Are We Selling Ourselves Short?

[Quill]

I think this is the right section.

A week or so ago I asked myself a question. Are we, as a species, selling ourselves short?

All too often I hear people (myself included) belittling another person or a group of people. A "holier than thou" attitude is assumed, as if one has never made a mistake in their life. (I hate to admit it, but I find myself thinking/passing such judgments.) People also seem to feel that circumstances are never going to get better and that the human race is doomed. It's not without justification though, there appears to be innumerable cruel people in the world. One is constantly bombarded with images of murder, rape, war, abuse, etc.

Mankind's capacity for cruelty is well known. But what about the capacity for compassion and love. How often does one hear or read stories about human kindness? (I know, there are several out there.) Stories about animals showing qualities usually attributed to humans are popular (and sweet), but it seems that many people have forgotten that they and others are capable of such feelings and actions. Have people become so focused on the negative aspects of humanity that the positive qualities aren't nurtured to their full potential?

What are your thoughts?

Sorry if I'm babbling, I hope I made some sense.

Thank you.

Quill

Edited December 18, 2008 by Quill

[Purplos]

There is an overwhelming modern attitude that it is 'cool' to be mean. And this goes for school kids all the way up to corporate big-wigs or whoever.

I think a lot of it stems from fear.

And I do agree that there has to be a switch to nurture the good qualities.

Edited December 18, 2008 by Purplos

[Crai]

yeah..the postive aspects are usually frowned upon

[Psikillion]

There is an overwhelming modern attitude that it is 'cool' to be mean. And this goes for school kids all the way up to corporate big-wigs or whoever.

I think a lot of it stems from fear.

And I do agree that there has to be a switch to nurture the good qualities.

Heck with the attitude being modern! It has been around since the beginning of the human race.

OP: Maybe it is because we need to be reminded that there is hope, instead of comforted that everything is going to go our way. I cannot explain everything in full detail without talking about my beliefs, which if you want me to post then tell me.

-Psikillion

[Quill]

If you'd like.

[blindchicken11]

I definitely think the media displays too many negative things about the world. I myself have a negative view on life partly because of it. if a child grows up seeing stories on the news everyday about people being murdered, raped, etc., than obviously they are going to think the world is a bad place. but then again if they watch nothing but spongebob and are sheltered from the outside world through their childhood, than they wouldn't be prepared at all to face the world.

[John from Lowell]

I would say, stop being concerned about what others do and start to think about how you yourself can have more compassionate feelings!!

The only way the world will change is if we ourself start practicing the very thoughts and feelings that we truly desire to see in others.

John

[Quill]

I agree.^

But I just wonder, as a whole, are humans failing to recognize their capacity for love, compassion, etc.

[Enigmatic Ghost]

If one wishes to ask such a profound Question, deserving nothing but the purest answers coming from within, truth in whom we are in Spirit as human Beings, one needs only to remove them self and retire to the silent morning sanctuary of Nature, removed from Human impact and meet with thy self in Natures rising sun, and the Questions of us Human shall come as peace within, and then we need to choose upon how we impact the world, as harsh Winds will it be fists and fingers, or will be caring heart and Human compassion, and kindness shared, in the Morning when it rises, there will be your answer my friend…

Pavot

Edited January 1, 2009 by Pavot

[jay123]

Imo Humans are pack animals, were designed to be cautious and seek out possibly dangerous members of the pack.

We celebrate brilliance and and parade evil because thats what it took for the species to survive.

People are dangerous places are dangerous, we see it all over the news because these memes were the most useful to human survival, thus the opinion survived in a kind of, opinion-based natural selection

Thats why were twice as likely to mistake a shadow for a murderer than a murderer for a shadow.

I allways find the human race percieved in a negative light, yet were the only species really capable of altruistic kindness, compassion, uncondional love and pity. And i too, pass similar judgement.

It's all just chemistry mate, And until it changes along with the times, we Can't

I really do think were all just animals, and the only way to really change the world for the better, is to realise this. It's the first step to becoming somthing more.

Edited January 13, 2009 by jay123

[seekingwhat]

The Beatles said "You have to hide your love away!" and they have been vindicated by history. Yes, we are selling ourselves short, but we shouldn't be selling ourselves at all. Love is as dangerous as hate, if you misoverstand it.

[The Orpheus]

Honestly, I believe in survival at the fittest. We are man, a "higher animal" as most may define ourselves to be, but we are nonetheless still animals.

