American Idol, soundbytes, take-out, and drugs.Shallow opinions, fear, and isolation.

[utriculus!]

I was listening to a replay of the show from yesterday, and there was a point in the discussion about religion and the apparent necessity of the afterlife when Ronnie was talking about how existence itself just isn't enough.

At one point he said "Being here, on this beautiful planet 'is not fucking good enough for people'".

This really seems to be the core of what creates lackluster lives these days. Everyone I know seems to just be waiting for something to happen, somehow. There is no responsibility for CREATING HEAVEN NOW, for MAKING a beautiful life NOW. It seems that whether it's about a religious belief or a learned lethargy from those around them who hold one, people are just waiting around, maintaining the status quo.

No creativity, no patience, no goals, no forward momentum, no passion.

American Idol, soundbytes, take-out, and drugs. Shallow opinions, fear, and isolation. Self indulgence and decay without the art or the story.

I guess my question, the topic I want to discuss but find myself clumsily struggling to pin down (and I know clumsily may be an understatement in this rambling mess of a first thread post), is whether this ineffectual comfort is any worse?

Does it make just as much sense to embrace this nihilistic approach to life, all religion aside? Or do we owe it to the privilege of existence to live on a dream, and revive the lost art of taking a fucking risk?



PS- Ron's quote prompted me to make this simple picture that I like for some reason:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/elementxero/NOTGOOD.jpg

[utriculus!]

For the record, I'm one of those rubes who doesn't do anything with that pent up passion to the point that it builds into a fez-like anxiety.

I like to think I'm a little braver about facing it, but still, it's there.

[Serpico1103]

For the record, I'm one of those rubes who doesn't do anything with that pent up passion to the point that it builds into a fez-like anxiety.

I like to think I'm a little braver about facing it, but still, it's there.

There is a famous quote, maybe Nietzsche, something like, religion is to comfort those that have grown too big for their parents hug. Life is scary and religion allows people to feel that no matter what, everything will be ok.
Also, religion is a tool of slavery. Why stand up and demand change when the afterlife and eternal bliss awaits. Just ride out the hard times and you will be repaid in the afterlife.
As Ron and Fez agreed, we were nothing 100 years ago, we will be nothing 100 years from now.

[donnie_darko]

This really seems to be the core of what creates lackluster lives these days. Everyone I know seems to just be waiting for something to happen, somehow. There is no responsibility for CREATING HEAVEN NOW, for MAKING a beautiful life NOW. It seems that whether it's about a religious belief or a learned lethargy from those around them who hold one, people are just waiting around, maintaining the status quo.


Do you honestly believe the majority of people truly think along these lines?

And example, during this same conversation a caller called in and couldn't understand that we could still have laws without religion, i believe he actually asked what would stop people from killing if there were no religion.... as if human morality is based solely on the bible.

This also goes along with a similar statement made by a former producer during this same conversation a few years back, where he stated that religion, and the fear of being held accountable after death is the only thing that kept him from raping and killing......seriously..

I'm not religious, but I definitely see the purpose it serves for certain people. But it is very easy for people to simply accept this life with the comfort of happiness beyond...

[utriculus!]

We hate being dumb. If it's not science it's religion, if it's not religion it's philosophy, if it's not philosophy it's self absorption. We all need something to make us feel bigger and more special than a cockroach, but that raspy, whispering truth in the back of our minds insisting that we probably aren't any different in the grand scheme of existence makes us pretty uppity.

[LaBoob]

There is a famous quote, maybe Nietzsche, something like, religion is to comfort those that have grown too big for their parents hug. Life is scary and religion allows people to feel that no matter what, everything will be ok.
Also, religion is a tool of slavery. Why stand up and demand change when the afterlife and eternal bliss awaits. Just ride out the hard times and you will be repaid in the afterlife.
As Ron and Fez agreed, we were nothing 100 years ago, we will be nothing 100 years from now.

Was that Freud? I know he said that religion is the neurosis of the masses... we fool ourselves into believing it's all going to be okay when we die because we just can't DEAL with the truth.

I'm an agnostic and I've compared it to being stuck in the middle of the ocean with nothing to grab onto... it's exhausting and isolating to not have any faith, but to me, it's better than living a lie.

[utriculus!]

Was that Freud? I know he said that religion is the neurosis of the masses... we fool ourselves into believing it's all going to be okay when we die because we just can't DEAL with the truth.

I'm an agnostic and I've compared it to being stuck in the middle of the ocean with nothing to grab onto... it's exhausting and isolating to not have any faith, but to me, it's better than living a lie.

I like laboob.

[silas]

There is a famous quote, maybe Nietzsche, something like, religion is to comfort those that have grown too big for their parents hug. Life is scary and religion allows people to feel that no matter what, everything will be ok.
.
As Ron and Fez agreed, we were nothing 100 years ago, we will be nothing 100 years from now.


IIRC, also spake Nietzche; "without sorrow, there is no festival"

....Sorta like listening to XM ads during R+F

[LaBoob]

I like laboob.

mod quote?

:smile: