Big Ideas and Existential Questions

Let's have an open forum. I'll original pose questions and ideas that, perhaps, you haven't considered. You feel free to do the same.

Let's begin. Idea #1.

Racism has always existed and still rampant. But for this point let's set racism, stereotypes and all that aside to consider a valid question.

When African slaves were brought to North America, was their evolutionary process disrupted and if so what are the implications?

That's not the favorite question that's been in my mind this evening but it is the one that was stuck there when I created this thread.

I will have more that are not of a cultural or racial nature.

And ask me something. This is my first thread over here on Veeky Forums so hello and give me some ones. Challenge me with a really good philosophical question.

Here's one more to help get it started.

Can anyone here identify the thing that makes an obsession "an obsession". Why is it, for example, that people come to Veeky Forums with a particular fetish and they want it over and over...sometimes even imposing it on others in threads where it doesn't fit?

Oh hell, come on guys. I'm so bored on Veeky Forums and on this planet. Everything is so repetitive and dumbed down. I have original ideas and I would love to take a shot at answering the toughest philosophical questions you can come up with.

Well, this is disappointing. Then again, being my first visit I have no idea what the traffic here is so maybe that's it.

I'm going to step away for a while and see if anyone at all is interested in this kind of stuff anymore.

And I'll throw in a provacative statement if that's what it takes.

Let me now assert, for the purpose of this thread, that I am the preeminent philosophical mind of this generation.

Now, ask me anything or share an idea.

How can one be truly happy in life?
>2329189

Finally. Thank you. Happiness is subjective so there will be varying answers but I can guide you to yours. Consider this and respond. Then I will proceed. Here is the question for you:

Who is the success:

1. He who has the most
2. He who earns the most
3. He who knows the most
4. He who says the most

I will stand by for your response.

Pretty generic, but is there any purpose to humanity? If not, what's to keep us from offing ourselves aside from fear and pain?

And while I stand by, an observation.

Consider the assumption in the question. Happiness, true happiness. Most people wouldn't even stop to consider this point. Is "true happiness" just unquestionably the goal of our lives. Could "true virtue" or "true significance" be better alternatives?

No? You don't disrupt evolution since it is just a reaction to the environment.

I feel like 2.he who earns the most has the most success
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>3. He who knows the most

Welcome and good question. I will start with the last segment of your question first...because I like the first part better and want to get this out of the way.

"What is to keep us from offing ourselves?"

In the literal sense, nothing. A person can do that and the world will go on. We humans seem to have a need to find some great significance to our lives. Why is that? If the ultimate reality was that your life wasn't significant in the universal scheme of things...does that mean you commit suicide? No.

Having said that, the "offing oneself" answer is professional psychological help. Therapy and medication as needed.

Do you have any questions or comments on just the suicide part of your question?

I can't see how 1, 2, or 4 could help you know all that much, and there would be problems with an excess of any of them.

But 3 could help you acquire, earn, and be famous, without being in excess.

Slightly tangential question: which worldview is the best for accepting the insignificance of the self?

Number 3 is pointless. Just because you know something doesn't mean your successful.

Are people inherently good ?

And you will be successful at the bottom of a well? Will you be rich? Will you be famous?

You will bring your knowledge down with you.

Then for you true happiness will come with finding a career path that will allow you to, on a long term basis, live out your value of EARNING what you have.

Happiness is ultimately a barometer of the consistency between what you do on a daily basis and your genuine...deep down...definition of what it means for a person to be a success.

And aside from the career part, take time to reflect on the other things in life that are most important to you. Your family and relationships, health, power, spirituality, creativity, historical significance.

What's important to you? Which of these things, and all the others I didn't list, do you believe are most important. In fact, rank your top 5. Any of you. And see if how your answers rate with others. This isn't a debate about what the values SHOULD BE.

It's, with zero bs, what do you actually think. Even if you feel that it probably be something else. Forget that. Just say what you really think.

I like that one too. And it covers a lot of ground. May I pose a hypothetical question for you.

If you were the smartest person you could possibly be in your lifetime, when your life is at it's end, what is the ONE THING...and it can be general...that you will have succeeded in?

That is part of the "a lot of ground" I was alluding to. You don't really need me to elaborate on what it takes you to be happy, I suspect.

...

>If you were the smartest person you could possibly be in your lifetime, when your life is at it's end, what is the ONE THING...and it can be general...that you will have succeeded in?

making someone smarter than me

Or blowing up the moon.

No. If you're going down a religious path with this, my answer will be controversial or disputed.

But how could anything really be inherently good? That diminishes "good" to a birth right.

Good is a value that requires something. It's a struggle. Sometimes it doesn't pay.

Challenge: Would anyone like to present an example from the history of mankind that would make a compelling argument for mankind being inherently good?