It is okay to shove those who are lower than us down in my opinion. They simply get in your way, so why not? And the ones above you can shove you down too. It simply motivates us to do better and oneday become even greater than them. That is how life works. You keep improving to the best of your ability.

However, there are always those who are almost completely hopeless that do not respond to this system. A select breed in humanity that evolution decided to pick out to simply torture them. The ones who have absolutely no hope in succeeding. I actually try to help some of them, but they are just too stubborn and too stuck in their current, lowly state that they will not even put forth an effort to improve. All they do is simply whine, whine, whine. Sometimes I wish that a bolt of lighting would just strike them down so they won't have to live through their stupid self-torture anymore. But that's only in extreme cases of my anger and irritability.

Economically, I am rather confused on whether this philosophy should apply or not. I am far from Republican, but I do sometimes ponder upon laissez faire and how maybe, it is a worthwhile system.

[John from Lowell]

Honestly, I believe in survival at the fittest. We are man, a "higher animal" as most may define ourselves to be, but we are nonetheless still animals.

It is okay to shove those who are lower than us down in my opinion. They simply get in your way, so why not? And the ones above you can shove you down too. It simply motivates us to do better and oneday become even greater than them. That is how life works. You keep improving to the best of your ability.

However, there are always those who are almost completely hopeless that do not respond to this system. A select breed in humanity that evolution decided to pick out to simply torture them. The ones who have absolutely no hope in succeeding. I actually try to help some of them, but they are just too stubborn and too stuck in their current, lowly state that they will not even put forth an effort to improve. All they do is simply whine, whine, whine. Sometimes I wish that a bolt of lighting would just strike them down so they won't have to live through their stupid self-torture anymore. But that's only in extreme cases of my anger and irritability.

Economically, I am rather confused on whether this philosophy should apply or not. I am far from Republican, but I do sometimes ponder upon laissez faire and how maybe, it is a worthwhile system.

This is an interesting point of view for a young woman to have. It is kind of what you would expect from an insensitive man. Sorry for the steriotyping example. It just struck me that way.

To begin with, this "higher animal" concept does not take into concideration the social interdependance that actually exists in our culture. There are some that are dependant on providers who are dependant on their produce for acceptance and appreciation. We are a culture of interconnected relationships with roles we play for the community good.

Your particular experience with encouraging others to be all they can be may not take into consideration their personal conditioning. We are all conditioned to be a particular way by the enviorment we birth ourselves into. A Paris Hilton's experience is quite different than an orphan living into poverty. I think everyone seems to forget these things.

In economics, the well being of the consumer determines the well being of all. For too long we have tolerated the greed of the few at the expense of the many. That will change, I suspect.

As I see it, we are designed to help one another. It is a mutual benifit point of view, not an exploitation contest.

John

[The Orpheus]

This is an interesting point of view for a young woman to have. It is kind of what you would expect from an insensitive man. Sorry for the steriotyping example. It just struck me that way.

To begin with, this "higher animal" concept does not take into concideration the social interdependance that actually exists in our culture. There are some that are dependant on providers who are dependant on their produce for acceptance and appreciation. We are a culture of interconnected relationships with roles we play for the community good.

Your particular experience with encouraging others to be all they can be may not take into consideration their personal conditioning. We are all conditioned to be a particular way by the enviorment we birth ourselves into. A Paris Hilton's experience is quite different than an orphan living into poverty. I think everyone seems to forget these things.

In economics, the well being of the consumer determines the well being of all. For too long we have tolerated the greed of the few at the expense of the many. That will change, I suspect.

As I see it, we are designed to help one another. It is a mutual benifit point of view, not an exploitation contest.

John

Well, the way I think is a little closer to a male's than it is to a female's.

What you said is true. We all have roles in this society, and that is what can make the human race beautiful. Environment has a lot to do with it as well, since as Morrison once said, "Ghosts crowd the child's fragile eggshell mind".

However, what about things like charisma or social skills? Or booksmarts, or talents--things besides the economy. Natural aptitude and skill.

What if there was somebody who was absolutely bad at everything. No talents, even with attempt, extremely low charisma and lack of social skills, wasn't booksmart, wasn't streetsmart, wasn't really smart in any other way either, was pretty hideously ugly (not to be shallow or superficial or anything), and worst of all, was lazy enough to not do anything about their condition, have no conscience or self-motivator within them, and was simply the slimiest slug in society.

