Why we march on?

[_ajax18]

Is life always better than death? Being born Mormon has wired with answers to these questions from a Mormon perspective. Do we bring children into this world because it's such a wonderful place that we'd love to share with more beings? As a Mormon I suppose we enter this world as a requirement to make us worthy of a better world.

And yet animals don't commit suicide. They don't commit genetic suicide with contraception either. Some people have seemingly very bad lives and yet live on out of nothing more than fear of death. How enjoyable is life when your limbs are rotting off from diabetes, or when you're paralyzed from the neck down? How enjoyable is life when the master keeps you alive for no other reason than to row the ship? From an atheist perspective, is anything worse than death?

When I think of death, I think of when I underwent surgery. I was being operated on for 4-5 hours. Yet when I woke, it was as if no time had passed at all. It was nothing, absolutely nothing. And all I can think is that it felt a lot better than when I woke up. And I've been blessed with more than probably 99% of the beings ever to inhabit this world. Or is it that our strength as human beings can also come back to bite us in that it makes us susceptible to a lot more things that don't quite kill us, but sure can make you miserable.

As human beings we can be very sympathetic and helpful to a colleague for a short time, especially if the wound is visible and comprehensible. But our sympathy usually doesn't last very long. It can't, else life would be miserable for everyone. But how long can we expect a sick person to continue to live sick? I know a man who lost his leg fighting for our country in Korea. Our benevolent democratic socialist government will not even grant him disability now. I guess we all decided that the war in Korea was just too long ago. Well guess what, his leg never grew back!

Most people in the western world get depressed because we're not adapted to our environment. We're cut out to be farmers and hunter gatherers. Some men go hunting for fun any chance they get. Can you imagine that was once a man's job, what he did for a living? It sure beats stacking foam at a factory or even reading legal briefs. But there simply isn't enough space, enough resources for every man to hunt anymore, and there hasn't been for some time. And we survived, avoided death, and are we better off because of it? I suppose a few of us are. But why does the majority elect to live on to serve the few? I guess I may never know.

[_hobart]

"I have been a hundred times on the point of killing myself, but still was fond of life. This ridiculous weakness is perhaps one of our worst instincts. What can be more absurd than choosing to carry a burden that one really wants to throw to the ground? To detest, and yet to strive to preserve our existence? To caress the serpent that devours us, and hug him close to our bosoms till he has gnawed into our hearts?"
--Voltaire, Candide

[_harmony]

Most people in the western world get depressed because we're not adapted to our environment.

I'm not sure this is an accurate statement. Do you mean most people get depressed because blah blah blah, or most depressed people are depressed because blah blah blah? Because most people don't get depressed, at least not in the clinical sense, and I've never heard that most depressed people are depressed because we're not adapted to our environment... that we aren't farmers and hunters anymore. I'd like some foundation for that, please.

We're cut out to be farmers and hunter gatherers.

Actually, I think farming came after the hunter/gatherers. The men, hunters, provided the occasional protein, but by far the most food was provided by the women, the gatherers, who gathered grains and vegetables, the staple of their diet. Then farming developed because it was more efficient to raise grain and vegetables than it was to gather, but the need for protein and fat still meant men were necessary as hunters. And then the cities eventually developed, and things went south quickly. Rampant disease, crime, greed, starvation, war and the whole struggle for power.

Some men go hunting for fun any chance they get.

And some men, most men, draw the line at killing for fun.

Can you imagine that was once a man's job, what he did for a living?

Well, and then a bit later, he farmed. Some lucky men still get to do that. They're going broke, and are turning their land over to corporate entities that now run a lot of our farms (including those owned by the church), but for the few, they still get to play in the dirt.

It sure beats stacking foam at a factory or even reading legal briefs.

While there are many mindless factory jobs, many men manage to endure them by focusing on other aspects of their lives... their families, their social circle, politics, hobbies. And some actually like reading legal briefs, which is, for the majority I suppose, why they do it.

But there simply isn't enough space, enough resources for every man to hunt anymore, and there hasn't been for some time.

Nor does the need exist, as it once did. For many, for most actually, hunting was a necessity, and the better a man was at it, the more protein and fat his family and tribe had to eat, so the more power they gave him. Hence, the rise of rulers.

And we survived, avoided death, and are we better off because of it? I suppose a few of us are. But why does the majority elect to live on to serve the few? I guess I may never know.

Are you talking economics here, the rich get rich and the poor support them via their labor? Or what?

[_ajax18]

"I have been a hundred times on the point of killing myself, but still was fond of life. This ridiculous weakness is perhaps one of our worst instincts. What can be more absurd than choosing to carry a burden that one really wants to throw to the ground? To detest, and yet to strive to preserve our existence? To caress the serpent that devours us, and hug him close to our bosoms till he has gnawed into our hearts?"
--Voltaire, Candide

well at least someone else has felt the same way. Thaks for the excellent quote. I guess that's just part of why I need religion in some way. I actually believe in the gospel by the way so that makes it easier for me, just haven't yet seen why organized religion is so essential.

[_ajax18]

Are you talking economics here, the rich get rich and the poor support them via their labor? Or what?

I thought we had come to an understanding that we didn't read or respond to each others posts anymore. Can you imagine how terrible it would be if we had to live next to each other in the after life? I don't believe God would ever be that cruel, but it is a scary thought. I think the feeling is mutual so let's just agree that we should not interact, maybe make a heavan on earth if you will.

[_harmony]

Are you talking economics here, the rich get rich and the poor support them via their labor? Or what?

I thought we had come to an understanding that we didn't read or respond to each others posts anymore. Can you imagine how terrible it would be if we had to live next to each other in the after life? I don't believe God would ever be that cruel, but it is a scary thought. I think the feeling is mutual so let's just agree that we should not interact, maybe make a heavan on earth if you will.

I don't remember any such thing. And I doubt I will remember it the next time you post something interesting enough that I'd like to comment.

You are, of course, free to put me on ignore. That's what it's for. It won't stop me from commenting, but it might make you feel more secure.

Or worse... I go to heaven and you don't. Or more likely... we're both in hell together.