Say "fuck it"

Brian

A perfect way for Westerners to understand the Eastern idea of giving up, letting go, reminding oneself that things aren't that important, that everything's impermanent, that it's not worth getting worked up over. Say "fuck it"





I haven't read the book, but it's called Fuck It: The Ultimate Spiritual Way.

vinlyn

Gee, never saw that in the Dhamma. Perhaps Buddha spoke in a more sophisticated and acceptable manner.

Brian

Buddha also lived 2500 years ago. Sophisticated and acceptable are just opinions and attachments to social cues.

Brian

And if the word "fuck" bothers you, you should think about why that is.

vinlyn

@Brian

There's a time and place for virtually everything. From my perspective, a religious website is not the place for wrong speech...as it is viewed by many people. I sometimes use the word...like in a bar or at a football game. This is a different environment.

vixthenomad

@vinlyn - if @Brian doesn't have a problem with the word 'fuck' being used here, then it's probably OK, what with him being a admin and all.

MindGate

+5 internets for you, Brian. Much respect.

@vinlyn
Here we go again. :rolleyes:

Tosh

And if the word "fuck" bothers you, you should think about why that is.

Because it may offend those less spiritually enlightened than yourself, maybe?

Tosh

Not that it offends me, but I'm not that bothered about other people's feelings over the word 'fuck'. I've bigger fish to fry like worrying about getting all these other sentient beings Enlightened; myself too.

Just to clarify.

MindGate

The whole swearing debate thing is just stupid. Words are just words, we shouldn't be attached to these negative connotations that we seem to associate with words. Its silly taboo that we need to get over. :screwy:

Saying, "Fuck you" and "Fuck it" are completely different things. One is clearly wrong speech (because its intent was to harm), and the other really isn't bad.

But, ahem, back on topic.

I believe another member on NewBuddhist said to me that her boyfriend's philosophy was just "fuck it" or something similar to that. Or maybe she was reading this book or something... I kind of forget, that was months ago.

riverflow

Its just another way of "letting go." Sure, why not?

riverflow

The whole swearing debate thing is just stupid. Words are just words, we shouldn't be attached to these negative connotations that we seem to associate with words. Its silly taboo that we need to get over. :screwy:

That's right. Fuck it. :om:

riverflow

Brian

@Brian

There's a time and place for virtually everything. From my perspective, a religious website is not the place for wrong speech...as it is viewed by many people. I sometimes use the word...like in a bar or at a football game. This is a different environment.

First of all: I never intended for this site to be a religious website. It's not. It's a discussion forum for those new to Buddhism.

Second of all: Wrong speech is about intention. Saying "fuck it" to learn to let go is not wrong speech. Saying "fuck you" to someone who angers you, with the intent to incite anger or whatever, is wrong speech.

MindGate

Second of all: Wrong speech is about intention. Saying "fuck it" to learn to let go is not wrong speech. Saying "fuck you" to someone who angers you, with the intent to incite anger or whatever, is wrong speech.

Bingo.

StaticToybox

Personally speaking I find "fuck" to be one of the most useful words in the English language. It's also my favorite word.

riverflow

It's also my favorite word.

...as your avatar would seem to indicate!

ClayTheScribe

I have no problem with the word "fuck," but in the recovery community an addict who has a case of the "fuck its" usually ends up in a very low place, not an enlightened place. Sometimes "fuck it" means for a person to give up and stop trying and gives way to an excuse to be an asshole. That is very not Buddhist, in my understanding. So I think phrases like that could use some context and explanation.

andyrobyn

My comment is about use of the word, I haven't watched the video. Agree with the comment above, it is about intention and letting go of self will is different than giving up on keeping on going - saying f it usually means the later in my experience.

pain

@Brian

There's a time and place for virtually everything. From my perspective, a religious website is not the place for wrong speech...as it is viewed by many people. I sometimes use the word...like in a bar or at a football game. This is a different environment.

Even some teachers use curse words during dharma talk if it suits the emotion and context.

Who are we to judge what is appropriate or not? Perhaps your ego? social conditioning?

upekka

F has a meaning
U has a meaning
C has a meaning
K has a meaning
I has a meaning
T has a meaning

(do not ask me now, but you will learn it by degrees on the PATH itself)

so FUCK IT is not bad at all
problem is with the context we use 'FUCK IT' not with the words FUCK IT

seeker242

Does this go too far with it?

Gumbercules

saying f it usually means the later in my experience.

If that's an issue though, then most of human language would just never be used. Every word has a primary meaning, then tons of other usages, not all official. If you only use the primary meaning of words, you're not going to be able to communicate all that well.


edit: I'd also like to say "giving up" and "letting go" themselves could be misconstrued just as easily. Maybe even more so since "fuck it" can imply humor as well.

