It's All A Bit Convenient.

[Lee]

Does anyone agree with my thoughts about life on this planet being a bit too convenient. I mean the fact that we have plenty food, Plenty water, all these metals and elements to make cars and computers and anything we can think of. It's all just here for us. I know it took a few billion years or so, well I don't actually know that but that's what they say,but I think most of us just take it for granted, especially the latest generations. I suppose if we hadn't become sentient beings that could explore and start ripping the planet to pieces to see what was beneath the wrapping paper, it would all just still be lying there not being fused or melted and bonded together to create all kinds of wonderful things. But getting back to my point. There are elements to make cars, and also the fuel to burn, electrons can travel through certain elements to somehow enable a big box to generate images that we can sit in front of for countless hours and stare at. Is it convenient? Or is this just how it is in this strange universe?

[DreamSpirit]

It's very convenient.  I think we should all be willing to forgo certain conveniences from time to time and be human.  Like instead of driving to the store, be willing to walk and take in the sun and nature around us; take time to go camping and do things like that.  Especially in America, we have so many conveniences; take time to travel and get undomesticated...become a wild human.  We definitely need to unplug from society and not allow our minds to be programmed by television screens, instead rejuvenate our imaginations with reading and writing.  Sometimes we just need to go back to the basics.  If that's what you meant.

[FindingPeace]

On 12/02/2016 at 7:32 PM, Lee said:

It's all just here for us.

Who said it was here for 'us'? Rather a typical human egoic response  We evolve to a level of intelligence and then believe the universe was intended as our very own sand box.. we are such an arrogant species!

On 12/02/2016 at 7:32 PM, Lee said:

Is it convenient? Or is this just how it is in this strange universe?

How do you define convenient? This isn't the only planet to contain the materials necessary for our technology and creations. In fact there is nothing particuarly special about our planet other than water really (and even that isn't unique). The universe is full of materials. We just came along and found ways to use them, to our advantage. You say it's convenient but it would be more convenient if there were other materials that exited that don't exist. We have to go to great lengths to extract and convert the earths supplies. Not to mention there is only a finite quantity of resources. And once we outnumber the required resources... they won't be so convenient any more. This has alread happened in history and civilisations have perished as a result.

It's only a matter of time before our selfish claim on this planet's resources becomes our very undoing..  on the other hand, it's all just the continous process of nature taking it's course. We are, after all, just another natural phenomenon ourselves.

[Psychonaut]

It's very convenient if you can buy everything in the store and don't see all the work that went into producing that product. All the technological advances that had to be made to make production so affordable that everyone can buy it.

Take Aluminium for example. That is not something that is just lying around on the ground. The process of extracting it from Bauxite uses a lot of energy. That's why you really want to recycle all the alumnium cans.

I'm grateful that I don't have to do all these things myself. I also don't have to live in a tent and fear that some creature will kill me during the night. I can enjoy my life worryless. Aren't we blessed? I think we are and I'm happy about it.

[Guest]

It think it was just random luck that after billions and trillions of events the earth was formed as it is now. It's a rare event, this is why we cannot see more planets that are like ours. Of course there probably are some far, far away. But my point is that it was rather a chain of accidents and events that led up to all of this. And then there is the human race. Everything that's convenient for us was designed by our minds. Really the human mind created everything, without it we would still live in caves or on trees. It took the materials we have on earth and transformed them into amazing inventions. The human mind made life convenient for itself. Now the human mind was most likely just also a "random accident" of evolution. It could have happened otherwise. But it all happened this way and led us all to the life we are having now. I don't think there is much use to search for a meaning in all of this. 

Or do you think that it is too convenient, that this is all a big plan from some god or source or infinite intelligence? Our earth, our marvelous minds with the amazing power, that all of this was intented just for us? That would be kinda egoic to assume...but maybe it's true? Who says it's wrong? Maybe it's actually true and we are entitled to be egoistic? We know nothing, but at least we can agree that we have created a convenient world for ourself on a convenient planet, no matter if it was pure luck or higher intentions.

[FindingPeace]

It's only convenient for as long as it lasts. Then it won't be so convenient.. then we will have to rethink and re-evaluate.

We've really only been taking a liberty. Helping ourselves to the earths resources. It has come at a price and it will continue to do so. I don't really see it as convenient at all. We've just been exploiting that which is around us, as our species arrogantly does with everything. There's only so long we can keep that up.

Ancient civilisations dies out because they exploited the 'convenient' resources until one day they out-grew, or used up, the resources and inevitable perished as a result.

Our species has become a force of nature. It causes more global erosion than other natural causes. It has altered the dynamics and balance of our planet.

[Mia]

It´s not very convenient for other living beings neither was it convenient for humans in early ages. Many species live on the edge of existence, fighting every day for survival, in the desert, in the Arctic or in the mountains, - so was it for humans before and still is at many places on the planet. So I would rather say that it´s convenient for those living in the western world, yes, that´s not normal...Man has taken control over nature, made himself to the Master of Nature, having enslaved it to serve him fo his own comfort, - but at the same time what we now see as climate changes, extreme weather etc is a consequence of that, so the nature sort of strikes back. What is unfair though is that mostly people living in the 3rd world are vicitms of nature catastrophes, not those who caused it most.

 

[Outsidian]

very convinient indeed

this might interest you. i think it aplies to topic.

