Ignorance Is The Root Of All Evil

[vijun]

I am a twenty-three year old male that is currently living in Montreal. I would describe myself as an eccentric self loathing, depressed human being. I dropped out of high school when I was sixteen. I never had a job. I only leave my apartment when I have to. I am currently on medication for depression and social anxiety disorder. Fortunately I was able to make a substantial amount of money from selling things on EBay and making some wise investment decisions. Unfortunately I spent most of the money that I made in a futile attempt to find happiness. I have reached a point where for the first time in my life I am having real financial difficulties. I think the money that I was making in the past was the only thing that stopped me from killing myself. I don’t know how much longer I am going to be alive; therefore I decided to post this letter on this website. I would like to communicate with individuals that have something in common with me. I would also like to educate or influence the people that are reading this; especially teenagers in high school.What you see below are some of my opinions on four different topics.

 

EMBRACING THE IGNORANCE OF HUMANITY

 

TRADITIONS- For some reason human beings love irrational traditions. People are still engaging in traditions that are thousands of years old. We love to live like cavemen. I am talking about things like male and female circumcision. Female circumcision may be much worse, but the idea of cutting of a peace of a boy’s penis as a part of some five thousand year old tradition just sounds stupid to me. Unfortunately I had a Jewish pediatrician that convinced my parents that it would reduce the chances of me getting penile cancer; therefore I will never be able to experience sexual pleasure the way an uncircumcised man would experience it.

 

Another irrational tradition that human beings love is monogamy. I am not going to say much about monogamy because I am sure that most of you have already heard about the 50+ percent divorce rate in different countries around the world therefore I only have two things to say. If you are in a monogamous relationship and your partner cheats on you, you deserve exactly what you get. In my opinion the happiest couples in the world are people that are in committed open relationships.

 

GOOD AND EVIL- In my opinion the concept of good and evil are just products of evolution. It all depends on which side you are on and what rank you have society. We are no different than a pack of wolves or a group of monkeys. Dominant males and females have the privilege to commit more acts of violence than the lower ranking individuals. In other words the violence is justified. Whenever I watch the news and I see the U.S.A fighting Al Qaeda or the Palestine’s fighting the Israelis I don’t see good on one side and evil on the other side. I see ignorance and stupidity on both sides. Some people like to think of good and evil as a positive force and a negative force or good karma and bad karma. I see it as logical and illogical behavior that is passed on in your genetic code and your culture from generation to generation. Let me explain what I mean. Imagine that an illogical act was committed over a thousand years ago in a small village in Africa, Asia, or Europe. Perhaps someone was raped or murdered. That single illogical act can cause a chain reaction that could lead to the misery and deaths of millions of people. Stress, malnutrition, and a lack of knowledge can impair the health of parents and their children. This information is then past on in their genes in the form of genetic flaws like cancer, diabetes, and even asymmetrical faces which can reduce the chances of having a good sex life. That is why I believe that everyone deserves exactly what they get. People are suffering today because of the mistakes that people made in the past. And the people of tomorrow will suffer because of the mistakes that we make in the present, unless we are willing to change the way we think and live.

 

GODS- I also believe that the concept of god is a product of evolution. I call it the triangle philosophy. The dominant person is at the top of the triangle with the lower ranking people at the bottom. Sometimes I wonder how much people on this planet have been killed in the name of a god. Some Muslims love to kill people for Allah. In the past Christians killed people for the Lord Jesus Christ. If you go back even further you will find people that sacrificed humans to make their gods happy so their crops would grow. I just can’t believe that we are living in a world where educated individuals believe that there is a god in the sky. People are actually still teaching creation in schools all around the world. The argument that many religious scientist make is that human beings could never have evolved from single celled organisms, even though the evidence of evolution is all around us. Some scientists that do believe in evolution prefer to go back even further to the big bang. Who or what created the big bang? How can something be created from nothing? It must be god. My answer to that is it does not matter how much we have evolved or how much we will learn in the future. There will always be things that we will not know. My philosophy is, if I can’t see it, taste it, hear it, smell it, or touch then it does not exist. In the twenty- three years that I have been alive I still haven’t heard a word from a god. If people need something to believe in they should focus on Buddhism, extraterrestrials or string theory.

