Official Everybody Edits Forums

TheGreenTroll

Guest

The Gift of Life

"This wonderful gift of life that we have, what does it mean? What is its real value? Is it simply a collection of sensation, of feelings that we get as spectators? I'm sure that for many people, that's what life is. The more pleasurable their collection of sensations, the more pleasent their feelings, the more enjoyable the things they see as spectators - the better their life is! And that's understandable, that's what life always has been. We are animals, and we are animals. We are creatures of instinct, and our instincts tell us to survive, to find food, to seek shelter, to reproduce, to avoid danger. In a prosperous, civilized society, the drive to satisfy these basic needs expresses itself as a quest for wealth, for enjoyment, for comfort. A thousand years ago, our ancestors also sought wealth, enjoyment and comfort, but they didn't believe that these things where quite as important as most people today think they are. In that age, before television, people where perhaps a little closer to the earth, and they where a little more aware of just how temporary an individuals life is, and they reached out for things with a little more permanence, things beyond wealth and comfort and pleasure. Things which to them seemed to have more real meaning.

I remember a few lines of poetry, which expressed this feeling among our ancestors in Scandinavia, and more generally, in the germanic parts of Europe - that during the Viking age. Those lines are:

Cattle die, and kinsmen die
And so must one die oneself;
But there is one thing I know which never dies:
The fame of a dead mans deeds

For our ancestors a thousand years ago of course, 'cattle' where wealth, and 'kinsmen' where power, and thou they sought these things just as we do today, they understood that they where transitory, the value of these things was not permanent. The only thing that is permanent is the mark that one makes on the world with ones deeds. Everyone wants to live well of course, but it is better to live effectively, to live so that one is remembered for what one has accomplished. And to put a little finer edge on the concept, it is not just fame in itself which is important, what counts also, is the type of fame - the type of renown. The Gaul wants to be remember just not for being able to throw a spear farther than others, or to swing a battle axe harder, or to use a sword more stoutly. It wants to be remember for having lived a meaningful life, a significant life. For some that meant a life of accomplishment, of changing the world. For others, it meant a life lived as closely as possible, in accord with the ideals of personal honor and of service to ones people, so that ones life could be held up as a model, and remember as such.

In any case, the life that has last in value, was a life of participation, never, a life of sitting on ones hands and playing it safe. Perhaps, too much television and too much comfort has caused us to loose sight of this very important thing which our ancestors understood. I think that they saw their individual lifes more clearly in the larger context of the ongoing life of the race, than we do. They where on more familiar terms with birth and with death, than we are, and where not as likely as we are to slip into the folly of believing that they would live forever. And so being constantly aware of the reality and inevitability of death, they where more concerned than we are to use their lifes effectively, and to give lasting meaning to them..."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This text is just so breathtaking to me, I feel like it's right on the spot. At the moment, I study Swedish cultural history, and everyday I learn more about my ancestors, how they lived, and how hard it was to live in such a cold and harsh nature as the Swedish. The life of my ancestors, was an everyday struggle to survive, to bring food to the table, to get warmth, to secure the survival of their family and the coming generations. It was a life together with nature, not against it. If you tried to conquer nature and live without it, you would die. It feels like they where humble before nature and death, and as described in the text above, they lived their lifes to accomplish something, not something for themselves, but for the people around them.

I do also believe that this text describes what's so decadent and degenerated about todays society, and if we would be a little more closer to the earth and nature, together with people around us, and care for each other, we would evolve. If we had the belief that if everyone sacrificed and did commitments to the people around them, instead for themselves, we would as a whole achieve and accomplish fame and wealth, and enjoyment and comfort.

What do you think about our gift of life? Do you agree with that the modern world of today is spoiled and doesn't really understand the actual (in my opinion) reason of life?

treejoe4

Guest

Re: The Gift of Life

Most people are spoiled by greed and money, more and more kids and teens are spoilt and do not appreciate life.

Tako

Member

From: Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Joined: 2015-08-10

Posts: 6,663

Website

Re: The Gift of Life

Well. That was... powerful.

