On a theoretical and philosophical basis, your post resonates with me. That said, I honestly don't know how it relates to the real world.
Could any of us say to a woman being brutally raped that "everything is as it is supposed to be right now at this exact moment, otherwise it would not be what it is"?
Could we make that same statement to a young child going through the final throes of hunger or to a person being slowly tortured to death?
Sometimes I wonder about the things you, I and others write from the confines of the average life in western society. Would we write the same things from a bomb shelter in Baghdad or a refugee camp in Somalia?
To which I replied:
I understand completely what you're saying and do question this from my perfectly temperature controlled office where the sun is shining through the window and my belly is full after a fantastic sushi lunch. Would I feel the same way living in a cave in the mountains? I don't know, but what I do know is that humans are a very violent and disastrous creature at times. It would be impossible to sooth a rape victim with "that was how everything is supposed to happen because it happened."
It isn't right that children go to bed hungry or families huddle in a a bomb shelter. It is terrible and I couldn't even begin to comprehend my family living through something so heinous. Sadly, this is how life works. People get cancer because of someone else's pollution, are murdered senselessly, raped viciously, die of starvation, and suffer from war. It isn't fair and is easier to say when not in that situation, but this is life and it is what is... even with my human emotion of sadness that such atrocities exist.
I am curious about your opinion. I'm under the assumption that readers share a similar interest in philosophy and life. So, what are your thoughts and feelings?
5 comments:
Wow! Tough stuff. I guess I look at it as it is what it is. I can only look at my response and do what I can. I guess I would not suggest to anyone that anything is "as it is supposed to be" but rather this is what it is, and then look how we can alleviate suffering if possible.
Both viewpoints display fear, leading to guilt, leading to opinion, leading to judgement.
When personally involved in unpleasantness, one is engaged with it and it becomes normal.
It may change. It may not.
If unpleasantness is all there is, then that is normal for the one who experiences it.
Pampered western softies might at least try to make the most of their very rare condition, and not ruin it with guilt and angst.
So says one who has known both sides, and has no preference.
Interesting question, Mr. Methodic :)
I do not know if I would feel that "everything as it is" if I am living that extremely harsh condition. Yet at most of my "bad days", I could really feel that everything is as perfect as it is--knowing that I am walking only a little part of the whole picture--the perfect, purposeful picture.
Of course that would be a personal experience; I cannot tell "it is as it means to be" to others. Compassion is not about telling them how they should feel; but to acknowledge their feeling and help them move on :)
Well, I have nothing extraordinary to say... except, well except that sometimes I know is difficult to make others comprehend what, for example, happens here in the "third world", one thing is to explain and other to experiment an experience; that's why better to be an observant and not make an opinion beforehand. But is better to leave it like that, everything has its own time and space. Empathy cannot be forced, otherwise won't be empathy. And darkness is part of Tao, remember the yin yang symbol.
That's our problem, we jump to a conclusion so fast, our minds judge without us notice the movement inside of our heads. And we are attached too much the 'real' thing.
Anyway, instead of me writing nonsenses, I recommend you to read that poem of Sosan which beautiful explain how everything is, and not, and about judgement and etc.
Great posts :)
(It is not normal, it hurts, it's horrible, it's every adjective created to name the emotions that generate those acts, but beyond those emotions, what truly is raped/tortured/killed/etc. is the hologram, not the Tao. And besides, in this hologram named existence there's something named karma, useful for everyone who still play the game mind.)
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