Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Jul 8, 2007 22:12:38 GMT -5
Shall I briefly ponder eternity for a moment? Strive to fathom that which the human mind seems incapable of grasping? It only seems that eternity cannot exist, for its very existence would render so much of human strife and suffering as insignificant. So many times we fret and worry about time... five minutes late for this appointment, ten minutes early for that dinner reservation. Dare we attempt to put our lives into that perspective? What good would eternity do for humanity? We cannot exist in eternity. Our everyday lives are rendered nearly null and void by the thought that time will continue eternally. Suddenly everything seems insignificant... from the truly petty worries of everyday life to the graver and more atrocious ugliness which humans are capable of inflicting upon one another. Suddenly, I realize that equanimity is not a matter of learning not to care... but simply a matter of having this perspective of eternity. But can we truly be human with a perspective of eternity? With such a thing, man's struggles, his valiant efforts, and his striving cease. And then, when these characteristics, characteristics which contribute to our definition of humanity, cease... what have we become? Are we still human when we have managed to put aside the emotions and yearnings so deeply felt by our counterparts? Or do we evolve? Become different creatures? Is it possible that this shift towards a view of eternity can bring us closer to the goals of all of our strife? Can we, as a whole unit of humanity, find that suddenly with this new perspective wars and injustice cease and we no longer plead for peace? No longer hope for absolution from the imperfections that define us as a species? Of course... those who perpetuate the crimes and ills against which we must struggle are not likely to find this perspective of eternity... it would take a more enlightened mind. Now I assume that imperfection equals a lack of enlightenment. Is this necessarily true? Do we perfect the world with a perception of eternity? Or does a perception of eternity merely come after the world has already been perfected? And then, regardless of the answer, or which path proves to be correct... at the end are we still human?
(Yes I was bored... discuss.)
(Yes I was bored... discuss.)