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On the Harsh Reality of Things.
Topic Started: Aug 5 2010, 11:52 PM (467 Views)
UltaFlame
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Thanks Poui.

Well, see, I was just setting to go to sleep after a day of hanging out with friends irl(damn, I need to do that more often) and in my usual pre-sleep thoughts about absolutely nothing, I began thinking of something that probably would have led into my dream sequence. However the thought demanded it be thought out and so here I am, making the ensuing tl;dr. Maybe; it might not turn out to be one in the end. Oh well, let us see how it goes. For reference, the initial idea was basically hippies talking to a cop.

Okay, we've all heard it, said it, or seen it used. When someone is so naive they seem blissfully unaware of the real way of things, people tell them 'that's not the reality of things. Life is harsh, it's cruel, and people are out to get you, and you can't stop that, so get used to it.' Most people agree, because after all the most common reality seen is indeed quite harsh. Things get stolen, people die for no reason, and the media loves to show off just how bad people can be, and how outrageously lucky or naive you have to be to avoid it. The thought occurred to me that this is only the harsh reality because most people believe in it. When you believe in something, you will do everything you can to make sure the reality you believe is the reality that is real.

If you think I'm wrong, think about it. You believe the only way to succeed is to study hard and get on the fast track from the beginning of your life, so you make sure to follow through on that and somehow you make sure everyone you know, knows that's how you succeed. It's hardly ever conscious. Perhaps you forget that you have to review some material, and tell your friends you have to go home because you don't want to fail. It doesn't seem like it, but it is an example of what I'm saying. You believe in studying, so to make that a more prevalent reality, you do so yourself and a part of you tries to make others study by reminding them of the concept. For the others, they either do or don't believe in studying and those that do may or may not study, or make plans to study later. Those who don't believe won't have the thought occur to them at all. They believe in the reality of studying being pointless, and so they force that on the world by studying as minimally as possible.

My point is not that one reality is better than another, that one belief should outweigh others. I have my own set of truths and values I believe in, and I sure can't list them all; if I could, the list would be far too long. I'm also not saying that you should consider that others have their own ways of thinking; that would be redundant. I'm setting up a basis for the point of this thread. See, one of the common beliefs by people is that life is harsh; it is cruel; it is mean and will seem at times to be purposely ruining you. Following logic standard to this thread, people then take that belief and perpetuate its truth with their own actions. The darker people will do so by being those who ruin others, who break laws and generally are considered villainous and criminals.

The nicer people who believe this will point out to those who don't or who are too young that it is truth. They make something, and its message is that you can't change how people are and that people are basically violent, or cruel, or even just that some people are inherently rude. Sometimes the belief turns an otherwise respectable individual into another person entirely. It occurs to me at this moment that the movie Inception may be having an inspirational effect upon me. The film brilliantly displays how a single idea can affect and change a human. One thought, at its core, one belief, can blossom, spread, change someone's entire perception of the world in which they live. It is this concept, that one idea can change everything, that can turn an individual against all their previous beliefs.

I'm losing my train of thought, so I'll finish with the following: If reality is harsh, and people are cruel, it is because of the dedication with which we have put into spreading the belief of a cruel and harsh system of life. People die, a fact of life; things don't always turn out your way, another fact of life. Yet it is the belief in a harsh reality which puts the context in which we see these facts. I have tried five times to continue my thought here, but each time it has turned out insufficient. So, I will instead open the floor to others with the following question: Do you agree with the thought I've presented here?

This thread was created with the purpose of generating thoughtful discussion and is not intended to solicit negative responses or insinuate a failing upon people or humanity in general.
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ReidAlvein
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UltaFlame
Aug 5 2010, 11:52 PM
I'm losing my train of thought, so I'll finish with the following: If reality is harsh, and people are cruel, it is because of the dedication with which we have put into spreading the belief of a cruel and harsh system of life. People die, a fact of life; things don't always turn out your way, another fact of life. Yet it is the belief in a harsh reality which puts the context in which we see these facts. I have tried five times to continue my thought here, but each time it has turned out insufficient. So, I will instead open the floor to others with the following question: Do you agree with the thought I've presented here?

I agree with you, for most things, Ulta.
But if it is true, would the opposite also apply? And by opposite I mean that if people think that reality is good, and people are kind, would that person feel that life is a good system? But if I put some logic into the matter, then those kind of people would be called 'naive', correct?
If so, then won't we simply continue to walk down the path of sorrow, and each generation will be more bitter than the previous?

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UltaFlame
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Thanks Poui.

They'd be considered naive by others, who would attempt to further their belief by changing the naive person's belief. The naive person would counter their argument with one of their own. However, my previous points give the idea that the 'naive' individual is far less common than is the actual case. Whether or not they are naive or not is dependant upon the individual, yet plenty of people can and do go through their life with issues and still are capable of being well rounded people with upward outlooks on life.

For a psychological term that is related see 'The Invulnerable Child' which is the kid who is abused or something and ends up becoming an adult who seems entirely normal, with little or no outright side effects.
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Vačscent
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The Westering Sun

Agreed. Our mass media/culture reinforces this notion of a harsh reality, but its generally unfounded. I've always found myself on the periphery of its influence, so to speak. I think the key is awareness. I have so much more to add to this, but it'll be puzzling.
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Saturos
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heart-under-blade

This topic = essentially how I view life. Strong believer in perception affecting reality, or at least how you affect your reality. It's important to try to stay positive, and view the world as best they can. I know so many people who are bogged down simply because they always fuss over the negatives.
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Fluff
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The Temple Asshole

UltaFlame
Aug 5 2010, 11:52 PM
Do you agree with the thought I've presented here?
I read your post several times, and I still don't actually know what your thought is. All I'm getting here is "Inception was totally right!" vibe. It reminds me of the time someone asked me "how can you hold the views you hold on acceptable social behavior after reading Brave New World?" The same answer applies here: it's fiction. It had a totally deep philosophical theme and a couple of nice fight scenes (okay so Brave New World didn't really have any fight scenes at all). Just because you enjoyed it doesn't mean you should buy into it.

Try to make your argument a little clearer so I can actually tell what you're trying to say. Right now I'm not getting anything coherent out of it at all.
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UltaFlame
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Thanks Poui.

Well, if it's confusing it probably is because I wrote it whilst half asleep.

The point is this: If you believe in something, or have a thought that a particular truth is truer than others, you will act it out and do what you can to make that belief become more prevalent or more of a reality.
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Dracobolt
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Incorrigible

That sounds like a valid thought to me. Sort of "the glass is half empty; the glass is half full." You and someone else can look at the same sample of objective reality and still both pull away different evidence to support your view of what that reality is.

:mercury_djinn: :mercury_djinn: :mercury_djinn:
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