What's your take on the World?
Discussion
I was watching some programme on Sunday morning and there was this peace activist, folk singer type woman who said "The World Is Going To Hell In A Handbasket".
This got me thinking. She's probably got a point. War, the environment, poverty, a "don't give a
" society. Things are looking pretty bleak.
But wait.
I've got a nice house. A car. A half-decent job. A lovely girlfriend. I can go out boozing when I want. For a meal when I want.
All these external factors are totally out of my control. I voted for the other guys, but thesewits still got in. Again. Thousands protest against the war, but B&B don't give a toss about what you and I think. I could give everything I own to impoverished people in Africa and it wouldn't make one iota of different.
One man cannot make a difference. Democracy has proven that much.
So, should I care about the rest of the World? Should I lay awake at night worrying about war, the environment, poverty etc. knowing full well there is absolutely nothing I can do about it? Or should I just worry about myself? Make sure I'm OK Jack. Selfish? Yes. But what choice do I have?
This got me thinking. She's probably got a point. War, the environment, poverty, a "don't give a
" society. Things are looking pretty bleak. But wait.
I've got a nice house. A car. A half-decent job. A lovely girlfriend. I can go out boozing when I want. For a meal when I want.
All these external factors are totally out of my control. I voted for the other guys, but these
wits still got in. Again. Thousands protest against the war, but B&B don't give a toss about what you and I think. I could give everything I own to impoverished people in Africa and it wouldn't make one iota of different. One man cannot make a difference. Democracy has proven that much.
So, should I care about the rest of the World? Should I lay awake at night worrying about war, the environment, poverty etc. knowing full well there is absolutely nothing I can do about it? Or should I just worry about myself? Make sure I'm OK Jack. Selfish? Yes. But what choice do I have?
If we are talking about the whole world things are getting BETTER, despite gloom and doom in the news. The numbers of people in extreme poverty are falling fast, due to rapid growth in countries such as China. In many areas the environment is improving, and the numbers affected by conflict is probably lower than in recent history, such as during the Cold War.
In our own country increased material prosperity is outweighed by the rising numbers of mindless violent Chavs.
In our own country increased material prosperity is outweighed by the rising numbers of mindless violent Chavs.
slapmatt said:I met Li Lu - www.hrw.org/campaigns/china/scholars/t15/lilu.htm - at a conference in California last week. I think he'd beg to differ on that one.
One man cannot make a difference. Democracy has proven that much.
I agree that conditions and human-environment factors in this world are probably improving, on the whole. However we now have a comprehensive and - for the most part - accurate media system to give greater coverage to the problems that DO exist. We therefore get the impression that things are getting worse, when in fact they probably aren't.
Whilst we shouldn't limit ourselves to this view, look at Britain. Yes we have some poverty, some homelessness, some corruption, some class-separation, etc, etc - but surely we always had these; I'm pretty certain conditions for the very poor or homeless were worse thirty years ago than they are today. What we DON'T have is global war that directly affects us all (no World War for the last 61 years), racial discrimination (to the same degree as before), medical eipidemics that wipe tens of thousands of humans out (I'm not accepting MRSA, H5N1, SARS, etc). In terms of human living conditions, on the whole, surely things are on the up?!
ALL IMHO obviously.
>> Edited by ehyouwhat on Monday 6th March 10:04
Whilst we shouldn't limit ourselves to this view, look at Britain. Yes we have some poverty, some homelessness, some corruption, some class-separation, etc, etc - but surely we always had these; I'm pretty certain conditions for the very poor or homeless were worse thirty years ago than they are today. What we DON'T have is global war that directly affects us all (no World War for the last 61 years), racial discrimination (to the same degree as before), medical eipidemics that wipe tens of thousands of humans out (I'm not accepting MRSA, H5N1, SARS, etc). In terms of human living conditions, on the whole, surely things are on the up?!
ALL IMHO obviously.
>> Edited by ehyouwhat on Monday 6th March 10:04
slapmatt said:
I was watching some programme on Sunday morning and there was this peace activist, folk singer type woman who said "The World Is Going To Hell In A Handbasket".
