..or do you really? What is my motivation to do any good? Isn't it just easier to slack, not do any good, or even just be bad (can I be corny and quote the great 21st century philosopher, Brian Adams, and say "if you wanna be bad, you gotta be good" :))? Why do any good? Are better things going to happen to me then? But, is that always the case? Haven't we all seen those people who get dealt a terrible hand "undeservedly", the guy whose family was blown in a bomb blast somewhere in the world for no fault of theirs? Why??
The much-abused Indian philosophical concept of Karma says that things we do now dictate our further lives and our behavior in previous lives dictate our lives right now (this is my understanding and interpretation of the concept, if you beg to disagree, would like to know your take on it). So, do good now so your next life will be a good one, but you are helpless about things that happen to you now because that's been pre-ordained already. As far as a convincing, complete theory goes, this is right up there, but I don't want to believe it - I think its defeatist! To just sit back and say, things this life are pre-determined for me already has brutal helplessness written all over it. But the Bhagvad Gita also says, "do good, without expecting results" - I think that approach requires greater amount of nobility than I may be capable of :)
My philosophy as I go through my mundane existence is, "life is a great leveller" - helps keep me stable. When things don't go well, its comforting to think a better day might be around soon, and lifewise, when you are having a top day, keeps you on the ground to think that it won't always be this way, and might as well enjoy it while it lasts. Its all relative right, even a crippled beggar has a "better day" when he earns more money, gets better food, etc - sounds harsh I know, but you see the drift..
But then, is any attempt to assign any justification or symmetry to the ways of life just plain futile?! I don't know - whatever - my dabble at some philosphy here..
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3 comments:
good or bad is relative. We all define our own good and bad, and in both there is satisfaction and happiness. Sometimes its just fun or nice to be bad and other times its nice to be good. From the age of 0 we are told to be good, but its foolish to be good all the time. Just like its foolish to be honest all the time.
I agree with you- 'life is a great leveller'. :)
This is something I have mulled over a fair bit. Its not something I've ever figured out completely. A conclusion to this discussion that might sit more comfortably than most is - Play every ball on its merit. There are times to be "good" and times to be "bad". What you decide on will have a telling effect on your conscience.
To know and not to do is to not yet truly know.
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