The Insolvable Problem

@Zetherin,

Zetherin;92459 wrote:

Your OP was deceivingly vague and misleading. I was expecting to be served an insolvable problem, and instead I received an emotional spiel about a woman carrying her son's head. You're really going to need to be more specific - not only regarding the horrible things you've referring to, but also the problem you seem to find insolvable.

I suppose my OP wasn't very good. It wasn't written when I was in my "smart" mood, but rather in my "pondering" mood. I wasn't being very critical while writing it.
But anyways,
I put it in Ethics because I felt that it raised a question of what we are supposed to do or not do. Are we supposed to all suffer together? Or are we all supposed to take what we've got and run with it? It seems like this is a problem because it is a conflict (suffering vs. joy), and it is insolvable because there's no right or wrong answer. But then again, there's not very many right or wrong answers in life, are there?
Let me put it this way, if you were reading a captivating novel and a person was being horribly mistreated outside your house, you would put down your book and run to help that person, or phone the police. You would do something about it because you felt obligated to help that person, and probably wanted the person who was inflicting the suffering to be punished. You would probably for sorry for the person in distress, you would empathize with them, understand they are in need of help, and wish for them to be helped. Right?
But what if you couldn't call the police or run out to assist the person in distress? Say you had a house with no door and all the windows had iron bars across them, and there was no phone in the house. In this situation, what would you do? Keep reading and enjoying your day? Probably not. Probably, you would go into a different room, shut the door and try to distract yourself. You would stop having that great day and it would be turned into a bad day.

From my perspective, this situation is the one that happens every day and every moment. We're over here having parties and going out to eat with friends, while they're over there going through trauma and pain we don't understand. We can't help them, but we know it's happening, and yet we continue having our great day.
Are we monsters or are we just normal human beings for reacting in this way?
And I suppose I should ask, is this even an issue at all? Should we be getting worked up about it or not?

1 Reply

@Smiley451,

Smiley:

Develop the strength - or use what strength you have already - to change what you CAN change. And if it is reasonable to believe that something is going on that you CAN'T change, then be aware... but don't worry about it. And pray that you have the ability to tell the difference !!!!

To me, that is the moral way to live: do not underestimate what you can change, or at least have an impact upon; yet do all you can to develop the discernment that there are some things you can't currently do anything about ...and don't sweat it. Do not let it perturb your serenity, your inner peace. Maintain that 'peace that passeth all understanding' at all costs. Know that at least you can radiate a healing blessing to all those you encounter, you can make them feel - when you enter a room - like a plant that has just been watered because of your infectious enthusiasm. This comes from a cosmic optimism, a faith that the world is getting better (which it, in fact, is.) This [- in general - not you particularly -] comes from caring more about lifting up others than a concern with 'how do I look to others?' It's not about me; it's about WE.

Some folks care a lot about the plight of Rwandans; so they form a nonprofit organization to do something positive about it. You will find such sites on the internet. This applies to any good and noble cause. Someone is probably working on it, and you can join their team.
But even if you are merely working on your own self-improvement, bringing out your own gifts, making yourself a more powerful, more confident, more able person, you are doing something to make the world a better place. So cheer up.

And keep in mind: More cars on the road do not crash than those that do.
More people at this very moment are making love, not making war.

Optimism means the capacity to name things and situations so that you can call them "good". It means putting things in their correct place. "I've got a good headache!" "This is a good mess. Now how solve the problem? How meet the challenge?" That is the best orientation to have.
Pessimists, in contrast, are a little bit sick: they are out of touch with reality -- for they put names on things that don't fit. WHO NEEDS PESSIMISM !!

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@Smiley451,

Aside from reading Gladwell's Tipping Point, and Rand's Atlas Shrugged, perhaps a study in dialectics would help you evolve your weak and strong sets, as well as choosing more synchronous peers.

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@Labyrinth,

If you don't like something in your house, you generally take it out. This Earth is our house, this negativity--this unhappiness--is that unwanted thing.

I think you have to reveal things to people in order for them to consider their true thoughts and feelings so this will be a Heaven on Earth. We have to want to be good and start from the inside. Anyone can be good, right?

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@Smiley451,

Remove negative and positive.

View the world in Cause and Effect.

Then nothing need be removed and perception of events is no longer limited to reaction.

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@Outbackzaq,

Outbackzaq;92322 wrote:

If people only looked at the atrocities that humans are capable of, then i don't see the human race being able to live on as a functioning society or at least a functioning society as i see it.

Dont give up, Lenin said left-wing Communism was an infantile disorder.

says my boyfriend.

