Re: For the misanthropes...
 

but what about things like rape, murder and genocide?

Re: For the misanthropes...
 

I'd close the borders tomorrow, I'd impose mandatory zero population growth for like 30 years, I'd mandate a meritocracy instead of this idiotic democracy.

Borders: As long as we're gonna be nationalistic, let's cop to that fact, and that we're just not as mature yet as we'd like to be, and let's get realistic.

Re: For the misanthropes...
 

Hey there unknown.

I acknowledge that my understanding of the world is in contradiction to a lot of normal and rational beliefs - so here goes.

Rape, murder and genocide are completely neutral by themselves. The only right or wrong associated with anything is created by us - by our thoughts, understandings - through the filter of our beliefs.

To use a tired examples - Hitler. Do you think that he thought that genocide was bad? He thought that he was doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing. So genocide, by itself, is neither good or bad. If it were absolute good or bad then everyone would agree on that. No matter what "absolute good" or "absolute bad" you can think of - chances are that some people think it's good and some don't.

I'm not advocating any atrocities, I'm merely putting them in perspective for myself. In my belief system I am not responsible for the atrocities in the world - that is simply the mass mind - the dream of the planet - which is mostly poison. I choose not to participate in the poisoning of our minds through assigning blame and judgement on people and things. I simply strive to give as much love, compassion and understanding to every single person I encounter that I possibly can. I exude exactly what I want to get back from the world and typically I get what I create. If I get a painful lesson then hopefully I can control my reaction.

Victor Frankel - while being operated on by Nazis in a death camp - realized that no matter how much they brutalized his body, the one thing the Nazis couldn't take from him was his reaction to what was happening. Your reactions to situations are pretty much the only thing you can control in those situations.

sorry for the ramble!

alec...

Re: For the misanthropes...
 

To take the above and go off on my own little tangent, I do think "perspective is everything." I suppose I am a moral relativist, insofar as I consider all actions (human or otherwise) to be ultimately neutral, as Alec describes. There's nothing wrong, of course, with carrying around a moral yardstick (we all do,) but I find it useful to remind myself that there is always a different perspective and that most of my reactions are based on personal taste, how I was brought up, etc. But, from a "cosmic" perspective or what have you, (which maybe isn't exactly a perspective as such, since it subsumes all possible perspectives,) everything is ever as it should be.

My misanthropic tendencies are usually knee-jerk reactions to things I find unsavory in my own nature, as reflected in others, to touch on what I said before. The less focused I am on my own perceived inadequacies (and they are only perceived, because I'm judging myself against concepts/ideals in my own head,) the easier I find it to be accepting, understanding, and appreciative of myself, others, and life in general.

I guess this all ties in somewhat with the notion of abandoning/transcending the ego to realize a higher, truer self (whenever I mention these ideas, I wish I were a lot wiser and more articulate than I am, but oh well.) I know a lot of people who claim the ego (or whatever you want to call it) is "evil," etc., but I think that's missing the point. The ego, the so-called source of evil and suffering to many people, is one of the most valuable learning tools we have, at least in terms of spiritual wisdom.

Since this is a measly message board post and I want to wrap it up, I'll submit a corny metaphor, that of extreme pressure turning lumps of coal into diamonds. The process of becoming a diamond might not be pleasant from the perspective of the coal. And I'll piggyback another corny metaphor on top of that and say maybe those lumps of coal can be identified with the diamonds in the first place, much as a seed might be identified with the plant it eventually becomes, etc.

OK, that's enough rambling for now... I haven't even smoked any weed recently! :rolleyes:

Re: For the misanthropes...
 

Mr. SoilMe,

Nor did I when I read your post... It was what initially followed that made associations spark in my mind. I'd like to clarify a point. I am Spotbowserfido2. Please address your comments to my comments appropriately, i.e. to my attention. Thank you.

Rover

Re: For the misanthropes...
 

Misanthropy is misspent energy. Me, I deal more in self-loathing. That way, at least I know my hate is always justified.

Re: For the misanthropes...
 

Since I'm writing from a Third World country, misanthropy becomes part of everyday life.