[Falk]

It is a bit convenient? -> Someone must have put it there! -> God did it!!! (is that what you trying to say?  sorry if i misenterpreted it!!!! )

But if not: i reminds me of the Ray comforts "banana argument" http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Banana_argument

Isn´t it convenient how the banana perfectly fits the humand hand?! Can´t be a coincidence! God did it ..sweet anthropo-centrism 

 

[FindingPeace]

On 24/03/2016 at 3:14 PM, Falk said:

Isn´t it convenient how the banana perfectly fits the humand hand?!

Maybe it's the human hand that perfectly fits the banana..

Would certainly make more evolutionary sense that way around.

[Falk]

On 13.4.2016 at 10:44 AM, FindingPeace said:

Maybe it's the human hand that perfectly fits the banana..

Would certainly make more evolutionary sense that way around.

What ?  you notice that i paraphrazed ray comfort ..he made that statement with the banana ...obviously it is NEITHER the banana fitting the hand NOR the hand fitting the banana ... i mean the hand is a multifunctional tool so, yes ...it can also grab a banana...but it can grab thousands of other objects as well ...so there is no co-evolution between bananas and the humand hand. IF bananas were the only food for apes and apelike animals then you could argue that the hand must evolve in some way to also beeing able to open and hold a banana or otherwise be usefull to gain energy (or negentropy as schrödinger called it) from the banana but since that is not the case, there is no point in arguing the hand evolved for holding the banana ... but you are right ..it is slightly more reasonable than the other way round but also not realy solid.

[Philip]

@Lee You're implying it would make more sense if the universe was less convenient than it is right now? I think you just arbitrarly decided that. So let's place this arbitrary standard in the other direction and see what happens.

Why isn't the universe MORE convenient ?

Why did it take several billion years for our universe to stop being a lifeless, boring and chaotic mess containing not even a glimpse of organic structure to sustain any kind of sensory capacity or consciousness?

Then, how the hell could organic life decide to develop itself through a global never ending mass murder frenzy we call the food chain?

And why did our developing society need its armies to murder and rape, its leaders to plot and manipulate and its religions to lie and enslave?

And now that things are finally getting a little better, everybody thinks they're getting worse, because they're watching...

On 2/11/2016 at 2:32 PM, Lee said:

a big box to generate images that we can sit in front of

...a little too much.

Now even less convenient: If we want to change the world, we first have to struggle through the immense labor of changing ourselves.

To change ourselves, we have to know what to change. And our subconscious mind will do absolutely anything to prevent us to do so. It often prefers making us commit suicide than accepting our own flaws.

And if we decide neither to change ourselves nor the world, then we're stuck walking around like sedated zombies without a purpose.

To finally end up as rotting piece of meat, lost in the infinite nothingness of death.

You see how arbitrary the convenience of the universe is? That's because convenience is a human concept, not a physical phenomenon.

Anyway, sorry for not answering to your question at all, but you might agree it was worth it

[Argue]

Thank God for Steve Jobs, Henry Ford, Jeff Bezos, and the guy who made selfie sticks! 

[charlie2dogs]

 its not about being convenient, all of it, you , the planet, the universe and your own little world around you is all the work of consciousness and the evolution of consciousness. No one alive on this planet can tell you how long their consciousness has been in existence and where it has been during that time or what it has done in that time.  Consciousness is the life force, it is the only creator that ever existed, and in reality when you are one with it, the word consciousness doesnt even exist.  It is a term used to attempt to define something that few understand, and fewer still that have the experience of consciousness to the degree that liberates from the fictitious identity of i .

[Lorcan]

,You are ignorant, like everyone else.

You see no evil, you hear no evil.

When you find out the truth about the society we live, you will be disgusted.

Find out for yourself.

Then you will understand the convience

 

Edited April 20, 2016 by Lorcan

[charlie2dogs]

5 hours ago, Lorcan said:

,You are ignorant, like everyone else.

You see no evil, you hear no evil.

When you find out the truth about the society we live, you will be disgusted.

Find out for yourself.

Then you will understand the convience

 

evil is just a thought in your mind, just like being disgusted with society, if you are disgusted with society the problem is in yourself not society.

[charlie2dogs]

5 hours ago, Lorcan said:

,You are ignorant, like everyone else.

You see no evil, you hear no evil.

When you find out the truth about the society we live, you will be disgusted.

Find out for yourself.

Then you will understand the convience

 

i really dont think you understand what you have revealed about yourself with these statements.

[Lorcan]

I enjoy meditation, If I wanted to, I could easily enjoy society and be glad of how "lucky" I am.

But then I would be lying to myself.

You say evil is just in my mind, how can you say this when you know not? After all we know nothing dont we not. Through my consciousness An exsistance which I refer to as me is here.

I do not know the truth of our society, neither do you, very very few know the actual truth.

I sense evil, there is something fishy going on in the societys of the world.

I just cant put a finger on it.

We  are all ignorant, I am ignorant, I know nothing. Knowing this makes me a wise being. Question everything.

 

There muat be an evil, im sure of it, if there was no evil, why I'd be in paradise.

Oh yes I hear you cry "You already our in paradises" it doesnt feel  like a truthful paradise.. Almost like a lie we are living.

 

I would write this more in depth but I am on mobile