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The Postmodern Human Being
taiyaki
Veteran
The Postmodern Human Being:
So you're stuck. You're working a lot of hours at your dead end job. Your love has left you for someone else. All your relationships have failed or are in the process of failing. Every ounce of happiness or sunshine is massacred by the infinite amount of tasks and depressing news your hear. Did I tell you about the tasks? It never ends does it. You know...all the paper work. All your friends are getting older and some having kids. You have kids or you don't. You wonder why people choose to have kids. Then you see how everyone has bought into an idea about how one must start a family, have kids, marry and be happy. Yet you look around you and you see that no one with kids or married is anything remotely resembling happiness. There is war, hunger, disease, death. The environment is failing and this is because of our greed. Well not my greed of course. We all are make believing that the money or car or job or romantic love or house or kids or the next big thing will make us happy. Yeah its just like Christmas, we get all excited. We get what we want, then we toss it aside. Anything we enjoy now is always cast aside. Or it breaks, or we move onto another thing. Are you going to make me happy? Are you going to fulfill me? Are you going to complete the empty void within my heart? Why am I here? What am I doing? I didn't ask to be born.
I feel stuck. Nothing is making me happy. The anti-depressants aren't making me happy. Everything is dull and I'm bored. I want to escape all of this. I want to go on vacation to somewhere sunny. I want to feel alive again. I'm so tired. Tired of sleeping, tired of living, tired of doing things that have no worth. Why am I doing this. They look happy what are they doing? It must be the drugs or cars or lovers. Watch TV, hear terrible things, see terrible things. This is entertainment. Close my heart down because it doesn't seem real. I don't care. At least its not me. Beautiful people on TV, magazines, etc. I want a pretty face, I want a pretty body. I want to look like that. Get surgery, change outfits, change appearance. I desire this because it will make me happy.
Didn't make me feel happy. Only for a moment. Discontent settles and depression follows. I feel trapped. Why am I doing this? Why am I here? Parents die. Loved ones go away or die. Everyone dies and everyone goes away. Nothing is lasting. Anguish, suffering, pain, fear. I don't want to die. Yet is death my only release?
Ah forget it I need to eat. Lets get McDonalds. Lets eat that cake. I like cake. Oh, I like this. Ah this feels good. Food settles, lets drive fast. Lets go on a roller coaster. Lets fall in love. Oh, this again. I'm bored. Lets see how everyone else is living. Whats so and so doing? Oh she seem happy. Facebook. So many people are doing so many things. Why am I here? Why am I so alone?
Back to work. Back to the grind, the routine. Numb all of these thoughts with drugs. Stupid politicians, everything is stupid.
Welcome to Samsara.
ALL of this has one fundamental cause:
Ignorance, which leads to assumption, which leads to all actions of body, speech and mind.
I've been in Samsara for awhile, so I know the game.
And there are those who give pathways and pointers to freedom from such suffering.
I wish for you to have the conditions and the open mind to really examine your life, your assumptions and your ignorance. Suffering only occurs from a certain subjective point of view. If one realizes wisdom then their subjectivity will see freedom or liberation.
Please save the postmodern human being.
So you're stuck. You're working a lot of hours at your dead end job. Your love has left you for someone else. All your relationships have failed or are in the process of failing. Every ounce of happiness or sunshine is massacred by the infinite amount of tasks and depressing news your hear. Did I tell you about the tasks? It never ends does it. You know...all the paper work. All your friends are getting older and some having kids. You have kids or you don't. You wonder why people choose to have kids. Then you see how everyone has bought into an idea about how one must start a family, have kids, marry and be happy. Yet you look around you and you see that no one with kids or married is anything remotely resembling happiness. There is war, hunger, disease, death. The environment is failing and this is because of our greed. Well not my greed of course. We all are make believing that the money or car or job or romantic love or house or kids or the next big thing will make us happy. Yeah its just like Christmas, we get all excited. We get what we want, then we toss it aside. Anything we enjoy now is always cast aside. Or it breaks, or we move onto another thing. Are you going to make me happy? Are you going to fulfill me? Are you going to complete the empty void within my heart? Why am I here? What am I doing? I didn't ask to be born.