 

 

MEDICAL SCIENCE

 

Medical science has come along way during the past hundred years. Unfortunately it has not come far enough because of capitalism and religious and ethical reasons. In this topic I will focus neuroscience and genetics.

 

Neuroscience- I am impressed with the progress that neuroscientist have made during the past twenty-five years especially in the fields of neurophysiology and cognitive neuroscience. In my opinion the only field of neuroscience that has not progressed that much is psychiatry. I won’t even waste my time writing about the good old days when people were being electrocuted and lobotomized for no reason. I am not satisfied with the way most psychiatrist are trying to treat depression. One problem that I have is the amount of people in North America that are on antidepressants. Writing a prescription for someone that is depressed is the first thing that most psychiatrist do. In my opinion antidepressants should only be used as a last resort.

 

The second problem that I have with psychiatry is psychotherapy. The physical act of handing over a hundred dollars or more for an hour of a doctors time made me even more depressed than I was before I went into the office. There is nothing that a psychiatrist or a psychologist can tell me that I can’t learn from a book. Another thing that people need to know is, if there is something that you want to remain confidential keep it to yourself or get someone to sign a confidentiality contract. I had a friend that was a psychiatrist. He is now deceased. He told me everything about his patients. We would have long discussions about the different disorders and problems that his patients were living with. Some people are good at keeping secrets and some people are not. So I would advise people to be careful the next time that you go into a doctor’s office to bare your soul to someone that you have never met before in your life. However, I will admit that psychotherapy can be a good alternative to taking antidepressants if you can find the right doctor.

 

The third problem that I have with psychiatry is doctors that are focused on keeping suicidal individuals alive instead of giving them some pleasure or trying to give them a reason to want to live. I think psychiatrist need to teach their patients more about neurophysiology and neurochemistry. They also need to develop new techniques for treating their patients. I also believe that an assisted suicide should be a part of psychiatry. It would involve putting a patient in a comfortable environment, and giving them an injection of heroin or some other narcotic to give them pleasure. The second step would involve giving them a sedative to put them to sleep. And finally dose potassium chloride to stop the heart.

 

GENETICS- I don’t have much to say about genetics other than the fact that people have to stop using the word race to describe what they are. And geneticists have to stop thinking that eugenics is a bad thing. It is time for us to start creating better human beings. We can no longer depend on symmetry and healthy skin to decide if a person has good genes or not.

 

 

 

VIRTUAL REALITY

 

Virtual reality is the most important topic in this letter to me, because what I desire more than anything else is to escape reality. I hate this world and I hate my body. To me virtual reality represents an escape from my body and the ignorance of humanity. My obsession with virtual reality began when I was a teenager in high school. Back in 1994 I can remember computer scientists all around the talking and writing about the virtual reality that we would get to experience in the year 2000 and beyond. Back in the mid 90’s computer programmers were designing video games that were more realistic for consoles like the 3DO. They were not the best video games ever made but they were different than the mass produced juvenile crap that is being made today. I can remember playing realistic full motion video games in the past and enjoying the feeling of getting lost in a virtual world even though the games were not in 3D. By 1999 I realized that the virtual world that I was hoping for was only a dream in my head. That is when I slipped into a deep depression. Movies like the Matrix and Vanilla sky only made things worse for me. It made me feel like the computer programmers around the world were teasing me. I watched as companies like Microvision developed head mounted displays that have incredible resolution. Between 1999 and 2002 I spent at least $50,000 on hardware and software in a futile attempt to get a realistic virtual experience. I get so angry whenever I read or watch television and I see all of the incredible technology that is being developed for the U.S military. Why can’t someone use the technology that is out there to give people a peaceful or fun virtual experience? It would not be so bad if I could at least go to an IMAX theater and watch a good movie on a dome screen. I would be willing to pay $100 or more to see a movie like The Cell or Requiem For A Dream in IMAX 3D. For some reason most people can’t see the possibilities of virtual reality. I am going to write a small list of things that I believe should exist now and in the near future.

