorth wrote on May 8^th, 2012 at 7:00am:

"Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive." - Martin Luther King Jr

A profound credo that requires no great leap across the abyss of doubt to discern its power to rationalise unjustified hardship and generate meaning from otherwise inexplicable evil.

But having said that...

In the wake of Newtown its hard to imagine that the bereaved parents will find any comfort in the notion that unearned suffering is redemptive; except maybe to ask... "If not redemptive, then what?"

Back to top

Conviction is the art of being certain

IP Logged