Should I go home depressed each evening because my work day was full of other people’s mental anguish?

Should I go home each evening, depressed, because I was only able to help 20% of the people I worked with?

Or should I go home each evening happy that I had done my work well and that the world was a slightly better place because of it?

Some people believe that working to make the world a better place needs no justification.

Some people, like the Buddhists and the Hindus, believe that you should do the very best you can in all things but that you should keep a clear division between your actions and the fruits of your actions. What you do is your contribution. How it all turns out is not under your control.

You once asked me if it was insane that a person might keep doing the same thing over and over again hoping for a better result. I thought it was a brilliant insight.

Let me ask you: If a person does something to the best of their ability and it still turns out to be a failure, should they feel bad about it? I would say not. To feel bad at that point would also be a bit insane.

Trying to make the world a better place is good in and of itself and needs no justification. Being aware of the difference between your actions and the fruit of your actions frees you from torment over how it all turns out.

I can think about how crazy the world is all day and when I go home at night, a woman’s smile, a sunset or a good book can still give me deep joy.

Why would I want to put on hair shirt and beat myself with a stick because the world’s insane?

Ok, the hair shirt’s in your court now .

Hello Dennis,

In my previous response, inter alea, I wanted to reference your post that I alluded to. However, I had a few things to do so I did not spend time to look for it. So, here it is.

Having provided that, I will now pick up on my point. In my convoluted way, I was trying to tell you that your bifurcated approach leaves me confused. On the one hand, you seem to have a metaphysical detachment going on, where it is all transitory as everything is interconnected and part of the master plan, so don’t worry be happy. However, on the other, you are preaching a doomsday come to Jesus message. You know, the sky is falling; can’t somebody do something before it all goes horribly wrong?

I am left wondering, which way is it? Or, is it both? If you accept the giant asteroid supposition, we could all be doing all the right things, and it could still be gone in an instant. Or, if the human race is doing all the wrong things as reported, then it also just might be gone in an instant. No one knows for sure about that, but you are as busy as a bee trying to prove it to be so.

So, my question remains, so what? What is the absolute worst thing that can happen? Is it that 7 billion marching towards infinity will be struck down in their prime? What if we did manage it better, would there be only 7 million? Would that be the right number? Should the magic number, what ever it might be, all sit around and eat bananas and meditate on their navels?

Remember, in the Asteroid example half the species on the planet were completely wiped out. But, the next phase brought us to where we are to day. So, if we were to wipe out ½ the species and kill off all the people, who is to say that the next iteration won’t be even better?

How about connecting the dots between your metaphysical new age sensitive side, and your deep, dark, gloomy side? If you could be Bruce almighty, what you would make happen? What would you have us all do?

I am very curious.

M

Dennis,

Frankly, I am getting fed up with all the doom and gloom. I think you need to get a grip on tings.

Do you remember the Birds song, Turn, Turn, Turn. here they are

To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven
A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together
To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven
A time of war, a time of peace
A time of love, a time of hate
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing
To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven
A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time to love, a time to hate
A time of peace, I swear it’s not too late!

Now look at the article at the link I provided. Now think about the post you provided where a person describes a Buddhist viewpoint about oneness with the Universe. No good, no bad, that it is all following the path it is supposed to follow.

What is going on today is part of evolution. It is PO, neither good nor bad, it just is.

Get over it, Carpe Diem. You will be a happier person.

M

I haven’t eaten the stuff for years. Naturally, my choices have had no effect on the consumption of shrimp. Until enough people get sick or die from eating nasty shrimp, these practices will continue.

Thanks for bringing attention to the issue.

Most of what you’ll want to know is already written here on my Blog. Just search for all the posts about motorcycles and read through them and their comments you’ll have it. After that, if you still have questions, let me know.

Dennis

Your comments are getting better and better. Seriously.

I used to worry about you. But now I’m thinking that if I get over wanting to write this Blog, I’ll know who to hand it off to.

Yep, it is hard to know how to make the average man believe in the problems we face when the best of our leaders are so very inept at appreciating things themselves.

Me? I’m going to go and have another beer right now. Joe Bagaent has inspired me.

Cheers,

Dennis

Hello Dennis,

On my to work this morning, I heard something were interesting. It turns out that approximately 105 Washington Congressional politicians, let by Nancy Palosi, went to Copenhagen on the Tax payer’s dime. They took 3 (not 2) US Air Force aircraft, and also there were others that traveled by commercial airlines.

If you figure out the cost of all of this, you also have to include hotels, meals, booze, etc. you would be staggered. Now, one needs to ask, what did we get for it? My short review indicates this conference was an absolute and utter disaster. Secret Memo’s, US and China making promises that were already on the table, etc. Can we all stand up and say “Boon Doggle” (a term for a scheme that wastes time and money)?

It seems to me, that If our leaders don’t take this seriously, how can you expect John Q. Public to believe in it?

Cheers,

M

I read what you post, and always start by saying to myself, I won’t comment, but I can’t help it; must be one of those biological imperatives you keep harping on. So, here goes. As you know, we recently exchanged e-mails about how things are going. You advised you had been off to a festival. I bet you rode you motorcycle to that. I also bet that you are heating and cooling your apartment with electricity produced by the corporation; I also bet that you are eating food from the supermarket, etc., etc. And, one further bet: I bet that the same holds for all of the psychologists that you are quoting; I can just imagine them wringing there hands over what is wrong with the other guy while driving down the street in their Prius, drinking a Latté from Starbucks. This is really a double standard, now isn’t it?

Have you ever consider this? The weather we are enjoying is not how the earth always was, nor is it how it will be in the future, climate change not withstanding. If you could somehow look back in time, you would find that the earth itself has had very hot ages, some very cold ice ages, and everything in between. So maybe, it is time for a change. The way I see it, the earth will heat up or possible even go into another ice age. Maybe the first then the second, but who really knows how it will go, but it will go.

Here is the point, there is an infestation, and like all other infestations, there has to be something to bring it under control. So, the fact that mankind is blind to this issue, in a way, is a very good thing. You see, once he has made the environment inhospitable for himself and all the others like him, the earth will then be able to heal and go on its merry way. Of course this will be without benefit of the superior species. Now there is something to look forward to. In the meantime keep on truckin.

Cheers,

M