The Trials of Humanity

[Admiral-Beef]

Hello everyone, many of you may not remember me, but I joined this site several years ago, I many times slip in and out of moods to play rebellion, but when I am in the mood I always come here, however, I do not post much because I do not feel comfortable posting unless I find the topic relevant. Anyway, I have been watching the forums a lot lately, and I've noticed on the outside interest page a lot of the talk has been about humanity and our flaws and triumphs. So I decided to make a topic specifically devoted to the topic.

 

I would also like to explain why I choose this forum to place it on. Of all the forums I have seen, this one is the most inviting, In the years I've been a member I've never seen someone disrespect someone else. And there is a good sense of humor here that doesn't depend on dirty jokes, but on genuine humor, and maybe some jesting every now and then

 

Now I will give my beginning opinion on the actual subject.

I will center my thoughts by using the War In Iraq as an example for what I have to say.

 

I have a friend who believes we should go to Mars (yeah I know it's not about the war in Iraq) I on the other hand believe that we should stay here and sort out or own problems first. The war in Iraq I believe is a good idea, but for the wrong reason, we should have gone there a long time ago, for my personal belief is that all free nations of the world should unite together and eliminate all oppressive governments, then we should work on rebuilding 3rd world countries. And then after we are all over our petty disputes over which religion is correct, or who owns what land, and other such disputes.

 

Please post what you think, and don't feel compelled to stick with my example of the War In Iraq, use anything you need to, to emphasize your point or points.

[Evaders99]

Well, one of the ways to keep it a nice environment is not allowing debates which end up in flaming: namely politics and religion.

 

Such fierce conflicts arise when people are pretty dead-set on their opinions, such as in politics or religion. Thus the flaming. You know what will happen when I see this. Lock.

 

That being said, we will see how this thread fares.

[Lord_La_forge]

I want to protect the religions here. There are no wrong religions. They can only be a source of conflict, if there are people, who do not understand thier true meaning. We have a word for "the institute of the religion". The dictionary simpe writes it as "church". (It's called "egyház") Such an institute can cause lot of conflicts (like it did in the medieval times). Leading a war in Gods name, or saying, that my religion is better then yours, is simply a HUGE misunderstanding of your own religion.

[Jahled]

On the subject of goiung to Mars, i've just finnished reading a book by Bill Bryson, called the Dictionary of everything, or something along those lines (i'm not at home to be exact) where he points out that when Mr Bush first coined the idea of going to Mars it was hushed up, due to the astronomical cost, and another more pressing problem; namely that ther astronaughts would have no protection from the radiation they would encounter and be dead by the time they get to the red planet. The book also tackles things like the fact by the time you get to Pluto, you've only got to 1/75,000th of the size of our solor system. Space is very big.

 

More of a conern to me is that NASA should be addressing; or readdressing, is the announcement they are not going to continue with the Hubble telescope, which seems sad given it's just taken the oldest and furthest images of the universe to date.

 

As for Humanity, well we sure share society with some seriously messed up heads. The bombs that have just gone off in Madrid... words collapse into meaningless, yet again.

 

One of the ancient religions of Africa held a belief that humanity originally dwelt with the creator (God) in paradise, but were chucked out because the creator grew tired of humanity's constant bickering!

 

Kinda makes sense.

 

 

I'll be home later to correctly identify Bill's excellent book, btw!

[Trejiuvanat]

Humanity will always be facing trials. When there's no trial to face at all it will mean that humanity has reached the final stage in its evolution: Mankind have become gods.

Since that is a distant and unlikely event, humans will keep pretending that they are the small god of the world. A pretty elaborate euphemism in our collective effort to refuse the belief that we are just overblown bags of dust.

The main trial, in my opinion, is at least for our western culture, to overcome the pathetic terms of good and evil, right and wrong. These terms immediately blind us from other points of views, for all the erudism of a person the single use of those two terms already cuts of the wisdom encasing it. Rather than a huge political crusade to unify our world in a banner of peace, freedom and love. The real crusade that has to be waged is in a pure microcosmic level: within each mind.

I live in a poor 3rd world country, I could list a whole lot of things that can be corrected here. But deciding which religion is correct, whose territorial claim is right or not won't help us any, if there's not a change in the paradigms of our epoch. Nor, I think, will help if the bigger, richer countries aid us. In the short term, things will better, but in the end the real trial is only to overcome such difficulties. Only thus can real growth be achieved, and that can only succeed if there's a change in the minds of the people, not in the seats of the government.