This got me thinking. She's probably got a point. War, the environment, poverty, a "don't give a" society. Things are looking pretty bleak.
But wait.
I've got a nice house. A car. A half-decent job. A lovely girlfriend. I can go out boozing when I want. For a meal when I want.
All these external factors are totally out of my control. I voted for the other guys, but these
One man cannot make a difference. Democracy has proven that much.
So, should I care about the rest of the World? Should I lay awake at night worrying about war, the environment, poverty etc. knowing full well there is absolutely nothing I can do about it? Or should I just worry about myself? Make sure I'm OK Jack. Selfish? Yes. But what choice do I have?
Very good post Slapmatt. My approach would be:
Worry? No
Contribute to the above problems? Try not to.
Do anything to help? Entirely up to you. (But well done those that do.)
Throughout the history of civilisation, people have been convinced the world was going to hell in a handbasked. The reality is that we've had nearly constant progression over 50,000 years or so of humanity, and there's no reason to assume that's going to change. Oh sure, we might have a setback here or there - the odd meteor strike, or the North Atlantic drift coming to a halt if the sandalistas are to be believed - but the trend is towards advancement of society.
The Middle East will eventually work itself out - these things inevitably do. We'll eventually relieve ourselves of our dependency on oil, and become dependent on a somewhat more limitless resource. America will revert to a centrist Democratic president for the next two terms, before electing a Republican again, whilst Britain will elect a Conservative leader who is no better than Blair - but that wont change the fact the he'll get a year or two of doing no wrong, and then start making mistakes all over the place, just like all leaders do.
And yet all through this, house prices will rise, populations will expand, public transport won't work and cars will go faster.
In short: Don't worry about it, unless it's your job to do.
The Middle East will eventually work itself out - these things inevitably do. We'll eventually relieve ourselves of our dependency on oil, and become dependent on a somewhat more limitless resource. America will revert to a centrist Democratic president for the next two terms, before electing a Republican again, whilst Britain will elect a Conservative leader who is no better than Blair - but that wont change the fact the he'll get a year or two of doing no wrong, and then start making mistakes all over the place, just like all leaders do.
And yet all through this, house prices will rise, populations will expand, public transport won't work and cars will go faster.
In short: Don't worry about it, unless it's your job to do.
I tend to agree with Youguy on that point. There are times when it does appear that we are living in a moral vacuum at times. BUT, the default setting for human nature is to be fearful, agressive and selfish. It takes a lot of effort to maintain moral principles at times and to preserve a degree of humanity in our day to day lives.
Whether religion or spiritual beliefs are a good basis for establishing moral behaviour is a bit of a moot point. I've seen enough religious dogmatism and lack of tolerance to know that it is just as likely to be devisive and negative as it is to encourage positiveness and inclusiveness. However, it does seem that, without religious teachings being part of our moral background noise, we can become rather rudderless and too easily tempted by what are the negative aspects of the human experience.
Whether religion or spiritual beliefs are a good basis for establishing moral behaviour is a bit of a moot point. I've seen enough religious dogmatism and lack of tolerance to know that it is just as likely to be devisive and negative as it is to encourage positiveness and inclusiveness. However, it does seem that, without religious teachings being part of our moral background noise, we can become rather rudderless and too easily tempted by what are the negative aspects of the human experience.
Aye, I wasn't really talking organised religion, more just so much focus these days on material goods, bling culture. All the money in the world can't buy you happiness, it can make you comfy but not necessarily happy. I.e. if you were rich and being chatted up how would you ever know it was because the person liked you, or your money? At least I know my missus loves me for me.
Eric Mc said:
However, it does seem that, without religious teachings being part of our moral background noise, we can become rather rudderless and too easily tempted by what are the negative aspects of the human experience.
MAD is still around
The reason for morals is/was to ensure that one was not kicked out of a group/society, which meant a difficult life back in the stone age. However these days with government support for all and sundry there is no real risk of being left along on a cold mountain ledge and kicked out of society, so people realise they can get away with being 'immoral' much more than they every did previously. There is no real punishment these days.
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