I'd make an argument for mankind being inherently selfish...inherently insecure...a lot of things like that but not good. Not inherently.

that's a good answer. Passing on your knowledge to someone else for posterity
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>Would anyone like to present an example from the history of mankind that would make a compelling argument for mankind being inherently good?

So any one example of a selfless act?

I put money in a homeless guys cup when nobody was looking.

The one I have. All the rest of them are marketing campaigns. And I might hold mine back in case I decide to put more priority on historical significance and put it in a book.;)

It doesn't guarantee it but it does enable it.

A question for you?
Would you rather have a specific thing of value guaranteed to you at a future date? Or would you rather have the potential to have that thing if it's what you want, or even more?

Oh, and in your perspective what does mean you're successful. You said it's not knowledge so what is it?

Interesting. First reaction to your response is that there is an element of nobility. Passing something on. Giving. I like that.

So you consider knowledge (and I'd add wisdom, even better) as most important and the reason why is that it brings along with it the opportunity to make a person, a situation, the world better. Is that a fair observation?

For the individual you replied to, knowledge is the key dimension for success and happiness.

It might not be for you. He'd make the world a better place. You might build that bomb. But let me ask you too...

And if you did answer and your reply is in the mix here, can you tag it so I can know which is yours?

Success is how much of an impact you have left on the world. How much influence you've gained, how much money you've earned, making the people around you more happy. That is true success

Ok, I'm going to come back to this on momentarily.

We took an aside because it was a two part question centered around the notion of having a reason not to end ones life.

I'll get back to this one in a second but will see if there are a couple more quick ones first.

>So you consider knowledge (and I'd add wisdom, even better) as most important and the reason why is that it brings along with it the opportunity to make a person, a situation, the world better. Is that a fair observation?

Yes. Even if I were very powerful, or very famous, if I were blind, I couldn't do much to improve the world.

Same guy. Fuck the moon, man. Ruined my shoes at a beach party.

Implication for your belief system - your success definition excludes all your stuff. It's got to be some quality innate to you. It goes where you go and has value/utility in any situation.

Ever since WW2, European nations such as France, Germany, UK, and Sweden have decided to open their borders for globalization and multiculturalism. With the indigenous peoples having a lower birth rate compared to the new immigrants, this trend (unless it is changed) will eventually result in the indigenous people's culture and ethnicity becoming a minority in their own land. Does a Government have a responsibility for preserving their nation, or should the state be separate from the nation in this new era?

Definitely.

I'd rather have some middling skill to play the violin than to own the worlds most perfect violin.

How does that make a case for MANKIND being innately good? Mankind is a group, not one person. You did a good thing but that's not enough to make a strong case for everyone else.

How about an example that shows a group of people being good, by universal terms and not just their own propaganda...over a notable period of time. One example. Anyone?

there is nothing wrong with having sex with anything that has a hole

Success is subjective and varies based on that individual's belief system and the values of significance in that system.

If you were to consider the notion of ego as it pertains to influence, can you elaborate the terms under which influence isn't merely serving one's ego...people are gonna know my name dammit....as opposed to the more magnanimous concept of your influence being gracefully wielded to the betterment of mankind?

It depends. Responsibility from who? From the nations leaders? It's citizens? A mandate from God? A moral responsibility? Something else?

Reply and I'll pick back up with your question.

In your value system, but not mine. And that is fine, as it should be. And for you, long as your values don't contradict the laws where you reside, go forth and be happy. And wonder why it always is about sex with some people.

And if you're in the well but your violin is not?

I actually don't like that kind of qualification because it can cross over into imposing unnecessary hypotheticals but I think you may have been the one who brought it up earlier so we revisit it here.

And continuing in that example, when you get the chance to improve the world...tell us about what the improvements would be. Not how you'd get there. Just tell us what the improvements would be.

Responsibility for the national leaders to put their culture and people above others

Ok, back to your question. I think a government's primary essential directive is to perpetuate itself. It's the government that defines it's own responsibility to itself and its citizens.

And as for new era global political issues, it comes back to the same thing. The government writes it's own definition of what it's responsibilities are. Pretty straigtforward.

Now if you take that over into the religious realm where you look at a nation's responsibility.....according to a particular religion's assertion that God has defined the responsibility for a nation. I don't know about all that. I'm not anti-God but that notion makes it awful easy for a group of people to just go crazy doing anything they want and say that's God's plan. I believe in God although I don't think we know God as well as we think we do. But I haven't gotten any inside info from God to tip me off if he has a dog in the fight. But, as a human, in a pinch I'd guess it's the country I live in that's God's favorite and wants to have all the blessings and riches. But since I also rebel against some cliche human tendencies, I'd say that's actually just me being self-serving.

Ok. The national leaders have the responsibility to put their culture first if that's the directive according to the laws, beliefs, etc. for that specific nation. Putting oneself first is a pretty basic human tendency and probably goes back to survival instinct and scarcity. But that's more about practicality than anything.

Hey guys, this was fun. I'm signing out. Thanks for your contributions.