 

1. In the present- A virtual reality entertainment center in some large North American cities where people can go to watch real movies on IMAX dome screens and play high quality 3D video games in a private room on dome screens that are about 60% to 75% smaller than your average dome screen. I also believe that people should be able to make money from playing video games. Imagine walking into a room and seeing a large dome screen and a formula 1 racing car. You proceed by sitting down in the car and selecting an option that is appearing on a small screen on the steering wheel of the car. You then proceed to chose to race nine people that are doing the same thing that you are doing. Each person pays a fee to play the game and they all decide to wager $100 on the race. The prize structure would be 1st place $500, 2nd place $300 and 3rd place $200. That is just one example of the many possibilities of wagering money on video games. It would be much healthier than gambling in a casino or playing video lottery machines in a bar because each wager would be based on skill not luck. And the players that are making bets would get the same rush of dopamine that most gamblers get without having to deal with the ridiculous odds in casinos. You would be able to play games that involve strength, speed, timing, and intelligence. For example, imagine playing a game like track and field that involves pushing one button to build up speed. If the best human beings can push a button ten times in a second. How many times do you think a person would be able to push a button in 9.79 seconds? (The world record for the hundred meter dash) Wining or losing money would all depend on your physical or mental abilities.

 

2. In the present- High-tech luxury apartments in some large North American cities that would include the same smaller versions of the IMAX dome screens that I wrote about above. Imagine watching 3D television and performing most of the activities that I wrote about above. These apartments would be very expensive. They would probably cost $100,000 a month or more but I would be willing to spend that much if I could afford it.

 

3. In the near future- A computer program that can be your friend, teacher, or sexual partner.

 

4. In the near future- A computer program called that is called What Do Desire? Imagine a computer program that is as realistic as the matrix. You simply have to tell the computer what you want to experience and you can live out almost any scenario that you can imagine.

 

5. In the near future- I also believe that virtual reality could be used to reduce deviant desires like pedophilia. (Real pedophilia not cultural pedophilia)

 

 

 

THE SOLUTION TO ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS

 

Existence is information and perception. Information in the form of energy, subatomic particles, atoms, molecules, planets, stars, and carbon based life forms like us. Perception in the form of programmed reactions to the information that we receive through our five senses. You might have heard the phrase one rotten apple destroys the whole pack. Imagine that the world is a bag with five good apples in it and one rotten apple in it. The rotten apple is a representation of all of our cultural problems and our genetic problems. You can’t remove a small piece of the rotten apple and not expect the bacteria to spread. That is the problem with the world. We are not willing to do what it takes to get rid of the whole apple. Your problems are my problems and my problems are your problems. We are all connected. I am convinced that there is a way for human beings to coexist in peace. I can imagine living in world were the only misery that people would feel is the misery that they choose to feel. A lot of people are doing things to try to make the world a better place but they are not doing enough. Medical doctors have to realize is that a panacea is not going to come in the form of a pill or a serum. That is what the pharmaceutical companies out there would like doctors to believe. Unfortunately the solution to the problem is much more complex than that. Intelligent rational human beings have to get together and start a movement. Neuroscientists have to work together with computer scientists to improve our cognitive abilities and gain better control over our amygdales. (Read The Age Of Spiritual Machines by Ray Kurzweil to understand what I am talking about) Geneticists have stop worrying about ethics and do what ever it takes to make life better for human beings. Liberal open minded politicians in every democratic country around the world have to work together to give people more privileges and to help scientists speed up the process of evolution. People around the world also have to be willing to make a slow process from capitalism to socialism. People have to be willing to abandon most of their old traditions.

 

I believe that I have the right ideology to solve most of mankind’s problems, but what I believe is irrelevant because I don’t have masters’ degree or a PhD. And I don’t have the money or the motivation to change the world. All I can say is that we have to stop being controlled by our emotions. The universe has blessed us with a large prefrontal cortex but very few people actually use it the way they should. Especially the orbitofrontal region and the dorsolateral region. I can only hope that a few people out there will be influenced by what I wrote.

[Killean]

Although Vijun might never be here again, I had a strange urge to reply to this message to share my ideas on the topics mentioned. My only hopes is that he will return here, share a little, and maybe find that pleasure he was after.

