Temporary vs Permanent

[The Crimson Universe]

We all love to experience things that gives us joy. Things like movies, music, sports, drugs, delicious food, sexual pleasure etc.

Even though the pleasure we derive from these things lasts only a few hours, we are completely hooked onto it. I am no exception either.

But have you ever felt tired of such temporary fleeting pleasures?

Do you think there could be something permanent and everlasting, which awaits us and which lies beyond all worldly pleasures? ... If not, then what do you think we are here for?

 

[ChristineM]

Personally i think no pleasure is lasting so for more you need to create more, work at it.

What are we here for? Same as any plant, microbe, reptile, mammal, nothing more than passing on your genes to the next generation

 

[Twilight Hue]

We all love to experience things that gives us joy. Things like movies, music, sports, drugs, delicious food, sexual pleasure etc.

Even though the pleasure we derive from these things lasts only a few hours, we are completely hooked onto it. I am no exception either.

But have you ever felt tired of such temporary fleeting pleasures?

Do you think there could be something permanent and everlasting, which awaits us and which lies beyond all worldly pleasures? ... If not, then what do you think we are here for?

I don't think a static permanent experience would be very enjoyable. Things would get pretty old fairly quick.

It's because things are temporary that provides that enjoyment in the first place.

Vice versa as well in that that which is unpleasant has its own 'expiration date'.

I think what's permanent is the dynamics of change itself, the "wigglyness" in spirit of Alan Watts within an eternal continuum.

 

[Secret Chief]

We all love to experience things that gives us joy. Things like movies, music, sports, drugs, delicious food, sexual pleasure etc.

Even though the pleasure we derive from these things lasts only a few hours, we are completely hooked onto it. I am no exception either.

But have you ever felt tired of such temporary fleeting pleasures?

Do you think there could be something permanent and everlasting, which awaits us and which lies beyond all worldly pleasures? ... If not, then what do you think we are here for?

We're not insects trapped in amber.

 

[The Crimson Universe]

What are we here for? Same as any plant, microbe, reptile, mammal, nothing more than passing on your genes to the next generation

But what am i to gain by passing on my genes to the next gen?

 

[ChristineM]

But what am i to gain by passing on my genes to the next gen?

Nothing other than
A pleasure in the act of making it possible
B satisfaction that your family line will continue for at least one more generation.

If we were here for anything specific do you not think the hundreds of thousands of philosophers and literally billions of religious people searching for a reason for the last few thousand years would not have found it?

 

[Revoltingest]

Nothing other than
A pleasure in the act of making it possible
B satisfaction that your family line will continue for at least one more generation.

If we were here for anything specific do you not think the hundreds of thousands of philosophers and literally billions of religious people searching for a reason for the last few thousand years would not have found it?

You post things so that I needn't.

 

[The Crimson Universe]

Nothing other than
... satisfaction that your family line will continue for at least one more generation.

OK, i agree that i might find some satisfaction in it. That maybe one day the future generation of my family line will contribute something to the society, to make this world a better and comfortable place than it is now.
But even then, a day will come in the future when all scientific progress and life on earth will be wiped out just like the dinosaurs in the past. We'll again have to start from the stone age. This cycle of creation and destruction will go on. What is the point of such an existence. It's like we're those hamsters running on a wheel, trying to reach a destination, but never really reaching it, instead we're just running (procreating, enjoying, suffering and then dying).

If we were here for anything specific do you not think the hundreds of thousands of philosophers and literally billions of religious people searching for a reason for the last few thousand years would not have found it?

I think most of us don't know what we're really here for.
For most of us pleasure, money and contribution to the society is everything.
And those who do know what they're here for, may not have looked for it in the right place or in the right manner, that's why they still haven't found it.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

We all love to experience things that gives us joy. Things like movies, music, sports, drugs, delicious food, sexual pleasure etc.

Even though the pleasure we derive from these things lasts only a few hours, we are completely hooked onto it. I am no exception either.

But have you ever felt tired of such temporary fleeting pleasures?

Do you think there could be something permanent and everlasting, which awaits us and which lies beyond all worldly pleasures? ... If not, then what do you think we are here for?

What are you selling?

 

[Altfish]

Personally i think no pleasure is lasting so for more you need to create more, work at it.

What are we here for? Same as any plant, microbe, reptile, mammal, nothing more than passing on your genes to the next generation

This

 

[The Crimson Universe]

What are you selling?

Something that is not material/wordly.

 

[Nimos]

We all love to experience things that gives us joy. Things like movies, music, sports, drugs, delicious food, sexual pleasure etc.

Even though the pleasure we derive from these things lasts only a few hours, we are completely hooked onto it. I am no exception either.

But have you ever felt tired of such temporary fleeting pleasures?

Do you think there could be something permanent and everlasting, which awaits us and which lies beyond all worldly pleasures? ... If not, then what do you think we are here for?

I don't think there is anything permanent pleasures waiting. I think the closest one can get to it is through hobbies. Even if its like watching movies, one which hobby or interest lies in movies, will probably also spend a lot of time on stuff surrounding movies besides simply watching them.

What we are here for on Earth?

That is a good question, personally I don't think there is any reason or as much reason as you picking up a random rock and ask what purpose or reason it has to be there.

