What is the point to life?

[deccan]

I don't agree with the many of the sentiments expressed in this thread, especially the socialist rail against the rich and powerful.

By and large, from my own personal experience I don't find that the rich and powerful got that way undeservedly. Sure, I know of many people who are rich because of their parents, but I also see that many of them end up making a mess of their lives and disappointing their parents.

Many of the rich and powerful people that I personally know got that way because they worked long hours, made huge personal sacrifices and took big risks along the way. And whatever they want to do with their hard-earned money is pretty much their business.

I don't have any sympathy at all for people who say that they deserve a particular kind of lifestyle or neighborhood and that "society" owes it to them to provide that lifestyle and neighborhood simply because they're used to that lifestyle and neighborhood.

I don't have any sympathy either for comments about rich people f*cking over the lives of the poor. I do agree that some people get rich by cutting legal corners sometimes, but I also see that it comes back to haunt them. Not always, but enough so that I wouldn't want to take the same route myself.

I don't believe that poor people deserve sympathy simply for the 'virtue" of being poor. I do believe that the poor people who want to improve their lives and are willing to achieve by studying and working harder deserve to be helped, but I see from personal experience that there are many poor people who that way because they are just too unambitious and too lazy to try to change their lives for the better. And I've never known people who are genuinely and consistently hardworking not to succeed in life.

And keep in mind that I am someone who have worked in some of the poorest and most underdeveloped countries in the world, including Gabon, Cameroon, Mozambique and currently the Solomon Islands.

[Renegade 13]

Originally posted by deccan:
And I've never known people who are genuinely and consistently hardworking not to succeed in life.

Have you ever met a farmer or a rancher??

And keep in mind that I am someone who have worked in some of the poorest and most underdeveloped countries in the world, including Gabon, Cameroon, Mozambique and currently the Solomon Islands.

Until I saw this part, I thought you might be one of those rich people!!

[Fyron]

Originally posted by Puke:
no, no, no.. you have to hold on loosely, and not let go. because if you cling to tight...

ah, nevermind.

Leave it to you to make one puke...

[Kamog]

I don't think there's life after death. People have tried to tell me otherwise, but I am not convinced since there is no evidence, and their arguments are based only on faith. Some people seem to choose to believe in life after death because they hope that it exists, but I can't bring myself to believe something just because it would be nice if it were true.

So I'll just assume that death is the end, and if I happen to be wrong, I would be pleasantly surprised.

Somebody once said, "Why worry about life after death if you're not even living this one?"

[dogscoff]

because they worked long hours, made huge personal sacrifices and took big risks along the way.

People justifying their wealth with 'personal sacrifices' means nothing to me. See someone else's post earlier about how a sacrifice isn't a sacrifice if you plan to get something back from it. They very deliberately chose to make the 'sacrifices', so they shouldn't whinge about them.

rich people f*cking over the lives of the poor. I do agree that some people get rich by cutting legal corners
sometimes,

I think the point is that many people f&ck over the poor without having to cut legal corners. There must be a zillion websites cataloguing corporate evils so I won't bother going into details here but try googling up a few sites against pharmaceutical companies or the tobacco industry. Mostly they shaft people within the law. (Although admittedly they'll often have to buy a politician first to get the laws re-written in their favour.)

but I also see that it comes back to haunt them

It's a nice thought, but I hardly ever see this. Mostly they just keep on getting away with it.

[General Woundwort]

Originally posted by Kamog:
I don't think there's life after death. People have tried to tell me otherwise, but I am not convinced since there is no evidence, and their arguments are based only on faith.

Technically, so is yours.

Some people seem to choose to believe in life after death because they hope that it exists, but I can't bring myself to believe something just because it would be nice if it were true. So I'll just assume that death is the end, and if I happen to be wrong, I would be pleasantly surprised.

One problem with this is that several religions, Christianity included, teach that sometimes life after death is not that pleasant for some. And after the fact is a poor time to find out...

[Ran-Taro]

Originally posted by General Woundwort:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kamog:
I don't think there's life after death. People have tried to tell me otherwise, but I am not convinced since there is no evidence, and their arguments are based only on faith.

Technically, so is yours.

---

That does not follow. Refusing to accept an assertion without some sort of valid evidence for it does not require faith.

In the absence of any evidence of something existing, it is a logical presumption that it probably doesn't exist.

Some people seem to choose to believe in life after death because they hope that it exists, but I can't bring myself to believe something just because it would be nice if it were true. So I'll just assume that death is the end, and if I happen to be wrong, I would be pleasantly surprised.

One problem with this is that several religions, Christianity included, teach that sometimes life after death is not that pleasant for some. And after the fact is a poor time to find out...

However, according to the dogma, believing in Christianity simply as an 'each way bet' will not save you. Hypocrites go to hell.

Hence this is not a good argument to follow Christianity, at least.

[ October 07, 2003, 12:46: Message edited by: Ran-Taro ]