 

First of many quotes from vijun:

I am a twenty-three year old male that is currently living in Montreal. I would describe myself as an eccentric self loathing, depressed human being. I dropped out of high school when I was sixteen. I never had a job. I only leave my apartment when I have to.

19 year old in Winnipeg. Depressed all of the time minus a couple days in a month, paranoid, self doubting, and socialy inept. Dropped out of middle school when I was 15. Never had a job. And I only leave my basement when I have to, or when someone disturbs my many musings and practicly drags me from here. Another guy messed up much like him yet I go on, day by day I can feel myself slipping deeper into the abyss and yet I go on. Why? Maybe it is because I fried my brain so bad on marijuana that I find every little thing amusing. Maybe it is because I am so cynical that I make a hobby out of it, and then try to force my perfectionist views onto it. Maybe I am just so blindly insane that I could frankly not give a damn what the world is and what it thinks. Or maybe, just maybe, it is because I believe that one day I will make a large difference in our world. How? Wish I knew the answer to that. From a broad view of myself, I have no real impressive skills which could clearly mark me out in the crowd. That of which I AM good at can clearly be done a thousand times better by those already doing it. Regardless of all my flaws and clearly imperfect/inadequate skills, just being is causing a difference (which may be direct or indirect and cannot be known until future events unfold).

 

Now enough ranting on that subject, I can understand the views of hopelessness which end up in suicide.

Quoted from previous post of mine:

You live in this world of suffering, you hold on tight to your will which will keep your mind clear (for the moment), and more chances then not a person would try to find something to keep him or herself going. You might find someone else to share your problems with (slim chance if the world is huge and little to no population), and you might not. You could try to make the best of what you do have (build a home, start farming etc...) but in this hypothetical world your efforts would just be wasted. "Dang, my house was destroyed, time to rebuild.","Again? Rebuild.","Rebuild.","Why bother? *pulls piece of newspaper over body, but then it blows away*". This would seem to be the world of those who do have that bullet cocked in the chamber ready to introduce it to their brain. Why continue to suffer if nothing can stop it?

I will continue on this subject at the end of this post, so stay tuned...

 

Traditions

Yes, human beings have a lot of strange irrational traditions which have been passed on from generation to generation. Somtimes these traditions will undergo small changes as time passes, following the way of legends and myths. Circumcision, a nasty little thing to do though in recent days it has it's purposes (such as penile malignant tumors (doctors will come up with just about anything that involves those hunks of cancerous flesh won't they?)) Monogamy I was not aware we practice as a traditional thing to do, I mostly thought of it as human nature seeking pleasure when disatisfied with that they have already been given. Date specific holidays are a tradition that has begun in recent days (recent not nesicerily meaning in the past several years), is somthing that will most likely stay until the day we are extinct or somehow lose the concept of time. These days are completly usless to do anything out of the ordinary at but some enjoyment might come out of it. Birthdays, okay so I was born and it marks another year of life. Why throw a party? Why recieve/give presents? Why recieve/give pieces of paper with sometimes humorous or touching art and words on it? (please try to keep capitalist gain out for the moment.) Valentines day. The Irish Saint who made this day famous I suppose does deserve a day in which to commemorate whatever it was he did (I read it somewhere but long forgot what he had done). Why dub this day "The day of love", or "The most romantic day" etc..? Each day has a reason for being selected out but do not deserve the worship they are given unless the whole idea of a specific holiday is meant to remember (ie, rememberance day, veterans days, martin luther king day and on and on).

Humans have dozens of large and small traditions that we keep going, though in my opinion is only meant to fill in some gaps in our lives to give pleasure or purpose.

 

Good and Evil

Oh boy am I gunna have some fun with this one. I have often questioned, argued and debated the subject of good and evil. These two action describing concepts have simple definitions. Good being an action that benefits or follows the will of others. Evil being an action that harms or ignores the will of others. The actions in which I follow are good in theory yet contain evil applications. I call this "The greater good". An extream example is, if I had to kill a million people in order to save a billion people. In the end it means good will come, but in the process I am commiting evil acts.