I do however think that we can make our own reason, which are ultimately the same for all humans, no matter who they are. Which is to be happy. However how one achieve that is widely different. But I do think that most people live their life without really spending any time on why they do things or what the purpose is, thinking that all the stuff that we have grown up to believe is "required" of us is what is needed. And I think this really shows when looking at the world as a whole, it is way to focused on personal goals and achievements and an almost complete lack of grandeur for the human race, so much resources are spend on nonsense. And when we eventually encounter something that could unite us, such as climate issue, the system for which we have created is almost doing forever it can't to prevent it.

Looking at the huge amount of issues that is pestering Earth and how poorly we are at dealing with them is embarrassing. We have a whole solar system filled with resources, we have amazing technologies that could benefit humans much better than what they do. But the system is not designed around humans and increasing happiness for all, but for making profit and how that is done hardly matter.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Something that is not material/wordly.

IOW, a bill of goods.

 

[Nimos]

What are we here for? Same as any plant, microbe, reptile, mammal, nothing more than passing on your genes to the next generation

I would disagree, to me that is simply a functionality or result of being a biological lifeform. But I wouldn't call it a purpose, because clearly no one seems to care. The dinosaurs went extinct despite living here for much longer than we have, yet I think it would be incorrect to call their extinction for their purpose. I do however agree that when it comes to animals or plants, which ain't capable of complex thinking, that it will probably be their best purpose of simply survive and pass on their genes. But for humans I would disagree, because if that were the only thing that were important, no one would willingly work long hours etc. But would pass on genes as rabbits day and night nonstop

But as humans we can put things into perspective, we know the differences between luxury and that of living in a cave. We know that certain things will reduce our happiness and other things won't. But as mentioned in my last post, we are not very good at achieving this on a global scale, because, at least in my opinion, way to much energy and time is spend on personal goals or achievements rather than looking at the system as a whole and what we could achieve were that actually the goal for all humans and the system. But all humans thrives towards the same goal of happiness, but often we don't know how to achieve it or the achievements of ones happiness conflict with another persons happiness or the happiness of another person is simply not important. But there are some things that are shared between all humans, which is good health, food, shelter and freedom. But to me, the system is not designed to handle that for all people, only for some. And that is the biggest problem as I see it.

 

[ChristineM]

a day will come in the future when all scientific progress and life on earth will be wiped out just like the dinosaurs in the past

Clairvoyance is a wonderful thing...

What is the point of such an existence

Absolutely non so make the most of what you got.

I think most of us don't know what we're really here for.

A few more than most of us, in that i mean all of us. Of course people can guess and make claims and become prophets for profit.

 

[ChristineM]

I would disagree, to me that is simply a functionality or result of being a biological lifeform. But I wouldn't call it a purpose, because clearly no one seems to care. The dinosaurs went extinct despite living here for much longer than we have, yet I think it would be incorrect to call their extinction for their purpose. I do however agree that when it comes to animals or plants, which ain't capable of complex thinking, that it will probably be their best purpose of simply survive and pass on their genes. But for humans I would disagree, because if that were the only thing that were important, no one would willingly work long hours etc. But would pass on genes as rabbits day and night nonstop

But as humans we can put things into perspective, we know the differences between luxury and that of living in a cave. We know that certain things will reduce our happiness and other things won't. But as mentioned in my last post, we are not very good at achieving this on a global scale, because, at least in my opinion, way to much energy and time is spend on personal goals or achievements rather than looking at the system as a whole and what we could achieve were that actually the goal for all humans and the system. But all humans thrives towards the same goal of happiness, but often we don't know how to achieve it or the achievements of ones happiness conflict with another persons happiness or the happiness of another person is simply not important. But there are some things that are shared between all humans, which is good health, food, shelter and freedom. But to me, the system is not designed to handle that for all people, only for some. And that is the biggest problem as I see it.

I don't see any of that as a purpose, just a development derived from human intelligence and the human condition.

 

[RestlessSoul]

We're not insects trapped in amber.

I am

 

[RestlessSoul]

Do you think there could be something permanent and everlasting, which awaits us and which lies beyond all worldly pleasures?

Yes, absolutely. And we don’t have to go far to find it;

For behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
- Luke 17:21

The Lord is hidden in the hearts of all.
The eternal witness, pure consciousness,
He watches our work from within.
- Shvetashvatara Upanishad, 6:11

 

[Nimos]

I don't see any of that as a purpose, just a development derived from human intelligence and the human condition.

Its not a purpose that is put on us, I agree. But then again, I don't think we have a purpose, if we had I think we know it by now. But in my understanding of purpose, it has to solves or benefit something larger, whether that is positive or negative. If its doesn't then I wouldn't say that it was its purpose.

I don't see how anyone could disagree with thriving towards happiness is the ultimate purpose of life, given that we haven't gotten anything else. And if everyone can agree that this should be the purpose, then we ought to thrive towards it. Obviously the important thing becomes to identifying what is required for that and how to achieve it.

 

[The Crimson Universe]

Clairvoyance is a wonderful thing...

Then i would say today's scientists are also good at fortune telling and speculating on their predictions, like what would happen to earth if its hit by thousands of meteors in the near future.