We talk so much about it

bbchris · Posted: Fri May 14, 2004 4:45 am Post subject: Re: Ahhh

Is there a link to that video?

Triton X · Joined: 25 Mar 2004 Posts: 10

You might find it here........ www.thememoryhole.org/

Though the site isn't always up. It's possibly been sabotaged by someone or the traffic is too high.

Edited by: Triton X at: 5/14/04 3:56 pm

RonOnGuitar · Joined: 08 Jan 2003 Posts: 1916

Quote:
If you continued to slap me once every 10 seconds I am sure no matter how hard i tried eventually I would have to slap you back...kind of like the bully syndrome I guess

Yup, but in that scenerio Drooly would be the bully. I woulda flattened him before slap one, hahaha!

But this is getter closer to the real problem. If by "peace" a person means no war anywhere in the world, that has never been the case, nor will it ever be on the face of this planet. That's not due any group or geopolitical based reasoning.

This needs to looked at more radically, in the literal sense of the word - "at the root". I believe the root is the common human nature containing the seeds to both do great good and to commit great evil. Take Hitler and Mother Teresa, by way of example.

Hitler was a vegan, was against smoking, loved his dog "Blondie" and had some talent as an artist. But that's not what the world remembers about him. He drew from the dark side of human nature to form his perception of the world and his place in it.

Mother Teresa had a profound material and spiritual impact on those with whom she choose to work and served as an inspiration to the world. I have no doubt she experienced her own dark side - perhaps an urge to be a foul-mouthed chain-wielding biker chick, who knows? She drew from the same common human nature as did Herr Hitler to form her perception of the world and her place in it. However she consistently choose a pattern that resulted in great good and that is how the world remembers her.

I think questions of "How do we make the world hold hands, do a group hug and sing "Kumbaya?" are very well intended, but most often the focus/conclusions tend to be naive and/or driven by subjective preconceptions. Also, terms can be foggy. Does "world peace" mean every person - around the world - is just frothing at the mouth to kill & maim one another, but they bottle it up inside instead of acting on it?

Or is "peace" defined as something more than the absence of "war"? (And then "war" would have be defined, to boot!)

I believe,as Debbie says and as the old song goes, people can & should "Brighten The Corner Where You Are", doing small things that get little or no notice, praise or credit.

If I had sat the Fuhrer down and said " 'Dolf, this holocaust thing is not good for world peace", I think it would have as much impact as had I urged Mother Teresa to forget the sick & needy and start attending nightly raves instead.

I cannot change human nature and human nature makes up the nature of the world.

I can change myself and my world, though. For me that's more than enough to keep me fulltime busy as I pass through this life!

DreamTone7 · Joined: 20 Sep 2002 Posts: 2571

Amen...and for the record, peace is not merely the absence of war...of any kind!

LarreeMP3 · Joined: 12 Apr 2002 Posts: 1935

Peace? Start by killing everyone who wants you to die just because of what you are.

Click here to listen to three decades of original Larree music!

HKRockChick · No More Peas! Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 1513

Quote:
I can change myself and my world, though. For me that's more than enough to keep me fulltime busy as I pass through this life!

In our own lives do we resolve things by listening to the other side and coming to a compromise somehow, or do we agree to disagree and move on. Or do we bash each other up for not agreeing? Or do we only listen to the people who "matter" - our superiors/bosses/partners/ same race or religion and disregard the opinions of "lesser" mortals?

I don't know what is the right answer for peace, just that each of us is responsible for it.

RonOnGuitar · Joined: 08 Jan 2003 Posts: 1916

Hi Debbie -

Quote:
In our own lives do we resolve things by listening to the other side and coming to a compromise somehow, or do we agree to disagree and move on.

I think you're slouching toward apples v. oranges comparison as you go along here, Debbie, but that's a fair quesion. In a cordial discussion, people indeed should go about it in that matter. (OTOH, in a debate that paradigm is non-workable, since points are awarded and a trophy is given the debate winner.)

Quote:
Or do we bash each other up for not agreeing?

This is where you stray from apple territory into orange-land. Two TV sports analysts each making a disagreeing prediction based on their reasoning on which team will win, is a discussion - and often a heated one. There you have an apple and "apple logic" applies.

But if you were to jump into the middle of a soccer riot after the actual game (the orange) and try apple logic, I think the end result would not be the one for which you hoped.

