this is a blog about pointless/philosophical things i think about so if you're not interested in that kind of thing now's a good time to stop reading. also, i will not be capitalizing anything or doing a grammar check because i'm too lazy and i hope that doesnt make this blog too grating/incomprehensible to read.
it seems like more and more often while debating something in my head, i reach the conclusion that no sensible conclusion can be found. i feel as if over the last few years i've started down a path of thinking that requires me to accept all viewpoints and equally rational and equally irrational. for an example, it is becoming a more accepted viewpoint that everyone should be free to live life according to their own preference. there are numerous posts on reddit showing the opposite of this happening,(such as governments enforcing marriage/drug laws) and the comments are all strongly against this kind of control. after thinking awhile i eventually start to question my initial strong agreement with the redditors based on the line of reasoning that if it is wrong to stop somebody from living their life the way they see fit, is it also wrong to stop governments from doing these kinds of things, because the people in power are merely living their life the way they see fit? my first counter argument to this would be that everyone is allowed to live accodring to their own desires as long as their actions do not come into conflict with the rights of others. how ever this seems to me to be extremely hypocritical. who should get to decide when one person is infringing on the rights of another? an elected official? a benevolent dictator? or pure democracy where the most popular opinion is the "correct" one? none of these options seem logical to me as at some point, in each possible solution, power is being given to a person or group of persons to decide how everyone else should live their lives. now i will probably agree that the best solution for this problem is in some sort of democratic solution as that will please the most number of people, however the problem still hasnt been solved. no amount of thinking i have done can provide me with a logical and not hypocritical answer.
the point of this blog isnt the issue in the above paragraph so i probably won't care too much about any discussion along those lines. what i described is an example of the general pattern of the way arguments go in my head. i start off with my gut instinct, reason my way out of it, and arrive at a point where i am unable to decide what's right or wrong.
this leads me to the conclusion that there is no such thing as right or wrong, and that nobody has the grounds on which to doubt or believe anyone else's ideas. i have always thought that this was true but never really reasoned it out until lately. in keeping with the spirit of the topic, i also want to point out that this position contradicts itself in ways you've probably figured out by now.
now i've never had a problem accepting the idea that morality is nonexistent, but until recently it has never impeded by ability to come up with my own "fake" set of moral beliefs. this is what i was referring to in the title of this blog; this current philosophical position i'm in does not allow me to be either convinced that i'm correct, or convinced that i'm wrong and others are correct. combined with the fact that i am somewhat emotionless to start out with this slightly unnerves me.
i usually try to keep these types of thoughts in my head, because (lol) what is the point, but i wanted to write out what i'm currently thinking to try and make more sense of it to myself. hopefully some of you were interested enough to read and care enough to write out a response. i'm not really looking for an argument over the truth of my position, (but that's not saying i wont participate in one) i'm more looking for someone who's been at a similar point to describe how their views have or haven't changed since.
The only reason you're still alive and breathing is because you're yet to die standing up for what you believe is right. I too thought I was emotionless... turns out I simply stood for nothing.
What do you believe in so strongly that you would choose DEATH over living against your beliefs?
On June 24 2012 18:27 Mstring wrote:What do you believe in so strongly that you would choose DEATH over living against your beliefs?
hmmm idk. my first guess is nothing, but that might just be because i cant think of anything.
i used to think that i would never, under any circumstances whatsoever, join the military because of my beliefs but now i'm currently waiting for my meps test so i can enlist. however i still hold the beliefs that originally made me not want to join the military, but sadly(?) i don't care about them enough to not join.
On June 24 2012 18:27 Mstring wrote:What do you believe in so strongly that you would choose DEATH over living against your beliefs?
hmmm idk. my first guess is nothing, but that might just be because i cant think of anything.
i used to think that i would never, under any circumstances whatsoever, join the military because of my beliefs but now i'm currently waiting for my meps test so i can enlist. however i still hold the beliefs that originally made me not want to join the military, but sadly(?) i don't care about them enough to not join.
I've learned that there is a huge difference between an ego based intellectual belief ('murder is wrong' *as meat gnashes between teeth*) and something you truly feel in your heart. The latter only comes when life kicks your arse right into a fork in the road. Maybe you need a good arse kicking? XD
I've done a bunch of stuff I said I would "never" do. It's fun to go back in time and think about what I was really saying when I said that I would never do it. Most [if not all] of the time it was just my false self trying to preserve its facade.
On June 24 2012 19:08 Mstring wrote: I've learned that there is a huge difference between an ego based intellectual belief ('murder is wrong' *as meat gnashes between teeth*) and something you truly feel in your heart. The latter only comes when life kicks your arse right into a fork in the road. Maybe you need a good arse kicking? XD
I've done a bunch of stuff I said I would "never" do. It's fun to go back in time and think about what I was really saying when I said that I would never do it. Most [if not all] of the time it was just my false self trying to preserve its facade.
yeah i guess i am young and maybe haven't experienced enough to have anything other than intellectual beliefs, but i do think i've been through a good share of shit (at one point was homeless and had no phone, no car, no job, no place to stay) and that's caused me to be even more like how i am. other than minor stuff like starting to drink and smoke weed nothing happened during that time that caused me to make decisions in which either choice would make my true feelings strongly apparent.
i dont really know all the reasons why i'm going to the military, but i'm hoping that i'll be able to sort out who i am and what i want to do in life and all that other bs while i'm there. and maybe this sounds sadistic or ignorant but heat locker was badass, i've always been an adrenaline junkie.
thanks for your responses, you've reminded me that the most important thing about life is to experience it, and through those experiences things can change.
- Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.
Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no relaization, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received."
Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.
"If nothing exists," inquired Dokuon, "where did this anger come from?" -
On June 24 2012 17:44 thrawn2112 wrote: also, i will not be capitalizing anything or doing a grammar check because i'm too lazy and i hope that doesnt make this blog too grating/incomprehensible to read.
On June 24 2012 17:44 thrawn2112 wrote: this leads me to the conclusion that there is no such thing as right or wrong, and that nobody has the grounds on which to doubt or believe anyone else's ideas. i have always thought that this was true but never really reasoned it out until lately. in keeping with the spirit of the topic, i also want to point out that this position contradicts itself in ways you've probably figured out by now.
Well, if you're aware of the contradiction, why does this hold any appeal? The position is, as you seem to be aware, totally incoherent.
edit: I prescribe daoism and/or zen for a patient with your condition.
now i've never had a problem accepting the idea that morality is nonexistent, but until recently it has never impeded by ability to come up with my own "fake" set of moral beliefs. this is what i was referring to in the title of this blog; this current philosophical position i'm in does not allow me to be either convinced that i'm correct, or convinced that i'm wrong and others are correct. combined with the fact that i am somewhat emotionless to start out with this slightly unnerves me.
People have the misconception that if something is right then all the rest have to be wrong. Why can't everyone be right? You're using logic to come to a conclusion and then find yourself between multiple different perspectives that contradict each other and then you find yourself unsure of which side to take. Rather than accepting that morality simply does not exist and forcing yourself to create "fake" morals to live by why don't you simply do a bit of soul searching and use your heart in conjunction with your brain to make opinions. If you don't like something then you don't have to jump to the conclusion that something is wrong with yourself or others. It's simply different opinions. Try keeping and open mind though as that will cause the least amount of conflicts with others in case you do happen to realize you're wrong. If you believe in something then you simply need the strength to stick with it even if you're life is at stake.
Just try being aware of the cause and effect and willing to accept both ends. If you choose to help people out then you will make friends. If you choose to be an asshole then you will eventually get your ass beat. Simple as that.
EPT
