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TinklePantsGOLD Member
Clique Infiltrator, Cunning Linguist and Master Debator
4,219 posts
Location: Edinburgh burgh burrrrrr, United Kingdom


Posted:
I've been thinking lately (no laughing in the back!) How wonderful the world would be without war, famine, hatred and greed.

I had a dream the other night where I was a superhero. Invincible. I brought the means to help the under privilaged feed and clothe themselves, I stopped disasters happening, etc. I tried to stop a war but I had a choice to make. Do I kill all the people who've killed others? do i take all their weapons away? or do i drop them into the nearest jailhouse, so they'd drain the economy? I believe this world's problems are caused by one thing. Greed.

What makes a person crave something that badly that they are willing to kill someone for it? What makes soldiers kill other soldiers and even civilians just to follow orders, even if their better judgement tells them its wrong? Why do people ignore all the bad things that happen around them, only the few helping, but when it happens to them, its the end of the world?

After watching loads of apocalypse movies, and movies where a great evil is being done, killing loads of innocent people, I've come to the point when I think that the human race is a lost cause. You cant brainwash the evil doers with new "love every man" programming as it would be morally wrong. We as people are dooming ourselves and there is no way out of the mess we've made unless a huge catastrophy occurs where we will forget our differences and band together for the good of mankind.

It's impossible to create a perfect world. People who try to do this are labelled either as Hippies or dictators. Ok dictators are at the other end of the spectrum, but it was just an example.

Is there any hope for us? We're killing our planet, our neighbours and ourselves in various ways, bad diet, excessive consumption if drink/drugs and it really worries me! Sometimes I lie awake at night wondering if we can make it another day before blowing our planet up.

My question to you all is, can one person make a difference?

Always use "so's your face" and "only on Tuesdays" in as many conversations possible


Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
 Written by: PsyRush


My personal attitude is quite antisocial. Sure, there are billions of people destroying the world, but I don't want to be part of it. If I live a totally eco-friendly life and the world still gets destroyed, I still think my efforts are worthwhile, because I won't have contributed and won't be responsible. Being in personal harmony with the planet is important to me. If other people want to ruin it, that's not my problem. Millions of wars have been fought that have no relevance to me. Planets will come and go, life will be born and die.



its too late, you already are contributing to it, even being on HoP is contributing.

 Written by: andrealee


So how much awareness is enough? for you? for me? When? What are you intending to do with it... Thats why I express uncertainty about whether measurement would be useful.



i dont understand what you mean here, it seems you are asking the exact same question as i did. is that so? so is 'enough' relevant if you say "i have enough awareness to know i'm making the 'right' decision"? or would you say "i'm aware i'm making the 'right decision"? because if you do say the latter, couldn't you say that and believe it even if you are wrong? therefore awareness is no different to being right or wrong? confused

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


Groovy_DreamSILVER Member
addict
449 posts
Location: Australia


Posted:
 Written by: Mr Majestik

even being on HoP is contributing.




Not really. My computer runs on renewable energy. Computers and the net actually contribute to sustainability because they provide the infrastructure for a paper-free society.

BansheeCatBRONZE Member
veteran
1,247 posts
Location: lost, Canada


Posted:
Mr Majestick, I stated earlier that I dont find the question of "enough" awareness to even be relevant to my process.The reason I dont find it relevant is because it has so many variables, as expressed in the parable- it depends completely on what one is doing in a given moment, perceptions, goals- it would change from second to second, situation to situation, person to person... measuring would be a full time activity that would prevent me from actually doing anything else. The term "enough" is too static to be useful to me.

I just use what awareness I have at the moment, and adapt as I gain more understanding, access more / or different awareness . My choice of behaviours and actions develops as I get feedback , and so, I continue to grow ... I dont wait until some magic number of "enough" is reached before beginning a process. I use what I have, in all senses, and simply proceed with the best awareness, information and intention I can muster...

I dont ever know for a fact that a decision is "right".That is another too static term for me. I dont look at things that way, right or wrong. I evaluate the options using the information and intuition as best I can, and choose what action seems appropriate at the time, refining correcting and changing as I learn. I surround myself with amazing active informed people that are constantly offering new perspectives , which I frequently try out, to find out if they work as part of my life. Some I keep, some I discard.We help each other grow. Some things become clearer during the process of doing, and a flexible perspective helps one to take advantage of that.

It is a very organic process. I think perhaps awareness has no relationship to right and wrong, it is more a way of collecting information and applying it...

Hope that clarifies!
smiles,
Andrea

"God *was* my co-pilot, but then we crashed, and I had to eat him..."


StoneGOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
Sethis, you can make a difference if you want. Try this keep Australia beautiful Lifestyle test - How green are you ?

If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh


StoneGOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
Hi ickleMatt, if you are into Eckhart Tolle, Power of Now and all. Then why don’t you do the Landmark Forum?

I posted this on the first page: It is possible to create a perfect world. I do Landmark education and it works. Sure people who try are sometimes labelled, but there is hope and we can all make a difference. We just need a paradigm shift or two

Indi Wiki link Landmark Education

If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh


SethisBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,762 posts
Location: York University, United Kingdom


Posted:
Stone: Doesn't apply to me currently, seeing as how I am a student in halls of residence and I don't live in Australia... however if we apply the test to the UK then my home is about 20ish. Of course you have to take into account things like when it asks you "How often do you use a car" then you can get very very different answers. shrug

I think I'm reasonably green, apart from my computer usage... biggrin

After much consideration, I find that the view is worth the asphyxiation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I may disagree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.


BirgitBRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)


Posted:
The test is a bit weird... like why does it matter how many rooms your home has? I can see it matters how many you heat, but how many you have...?

"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half


StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
Not only is the test a bit weird, it's also pretty useless as it's written, example, "how many times do you drive your car?" would be better posed as "how many hours per week is your car running? I mean if I only start my car once a week but drive it for 14 hours I'll be polluting alot more than if I start it every day but only drive for 15 minutes a day.

These tests were originally meant to be used by urban planners when it comes to predicting infrastructure, like designing roadways and sewer systems but have been co-opted by the green movement in order to convey the idea of an environmental footprint. The how many rooms idea is meant to be related to square footage and therefore population density in a neighbourhood, the higher the density, the more greenspace *left over* for nature ( or a Home Depot wink)

Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
 Written by: PsyRush


 Written by: Mr Majestik

even being on HoP is contributing.




Not really. My computer runs on renewable energy. Computers and the net actually contribute to sustainability because they provide the infrastructure for a paper-free society.



they provide the infrastructure, but its not happening. and in the mean time people keep updating their pc components ahd throw the old parts into land fill for the next 10 000 years. are you aware of the marketing ploy of continuously bringing out 'better' products? i would find it odd if you're not. I myself have used four different computers thoughout my life, which i consider to be sub-average, and each obsolete one has gone to landfill.

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


StoneGOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
Hi Sethis, good the hear you are reasonably green.

stout, thanks for the info on urban planners and the green test example.

The key to being a person (not a ego driven robot) is in "who you are being". It's that simple.

cheers smile

If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh


KyrianDreamer
4,308 posts
Location: York, England


Posted:
Can one person make a difference?

Yes.

Can everyone make a difference?

Probably not.

There are different ways to make a difference, ripple effect, making enough people care, and

Some people make a very very big difference. By being themselves. Ghandi, Hitler.....

To be one of those people is in a lot of ways to stop being yourself. You become.. the difference. Something else. Is that really what you want?

But the simple answer, is given.

And, yes, I have read the whole thread as well.

Keep your dream alive
Dreamin is still how the strong survive

Shalom VeAhavah

New Hampshire has a point....


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