Amusing and incisive as always, Caitlyn, but, when you write "Our best scientists have produced no answers to any of life’s most significant questions, having to content themselves with a humble shrug over the most basic inquiries like why anything exists, what matter is, and what is the nature of consciousness..." ...and... "...The greatest minds of the last two hundred years were baby monkeys poking at a supercomputer and yelping at the beeps...", I am obliged to demure that surely you are speaking about the greatest minds of the Eurocentric universe?
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Elsewhere on the planet, communities of people with a profounder view of the purpose of human existence have spent the last 200 years (as well as the 2,000 years before that) addressing such questions as... "...what matter is, and what is the nature of consciousness..." ... with a depth of understanding and accomplishment that far outshadows the manic activity of the... "...baby monkeys poking at a supercomputer and yelping at the beeps".
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.... Just saying, is all. Peacem vobiscum, Caitlyn.
I fear this monkey stands far too preoccupied with grand strategy and far too distracted by environment reminiscent of an insane asylum to be moved by such. But you’re right. We should try to relax as we can.
This is all so poetic, so graceful, so embracing, so reassuring, so well stated. I too have sought such succor, often turning to the great philosophers discussing the good life, the life well lived, and what the Classics and great literature have to say on the human condition.
I am also one who seeks concision, economy of word and message, which can sometimes come from unexpected sources. Take this, for example:
"You only live once. But if you do it right, once is enough." - Mae West
Einstein (I think it was him) said the universe is like walking into an enormous library with books from the floor to the ceiling and we’ve only read a few pages from one of them. We only know about 5% of the matter in the universe — planets, stars, comets — and the rest is dark matter, dark energy that the scientists have no idea what it is. To me, that’s incredibly fascinating. If only people turned their attention to understanding the world instead of destroying it.
"And it is also true that we don’t really have any idea where humanity’s adventure is headed."
We don't know where we're going--but that doesn't mean we don't work like hell to try and steer ourselves in a good direction and take everyone along for the ride. We're all in this together.
The thing that puts the majesty of being alive and the wonder of the universe nearer to my reach is when people have a motivation to lie, and they don’t.
The hell of recognizing the rot in the whole project is when happy, obedient persons reject the possibility that they have been duped, and are still being duped, and their greatest fear is that they may be wrong. But they won’t try to find out.
Why wonder about the world? Humans have lived here for thousands of years, we continue to exist because the environment sustains life, because as humans we have adapted to the environment. But, we are a mix of optional choice that we make every day, coffee or tea, milk or sugar, us or others. Caring and sharing or self before others! It is an optional choice that we summarise as right or left, and there is no right answer for every situation, but there is a best answer - that will be suitable for a majority. That must surely be humanity before self - as if not so we are favoring an option that is directly the opposite of humanity. And is that not a consideration between government or politics as the latter is the antithesis if we put politics before people!
Lately your posts always be hitting me right in the feels!
Your outlook is so importantly "balanced" (I want a better word here).
I wish you could connect with Chris Hedges some time.
Awe and wonder will sustain us as we move through this crazy time together. We're so lucky to be alive together in this incredible moment.
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Amusing and incisive as always, Caitlyn, but, when you write "Our best scientists have produced no answers to any of life’s most significant questions, having to content themselves with a humble shrug over the most basic inquiries like why anything exists, what matter is, and what is the nature of consciousness..." ...and... "...The greatest minds of the last two hundred years were baby monkeys poking at a supercomputer and yelping at the beeps...", I am obliged to demure that surely you are speaking about the greatest minds of the Eurocentric universe?
.
Elsewhere on the planet, communities of people with a profounder view of the purpose of human existence have spent the last 200 years (as well as the 2,000 years before that) addressing such questions as... "...what matter is, and what is the nature of consciousness..." ... with a depth of understanding and accomplishment that far outshadows the manic activity of the... "...baby monkeys poking at a supercomputer and yelping at the beeps".
.
.... Just saying, is all. Peacem vobiscum, Caitlyn.
.
Dove c’è amore, c’è vita
Sempre vero!
I fear this monkey stands far too preoccupied with grand strategy and far too distracted by environment reminiscent of an insane asylum to be moved by such. But you’re right. We should try to relax as we can.
👍❤️....we are stardust...
This is all so poetic, so graceful, so embracing, so reassuring, so well stated. I too have sought such succor, often turning to the great philosophers discussing the good life, the life well lived, and what the Classics and great literature have to say on the human condition.
I am also one who seeks concision, economy of word and message, which can sometimes come from unexpected sources. Take this, for example:
"You only live once. But if you do it right, once is enough." - Mae West
God I love her!
It's always good to get regular reminders that we still live in a beautiful world and some time out of our day should be spent out there enjoying it.
Love your work❣️
THANK YOU 🤗
Einstein (I think it was him) said the universe is like walking into an enormous library with books from the floor to the ceiling and we’ve only read a few pages from one of them. We only know about 5% of the matter in the universe — planets, stars, comets — and the rest is dark matter, dark energy that the scientists have no idea what it is. To me, that’s incredibly fascinating. If only people turned their attention to understanding the world instead of destroying it.
Much needed reminder of our collective privileged mission . We are HumanS BEING , not merely human beingS
"And it is also true that we don’t really have any idea where humanity’s adventure is headed."
We don't know where we're going--but that doesn't mean we don't work like hell to try and steer ourselves in a good direction and take everyone along for the ride. We're all in this together.
Despair touches some people no matter what they do. Gaza. Lebanon. Sudan. We are very privileged to be able to choose.
The thing that puts the majesty of being alive and the wonder of the universe nearer to my reach is when people have a motivation to lie, and they don’t.
The hell of recognizing the rot in the whole project is when happy, obedient persons reject the possibility that they have been duped, and are still being duped, and their greatest fear is that they may be wrong. But they won’t try to find out.
Just what I needed to read today Caitlin. Grazie.
Why wonder about the world? Humans have lived here for thousands of years, we continue to exist because the environment sustains life, because as humans we have adapted to the environment. But, we are a mix of optional choice that we make every day, coffee or tea, milk or sugar, us or others. Caring and sharing or self before others! It is an optional choice that we summarise as right or left, and there is no right answer for every situation, but there is a best answer - that will be suitable for a majority. That must surely be humanity before self - as if not so we are favoring an option that is directly the opposite of humanity. And is that not a consideration between government or politics as the latter is the antithesis if we put politics before people!