Are human beings here to only cause harm to one another?

[Thestarguitarist14]

I have been getting back into Buddhism a bit again (it seems like this time of year is good for it) and I was reading how we as humans harm each other all the time.  Be it deliberately making each other angry, or in worse cases, killing them.  You see this in friendships, romantic relationships, working relationships, families and etc.

 

It’s funny, most people believe in the golden rule. But people treat others in ways that they would never want to be treated all the time.  I have done it.  I see it in my real life everyday.  I see it here everyday.

 

Why do you think that is?  As humans are we just hopeless pieces of shit?  Is it just ego?  Are we just wired to be selfish?  

Edited October 9, 2020 by Thestarguitarist14

[smurf88]

Well, one part of it is that most people live toxic lifestyles. When you consume toxic foods, toxic water, and put toxic substances on their skin, it's no surprise that their relationships with others are toxic as well. In this way a city, state or country can become a toxic place to live, as toxic people vote in toxic leaders who setup a system where the most-rewarded work is often the work where you create as many suckers out of other people as possible.

It's also worth noting that the way humans live today is not natural. The way that humans act is similar in many ways to how animals act when they are placed in a zoo. They get psychological problems that are unheard of in indigenous societies. Now I'm not saying that civilized society is a bad thing, it is really a double-edged sword. We have amazing technology, but also tons of people with psychological disorders, which we try to resolve with civilized remedies like antidepressants (Or turn to psychoactive substances).

This is what makes it so important to be creative, to develop yourself into a moral leader, or to come up with innovative solutions for today's problems. I think that with self-development, spirituality and responsible use of technology, people are capable of improving society to the point where it's all upside with little downside.

Edited October 9, 2020 by smurf88

[Guest SirVladimir]

The ego is a fallen angel, but an angel nevertheless. 

[vizual]

It's ego/fear. Reduce your ego/fear and it will become clear to you that the universe is a place of abundance and you will never have to fear that you can't get enough of what you need.

That is the root problem, people think the universe is a place of lack - not abundance. The result is that most people are a sophisticated version of Gollum in Lord of the Rings and they always feel a strong need to protect "my precious". 

[blankisomeone]

lol ofc not

People help each other too sometimes

(most of the times actually)

Edited October 9, 2020 by blankisomeone

[No Self]

James Redfield once argued that 'normal people' are effectively competing with one another for scraps of energy, ignorant of the fact that an infinite source of energy lies within.

'Harm' may be a difficult word to define in this context since outcomes can be unpredictable and counterintuitive, but I would say that society has a parasitic aspect that capitalist and democratic elements attempt to channel into nonviolent coexistence. The underlying primitiveness is normally hidden until times of war, poverty or upheaval. Then they eat each other.

[Thestarguitarist14]

@smurf88 I guess this society is just toxic.  In a lot of ways, we are all truly actors.  The world really is a stage and each of us is a player. 
 

True leaders are rare in this day and age.  Especially because whenever you challenge people's beliefs you get shot down.

 

@SirVladimir It was a cruel angel’s thesis from the start.

 

@vizual I have actually been doing some eft tapping on that.  We have all been so brainwashed with lack it’s crazy.  Whenever you act otherwise people think that you are insane.  Most people do not understand that abundance is an inside job.

 

@blankisomeone Eh, if that were true then the world would not be in this situation.  People usually only help each other when it benefits them.

 

@No Self Most people seem to have a scarcity mindset.  Like there is not enough room at the table.  It would be nice if the Democrats are allowed to create the society that they talk about.  We’ll see soon if that will be the case.

[Preety_India]

 

Couple of pointers

 

- kindness is considered weakness 

 

- most people operate from lack or scarcity mindset 

 

- selfishness is deeply rooted through evolution 

 

- most people live a stage Orange life. They are not awakened 

 

- Society is more about biological needs than spiritual needs. It's Darwinian.. Material >>>>Spiritual. Society is skewed against awakening. That's why monks live in Himalayas 

 

- people think being selfish is smart. Materialist paradigm 

 

- Money is the root cause of all evil 

 

- Evolutionary traits beget fear and mistrust of others 

 

- Religion is fascist. Does not play the role of uniting people as it should. 

 

- living in high population low resource has caused people to embrace narcissistic traits to survive 

 

- Capitalism and consumerism encourages selfishness and narcissism. Stage Orange 

- when a human becomes progressively selfish, they also become progressively heartless. 

 

- moral decline and decline in heart values. Heart chakra very weak in most. 

 

 

[Thestarguitarist14]

@Preety_India Those are all good points. Most people get to stage orange and believe that they are awake when in fact they have a long way to go.  This society certainly teaches us to be selfish and sometimes you do.  But people over do it.  And the west in particular is overly capitalistic.

 

  But I don’t believe that money is the root of all evil.  It is the amplification of it.  Like if I am a really bad person, if I get a lot of money, I’m going to be an even worse person.  But if I am a really good person, I can do a lot of good with a lot of money,

[Preety_India]

@Thestarguitarist14 can you answer my question in dating section please, I've been waiting. 

 

[Shin]

On 09/10/2020 at 5:29 PM, Thestarguitarist14 said:

I have been getting back into Buddhism a bit again (it seems like this time of year is good for it) and I was reading how we as humans harm each other all the time.  Be it deliberately making each other angry, or in worse cases, killing them.  You see this in friendships, romantic relationships, working relationships, families and etc.

 

It’s funny, most people believe in the golden rule. But people treat others in ways that they would never want to be treated all the time.  I have done it.  I see it in my real life everyday.  I see it here everyday.

 

Why do you think that is?  As humans are we just hopeless pieces of shit?  Is it just ego?  Are we just wired to be selfish?  

 

The questions you're asking will only have answers that make sense when you've taken massive leap in consciousness (enlightenement not needed).