 

Some people like to think of good and evil as a positive force and a negative force or good karma and bad karma. I see it as logical and illogical behavior that is passed on in your genetic code and your culture from generation to generation...

A beautful observation, one in which I shall ponder upon further. Logical and illogical behavior does seem like nice way to think of "good" and "evil" actions. But how can we determine what is truely logical and what is illogical? Every person has their own point of view on how things should work which is passed on to others as you said. The main driving force which would seem to be 'logical' thing to do is decieded by the majority who think the same. But that majority thought could have been the end result of a butterfly effect set in motion so many years ago. Maybe the logical thing to do was to go out and murder, rape and steal. But I shall remain with the majority on that subject.

 

Gods

Since the dawn of time, intelligent man has worshiped unearthly figureheads in hopes that it will make a difference in their lives. First it was many, then knocked down to a couple. Is it our fear of death that makes us turn to these gods? Is it our minds wishing that our fantasies will be fulfilled by these entities? I have never really given too much of a thought about god or the plethora of gods. I follow my life following one simple rule: fate is the guiding force, I choose which path fate is to continue down. It may be silly, or incorrect, but it has got me this far so there. :) There may or may not be these entities guiding our way of life, if they or he or she or it does not wish to show themself to me then so be it, time will tell if it is true, or not. I believe there is already a discusion taking place regarding this subject so I shall yeild.

 

Dr. Tear-your-mind-apart-and-rebuild-it

I have been to a couple of psychiatrists in the past five years and can say that they have done nothing for me, other then listen to me and insult my intelligence. However they say they did what they were supposed to do. Whatever. There are those who do study the abnormalities that exist, both from a scientific (literaly diving into the brain and looking) and philosophical (asking why is it happening and trying to understand how it got to that point) stance. One of these days I would like to join those on the philo' search for answers of the mind. Anyways. Is it right for these doctors to be so apathetic and untrustworthy to their patients? My opinion, no. Why? My personal beliefs and morals. Are all like that? I hope not.

 

Playing god... I mean, genetics

We have come a long way concerning manipulation of microscopic cells and their characteristics. Is this a correct, good, "logical" thing to do? Why not? Genetics is in a broad sence the same as any other science that is being studied. Instead of wondering how energy and matter work, how the stars and heavenly bodies move about, and how certain elements react to another or how playing around with the elements can cause different reactions, genetics is trying to figure out how life is working. But the moral implications of such tampering almost seems like life has been copyrighted by who is doing the badmouthing of this scientific field.

 

It is time for us to start creating better humans.

This would seem to come down to a question of morals. Besides that, how do you think the rest of us ungenetically enhanced creatures would act towards an engineered human? How would these engineered humans act towards us? Hard to tell, could be trouble or could end up enhancing our way of life. Only way to fingure that one out is to do it.

 

Virtual Reality

I too wish virtual reality was advanced enough to be able to escape it all. Until the day that we have made holodecks, your imagination should be all that you need. Or at least it is all I need to escape reality once in a while. Virtual reality that you see in books, movies and tv are just development stages to reach the mighty goal. Most of which is not publicly available ot won't be available until sufficient marketing schemes are made. If you want in on the development then read a book, take a coarse, and start making that hardware and programming the software. Any one of us could be the father of the early holodeck system which could spawn the future Star Trek like thing.

 

A virtual reality entertainment center in some large North American cities where people can go to watch real movies on IMAX dome screens and play high quality 3D video games in a private room on dome screens that are about 60% to 75% smaller than your average dome screen.

For the first statment, I believe they have said item you are refereing to in a major city (cannot remember which, add short memory to my list of flaws). It features a huge dome that closes over the audiance and it plays the imax film on it. No 3D models that jump out at you yet. If what I have seen on the list of 2004's greatest acheivments is the most advanced holographic image to date, then we are under a year or a few years away from 3D holos. Personal dome 3D video game centers? Money is the major concern. To play one of these personal stations would cost a butt load of money.