What do you think about our gift of life? Do you agree with that the modern world of today is spoiled and doesn't really understand the actual (in my opinion) reason of life?

It is sufficiently clear in my mind that society today is spiraling downward like a jet with one engine. I just have one concern that's been irking me. All humans live on a foundation. You mentioned this in your post. "We are creatures of instinct, and our instincts tell us to survive, to find food, to seek shelter, to reproduce, to avoid danger." That's how it was 1000 or so years ago. From there, we have built skyscrapers, so-to-speak, in terms of surviving, finding food, reproducing and avoiding danger. Saying society is messed up is like saying the skyscrapers look funny. I find it trivial to mock our existence, because we've grown to become so much. I personally am grateful for these 'skyscrapers' that we've accumulated.

But then I look around and see our moral, ethical and mental state. It seems we've dug a hole and we're reaching the mantle these days. Since I do not have the time nor intelligence to dig us out of this hole of horrible morality and work ethic, I've just accepted it and I'll be glad it's over when I'm over. When I die it'll be like going to bed after a hard day's work.

The meaning of life? People don't understand it, and of course we're spoiled. But I'd rather be spoiled and know the road ahead is already paved instead of being grateful for scraps of intelligence and crumbs.

My time on earth is a speck on the timeline. Everyday I am a positive influence on my peers both intellectually, morally and physically; but to completely change one person's mentality is out of my league. Never mind the other ~7 billion people.

---

Yeah, well, you know that's just like, uh, your opinion, man.

TheGreenTroll

Guest

Re: The Gift of Life

treejoe4: Yes, exactly!

TakoMan02: I agree, and I do also think that the society of today is spiraling downward like a jet with one engine. As you mention skyscrapers, I'm also happy for them. It shows what mankind, together can accomplish, just as my Swedish ancestors managed to become the best sailors (maybe ever lived) during the Viking age. It shows what mankind can accomplish, but only if they work together.

I do also agree with everything you mention about our moral, ethical and mental state, but I do believe that mankind can change it. People just have to see more clearly, and I promise you, that in these hard economic times, people do see more clearly. I can't just think as you do, that one day, my life will be over and I'll be at Gods grace. Of course, I long to meet God, but God has put me on this earth for a reason. I do also wish to get kids, and grandchildren, and maybe even grand-grandchildren, and I do not want to see them rot in this multicultural-capitalistic-culturemarxistic-society which can be compared to a crap. That is the reason why I wont give up on a better world.

We would just have to go back 50 years in time, and we would meet a much, much greater world and society than we see today.

As I've said, as long as people got money in their pockets, our treacherous and despicable leaders, politicians and medias will be kept at power. But as soon people starts to get a lower standard of living, and money can't control the mindset of people, we will see that our world will go through big changes. That's atleast what I believe and hope for...

treejoe4

Guest

Re: The Gift of Life

Today I realised, the world today is controlled by money. And thats all people seem to care about. But i realised that if the worlds econmy collapsed by the hands of greed;wars would be declared and society as we know it would collapse, all because of money.

32OrtonEdge32dh

Member

From: DMV

Joined: 2015-02-15

Posts: 5,166

Website

Re: The Gift of Life

Money can't buy happiness, but everything that can costs money.

---

Baticon

Guest

Re: The Gift of Life

Tl;dr

LD3H

Guest

Re: The Gift of Life

^too tl;dr

RPGMaster2000

Guest

Re: The Gift of Life

Baticon and LD3H are both warned for spam. If you have nothing of value to add, don't bother to post at all, please.

Shinabi

Guest

Re: The Gift of Life

You know, I am glad to see an amazing and good post from TGT.

Many pople do not know the meaning of life, and are spoiled, and I basically agree with everything said here.

Except for one.

We have dug a hole really deep, close to the mantle, and we are a jet spiraling with one jet.

But we have shovels, to dig stair back up, and we have parachutes.