I've tried to help people like this. I've tried being their "life coach". In the end, I realized that they completely blocked out what I said, though at times, they blanked out away from their self-lies and wondered if the things I normally told them were true.

But in the end, I realized that their lying to themselves to make their life seem a bit better would keep them happier, so I decided to leave them alone.

I strive to be a person who tries to perfect myself, and in order to do that, I cannot always help others. I am a musician, which makes me extremely competitive, and so is being a very talented writer (if you read this, you'd think I am arrogant--if you read my works, you'd agree). I am always in a spotlight, whether if it is good or bad, and am working on transferring my inner charisma into my conscious state so I can become a preacher, a proverbial figure in society and inspire people. In order to do this, I must not waste my time on those who I wonder to be "lower" than me. I have tried, they simply don't listen, so why bother? Maybe someday, when I become this charismatic, proverbial figure, my words will finally reach out to them, but metaphysically. Not common-sense wise, for it is not a good idea to preach common sense to those who absolutely have none.

Edited January 20, 2009 by The Orpheus

[John from Lowell]

I strive to be a person who tries to perfect myself, and in order to do that, I cannot always help others. I am a musician, which makes me extremely competitive, and so is being a very talented writer (if you read this, you'd think I am arrogant--if you read my works, you'd agree). I am always in a spotlight, whether if it is good or bad, and am working on transferring my inner charisma into my conscious state so I can become a preacher, a proverbial figure in society and inspire people. In order to do this, I must not waste my time on those who I wonder to be "lower" than me. I have tried, they simply don't listen, so why bother? Maybe someday, when I become this charismatic, proverbial figure, my words will finally reach out to them, but metaphysically. Not common-sense wise, for it is not a good idea to preach common sense to those who absolutely have none.

Was it Jesus who once said that "I am the least amoung you". Every human is a perfect reflection of God's unconditional love. Those who think that some of us are better than others, are not aware of how we are all connected and integrated with each other, in my opinion naturally. These are my views. Your views are just as blessed by spirit as are those who wish to remain unproductive. It seems their purpose in life is to enlighten the mis-guided.

From the comments you have made, I suspect that you have a true understanding in reguard to how energy works. I recall you said this:

I think it's just mainly a factor of being more connected to the Universe and its energies. That is what I believe--that everything and everyone is one entity binded together all sorts of energies, though in the end, has a oneness to it. It is something that cannot be created or destroyed, just something that has always been there and always will be. Sometimes I wonder if God is this energy.

In my thinking, God is that energy. It is love that binds us together and that love that sees no seperation between the underproductive and the over achiever. We are one unified field of energy. It is the human's perception that defines one perfect expression as being better than another perfect expression.

I truly wish you well in all that you do.

John

[Set the Fallen]

I think this is the right section.

A week or so ago I asked myself a question. Are we, as a species, selling ourselves short?

All too often I hear people (myself included) belittling another person or a group of people. A "holier than thou" attitude is assumed, as if one has never made a mistake in their life. (I hate to admit it, but I find myself thinking/passing such judgments.) People also seem to feel that circumstances are never going to get better and that the human race is doomed. It's not without justification though, there appears to be innumerable cruel people in the world. One is constantly bombarded with images of murder, rape, war, abuse, etc.

Mankind's capacity for cruelty is well known. But what about the capacity for compassion and love. How often does one hear or read stories about human kindness? (I know, there are several out there.) Stories about animals showing qualities usually attributed to humans are popular (and sweet), but it seems that many people have forgotten that they and others are capable of such feelings and actions. Have people become so focused on the negative aspects of humanity that the positive qualities aren't nurtured to their full potential?

What are your thoughts?

Sorry if I'm babbling, I hope I made some sense.

Thank you.

Quill

Human kindness... it is so rare because the focus lies on the negative things. Like there is nothing that can weigth up the bad things we do, no matter how kind it is.

Reasons for much cruelty in the world, and less kindness (I think this) is that if someone do something good, they are usually ignored, while they that do much bad and horribel stuff perhaps is not. Kindness will die out if people most ignore it much more.

Sure, there are animals that can do lots of things, but... I think the worst crime most people do is to ignore the good deeds of others (no matter how trivial).

[Tokoyo]

it's a small part of a big problem but advertising and consumerist principles probably are not helping us become more compassionate...

[Quill]

it's a small part of a big problem but advertising and consumerist principles probably are not helping us become more compassionate...

Yes, the "material things will make you happy" sentiment seems to be emotionally, even spiritually detrimental in the long run.