 

Betting on ability rather then chance does occur though not very often. Betting by chance adds some unexpected twists to the world of gaining and loseing money, which by my understanding is whats so appealing about it. If you bet by talent then it is the same thing. Many unexpected twists can occur depending on the talent being exploited. You also have to factor in human competitiveness and cheating (this might be done by hacking, disabling your opponent and all that nasty stuff, but in terms for money 'all is fair in love and war').

 

High-tech luxury apartments in some large North American cities that would include the same smaller versions of the IMAX dome screens that I wrote about above. Imagine watching 3D television and performing most of the activities that I wrote about above. These apartments would be very expensive. They would probably cost $100,000 a month or more but I would be willing to spend that much if I could afford it.

Suggest it to an architect. Build the system yourself. Such a system would simply be an accessory that the consumer would have to add to their household. At the moment computer gurus are trying to intigrate all the stuff that makes a house a house into a computer system. A house run by a not so evil ai HAL computer. Expect such a house to be finished in the coming year to three years. When it will come out on the market might be a few more years down the road.

 

In the near future- A computer program that can be your friend, teacher, or sexual partner.

Artificial intelligence is coming along quite nicely. Sure there may be the odd mad scientist computer geek who has created an AI system (somehow FT comes to mind), but what I do know of what is happening so far in that field is: a group of university students has successfully made and implimented a digital aquarium. The fishies swim, the fishies eat, the fishies get the hell out of there when a bigger fishy wants to eat it, the fishies also learn and use that knowledge. However all that is based roughly on a system call fuzzy logic which I never really studied up on, but I should or maybe ask in the computers forum. Be a few more years until full AI is made. However I shall again stop there because there is a thread discussing AI. Minus the AI. A computer can be a friend if it wants to be, or told to be. To be a true friend, to react as a friend would, it would have to choose you as it's friend. If you catch my meaning. A computer as your teacher. It can be done. Might have been done. If not, people are not ready to make a virtual teacher, or got better things to do. Sexual partner computers. With the proper AI it could be a nice thing to talk to and share with. As for the other meaning of love, this AI system would have to be in a robot that is built to male/female specifications, or have an external genetalia hardware that can be connected via USB or whatever else. Very difficult make but might be useful for the truely desperate and or depraved.

 

In the near future- A computer program called that is called What Do Desire? Imagine a computer program that is as realistic as the matrix. You simply have to tell the computer what you want to experience and you can live out almost any scenario that you can imagine.

As I said before, your looking at a long while before that happens.

 

In the near future- I also believe that virtual reality could be used to reduce deviant desires like pedophilia. (Real pedophilia not cultural pedophilia)

A nice idea but it would only promote the desires for such vile acts against children. The best way to solve such a problem (hard to say but it might never be solved), is to get those psychiatrists in there to ask why. My thoughts about pedophilia, I see it happening because of two reasons. 1) These individuals get the strange idea that since they cannot get anything from women their own age, or at least above the law regulated age requirment, that they see children as a naive and easy target to get off on their perverted desires. 2) This theory might not be too common or might just be somthing completly assinine, but they do it as a form of subconscious intrigue. Perhaps they or ones who were close was subjected to it when they were young and they were intrigued, or as an adult they saw examples of it and it sparked a form of delight in them. Hard to say unless we actualy study the problem rather then throw them away for years. Virtual reality could be used as the release to get them away from the younger crowd and into the adult crowd for my first theory if done under theropy conditions and continued onward through life. As for Virtualy reality cureing the second, it could be done but might take a long while to do.

 

Ending Statments

One rotten apple ruins the bunch. This might be a good metaphor for the human race in a certain perspective. However as I have heared a few say, "The humans perfect world is an imperfect one." I read in Time magazine that we have actualy tried the perfect in every sence world. I forget how these experiements failed but that is inconsiquential since for my purposes the keyword is failed. "It was a disaster. No one would accpet the program, entire crops were lost...I believe that the human being defines their reality through misery and suffering..." Agent Smith - The Matrix. We are all connected as you said, and the majority wants chaos with the balance, illogic with the logic. Can we break out of this scary spiral of death? Possible. A theory I forulated (though it is probably not an original one), is to take fifty individual children from the moment they are born and keep them isolated. Give them AI teachers and parents with the programming for "good" nature. Let this new society multiply for a while, then wipe out all of us, and then let the good society out to enjoy what this planet and universe has to offer. Only way I see to cause a fairly instant solution to the problem. As for a long term solution? I might be too ignorant to see a solution or maybe just too cynical to think that our instincts will ever change.

