Big Think

HerbieP on January 27, 2009, 5:12 PM

Bryan, I’m not looking for ‘the way’. If you mean ‘getting along’ with each other plenty of individuals, groups, tribes, nations have no interest in getting along.

If everything is ‘meant to be this way’ then the prospect of life is pretty boring. Personally I’d prefer chaos with no plan telling me what I should do.

Bryan Cridlebaugh on January 27, 2009, 5:33 PM

I don’t know the way HP. I don’t think anyone does and if any-one did then everyone would. And I don’t think anyone will be telling anyone what to do. I think “the way” will be something that you will hear, understand, and chose to except because it will be undeniable. I don’t think that the people that do except it will be forceful.

Bryan Cridlebaugh on January 27, 2009, 5:37 PM

I think we are discovering more and more every day. Connecting the dots? I think the way is something we will discover.

Bryan Cridlebaugh on January 27, 2009, 5:50 PM

“those who can be trusted can change their minds” seems like wishful thinking. I just think it fits. And that quote is by one of my favorite writers.

Musycks on January 27, 2009, 6:50 PM

Dear Nephew… the way is the way, it’s the only way that can be…. people get hung up looking for the magic bullet, the single fix, the answer, the way, etc etc… when the meaning of life is life itself, the rest is hot air.

ramble on.

Bryan Cridlebaugh on January 28, 2009, 12:55 AM

I’ve said that I think the meaning of life is to live.

Bryan Cridlebaugh on January 28, 2009, 12:58 AM

I think “The Way” is just understanding the truth. There is a truth, right?

Bryan Cridlebaugh on January 28, 2009, 1:10 AM

The rest is hot air.. crucial.. necessary.. undeniably natural.. understandable..

HerbieP on January 28, 2009, 2:09 AM

“I think “the way” will be something that you will hear, understand, and chose to except because it will be undeniable."

In that case Bryan I don’t need to do anything about it or think about it, it will just come whether I want it or not.

Bryan Cridlebaugh on January 28, 2009, 2:41 AM

Well, you’ll have to eat and there might be some talk about it, possibly at the dinner table. I guess you could wear ear plugs, but then again.. that would be doing ‘something’ about it.

I hear you though HP. I think the same thing sometimes. there’s just no way around being involved.

Bryan Cridlebaugh on January 28, 2009, 2:42 AM

But, there’s just no way around being involved. is what i meant

HerbieP on January 28, 2009, 6:29 AM

Bryan I just don’t know what your ‘way’ is or what it might accomplish. I had thought that it was just people trying to get along. If it’s inevitable then it’s inevitable and no more needs to be done or said.

Bryan Cridlebaugh on January 28, 2009, 11:23 AM

“Bryan I just don’t know what your ‘way’ is or what it might accomplish.” I said I don’t know “The Way!” I ‘think’ peace will be accomplished. I ‘think’ that people trying to get along is key. I ‘think’ that a lot more being said and done about making peace and finding the way.. is inevitable.

HP, why are you involving yourself in this conversation? You are always welcome and I like what you bring to the table. But, you’ve said that you don’t want peace. Do any of the people that you love want peace. Are you trying to prevent it?

Much love HP

HerbieP on January 28, 2009, 12:04 PM

Bryan I don’t really think about ‘peace’ because I don’t really think that it is in human nature. Of course I would prefer a safe environment for my family and I am very pleased that we live in a relatively well ordered lawful country.

I am contributing because your nature and mine seem to be so different and that interests me. The way you express yourself seems to take for granted that people want peace and to love each other and so on. I rather think that the default position is family-selfish with a little tribal altruism thrown in. Unfortunately that tribal bonding tends to lead to hatred of ‘others’.

It always strikes me as curious that many atheists try to justify moral relativism by adding a bit of humanism to the mix when morality is quite irrelevant to the atheist position.

Atheists and theists argue over morality each claiming the other is responsible for greater moral outrages when in fact this has no bearing on whether there is a deity or not.

Anyway you seemed to be getting lonely over here so I thought that I’d keep you company.

Musycks on January 28, 2009, 6:18 PM

HP… I broadly agree with the atheist moral paradigm you assert… but there are two seperate things here. As an atheist I maintain I can see no evidence for a supernatural interventionist god and reject that concept and all it’s moral baggage.
But as a Humanist, I will argue morals, not as an atheist. The fact that pursuing an altruistic society to live in harmony with others who are in competition with me for resources will probably only work while the resources are plentiful enough is true, but ideals are not the sole preserve of the religious.
As somewho who has also been culturally programmed to see the world in terms of poetic/romantic constructs, I accept this will seem less than Darwinian to some.. but I think at another point that evolution and the luxury of a continued environment of plenty in my cossetted first world bubble(relatively) has let people like me have these thoughts.

BC.. there is no truth I think, and that’s okay with me… and the point of life is to live and probably do no harm.

dennis ilic on January 28, 2009, 9:30 PM

BC, I am here.
And here.
I am doing my part. Here.
And here.

The way, the Way, would not get done, is by not doing, what we know, we should be doing.

Sometimes I am not doing. Sometimes I am avoiding the doing. Sometimes I distract myself from that by doing something else which really doesn’t need to be done.

For example, arguing whether god exists or not, instead of doing god’s work, whether it is in the name of god or not.

Reminding people of love and peace is doing something. If love and peace are not the default setting of humans, maybe humans could evolve beyond this tribal fear setting, and set new defaults.

Science has told me that we have evolved from something, why wouldn’t it stand logically that we should continue to evolve to something else?

We might even be entering a weird time when we are aware that we have some control over our future evolution.

I choose peace and love over war and fear.

Btw, I’d just have to say I love this new president you Americans elected. Wow… wow…. I don’t know what else to say.

Musycks on January 29, 2009, 12:47 AM

I second the Barry bit… I read his first book, it’s great and so his he…. and he is one smart cookie.
Of course he’s not the messiah, even if as great a celebrocrat as Beyonce has declared ’He’s the One’!! but he’s got to have a head start on the dickhead he’s replaced.
Nice to feel there’s a leader in the Black House who’s smarter than a 5th grader.

Hue J Downs on February 28, 2009, 8:33 PM

Leader in the Black House who’s smarter than a 5th grader.

Hue J Downs on February 28, 2009, 8:34 PM

Still lovin’ it bro.

Bryan Cridlebaugh on March 22, 2009, 4:31 AM

who’s “j?”

I talk to myself.