Posted: May 01, 2012 12:06 pm
John P. M. wrote:I can only say that I personally wouldn't be able to harm others with the sole intent of enriching or empowering myself. I simply wouldn't be able to live with myself. I feel terrible as it is at the slightest inconvenience or harm to others caused by me. I guess that puts me in the 'saint' box.
There's no doubt though that the 'squeaky wheel gets the oil', and the people who are loud and obnoxious and are able to just take whatever they want, get the most, at least for a while.
I was thinking of making a thread about something similar myself actually, after having watched a few atheist videos on YouTube, in which the magnificence of, and awe for the universe etc. is pushed as creating meaning, and I was thinking of asking if we truly live our lives with the recognition that this is all we get? Do we in general do what we want, and should we? Are we savoring every minute, skydiving and globe trotting until the 'Reaper' gets us? Some do, I suppose - most don't I think.
As for not being an asshole, I could only besiege people not to, based in empathy, a sense that 'I' am part of 'we', and a bit of non-supernatural 'karma'. For those who lack that quality or the ability to understand that the pain they sometimes feel can equally be felt by others, I guess there's not much I could say.
I think even Hitler wanted to live a good life with a family and friends and with laughter and good things, he just didn't extend that right or those emotions to people he considered to be 'lower' than himself.
Perhaps he had second thoughts about that when he felt forced to pull the trigger eventually, and perhaps felt some of the dread that the victims of his views had felt. Perhaps not.
What an amazing post!