 

I believe that I have the right ideology to solve most of mankind’s problems, but what I believe is irrelevant because I don’t have masters’ degree or a PhD.

That's good that you have the right idea for change. You don't need a degree or any other piece of paper. Gather some attention and spread your ideas. Do what Jesus did minus all the talk about god. Gather a flock, tell them your ideas, and tell them to spread the word.

 

Now for the part I promised oh so long ago. It is my hopes that this is not your last letter ever to be written here. You might not show up again and join me in exploreing your views and debateing over the views I have written to counter your own. The more I think about what I wrote before concerning suicide the more I hate myself now after reading what SEEMS like a suicide note from you. There is nothing that I can really do from the internet to aid you in finding your niche in this world. I just hope that you and everyone else can gain some perspective about what I have written on the subject and try to consinder a different path to take.

 

Since I do doubt myself and what I have written thus far, I would like to add the usual disclaimers such as, I am extreamly tired at the moment. If I have offended anyone then I shall edit the offensive parts out. And feel free to prove me wrong in what I have said.

 

</:)>

[IrishEyes]

Both of you...

WOW!

As a mom, I can only say how sad your world seems to me. I don't know what your home lives were like, but feel free to get your butts down here and we can discuss things over a home-cooked meal!

 

Seriously though, thank you for sharing your thoughts. It was not easy to read the despair you both seem to feel, but I think it is an indication of how many people feel. vijun, I hope you return to share more of your thoughts. Killean, hang in there. I know you've got some awesome people around you, so keep plugging along, ok?

 

Damn it all, now I'm going to have to WORRY about you two! Thanks a lot!! :Alien:

[geko]

I can imagine living in world were the only misery that people would feel is the misery that they choose to feel.

 

In the west this is pretty much how it is anyway. Buck Up! and good luck :Alien:

[sanctus]

Well, my reply is directed to both killean and vijun (sometimes only to one of you two):

• Welcome vijun.
  
• What you believe is not at al irrelevant, for the reason killean gave you (do the jesus-thingy minus god) and just because you're part of the changing mass! If everyone that has revolutionary ideas stays at home there is no revolution!
  
• I agree we should pass from the capital system to the social one
  
• I suggest to you to read Bolo-Bolo by P.M., less for the book, but for the introduction of the author (which is half of the book)
  
• Something which many people tend to forget and don't trust to talk about: the ancient greek philosophers (and not only them) used to have some young children to play with and this was normal!!!! Even tabous change.
   
  

[Killean]

Quoted from IrishEyes:

As a mom, I can only say how sad your world seems to me. I don't know what your home lives were like, but feel free to get your butts down here and we can discuss things over a home-cooked meal!

 

Seriously though, thank you for sharing your thoughts. It was not easy to read the despair you both seem to feel, but I think it is an indication of how many people feel. vijun, I hope you return to share more of your thoughts. Killean, hang in there. I know you've got some awesome people around you, so keep plugging along, ok?

My world seems sad? I suppose to other it might, though I like to think that my world is facinating and full of twists and turns trying to screw me over. I took however the scientific approach to there holy depressing events in trying to observe and explore what went wrong and how can I fix it, or how could I have fixed it. As for enjoyment, I take no or little pleasure for myself and try to give others the fun and excitment they need to make their lives complete in a way. A noble sacrifice but leaves me with the world you seem to see.

 

I'll go to the introductions forum and talk about myself and my home life.

 

I already recieve home-cooked meals but sampling anothers would be a treat. I thank you for such an offer.

 

And plug along I shall. Who has time to give up when there is a whole world and possibly even a whole universe to explore. Plus, I don't think my divine leader GAHD would let me stop. *curses at him under his breath*

 

Quoted from Sanctus:

If everyone that has revolutionary ideas stays at home there is no revolution!

