What To Do…About Everything—

To believe or not to believe? I think, therefore I make a mess of things…

Did you exchange, a walk-on part in the war, for a lead role in a cage? —Roger Waters

I figure if all goes well, I have about 35-40 years left as a human being. How do I want to spend it? How do you want to spend it? Anxious for the morrow? Is it productive or even enjoyable to involve oneself in compounding the mess by constantly trying to fix it?

The things that we object about our situation is precisely what we are doing to overcome it. Do you see that? Can you see that?

“It is perfectly obvious that the whole world is going to hell. The only possible chance that it might not is that we do not attempt to prevent it from doing so”—Robert Oppenheimer

While atheism is one step closer to peace, abandoning all sides of all dogmas makes it perfectly clear that beliefs are the cancers that grow more beliefs, to which very little of humanity has any immunity at all.

Be a much better road without the fence

Author: jimoeba

Alternatives to big box religions and dogmas

41 thoughts on “What To Do…About Everything—”

  1. This reminds me of the stories my grandad tells me. They never worried about what might happen, always lived in the present. It’s not the same today and we are constantly bombarded with opinions and motivation to think about tomorrow.

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  3. While the 2020 news has been almost exclusively dominated by the pandemic and the ensuing tragedies and other assorted problems, my missus made a comment over breakfast the other day that: ‘It has been a very interesting year.”
    This caused me to pause for a few moments of reflection over my toast and I realised that her statement was very true – and not in the Chinese curse sort of way either.

    Certain beliefs are worthwhile having and holding on to. While it’s true that some of those hold us back, other beliefs propel us. It’s difficult to see us progressing at all without any beliefs.
    It reminds me of something Pratchett wrote: ”Without things, we are just clever monkeys.”

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    1. How does one susceptible to a belief determine if that belief is worthwhile? Belief is an expectation that happiness exists in promises—the future. Our culture is highly medicated on this format.
      The new covid vaccination is ready for roll-out. That should make us all happier, right?

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      1. How does one susceptible to a belief determine if that belief is worthwhile?

        If said belief benefits all those it ”bumps heads” with?
        (And I am, of course, referring to a belief that has a much broader context than merely a belief that flared trousers were the greatest fashion statement in history, for example.)

        The new covid vaccination is ready for roll-out. That should make us all happier, right?

        Happy is relative, of course. and I am blessed that most of my relatives are happy.

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        1. “ belief benefits all those it ”bumps heads” with”. Well spoken sir. If everyone got their way, no one would be happy. Without opposition the whole thing would be bland, yet uninteresting. Without enemies how would one know they are happy, superior, or smarter? Like wetting your finger and finding no wind, how would you know which way it doesn’t blow?

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      2. A rushed vaccine promising a 95% efficacy rate (along with many side effects) for a disease from which 99.9% recover naturally doesn’t inspire much confidence — let alone happiness. I think I’ll pass.

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        2. It’s a bit more difficult to say that when you’re in the “senior citizen” arena and suffer from asthma and a heart condition, as does my other-half. The vaccine, even at 95%, tends to beckon. Even though.

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          1. So long as you both still live in your own home, you should be safe; because the stats reveal that the single greatest comorbidity factor is taking up residence in a nursing home — especially one that’s located in NYC.

            But your biggest health risk isn’t C-19; it’s the Spanish-born dictator occupying Mahonia Hall.

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            1. I agree about the rest home … but simply because we live in our own home doesn’t come into play when we have to run errands and shop for groceries. The risk is always there. At least with a vaccine, those risks would be reduced. At least we would hope so.

              As many others, we’re still not totally convinced, but considering the circumstances, we’re probably more open to it than someone like yourself.

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            2. I have no problem with that. Matters concerning health and personal safety should always be left up to the individual. I just think the risks of contracting C-19 and dying ( <4 in a million) during a grocery run are lower than those of dying in a car accident (1 in 106) on the way to the store, or choking to death on your food ( 1 in 2618) during a meal at home — especially now that stores have implemented senior-only hours, curbside pickup and home delivery services.

              And my reluctance to take the vaccine is based on Pfizer's numerous legal settlements for fraud, injury and unethical testing practices.

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  4. My belief is this: Live like it matters. If it doesn’t, we’ll never know. If it does, we won’t have wasted our lives. Win win.
    Having said that, what matters to one person matters naught to another. Who’s to say who is right and who is wrong? If, on the day you die to this existence, you are happy, you mattered. If you are not happy, big deal…

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    1. By the way, you cannot fix the unfixable. But if you throw it all away and start anew, you have a chance to improve this amazing condition we know as life.

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  5. “Wisdom begins in wonder.” –Socrates

    You’re right. Abandoning belief in gods is only the first step of the journey. The proclamations handed down by the high priests of education, finance, health, politics and science are equally suspect (if not outright false) and should invite the same scrupulous examination we apply to religious dogma.

    Good post, Jim!

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    1. You are right Ron, critical thinking should be applied to every field not only religion, including the religion of science, though I do think that religions are the basic disease.

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      1. @ OR
        What the Gehenna is ”the religion of science”?
        I must be honest I’ve have never heard of this religion and I am aware of quite a few religions.
        Is this a new thing?
        Can you provide a few more details?
        Gracias.

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          2. Indeed, and seeing water transition directly from ice to vapor without passing through a liquid state when temps are below zero is sublime.

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  6. I’ve noticed that my hierarchy of needs (Maslow) is not the same as was 30 or 40 years ago. Everything changes. There is much more to this than: god/yes, or god/no, or god/I dunno.

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    1. I’m sticking to this for now. “ The things that we object about our situation is precisely what we are doing to overcome it.”. We can’t help but mettle our way in deeper.

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    1. I was driving home. Patience young padawan. Your name suggests an ontological realism, so it shouldn’t be hard for you to understand that unbelief is not a belief.

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  9. I feel like trying to fix things gives a sense of purpose. My sense of meaning and fulfillment used to come from religion, but now that I’m agnostic, I find purpose in trying to fix whatever bit of chaos I can. I can’t sit back and enjoy the ride when I know that others are suffering and I can do something about it.

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    1. Nicely put. Of course compassion is as natural for some as suffering is for others. It is only this variety of experience that gives it any color or awareness. If there were no suffering there would be no joy either. My wife and I are completely different in this. I like to give money to street people. She tends to think it’s their karma in the sense that it’s their own doing. Both of us are right. Welcome aboard.

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    1. Thanks John. Glad you are doing better.
      I’ve taken on the role of the observer, since whatever I decide to like seems to have just as many dire consequences as what I don’t. It’s a good show regardless.

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  12. Jimothy! Beliefs are terrible. Just ask Rufus from Dogma. 😁 anyway, just wanted to say hi and hope you are doing well, fellow wonderer

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  13. Is it productive or even enjoyable to involve oneself in compounding the mess by constantly trying to fix it?

    Fix oneself. What we think, do etc.
    This can lead to many enjoyable things – like adopting dogs!

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