Why Is Life So Unfair?

[Michael Kenmore]

And wth does Christian theology do with this?

Actually, any kind of theology typically believes that their deity will come back and make everything fair. It's the faith in that that guides people's response to how "fair" life is.

[Tolerant Puberty]

And wth does Christian theology do with this?

Actually, any kind of theology typically believes that their deity will come back and make everything fair. It's the faith in that that guides people's response to how "fair" life is.

Karma?

[Person012345]

What is that ideology you posted, and what does it emphasise?

It was written by a poet, and was not exactly part of an organized worldview so much as a personal philosophy.

I can almost guarantee that whatever the aims of having a clear mind etc was in fact happiness.

Just reading what you posted, it appears to be warning against striving for happiness, the end goal of not-striving for happiness can in fact to be to make yourself happier than if you strive for happiness. So the quote itself proves nothing.

Why is the aim perfection? As far as I knew in christian theology, the point of being perfect is because it pleases god.

Why is the aim perfection? That's like asking why the aim is happiness. They're both just goals.[/quote]
Not really. If the aim of perfection there is in fact just perfection, then fine. But I doubt that it is. Most religions with deities place the god's needs above that of the people, and since an omnipotent being doesn't really want for anything, the goal of your life is usually to please him if you follow it.

If you can give me an actual religious theology, or an ideology that places emphasis on adhering perfectly to a code just for the sake of adhering to it then fine.

Note that my initial question WAS a question, and it was directed at you. You said that:

If you can see no other point in life other than happiness, I have little common ground with you.

I am interested, if you do not believe happiness to be the point of life, then what is?

[Conserative Morality]

Look at the natural world. Some animals die horribly, some don't. Fires burn, draughts kill plants. Predators kill prey and eat it. There's nothing fair or unfair, it just is. Human action tries to counter this and fails.

So human action that includes stealing and murdering others for personal gain is trying to counter unfairness?

Yeah, no.

Maybe instead of trying to force fairness, we should just stop getting in the way.

Durr hurr, because whatever the fuck nature does is good, amirite?

[Marcheria]

It's a sad fact of life that a good portion of the human population will be complete idiots, blinded by things such as religion, bloodlust and religion.

[Conserative Morality]

Not really. If the aim of perfection there is in fact just perfection, then fine. But I doubt that it is. Most religions with deities place the god's needs above that of the people, and since an omnipotent being doesn't really want for anything, the goal of your life is usually to please him if you follow it.

If you can give me an actual religious theology, or an ideology that places emphasis on adhering perfectly to a code just for the sake of adhering to it then fine.

You see, you automatically assume that there is not other goal than happiness.

Note that my initial question WAS a question, and it was directed at you. You said that:

I am interested, if you do not believe happiness to be the point of life, then what is?

To forge a purpose in life. If the purpose I create for myself makes me happy, so be it, if it makes me unhappy, so be it. But happiness itself as a goal, rather than assigning purpose to life as a goal, seems weak and uninspired, and vaguely pathetic.

[Michael Kenmore]

The point of life IS happiness. I consider myself a Christian, and my take on it (flattened down to the basic element) seems to be that God knows what makes everybody happy and if you obey him then that's the route to happiness.

[Imsogone]

As long as we strive for perfection we won't accomplish anything. Just see in that not anything works for 100% but only for 99,9999%.

Hey, I believe in world peace, but heck, I joined the army. Life is not unfair, but as long you strive for perfection, it will never be fair. Just be happy with what you got. Your friends, family and perhaps your little pocket of moneh.

And wth does Christian theology do with this?

Christian theology, and the theologies of organized religions, have nothing to do with this. These theologies are keeping us away from the ideal.

"The master understands that the universe is forever out of control, and that trying to dominate events goes against the current of the way."

[Person012345]

Actually, any kind of theology typically believes that their deity will come back and make everything fair. It's the faith in that that guides people's response to how "fair" life is.

Karma?

Thing is, even if "Karma" exists, which I don't believe it does, I don't believe that most humans would see it as fair. Obviously, no matter what punishments it deals out for what actions, SOME people will regard it as unfair. But I believe that IF it does exist, it operates with what I would call "massive overreactions".

[Keronians]

What point is there in life otherwise?

Everything we do is an attempt to become happier.

Maybe everything you do is an attempt to become happier. If you can see no other point in life other than happiness, I have little common ground with you.

There are other points in life other than happiness. But happiness is what helps us function better.

A depressed person is not as productive as a happy one.

[Imsogone]

Karma?

Thing is, even if "Karma" exists, which I don't believe it does, I don't believe that most humans would see it as fair. Obviously, no matter what punishments it deals out for what actions, SOME people will regard it as unfair. But I believe that IF it does exist, it operates with what I would call "massive overreactions".

karma isn't about punishment, it's about learning. Some people need more of a push than others.

[Conserative Morality]

There are other points in life other than happiness. But happiness is what helps us function better.

A depressed person is not as productive as a happy one.

Not always true.