[Admiral-Beef]

In response to what Evader99 said, I didn't intend on this being over what is right and wrong, just over what people think about challanges that have faced humanity. Like what people are doing already.

[Jahled]

Worry not Alpha dude! Evaders is quite laid back, but just likes to lay the ground rules, I guess.

 

As for the trails of humanity, my memory is one of my chief immediate concerns!

 

Bill Bryson: A short History of Nearly Everything.

[the_mask]

Worry not Alpha dude! Evaders is quite laid back, but just likes to lay the ground rules, I guess.

I second that

 

Wow, there are already a lot of good posts here, so I'm in a bit of a loss of what my 2cents could coptain.

 

Let's try this approach: basically every religion is the same (if you rule out nihilism ). They all tell us to respect and love each other and not to resort to violence to solve our conflicts. Only if someone tries to pull on the mantle of religion to further his own greedy goals can religion turn into fanatism. But have you ever seen one of these so-called leaders fighting at the frontline ? Nope, for the single reason, that they'd rather amass some more expendables, that can do that for them.

Nobody can force you to do anything, because they have no real power over you, unless you give it to them.

As Trej already said, the enlightenment of each mind is what this world needs, then we would've at least solved the conflicts on this planet, before we try to reach new ones.

If we'd manage to live together in peace and friendship, then fear and aggression would be gone from our lives.

 

Peace, love and good vibrations all over the world

[Jahled]

Well put Maskiness! What Trej said was as wise as it is true.

 

However, I think I have the solution to humanity's problems.

 

It's called Cake...

[Lord_La_forge]

I still under the effect of the demonstration in Madrid. Simply amazing. All the people raising their voice for peace.

That is humanity.

[Jahled]

You are not wrong brother! Two million people on a (very wet) evening; simply an incredible response of humanity, for being human...

 

Whether or not it was those sad gits ETA or brain-dead Islamic Fascists; the message in the streets throughout a very wet and cold Spain was the same; NO! This is not civilized society. And this type of unforgivable slaughter shall not and can not be forgiven or justified by any means.

 

In a very gritty way, the simply incredible turn out of the Spanish population onto their streets in unity against this horror is a very rich human quality. The Spannish have suffered a horrible event, but are not baying for blood, aiming at another nation, or religion; simply shouting; 'NO!' Which is above and beyond as so far as human dignity goes.

 

Just to correct a couple of mis-quotes from Bill's book:

 

-It was the first George Bush

-Projected cost then was $450,000,000

-It was doubtful whether the astronaught's DNA would survive the radiation they would be exposed to!

-By the time you get to Pluto you have another 55,000th of the solor system left.

[Guest Scathane]

The History of every major galactic Civilization tends to pass through three distinct and recognizable phases, those of Survival, Inquiry and Sophistication, otherwise known as the How, Why and Where phases.

For instance, the first phase is characterized by the question How can we eat? the second by the question Why do we eat? and the third by the question Where shall we have lunch?

 

From: The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - a Trilogy in Four Parts by Douglas Adams

[Jahled]

At the end of the universe....

[the_mask]

Aw, I still have some reading to do, until I get there.

Currently they just entered Margrathea, but the short existance of the wale was just too hilarious.

I think that was also in the original radio drama, that I got last year.

[ElvisMiggell]

It is a veritable classic.

[Guest Scathane]

Indeed it is! BTW, anyone read Michel Crichton's new novel Prey?

[ElvisMiggell]

Didn't think it was that new...?

[Guest Scathane]

Well, it's his newest anyway. Read it?

[ElvisMiggell]

Can't remember. I always liked Congo myself.

[Guest Scathane]

I've only seen the movie, is the book any good?

[ElvisMiggell]

Only vague memories of the film myself... but i remember thinking how much better the book was.

[the_mask]

That reminded me somehow of Jurassic Park ...

 

... and Lost world ...

 

umm, is there any good movie adaption of his books ?

[Guest Scathane]

The movie adaption of his books isn't that bad, is it?

[Stellar_Magic]

Yeah Michael Crichton's book to movie adaptions aren't all that good usually. Lost World however took the cake by having a completely different foe, and having the San Diego incident.

 

I HATED IT!!!

 

Fortunately I liked the books, and there are some good moments in the film adaptions, but he has a problem with characters they're really flat most of the time. Though I will say that the film adaption of Andromeda was quite good.

[Guest Scathane]

Agree with the adaptation of Andromeda. However, I always thought that Malcolm was pretty good in Jurassic Park as well.