In another real-life analogy, I think we would agree that people should discuss the issue of rape. But I think it would be a quite singular instance when a woman can discuss the logic & fine points of rape with some pervert-psycho who's pinned her down and is holding a knife at her throat.

Quote:
Or do we only listen to the people who "matter" - our superiors/bosses/partners/ same race or religion and disregard the opinions of "lesser" mortals?

Listen to Mother Teresa and Hitler. Then use logic & common sense to extrapolate which line of reasoning makes sense.

Quote:
I don't know what is the right answer for peace, just that each of us is responsible for it.

I agree with you Debbie, but probably not on the same definition of "peace".

I am responsible for my peace and it's the only one I can change. Had I a magical wand that could grant other individuals their own internal peace, I surely would wave it around the world. World-wide internal peace would likely lead to world-wide external peace.

As I sez, I think it all comes back to the Jeckle/Hyde reality of human nature. That's beyond my scope and grasp to control.

However, I do think you're right in your basic line of thought that individuals should choose to live good lives and to do good things when they can, Debbie. It may not bring about Universal Nirvana, but it can make a difference in one tiny corner of a large & very troubled world.

Edited by: RonOnGuitar at: 5/15/04 4:34 am

HKRockChick · No More Peas! Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 1513

but all large movements started small.

Yeah Ron, I know, there are so many relatives (yeah, I have them all over the place

). Oh, when I say "you" I'm generalising, I suppose I should say does "one".

So does one walk away or speak out against injustices, and does one even see them as injustices in the first place. If one is inherently wicked, can one be changed? How should you handle a "wicked" person in your life? I've actually met three really really wicked people in my life so far. These people used their power and took a malicious delight (there's a German word for that: schadenfreude) in tormenting others, mentally and physically. I was harassed for an entire year by this pervert boss. Of course, I did file a written complaint etc, but at that time in HK there were no laws against sexual harassment in the workplace!!! can you believe that? For a good while after that I was eaten up by the desire for revenge, but then I decided he wasn't worth my life and ulcers and moved on. I'm not angry any more, I figure he'll get his just deserts some day. I did all I could within the limits of the law at the time. Now that we have laws and I have the money to sue, I no longer want to open up that period of my life. However, if something like that had to happen again, I sure as hell wouldnt take it for a year hoping it would go away! Has anyone else had a similar experience and what happened?

When I say "bashing", yes I venture into the realm of violence, school, street and domestic. Also into the realm of subtle corporate politics.

Like I said, this topic has always been interesting to me. I'm just putting out hypotheticals and it may seem like apples and oranges, but we're talking about normal life situations here, between friends, children and parents, peers, colleagues, partners etc, not debates or commentaries or debate forums.

BTW, Mother Teresa ruffled my hair when I was eight! :yeah

RonOnGuitar · Joined: 08 Jan 2003 Posts: 1916

Quote:
BTW, Mother Teresa ruffled my hair when I was eight!

And you're still mad at her for mussing up your hair, Debbie???? :wgrin

Following the line of some of the thoughts here I recall a saying of K'ung Fu Tzu, aka "Confucius":

If there be righteousness in the heart,

there will be beauty in the character.

If there be beauty in the character,

there will be harmony in the home.

If there be harmony in the home,

there will be order in the nation.

If there be order in the nation,

there will be peace in the world.

- Confucious

HKRockChick · No More Peas! Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 1513

Confucious say...

TA-DAH!!!!

HKRockChick · No More Peas! Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 1513

at the time she (Mother Teresa) was just this wizened old nun who was visiting the Home for the Aged, same as I was with gramps. Apparently she knew gramps and came over to talk and she said "who are these little girls" and tossed up my hair and my sister's. Then we all ate doughnuts and coffee made by the nuns specially for the occasion. And then I forgot about it until much later in my life. :dunno

Maybe it'll have significance if some of her goodness rubs off!

4teetoo · Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 195

it is essential to recognize the meaningless, and accept it without fear.

.what.would.u.do.if.u.weren't.afraid.

purge.

grasp.

incite.

HKRockChick · No More Peas! Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 1513

but to recognise the meaningful and distinguish it from the meaningless.... now there's an art!

:gl

Rev9Volts · Joined: 10 Jul 2003 Posts: 1327

teach every one in the world t read and then make them read this...

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.

Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.

Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.

Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.

Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.

But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.

- Buddha