Yes, our society ect. is seriously screwed. You don't think during the Great Depression or the Civil War people thought the same thing? We would've and will collapse, but one thing stopped us- Our shovels/parachutes. People like George Washington and Martin Luther King Jr. STOOD UP, and became our parachute. They helped many people see life the way it is, and changed MILLIONS. Someone, somewhere, will help us out of this ditch, whether it's one of you, that guy that helps the elderly, or maybe even me! People are standing up, and if you want proof, look at Occupy Wall street. Yeah, a ton of things in America suck, but people are changing it, and we all can.

TheGreenTroll

Guest

Re: The Gift of Life

@32OrtonEdge32dh: I believe that statement is wrong. Just hundred years ago, about 80 % of Swedens population lived at the countryside, and didn't have much more than their families, friends, God and the village. This people lived in harmony with nature, without money. But yes, it is also true, that nowadays, much that makes us happy only can be bought with money, so you're not 100 % wrong

@Shinabi: It's a good post from you too. As I believe, you do also believe, that mankind are able to stand up against decadent and degenerated societies and thoughts that only disturbs all human on this earth.

Baticon

Guest

Re: The Gift of Life

Baticon and LD3H are both warned for spam. If you have nothing of value to add, don't bother to post at all, please.

Sorry,I didn't know that one.

Tako

Member

From: Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Joined: 2015-08-10

Posts: 6,663

Website

Re: The Gift of Life

We would just have to go back 50 years in time, and we would meet a much, much greater world and society than we see today.

Aside from slavery, of course. Well, slavery was made illegal (in America) around the 1880's. I don't think anyone with the mindset that life is valuable would do such a thing.

I can't help but wonder : Is this 'spiraling jet' just an illusion? I'm sure around WWII people thought the world was going into a new level of hell, but then we got over it (for the most part). And slavery. Almost any tribulation you can think of has come and gone. Is what we consider today horrible only magnified because of our involvements?

If only I had a time machine :>

As I've said, as long as people got money in their pockets, our treacherous and despicable leaders, politicians and medias will be kept at power. But as soon people starts to get a lower standard of living, and money can't control the mindset of people, we will see that our world will go through big changes. That's atleast what I believe and hope for...

Perhaps society's obsessions affects our moral, ethical and mental behaviour. The craving for power for the most of BCE was a successful craving. Why? I assume it's because they needed power to fulfill their needs like food and water, thus they had a better drive and they got what they want (increased mental state, see 2 paragraphs below). These days, people don't want power so they can 'boss' people around,   they want power for money. If not power, they just want money. And fame. They want fame because it gives them money and compliments, a two-for-one special.

We don't need money and compliments in excess. Our drive is lower because of this, because we already have what we need. This relates to what you were talking about earlier, TGT: now that we're facing hardships where we do not have everything we need, our drive is being increased.

An explanation for all of our problems being caused by incorrect moral states can be told in two words: holistic health. Social, physical and mental health are all interrelated to create a human being. Our mental health isn't it's best these days; moral confusion and anxiety is a plague facing America, and probably many other countries as well. From that I conclude it causes poorer physical health and social health, therefore dragging our entire existence lower in what appears to be mass destruction of the human race.

The ultimate illusion is that our train is going off the rails, but we neglect to see that a) the train has "gone off the rails" several times in the past. Look at where we are now, still on the rails; and b) our hardships will push us back on the rails. At the given moment, the train is leaning against the side of a cave wall while travelling at 200 MPH, which as I'm sure you can imagine isn't pretty. This will happen until we find the right "obsession" that includes great morals and understanding/reasoning of the world around us.

Just like human's specific demands for nutrients and temperature, we humans require specific ethical, moral and mental environments in order to reach maximum fulfillment and flawlessness that we dream of.

[ America is especially bad at this because we're so goddamn stubborn and extremist ]

---

Yeah, well, you know that's just like, uh, your opinion, man.

TheGreenTroll

Guest

Re: The Gift of Life

I love you, Tako.

Tako

Member

From: Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Joined: 2015-08-10

Posts: 6,663

Website

Re: The Gift of Life

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ahe5IDVbzg[/youtube]

The video's just as relevant as the words.

Last edited by Tako (Nov 29 2011 6:42:14 am)

---

Yeah, well, you know that's just like, uh, your opinion, man.