I try. God knows I try to leave this dank dungeon. As I mentioned to Irish, I take in little enjoyment for myself, and what I have in this room is my salvation and destruction. A computer which I am addicted to, a PS2 when the computer is boring. Bordom is what kills me the most.

 

Quoted again from Sanctus:

I suggest to you to read Bolo-Bolo by P.M., less for the book, but for the introduction of the author (which is half of the book)

Me thinks I'll do that. Though, what section would such a book be location at your local book store?

[sanctus]

well, I would say under politic utopia, but nothing like comunism! much better!

[hav0k]

two simple cliches = one conclusion.

ignorance is bliss.+

you get wiser with age.

O.o

[Turtle]

I spend 20+ jours of everyday in my room; of the remaining 4, I spend 31/2 in the house. I leave my yard maybe 3 or 4 times a month & then for less than 30 minutes. I am over twice vij & kilin's age & I have the most sincerest hope to live in my reclusion to a ripe old age. Visit my post here on Strange Numbers guys & see what discoveries you can make in your cells. This internet thing is our salvation; without who would have ever read your rant? :)

[Turtle]

I think greed is the root of all evil; not ignorance.

[CHADS]

"The road to evil is fuelled by desire .... and even the want not to desire still holds you on the wheel" :)

[hav0k]

maybe ignorance is one of the many causes for greed?

[Turtle]

Darn wheel! No, I think greed stands alone. Ignorance after all isn't one of the deadly sins is it? And then there's the Old Greek that's still dead is supposed to have said "it is better to know useless things than nothing at all". I wish I didn't remember that. Darn wheel! :hihi:

[Killean]

Instead of trying to consider what is 'evil', think more on terms of what prevents the growth of our species. Ignorance does have quite the impact on our progress. From my observations, Winnipeg is roughly filled with 15% uneducated, uninformed individuals. 45% are simply uninformed, the remaining 40% are educated, and informed, but some show other qualities that make these people just as bad as the first 60% (Though, all have the possibility to show signs of these qualities). These 'other qualities' include greed, apathy, cynacism, fear of the unknown (there are probably more but I cannot think of any at the moment) etc... Each are dangerous alone to humankinds progression. Ignorance by what I have said seems like the major factor with the 'others' below it, but it too can be added to the list with its own list of boons. We are a mighty messed up species, and I hope we can get out of the rut.

[hav0k]

ignoreance -is- evil, in the sense that it's not good... but the root of such, i don't know, or much think about. there's your apathy. =P

[lindagarrette]

Instead of trying to consider what is 'evil', think more on terms of what prevents the growth of our species. Ignorance does have quite the impact on our progress. From my observations, Winnipeg is roughly filled with 15% uneducated, uninformed individuals. 45% are simply uninformed, the remaining 40% are educated, and informed, but some show other qualities that make these people just as bad as the first 60% (Though, all have the possibility to show signs of these qualities). These 'other qualities' include greed, apathy, cynacism, fear of the unknown (there are probably more but I cannot think of any at the moment) etc... Each are dangerous alone to humankinds progression. Ignorance by what I have said seems like the major factor with the 'others' below it, but it too can be added to the list with its own list of boons. We are a mighty messed up species, and I hope we can get out of the rut.

Be wary of calling some trait evil or dangerous. Most if not all of human and animal drives, regardless of how much we discourate them, exist for some important purpose. Fear is a good example. We could not survive without it. Interpretation of qualities is purely subjective.

[Aquagem]

Be wary of calling some trait evil or dangerous. Most if not all of human and animal drives, regardless of how much we discourate them, exist for some important purpose. Fear is a good example. We could not survive without it. Interpretation of qualities is purely subjective.

 

I agree. The root of all evil is our "knowledge of good and evil." In the rest of the natural world, murder, rape, stealing, (and other deadly sins) have a different name: survival traits.

 

Also, think of all of the highly educated and thoroughly evil people we see on the news every day. Or so we say, from our own little moral perspective...

 

And one more caution -- you and I and this whole site would have been burned at the stake four hundred years ago for even having this discussion. As evil ones. Only those on a first-name basis with Satan himself would say such dangerous things. Evil, like all else, evolves.