Brian

I have no problem with the word "fuck," but in the recovery community an addict who has a case of the "fuck its" usually ends up in a very low place, not an enlightened place.

Not sure what the correlation is between "the recovery community" and NewBuddhist.com...

andyrobyn

saying f it usually means the later in my experience.

If that's an issue though, then most of human language would just never be used. Every word has a primary meaning, then tons of other usages, not all official. If you only use the primary meaning of words, you're not going to be able to communicate all that well.


edit: I'd also like to say "giving up" and "letting go" themselves could be misconstrued just as easily. Maybe even more so since "fuck it" can imply humor as well.

Agree with you about the limitation of having only words to use to communicate, especially online where there is no non verbal cues and when individuals from many different social and cultural groups interact .... my point was it is all about trying to get across your intention to others and mostly when I have heard f.... it spoken it is in a giving up intent rather than a letting go intent- of course it doesn't have to be - I still haven't watch the video. Recovery groups help individuals living with active addictions of various kinds, often acutely life threatening and therefore understand the importance of letting go rather than giving up.

DaltheJigsaw

Love it!:) Thanks!

Gumbercules

I think the reason why it's not an issue here though, is if it's your first time on the internet and you see someone say "fuck it" and that causes you to give up, you had some serious problems to begin with (more serious than a beginner Buddhist oriented community is equipped to handle). If you've been to the internet more than once and are still shocked enough to change your life views, you must have a very short term memory :P

YoungBuddhist

Does this go too far with it?

haha nice I was scrolling down about to post the exact same video before i saw that you beat me to it! =P

Jeffrey

Yeah it depends what you mean. I remember getting an E on an exam (I was dealing with schizophrenia), and I said "fuck it" and was drinking vodka out of the bottle. Woke up in spicy red dorrito puke. Ugh! That's the wrong kinda 'fuck it'.

Ch-an_noob

Sigh... this DIY non-Buddhist stuff again.

Reminds me of the F word documentry where they interviews porn stars and alcoholic comedians as people we should respect listen to to...

Gumbercules

Sigh... this DIY non-Buddhist stuff again.

Reminds me of the F word documentry where they interviews porn stars and alcoholic comedians as people we should respect listen to to...

Doesn't seem very Buddhist to judge someone as not worthy of respect because they're actually more open minded than the average person.

person

I have no problem with the word "fuck," but in the recovery community an addict who has a case of the "fuck its" usually ends up in a very low place, not an enlightened place. Sometimes "fuck it" means for a person to give up and stop trying and gives way to an excuse to be an asshole. That is very not Buddhist, in my understanding. So I think phrases like that could use some context and explanation.

/signed

Of course intention is what matters most, but in my experience f it usually means give up instead of let go.

Gumbercules

So I think phrases like that could use some context and explanation.

/signed

Of course intention is what matters most, but in my experience f it usually means give up instead of let go.

The thing is, you guys are objecting but the explanation you say it needs is actually in the video itself.

MindGate

Yesterday, there was a centipede on the ceiling of my stairwell. I didn't want to go down in case it was going to fall on me, but I just thought "fuck it" and went down anyways. How is that giving up?

robot

"Fuck it" can certainly be used to express grim determination to forge ahead against all odds.

Daozen

I have no problem with the word "fuck," but in the recovery community an addict who has a case of the "fuck its" usually ends up in a very low place, not an enlightened place.

Not sure what the correlation is between "the recovery community" and NewBuddhist.com...

You could be in both "communities" (recovering addict, new buddhist), and he's just saying if you are, this phrase may ring alarm bells.

Basically: Fuckevada Buddhism may not be for everyone

Personally, my first thought was that this whole thing is jumping on the back of the "Go The Fuck To Sleep" phenomenon.

Gumbercules

Basically: Fuckevada Buddhism may not be for everyone

Please teach me your ways Fuckkhu Daozen!

bodhipunk

Sometimes, it's good to say "fuck it" and let go. But please don't think of it as an excuse to not Give a Shit.

Ch-an_noob

Sigh... this DIY non-Buddhist stuff again.

Reminds me of the F word documentry where they interviews porn stars and alcoholic comedians as people we should respect listen to to...

Doesn't seem very Buddhist to judge someone as not worthy of respect because they're actually more open minded than the average person.

Open minded to pop culture but not actually open mind to Buddhism? I've done that and been there. I know what this whole "open minded business" is all about, it's actually narrow minded to alot of other things.

Gumbercules

Open minded to pop culture but not actually open mind to Buddhism? I've done that and been there. I know what this whole "open minded business" is all about, it's actually narrow minded to alot of other things.