Those answers will be directly derived by you, not by anyone else. because to understand this, you need to understand how your own mind works.

When you'll understand how your own mind works, everything will make sense

 

So less talking, more reading spiritual books (like the Power of Now, or the Untethered Soul for example),

 

And lots lots more of:

Meditation : Seated meditation and whenever you don't have to think (walking, washing, waiting etc)

Contemplation : "What is x", "Why is x this way" etc (without seeking a mental answer but an insight (see the Leo video about Insight)).

Shadow work : Imagine what you fear in your mind, and don't try to run away from it, and don't judge it/talk about it in  your head

 

You will understand everything you want to know if you do this daily, it will take some time and lots of mental labor though

[Thestarguitarist14]

7 hours ago, Shin said:

 

The questions you're asking will only have answers that make sense when you've taken massive leap in consciousness (enlightenement not needed).

Those answers will be directly derived by you, not by anyone else. because to understand this, you need to understand how your own mind works.

When you'll understand how your own mind works, everything will make sense

 

So less talking, more reading spiritual books (like the Power of Now, or the Untethered Soul for example),

 

And lots lots more of:

Meditation : Seated meditation and whenever you don't have to think (walking, washing, waiting etc)

Contemplation : "What is x", "Why is x this way" etc (without seeking a mental answer but an insight (see the Leo video about Insight)).

Shadow work : Imagine what you fear in your mind, and don't try to run away from it, and don't judge it/talk about it in  your head

 

You will understand everything you want to know if you do this daily, it will take some time and lots of mental labor though

Hahaha, if only you knew.

 

I was just curious as to what others believe to be the case.  I already have my own answers.  Unlike others, I am intrigued by what others have to say.

 

But thank you for the smug answer.

Edited October 10, 2020 by Thestarguitarist14

[sholomar]

We are animals. As a guy who believes in evolution first, you just have to look at the animal kingdom. Nature is not really pure and innocent. In reality the roots compete with each other for resources.. some trees are better equipped to handle an area than others. If you get a hard freeze in an area not equipped to handle it, massive amounts of plantlife can die. Lions kill zebras to eat. Nature basically recycles itself through a harmonious process that can appear from an outsider's perspective to be immoral. What human beings do is take nature and try to make it fair, like that song "The Trees" by Rush talks about.  In my opinion nature is amoral.. it's only our human perception that gives it morality, and since everyone is developing at their own pace, I don't sweat the so called bad things that happen in society nor do I worry about waking other people up.

If a human being acts "evil" it's because their brain chemistry is fucked up. Chances are they might not even like the person they are and wish they could take the "blue pill" .. Leo posted a great video on psychopaths vs sociopaths vs narcissists.... I suggest watching that one and related videos to get an understanding of human psychology. Our brains are complex and it doesn't take much for them to get messed up with such a complex species.  These are the people who have no remorse for what they do.... so they are wired that way, sometimes from birth.  The media takes the worst cases and bombards them with you daily, which is why I recommend limiting how much news and media you consume.  It really makes the world seem worse than it is, when in reality our species has never been more peaceful and tolerant in it's history.

 

 

Edited October 10, 2020 by sholomar

[Shin]

51 minutes ago, Thestarguitarist14 said:

Hahaha, if only you knew.

 

I was just curious as to what others believe to be the case.  I already have my own answers.  Unlike others, I am intrigued by what others have to say.

 

But thank you for the smug answer.

If you had your own true answers you wouldn't need to ask other people opinions ?

[Thestarguitarist14]

@Shin What a cocky s.o.b

@sholomar Don’t know too much about psychopaths and a little bit about sociopaths.  But I have too much h first hand experience with narcissists unfortunately.  Still healing from the trauma.  When you talk about many human beings not having remorse for what they have done, it makes me think about the last two women that I dated.  The last was narcissistic (she is an actress so makes sense)  but the one before that was a straight narcissist.  
 

Human beings are all predators.  I don’t care how nice you are.  We prey on each all the time.  

Edited October 11, 2020 by Thestarguitarist14

[seeking_brilliance]

We hurt ourselves habitually. Sometimes this manifests as hurting others, but only as a means to hurt ourselves further. 

[Shin]

1 hour ago, Thestarguitarist14 said:

@Shin What a cocky s.o.b

@sholomar Don’t know too much about psychopaths and a little bit about sociopaths.  But I have too much h first hand experience with narcissists unfortunately.  Still healing from the trauma.  When you talk about many human beings not having remorse for what they have done, it makes me think about the last two women that I dated.  The last was narcissistic (she is an actress so makes sense)  but the one before that was a straight narcissist.  
 

Human beings are all predators.  I don’t care how nice you are.  We pray on each all the time.  

You are the cocky sob ☺

You can only feel what you are.

You'll understand this one day ?

[No Self]

2 hours ago, Thestarguitarist14 said:

Human beings are all predators.  I don’t care how nice you are.  We pray on each all the time.  

It's important to distinguish between normal unconscious behaviours, including the social structures intended to channel human selfishness towards peaceful coexistence (capitalism, markets, governments, democracy), and true masters. Who did the Buddha, or Jesus, or Ramana Maharshi prey upon?

[Thestarguitarist14]

@Shin Never said I wasn’t.  But keep thinking your clever.

@seeking_brilliance hurt people hurt people.

@No Self I wasn’t really including people like that.  Though, is there anyone like that alive today?  Maybe Eckart Tolle?

[No Self]

3 minutes ago, Thestarguitarist14 said:

@No Self I wasn’t really including people like that.  Though, is there anyone like that alive today?  Maybe Eckart Tolle?

Eckhart could be one, if not extremely close to it. According to Conversations with God, there are always some among us. They don't necessarily stand out, though. They demonstrate what is possible for a human.