...and I write this in utter despair
I always wondered why we have so many problems in this world. Everybody does stumble upon this though at some point of time in their life. After all, this question is so basic and even seems solvable. Only catch being can we all agree and follow the solution in pursuit of eternal happiness?
I also wondered if evolution over time could lead to such a happy world as one elegant solution to the equation of life. But I think evolution got stuck at a local optimum like out current state. Yes, we are happy sometimes but suddenly things go devastating with out our responsibility.
But don't go into despair, for we have hope. We are gifted with a plastic brain and therefore a moldable character. We are being taught from many generations that to lead a happy life all we need are just two things: 1. be good and 2. don't act stupid.
Wait a minute!
we are still not happy. There must be something else to it. This missing ingredient of happiness eluded me. I am smitten by the fact that being good and not being stupid are not enough to be happy.
What am I missing here?
It cannot be something supernatural or mysterious or fate type stuff.
It is useless to think of such things that are not in our hands.
seriously...
"what we've got here is... failure to communicate"
not information but emotion.
and what we need is the idea of collective consciousness. I know it exits in our present society but I think it is not enough and definitely not strong enough for sustained happiness of all. A stronger version would be the one with no self. After all, what good are these egos but to suffer.
To put it in simple terms: "One for all and all for one". This seems paradoxical and almost zen-like until we realize that one is all and all is one. Alas, this is not so easy; everyone of us are so different with our own individualism.
But I guess that our ancestors have already stumbled upon this idea and constructed religions out of it for better understanding. In hinduism, we call it GOD. Unlike many other religions, in hinduism god is not a real person with certain attributes and energy. God *is* the personification of such energy and attributes. God is the personification of universal consciousness. As Joseph Campbell puts it - our present notion is that the brain is the source of consciousness but perennial philosophy says that brain is the function of consciousness, it is the encapsulation of consciousness and we are all manifestations of one universal consciousness bound to our bodies by our brains. If you think this is stupid and scientifically inaccurate, then you are missing the whole point here. I think we need god to humble ourselves; may it be the personification of truth as Gandhi puts it or of transcendental universal consciousness. It's not god that is important but the reason why we want one.
We boast that we are technologically advanced but are we any closer to achieving it's real objectives?
Advancements in science and technology are to make us all live happier and it is high time that we look back if we are really progressing in the right direction. I don't have anything against technology, in fact I adore it. But at the same time I don't want to see technology crushing it's own premise rendering itself meaningless. Think of 'why' instead of 'how' before we do anything. who wants to know about mars when we cannot make lives of our fellow beings any better?
At times, I thought my problems in life are worst of any kind (which luckily happened very few times).
Then I try to think of people who are suffering from basic needs like hunger. This makes me feel that I am no better than a filthy rich crying for another luxurious commodity while at that very moment another fellow human being is drying of hunger. how can we be so blinded by our self-love that we cannot feel for others? This needs to be dealt with first instead of super advancement in technology. In fact what good is the ability to make so many things if we have no heart to give it to the needy. Think at once.
For me, I take my refuge in religion
not as blind faith but as grand truth.
it doesn't have to be religion,
but just be courageous enough to ask why we are doing what we are doing...
after all, nothing can go wrong as long as we don't forget our premise...
happiness for one and all.
