The purpose of good and evil
Wow, so it's been a long time since I've posted. Let’s see, where did 19 days go? Well, there have been some long runs of workdays (up to 12 days without a day off). I’ve actually only had one weekend since the 18th, and I had quite a lot of activity packed into those two days. So I guess writing wasn’t in the cards.
Oddly, I am at work, writing about how work got in the way of my writing… oh well.
A week or so ago, I had another realization, which is the basic nature of good and evil. It’s really so simple that I’m not sure why it didn’t occur to me before. I think my perspective has changed. Essentially, good is the force that keeps things together (creates) and evil is the force that breaks them apart (destroys).
Anyone reading this post by now has probably just shrugged her/his shoulders and said something like, “hello… knucklehead!! That’s nothing new!”
But the truth is, I’ve always thought of good and evil as sort of two huge energy forces, poised for conflict and vying for control of the cosmos. In a way, that’s true, but the conflict is really so much closer to home. I used to think that, when we die, we join the force of good (or evil, such as the case might be) and then take up arms for the cause of our destiny.
But the battle is here and now; it is upon us. The question is, how do we fight? The battle is not only here, but it’s everywhere; it is infinite.
I don’t really know where I’m going with this. I guess the point I’m getting at is that all beings are part of the “fabric” of matter and energy, those elements composing the universe. We must realize that our “purpose” in life is to work as a force for good, doing our part to save lives and bring true happiness to the universe. The forces of evil want to tear this community down, create anarchy in the universe and make sure everyone feels alone.
Why is happiness important? I used to think that happiness was a selfish sentiment. This is because I believed in happiness in the material and personal sense. It was all about me and the things that made me happy, and therefore happiness was just selfishness in a pure form. But have you ever been truly unhappy and depressed? How much good were you able to accomplish when you were in that state of mind? In fact, looking back, I realize that those times I was truly unhappy were the times when I was most selfish. I was depressed because I felt alone, because I wanted attention or because some other expectation of mine wasn’t being met.
True happiness, on the other hand, comes from feeling loved and wanted and important and a part of life. It comes from realizing that each of us is an integral part of a very large, indeed infinite, community upon which we exert much more control than most realize. If you are happy, you can influence so many more beings with your positive energy. When you are truly happy, you don’t think about yourself, but about others because you are fulfilled. The happiness you project comes back upon you in greater quantity as it influences those around you, and thus radiates on in a perpetual cycle.
I have a friend who suffers from depression and has contemplated suicide in the past. I worry about her because she has had a recent spate of unpleasant experiences: her brother-in-law was killed, and then her mother fell ill and is now effectively brain dead and waiting to die. I would like to help my friend and I know feeling sorry for her and sharing my sadness about these events will not help her. Misery loves company only because it likes to wallow. So I will simply let her know that she is not alone, and make myself available to her. Hopefully, she will allow me to share some of my happiness with her.
And now I realize that there was an error in my last post. I wrote that suffering is a given and there is nothing we can do to stop it. I no longer believe that. I can do something, my small part to end suffering. First, I can avoid my own suffering by realizing that the physical life here on Earth is not all there is. Life is energy, a spiritual force if you will, and energy and matter cannot be destroyed. So my life will not end when my human body gives out. Second, I can influence others through my happiness and thereby ease their suffering.
Try it sometime. For starters, try smiling through all your day’s events for just one day. People around you might think you’re being silly, or they might think you’re faking it (or maybe that you’ve simply gone crazy), but they will still become more cheerful or giggly. I’m not saying it’s all this simple, but a simple, genuine smile definitely will help you become more happy, and it will help others, too. And a happy person is far less likely to go and shoot up a school or kill his neighbor or drown her children.
Oddly, I am at work, writing about how work got in the way of my writing… oh well.
A week or so ago, I had another realization, which is the basic nature of good and evil. It’s really so simple that I’m not sure why it didn’t occur to me before. I think my perspective has changed. Essentially, good is the force that keeps things together (creates) and evil is the force that breaks them apart (destroys).
Anyone reading this post by now has probably just shrugged her/his shoulders and said something like, “hello… knucklehead!! That’s nothing new!”
But the truth is, I’ve always thought of good and evil as sort of two huge energy forces, poised for conflict and vying for control of the cosmos. In a way, that’s true, but the conflict is really so much closer to home. I used to think that, when we die, we join the force of good (or evil, such as the case might be) and then take up arms for the cause of our destiny.
But the battle is here and now; it is upon us. The question is, how do we fight? The battle is not only here, but it’s everywhere; it is infinite.
I don’t really know where I’m going with this. I guess the point I’m getting at is that all beings are part of the “fabric” of matter and energy, those elements composing the universe. We must realize that our “purpose” in life is to work as a force for good, doing our part to save lives and bring true happiness to the universe. The forces of evil want to tear this community down, create anarchy in the universe and make sure everyone feels alone.
Why is happiness important? I used to think that happiness was a selfish sentiment. This is because I believed in happiness in the material and personal sense. It was all about me and the things that made me happy, and therefore happiness was just selfishness in a pure form. But have you ever been truly unhappy and depressed? How much good were you able to accomplish when you were in that state of mind? In fact, looking back, I realize that those times I was truly unhappy were the times when I was most selfish. I was depressed because I felt alone, because I wanted attention or because some other expectation of mine wasn’t being met.
True happiness, on the other hand, comes from feeling loved and wanted and important and a part of life. It comes from realizing that each of us is an integral part of a very large, indeed infinite, community upon which we exert much more control than most realize. If you are happy, you can influence so many more beings with your positive energy. When you are truly happy, you don’t think about yourself, but about others because you are fulfilled. The happiness you project comes back upon you in greater quantity as it influences those around you, and thus radiates on in a perpetual cycle.
I have a friend who suffers from depression and has contemplated suicide in the past. I worry about her because she has had a recent spate of unpleasant experiences: her brother-in-law was killed, and then her mother fell ill and is now effectively brain dead and waiting to die. I would like to help my friend and I know feeling sorry for her and sharing my sadness about these events will not help her. Misery loves company only because it likes to wallow. So I will simply let her know that she is not alone, and make myself available to her. Hopefully, she will allow me to share some of my happiness with her.
And now I realize that there was an error in my last post. I wrote that suffering is a given and there is nothing we can do to stop it. I no longer believe that. I can do something, my small part to end suffering. First, I can avoid my own suffering by realizing that the physical life here on Earth is not all there is. Life is energy, a spiritual force if you will, and energy and matter cannot be destroyed. So my life will not end when my human body gives out. Second, I can influence others through my happiness and thereby ease their suffering.
Try it sometime. For starters, try smiling through all your day’s events for just one day. People around you might think you’re being silly, or they might think you’re faking it (or maybe that you’ve simply gone crazy), but they will still become more cheerful or giggly. I’m not saying it’s all this simple, but a simple, genuine smile definitely will help you become more happy, and it will help others, too. And a happy person is far less likely to go and shoot up a school or kill his neighbor or drown her children.
posted by Louis at 5:14 AM
1 Comments:
oh, i totally agree with you.. i just started a coop position, and everyone in the office LOVES me cuz i make it a point to wish everyone a good morning when i come in, and grin whenever i happen make eye contact with someone. and even if im feeling like shit, and only pretending to be bubbly, happy and cheerful, the good mood is so contagious that it spreads even to myself.
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