Comments | midgardsorm: life as pain

midgardsorm

life as pain

Apr 29, 2006 14:04

[this was a comment I made to digitalusrex that I deemed worth re-posting]

When he was asked the meaning of life the Buddha answered by saying "Life is pain."

"Life is all the pain we endeavor"
- Paradise Lost (the band), "Yearn for Change"

Happiness may be pursued, but never attained in a permanent sense. I attribute this primarily to the 2nd Law of ( Read more... )

life is pain, eternal recurrence, the princess bride, dukkha, nietzsche, paradise lost, buddhism, discordianism, amor fati, philosophy, dread pirate roberts, entropy, eternal sorrow

Comments 7

Amen! c215 April 29 2006, 20:51:44 UTC

*in Braveheart voice* "every man dies. not every man truly lives."

Upon my recent return to atheism... saintjudas April 30 2006, 01:52:09 UTC

I have begun to think more about life in terms of "What is this about if it is all there is ( ... )

corviderrant April 30 2006, 06:11:34 UTC

Even when that pain is at its worst for me (emotionally more than anything else, born of my frustration over my shortcomings), I try to remember to live my life for me and to enjoy it while I can.

I try to remember that the Muggles out there are dead inside, unable to experience anything other than incessant lust for more money, more status, more creature comforts. They are unable to appreciate art, love, or anything other than what is spoonfed to them by the mainstream, and I've no sympathy for fools (nudge nudge Elsa) like them. I remember that and I find solace in realizing that no matter how I feel otherwise at times compared to some people I know (yourself among them, E2), I am not normal or mundane and thank whatever for that.

maradydd April 30 2006, 07:02:07 UTC

When you understand what you see, you will no longer be children.

Are you at all familiar with the works of William Blake, particularly his visionary poetry?

I think you might find it intriguing.

midgardsorm May 3 2006, 18:40:48 UTC

I was really only familiar with a few of his more common poems, so I started reading through more of his stuff at your suggestion. Some of it is (obviously) gnostic themed. Definitely intriguing... a lot of his artwork is very interesting too, I was pleasantly surprised to see that he did plates for Paradise Lost and the Divine Comedy.

Any poems in particular that you recommend I should find?

digitalusrex May 4 2006, 04:44:00 UTC

i can't believe that life is pain, but i still understand the idea.

midgardsorm May 4 2006, 17:56:39 UTC

Saying that "life is pain" is probably too Aristotelian of a phrasing to indicate the depth of the concept, so I view it more metaphorically. One view of life - life as pain.

Physical pain may help drive certain human endeavors (like developing medical technology.) Emotional pain and anguish undoubtedly helped to generate some of the greatest artwork and poetry ever created by mankind. I would not wish to imagine a world without Shakespeare, Milton, Dylan Thomas, and Edgar A. Poe. Where is the stark beauty of the tragedy, without pain? Where the motivation of the venging hero without his loss to spur him to great or horrific deeds?

Pain remains one of the most effective forces at knocking us out of our grooves and setting us on a new course toward growth and personal evolution... or on a path spiraling downward into the abyss.

Pain reminds me that life will never be easy or fair. There are few things like the extinguishing of a migraine to remind you that you are alive and that the world feels beautiful and vibrant ( ... )