Open minded to pop culture??? Are we talking about the same culture here? The USA has been so puritanical to just be embarrassing, and you're saying people who turn away from that are close minded? Just because they're not your chosen philosophy or faith or religion or whatever you want to call it? Come on. And do you claim to NOT be narrow minded to a lot of other things?

andyrobyn

I have had a chance to view the video can see it may encourage and be an effective approach for some and as has been explained is less about not caring and more about bravely proceeding.

Ch-an_noob

Open minded to pop culture??? Are we talking about the same culture here? The USA has been so puritanical to just be embarrassing, and you're saying people who turn away from that are close minded? Just because they're not your chosen philosophy or faith or religion or whatever you want to call it? Come on. And do you claim to NOT be narrow minded to a lot of other things?

Think about it, The conservatives preaches family values, community spirit, being charitable, have social responsibility and work hard. They are all GOOD moral ideas! It is only because they are heavily contaminated by hatred and arrogance, that their behaviour makes some of these ideals seem fake and bad.

Think about about what the opposing team is teaching? Be more free to do... "what"?

Now which team's teaching is more enjoyable and easier to accept? Be a puritan and worry about moral consequences. Or alternatively, be "yourself", "fuck the system", "rock out" "express yourself", enjoy substances, try everything!

Now let go, go with the flow of Samsara, satisfy all the craving of your eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. Isn't this alot more easier to accept and enjoy?

Now there is a old saying that goes "it takes 10 years to be a good person, but it takes a few hours to become a bad person."

Gumbercules

Open minded to pop culture??? Are we talking about the same culture here? The USA has been so puritanical to just be embarrassing, and you're saying people who turn away from that are close minded? Just because they're not your chosen philosophy or faith or religion or whatever you want to call it? Come on. And do you claim to NOT be narrow minded to a lot of other things?

Think about it, The conservatives preaches family values, community spirit, being charitable, have social responsibility and work hard. They are all GOOD moral ideas! It is only because they are heavily contaminated by hatred and arrogance, that their behaviour makes some of these ideals seem fake and bad.

Think about about what the opposing team is teaching? Be more free to do... "what"?

Now which team's teaching is more enjoyable and easier to accept? Be a puritan and worry about moral consequences. Or alternatively, be "yourself", "fuck the system", "rock out" "express yourself", enjoy substances, try everything!

Now let go, go with the flow of Samsara, satisfy all the craving of your eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. Isn't this alot more easier to accept and enjoy?

Now there is a old saying that goes "it takes 10 years to be a good person, but it takes a few hours to become a bad person."

I would kill myself right now before being one of those conservative christians you seem to value more than a non judgmental person. How many other people has that alcoholic or drug addict affected versus organized religion or even just christian culture in the USA since the 1500s? This is actually offensive that you could even say such a thing. Think of the exterminations of the natives in the name of GOD. You have to be the most judgmental "Buddhist" I've come across.

Ch-an_noob

I'll be back after a few weeks.

Gumbercules

Yes you tried to convince people that conservatives and christians are a different thing. You do realize their source for these "family values"? ROFL. I wonder how many families that group has been responsible for destroying throughout history. I love how you claim people like me (former drug user) used to be worse than a group with a body count to eclipse Stalin's.

Not to mention, 100% of the credit for whatever level of open mindedness i possess goes to marijuana and the book Ishmael.

andyrobyn

Inspiring novel, that ... Ishmael. Ishmael for me though is associated with Moby Dick ( also saw the great new opera based on the story this year ... getting even further off topic now !)

Thought I recognised the name John C Parkin ... was sent a quote from him earlier - about the value in taking the road of least resistence.

riverflow

Think about it, The conservatives preaches family values, community spirit, being charitable, have social responsibility and work hard. They are all GOOD moral ideas! It is only because they are heavily contaminated by hatred and arrogance, that their behaviour makes some of these ideals seem fake and bad.

Wow.

vixthenomad

I was going to comment on thsi thread again...but then I figured...fuck it.

:hiding:

andyrobyn

The quote was posted sometime ago on Twitter ... What is the path of least resistance for you? Say F**k It and take that.

BhanteLucky

Fuck It shares a lot with one of Ajahn Chah's favourite spiritual teachings; "Good Enough".
It's quite profound stuff. Like!

vinlyn

I would kill myself right now before being one of those conservative christians you seem to value more than a non judgmental person. How many other people has that alcoholic or drug addict affected versus organized religion or even just christian culture in the USA since the 1500s? This is actually offensive that you could even say such a thing. Think of the exterminations of the natives in the name of GOD. You have to be the most judgmental "Buddhist" I've come across.

Gee, do you think maybe that you've just been judgmental yourself?