How to stay motivated in a world full of suffering

[UnbornTao]

On 18/12/2024 at 9:50 PM, Sugarcoat said:

Ok I see. Is that your own experience of suffering though? 

No, it is intellectual on my part, hence the use of "we" on my post above.

Edited 15 hours ago by UnbornTao

[Sugarcoat]

13 hours ago, UnbornTao said:

 

No, it is intellectual on my part, hence the use of "we". 

Ok I see. I wouldn’t so much say it’s self created but rather that the way the human self is structured and works at its core creates suffering. So in the same way one doesn’t chose to have an ego at all, it just appears in children, one doesn’t chose how it functions and it’s that which creates suffering. The responsibility is on the individual to try to change it but it’s not so much responsible for creating it I would say. 

Edited Thursday at 01:34 PM by Sugarcoat

[UnbornTao]

9 hours ago, Sugarcoat said:

Ok I see. I wouldn’t so much say it’s self created but rather that the way the human self is structured and works at its core creates suffering. So in the same way one doesn’t chose to have an ego at all, it just appears in children, one doesn’t chose how it functions and it’s that which creates suffering. The responsibility is on the individual to try to change it but it’s not so much responsible for creating it I would say. 

Could be. Yet, on the other hand, you seem to be implying that the self is based on suffering, which, if true, isn’t far from asserting that ‘you’ create suffering (as we confuse us with our selves).

That’s an interesting perspective. I’d add that we might have made this decision unconsciously. It’s tricky not to position oneself in a reactive or victimizing stance about things we have more control over than we think. If it turns out that it is in fact generated by us, then what does it take to experience that as a reality?

[Sugarcoat]

20 hours ago, UnbornTao said:

Could be. Yet, on the other hand, you seem to be implying that the self is based on suffering, which, if true, isn’t far from asserting that ‘you’ create suffering (as we confuse us with our selves).

You have a point there. We are the very self that I’m talking about that creates suffering. I’d say we both have an involvement in it and it’s “automatic” at the same time. So let’s take for example the need to fit in and the suffering that comes from being rejected from the social group. We are genetically wired to want to fit in and not be rejected, so the suffering that comes from that is automatic. But maybe at the same time we have a role in it by feeding those negative thoughts, maintaining tension in the body etc. So it’s like it’s both. Which one is greater I don’t know. 
 

20 hours ago, UnbornTao said:

That’s an interesting perspective. I’d add that we might have made this decision unconsciously. It’s tricky not to position oneself in a reactive or victimizing stance about things we have more control over than we think. If it turns out that it is in fact generated by us, then what does it take to experience that as a reality?

I think in general it’s a good idea to be open to the idea of being involved in generating one’s suffering, because let’s say it’s true, then one doesn’t wanna miss out on the opportunity to lessen the suffering rather than just feeling like a victim. So I’m with you there.