[Person012345]

Not really. If the aim of perfection there is in fact just perfection, then fine. But I doubt that it is. Most religions with deities place the god's needs above that of the people, and since an omnipotent being doesn't really want for anything, the goal of your life is usually to please him if you follow it.

If you can give me an actual religious theology, or an ideology that places emphasis on adhering perfectly to a code just for the sake of adhering to it then fine.

You see, you automatically assume that there is not other goal than happiness.

In the case you talk of, yes. Feel free to show me wrong.

Note that my initial question WAS a question, and it was directed at you. You said that:

I am interested, if you do not believe happiness to be the point of life, then what is?

To forge a purpose in life. If the purpose I create for myself makes me happy, so be it, if it makes me unhappy, so be it. But happiness itself as a goal, rather than assigning purpose to life as a goal, seems weak and uninspired, and vaguely pathetic.

Have you decided/forged a purpose yet?

[Person012345]

There are other points in life other than happiness. But happiness is what helps us function better.

A depressed person is not as productive as a happy one.

Not always true.

Depressed people often produce a lot more blood than happy ones.

For example.

[Person012345]

Thing is, even if "Karma" exists, which I don't believe it does, I don't believe that most humans would see it as fair. Obviously, no matter what punishments it deals out for what actions, SOME people will regard it as unfair. But I believe that IF it does exist, it operates with what I would call "massive overreactions".

karma isn't about punishment, it's about learning. Some people need more of a push than others.

And what of people who never learn? For example, if they don't believe in Karma they're not likely to ever "learn" from it.

[Kalysk]

I've always thought of life as a cosmic lottery. Either you're born in a relatively pleasant nation, probably in the Americas or Europe, or you're born in some Hellhole in Africa right in the middle of a famine.

[Keronians]

There are other points in life other than happiness. But happiness is what helps us function better.

A depressed person is not as productive as a happy one.

Not always true.

[Conserative Morality]

In the case you talk of, yes. Feel free to show me wrong.

So, you say that happiness is the sole goal of life, and when I say "Fuck no, that's wrong", I'm the one who needs proof?

Have you decided/forged a purpose yet?

To adhere to my personal philosophy and ideology as strictly as I can without rejecting other viewpoints in a dogmatic manner; rather, absorbing any positive points into my philosophy and ideology in order to make them as close to my preferred view of reality as is possible.

[Conserative Morality]

Something to say?

[Keronians]

Something to say?

Example, please.

[Tolerant Puberty]

Karma?

Thing is, even if "Karma" exists, which I don't believe it does, I don't believe that most humans would see it as fair. Obviously, no matter what punishments it deals out for what actions, SOME people will regard it as unfair. But I believe that IF it does exist, it operates with what I would call "massive overreactions".

It does work, but I think I am the only one who understands it.

It does not give you popularity or something else no, it gives you a clear view of life.

[Imsogone]

karma isn't about punishment, it's about learning. Some people need more of a push than others.

And what of people who never learn? For example, if they don't believe in Karma they're not likely to ever "learn" from it.

You're not learning from karma, you're learning (one hopes) from the circumstances in which you are placed. You keep getting put in those situations until you get it or you die. You don't have to believe in karma to experience it.

[Person012345]

So, you say that happiness is the sole goal of life, and when I say "Fuck no, that's wrong", I'm the one who needs proof?

Do you even remember where this section of the argument came from? It was very specific to a particular religious belief. I doubt that that religious belief doesn't have it's primary aim as pleasing god. That's like if I said "I've heard of a religion called christianity that worships a zombie", you could doubt that they in fact do worship a zombie, and it would be up to me to provide some evidence that said religion exists, and worships a zombie.

Have you decided/forged a purpose yet?

To adhere to my personal philosophy and ideology as strictly as I can without rejecting other viewpoints in a dogmatic manner; rather, absorbing any positive points into my philosophy and ideology in order to make them as close to my preferred view of reality as is possible.

Any particular reason for doing that?

[Call to power]

because nature is a largely uncaring process, but fear not for using the tool of civilization we can seek to create a just world.

There is no peace.

actually there is its just when of those things where the question of "why is there war?" is better answered with another question of why is there peace?

There is no justice. When wrongs are done, there is no retribution. Those who play by the rules get beaten by the ones who cheat.

actually there is you just tend to notice when it doesn't because injustice is rather offensive to the human psyche

fuck it I get you having so kind of crisis here so enjoy Alan Watts a littleas I figure it will chill you out a bit.

troll image

yeah we know but lets talk about life a bit because its Saturday evening and its been a shitty, shitty week.

It appears to you unfair. This is no fault of yours; quite the opposite. You have a conscience, and if you tend it you can go anywhere and do anything.

What he said.

As long as we strive for perfection we won't accomplish anything. Just see in that not anything works for 100% but only for 99,9999%.

no because "oh well we can never get it perfectly right" does not mean we can just give up trying to achieve perfection

And wth does Christian theology do with this?

everything?

[Conserative Morality]

Example, please.

Van Gogh leaps to mind.