forest:
>this post has brought up a few questions in my mind kirt. do you feel humans
>are capable of evolution or change?
Evolution is not something someone does, forest. If you mean can people
change for "the better", well, I suppose so, but defining what is better,
for me, is an absolutely individual thing. To each his/her own. The trouble
with your version of "evolution" is that you decide what is "better" or
"more advanced" or "refined" for the whole frickin species!
>are you convinced that expanding human
>compassion to include more is a stupid mistake or waste of time?
Yeah, or at least doomed to pitiful failure at best and doing the exact
opposite of its intentions at worst. The problem is that compassion isn't
something that can be "expanded" it is simply an emotion, part or the
heritage of our mammalian maternal instinct. It is easy to see why so many
people feel all cuddly with other mammalian young ones (to the point of
making pets into children--and much worse, children into pets). What
puzzles me is someone extending that to human prey or farm animals, and
then insects, etc. It just makes my face crinkle up in confusion. To put it
another way, if you had your fill of "compassion" from loving big-brained
mammalian care-givers, I doubt you would be as concerned/obssessed as you
are with the issue today. Further, you can "refine" or "expand" or "evolve"
your compassion with all your heart and mind, and it may not be anything
more than a symbolism for your own need. Besides, as I said, IMO compassion
isn't something you expand, its something you experience. Trying to
experience it more because it sounds really hip to be really compassionate
doesn't make any sense at all to me. You live life and compassion is part
of it, giving and receiving. Compassion isn't something that is directed,
it is an experience.
>do you
>believe in compassion at all and where do you draw the line with compassion
>for life?
I don't draw any lines. Some stuff pisses me off; some stuff delights me.
The idea that if I drew a line and then backed up and drew it a little
further that I would then be evolving is almost absurd to me. I want to be
fully human, fully me--not sit around and abstracting a neat sounding
fashionable ideal and then cramp myself into that mold and pretend I am
ahead.
>do you have any inklings of a possible spirit world?
I already told you: no. And I suspect if I did, I would leave it to the
spirits. ;)
The world as given is already an _incredible_ gift. I have a vague sense
that I don't want to blow my life away, that I want to live with gusto,
sensationally, emotionally, and ideationally. But for me this has more to
do with embracing myself and the physical world (I can recognise no other
if I am honest), than any big dealy of ethics or morality or spirituality,
whatever that is supposed to be. In other words, I am connected to a, say,
sunrise, physically not spiritually. Physical is more than enough for me
and -includes- my capacity to think. Perhaps what folks mean by spiritual
is something that has become separated in their own pysche, that body and
mind are separate (neurotic), instead of whole (natural). Who knows?
>if you do, how
>would you define it?
I wouldn't if I did. But I don't. ;)
>if you don't does that rule it out completely?
What, like UFOs? What possible difference could it make to me? If their are
UFO's the only thing that I could think to ask is: are their any
interesting fruits on your planet? If there are spirits, I would say: don't
you _miss_ the physical? ;)
>have you
>ever had a personal experience that you couldn't explain in cave man terms?
I can't explain 95% of my experience in any terms. It doesn't bother me
(indeed it DELIGHTS me) and certainly doesn't make me want to get
"spiritual" whatever that is.
>do
>you believe or have you ever experienced a syncronistic event?
I don't know what that means. Life is wonderous and full of every kind of
event. That doesn't bother me (indeed it DELIGHTS me) and certainly doesn't
make me want to get "spiritual" whatever that is.
>why do you
>spose cave men developed religion while other animals seem to be content
>without one, are we simply more stupid?
Why religious is a constant in human experience throughout history and much
of prehistory is something I am very curious about. Why humans need to
codify bliss instead of experiencing it is also something I am very curious
about.
>how do you see humans as different
>from animals?
Big brain. Beautiful fingers. Etc.
>do you feel your diet is now perfected and that the rest of your
>life you will eat that way?
No. I can say that I enjoy the heck outta my diet, always have, and
hopefull always will, regardless of how it changes.
>do you always feel in good health on your current
>diet?
Most of the time.
>Is your family life free from stress and disagreement?
Of course not. What a drag _that_ would be! ;) But I do have a rich family
life.
>do you believe
>that man is the ruler of family, if so what is your feeling on women's lib
>movement?
Is this a survey? No one rules a family.
Women's lib is sexist. Society doesn't limit people. People limit themselves.
Bonus parable from a Tom Robbin's book:
====
In a place out of doors, near forests and meadows, stands a jar of
vinegar--the emblem of life.
Confucious approaches the jar, dips his finger in and tastes the brew. "Sour,"
he says. "Nonetheless, I can see where it would be very useful in preparing
certain foods."
Buddha comes to the vinegar jar, dips in a finger and has a taste.
"Bitter," is his comment. "It can cause suffering to the palate, and since
suffering is to be avoided, the stuff should be disposed of at once."
The next to stick his finger in is Jesus Christ. "Yuk," says Jesus. "It's
both bitter and sour. It's not fit to drink. In order that no one else will
have to drink it, I will drink it myself."
But now two people approach the jar, together, naked, hand in hand. The man
has a beard and woolly legs like a goat. His long tongue is slightly
swollen from some poetry he has been reciting. The woman wears a cowgirl
hat, a necklace of feathers, a rosy complexion. Her tummy and tits bear the
streatchmarks of motherhood; she carries a basket of mushrooms and herbs.
First the man and then the woman sticks a thumb into the vinegar. She licks
his thumb and he hers. Initially they make a face, but almost immediately
they break into wide grins. "It's _sweet_," they chime.
"Sweeee-eet!"
=====
I'm not spiritual, but I'm a hell of a romantic. ;)
Cheers,
Kirt
Secola /\ Nieft
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