---------- Post added 01-06-2010 at 11:43 PM ----------

Smiley451;92285 wrote:

What are we supposed to do when we see the horrible things that occur in our world? And, upon seeing them, how are we to continue? How are we supposed to be happy after that? Are we supposed to ignore everything that is evil and pretend it isn't there? While a young lady's lover is asking her to marry him, a young boy is having his head sawed off and his mother will be forced to carry it through the streets. How can we be happy if we know that these things will persist regardless of what we do?

We have to come to terms with the way of human nature. We are all living in different cultural stand points, meaning different things mean good or bad. So altho know what is going on in different places on the earth, do you think it's fair for us who had nothing to do with it to feel at fault beacuse it is happening? Just beacuse someone gets killed, or goes poor, do I have to feel bad everytime someone is below me in any way. Would those people who are dealing with these situations feel bad if we swapped places? So basically it's a matter of opinion,and coming to terms with therere has to be a balance of good and evil on this earth. We can not tip to one side of the scale,and think it'll be okay. It doesn't work like that,beacuse even with or without religious beliefs, bad things happen. If they can be stopped,by all means stop them! If you within your own power feel you can and need to help someone,help them! however to place blame that you have no fault for,and can not change is just causing yourself not only your own personal suffering,but the suffering of many,many others. As there is pleasure, there is pain. As there is love, this is suffer. We can't have it just one way,and this is how you can go on living day to day even tho others don't go on living day to day.

or atleast that's how i would like to believe.

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@Smiley451,

You find meaning (not despair) in the struggle (against evil and injustice).

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@Smiley451,

You should take solace in the fact that there are people that are trying to help, and when you look at society, we are truly advancing to becoming peaceful. Granted this may take a couple more hundreds, even thousands of years, but it will happen one day. If you just ignore the wrong things in the world they will never be fixed. Nothing is ever created perfect, society is no exception.

1 Reply

@Karpowich,

We don't need a solution, we need a salvation.

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@Smiley451,

Smiley451;92285 wrote:

What are we supposed to do when we see the horrible things that occur in our world? And, upon seeing them, how are we to continue? How are we supposed to be happy after that? Are we supposed to ignore everything that is evil and pretend it isn't there? How can we be happy if we know that these things will persist regardless of what we do?

Question #1
What are we supposed to do when we see the horrible things that occur in our world?

Answer #1
If one cares for the joy of others as ones own, it be wise for that one to share not the horrors that one has seen with another if that other needeth not to know.

Question #2
And, upon seeing them, how are we to continue?

Answer #2
If one cares for the joy of others as one's own, it be wise for that one to dwell in joy, for one cannot bring joy if one dwells in suffering.

Question #3
How are we supposed to be happy after that?

Answer #3
If one cares for the joy of others as one's own, it be wise for that one to controleth ones self, for ones level of self control is reflected in ones control of another, therefore if ones control lacketh, the joy one maketh in another shall fade to suffering as one's own hath done.

Question #4
Are we supposed to ignore everything that is evil and pretend it isn't there?

Answer #4
If one cares for the joy of others as one's own, it be wise for that one to pretend not, and ignore not, for if one ignore's another's suffering, surly it shall become the suffering of another and joy be lost, and if one useth the act of pretend as a shelter to protect one's own joy and the joy of one's convent from suffering, surly it shall fail, for one's shelter of deceit shall crumbles on one's foundation of joy.

Question #5
How can we be happy if we know that these things will persist regardless of what we do?

Answer #5
:listening:For if ye still dwelleth in sorrow, and happiness ye dwell not in, comfort in time ye shall receive...For time be the devourer of all things...

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@Smiley451,

Smiley451;93983 wrote:

From my perspective, this situation is the one that happens every day and every moment. We're over here having parties and going out to eat with friends, while they're over there going through trauma and pain we don't understand. We can't help them, but we know it's happening, and yet we continue having our great day.

Are we monsters or are we just normal human beings for reacting in this way?
And I suppose I should ask, is this even an issue at all? Should we be getting worked up about it or not?

Why can't we help them? (I'm asking, not contradicting)

0 Replies

@Smiley451,

Smiley451;92285 wrote:

What are we supposed to do when we see the horrible things that occur in our world? And, upon seeing them, how are we to continue? How are we supposed to be happy after that? Are we supposed to ignore everything that is evil and pretend it isn't there? While a young lady's lover is asking her to marry him, a young boy is having his head sawed off and his mother will be forced to carry it through the streets. How can we be happy if we know that these things will persist regardless of what we do?

It isn't insolveable. Such horrors has been commited since dawn of man, yet we still live and florish.

Imo it's about how we handle the situation, what we do to prevent it, how we help people involved how to carry on with their lives.

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The Insolvable Problem

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