I feel stuck. Nothing is making me happy. The anti-depressants aren't making me happy. Everything is dull and I'm bored. I want to escape all of this. I want to go on vacation to somewhere sunny. I want to feel alive again. I'm so tired. Tired of sleeping, tired of living, tired of doing things that have no worth. Why am I doing this. They look happy what are they doing? It must be the drugs or cars or lovers. Watch TV, hear terrible things, see terrible things. This is entertainment. Close my heart down because it doesn't seem real. I don't care. At least its not me. Beautiful people on TV, magazines, etc. I want a pretty face, I want a pretty body. I want to look like that. Get surgery, change outfits, change appearance. I desire this because it will make me happy.
Didn't make me feel happy. Only for a moment. Discontent settles and depression follows. I feel trapped. Why am I doing this? Why am I here? Parents die. Loved ones go away or die. Everyone dies and everyone goes away. Nothing is lasting. Anguish, suffering, pain, fear. I don't want to die. Yet is death my only release?
Ah forget it I need to eat. Lets get McDonalds. Lets eat that cake. I like cake. Oh, I like this. Ah this feels good. Food settles, lets drive fast. Lets go on a roller coaster. Lets fall in love. Oh, this again. I'm bored. Lets see how everyone else is living. Whats so and so doing? Oh she seem happy. Facebook. So many people are doing so many things. Why am I here? Why am I so alone?
Back to work. Back to the grind, the routine. Numb all of these thoughts with drugs. Stupid politicians, everything is stupid.
Welcome to Samsara.
ALL of this has one fundamental cause:
Ignorance, which leads to assumption, which leads to all actions of body, speech and mind.
I've been in Samsara for awhile, so I know the game.
And there are those who give pathways and pointers to freedom from such suffering.
I wish for you to have the conditions and the open mind to really examine your life, your assumptions and your ignorance. Suffering only occurs from a certain subjective point of view. If one realizes wisdom then their subjectivity will see freedom or liberation.
Please save the postmodern human being.
0
Comments
I don't know if suffering motivates people to practice anymore...My Lama told once: People do not know what it feels like to be happy, they just built high tolerance for suffering.
Suffering is part of their life and thats what they want deep inside...
There is this funny story:
Two monks were best friends. One of them was really good and ethical person and the other one was not so much.
After they passed away, the good monk went to heaven and the bad one went to hell.
The good monk realized whats happening and start looking his friend. He used his special powers to search all the existence to locate his friend.
He found him in hell living in a pile of shit as a worm.
So the good monk apprached his friend and told him that they were best friends in the past and he did some good things in his past life and end up in heaven.
Good monk offered his friend to take him into heaven and save him from hell.
The bad monk asked: How is life in heaven
Good Monk: Oh it is beautiful, even your breath is blissful. No rage or war etc.
Bad Monk: Okay, take me there then!
Good Monk: I can but under one condition - we cannot bring your pile of shit into heaven, you have to leave it here.
Bad Monk: No, I cannot do that. That shit is my home, It protects me, it saves me, It is my food and shelter...
Same thing here...
Whether suffering motivates. Or happiness motivates.
It all leads to freedom. Whatever works.
"Maybe I really am a witch and don't know it." AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Please save the pre-modern human being.
In accord with the title of this discussion, I think "postmodern human" has a lot of possibility:
- think of life on this earth (and civilization) on the scale of thousands of years, hundred-thousands of years, millions of years. I believe that this sort of thinking helps develop the pure mentality of "team humanity" working for the common good of all sentient beings.
- think of the causes of beauty and harmony in this world and in your life; from causes are born results, from seeds are born the trees are born the seeds are born the trees...
- what it means to be a sentient being experiencing a human birth, what precious conditions! what beautiful opportunity!
- activate your right brain, your whole brain, and your whole body through contemplation of your inner energy. "A true heart dwells nowhere" and abides through contentment and forgiveness
these are just my views, any errors are my responsibility, i hope these words help uncover the peace within. Namaste.