h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

That would be why there were so many religious martyrs?

hehehe They were often pretty deluded, too. But having a spiritual side needn't have anything to do with religion, or a faith in higher powers which control your life. It is having a vision of your own purpose and your own capacity to affect the circumstances which make up your life, through the way you interact with the world around you. And it means having a clearly thought through value system which then becomes much more compelling to adhere to, because in breaking your OWN moral code, the only punishment is that you have to look at your face in the mirror every morning and determine whether you meet your standards as a human being, or whether you are a snivelling, whining loser. It means taking full responsibility for your behavior, with nobody to blame for your actions. And it means accepting that when you are stuck between a rock and a hard place, you have to try to make the best choices and move onward without bitterness. It means deliberately chosing to be a certain sort of person, and relentlessly pursuing that goal, rather than being someone who is merely a victim of external stimuli.

Brava, Your Excellency! That was well put. May I quote you?

Hmm...

I don't have a purpose. I have a to-do list which has a bunch of varied stuff on it - some big, much trivial. Various items on the list conflict with each other or are mutually incompatable, but that's ok. I'll happilly accept that the most important factor in both politics and life in general is "Events, dear boy, Events" - the most important person in anyone's life is Lady Luck.

I have a value system. I've thought it through. Unfortunately, the more I think about it the more I realise that things which I previously thought where obviously true are not necessarily true - and in certain circumstances probably very wrong. Again, a large number of the things I think are 'good' are conflicting - or in the case of freedom - self-conflicting.

I don't judge myself - it just brings either unhappiness because you fail your judgement, or self-delusion and arrogance because you try and convince yourself that you pass it. And I don't judge others because what I think of them is irrelevant to them, just as what they think of me is irrelevant to me.

Responsibility is for those who can't handle freedom. Blame is for those who can't handle responsibility. Bitterness is for those who can't find anyone to blame. Personally, I'm a whole bunch of kinds of people, and there's very little about me that's relentless. Why should I just be one sort of person? And kill off the rest of me? Some sort of psychological monoculture? Ugh...

Everyone's 'merely' a victim of external stimuli... difference is - some people acknowledge it... there's no shame in not being omnipotent...

Are we off topic yet?

no but you have just proved very nicely that you have a spiritual side!

I guess it all comes down to what you think spiritual is...

Well you obviously have worked out what works for you. If that little bit about "Responsibility is for those who can't handle freedom. Blame is for those who can't handle responsibility...." isn't an analysis of how to live a content and fulfilled life for yourself, then I have misunderstood your meaning.

Surely that is what man's emotional/ spiritual / rational side is about, it is about not just eating, sleeping, copulating etc like the rest of the animal kingdom. But learning how to live a fulfilling life because we have the free will to be able to do so.

All I'm saying is that I don't feel I need any of those things - responsibilty, blame, etc. I don't need them because I can happily handle the idea of living a totally free, and hence totally meaningless, life.

I could be equally fulfilled being responsible and blaming like crazy, but that seems too much like hard work...

{brushing the dust off her tushie, and grabbing the soapbox which she has just been knocked down off to pull herself up) Touche! I get a bit unbearable before my coffee in the morning. Thanks for the reality check. My way works for me, and yours is good for you. And ne'er the twain shall meet. Except over cocktails, maybe sometime...

Hurrah for differing views - where would pub philosophy be without them?

(At the fag machine most probably! )

Taht sounds a touch existentialist

Just a touch?

*takes her own soapbox back home*
Similar apologies - I'm sure it makes perfect sense to be responsible for some people - I was just overreacting.... something about being called a snivelling wreck (or worse, "spiritual"... ) set me off somewhat...

However, my view of the world does tend to become a little more uplifting after a few alcoholic drinks...

{pulls out her magical silver flask} Cosmicpolitans for everyone! Don't worry, there's plenty to go around