Chelsea asked, "Do you believe people should refrain from doing things that are considered "unnatural" by others, either to protect themselves from persecution or protect others from feeling uncomfortable?"
Absolutely not. As long as what they're doing does no harm to anyone else, I don't see any reason why it shouldnt be done. I think that to want to do something or be something, yet to stifle it, would be an instance of bad faith. You're not doing what you want to do, but rather doing something you feel you "have" to do because of societal pressures. I think that it would be somewhat cowardly to refrain from one's own desires just to avoid persecution (avoiding prosecution might be a different story). Doing things that are seen as "unnatural" or "weird" is what keeps individuality alive. If everyone were to shy away from the "unnatural" things they do, life would be boring and homogenous. If you want to be a nudist, then be a nudist. If you want to tattoo your face, then tattoo it. If you want to wear a pink tail to school every day, then wear it.
It doesnt matter if your actions make someone else uncomfortable. If your actions arent hurting annyone, then people need to mind their own bussiness and realize that every human being has the right and freedom to do, say, and be whatever he/she wants.
Q.) How are societal norms created? Why do masses of people flock to trendy, popular things? Is it because they are refraining from the things people label as "unnatural" or weird or different?
Friday, December 4, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Blog 10: Rambling about human purpose...
In class on Monday, we got on the topic of human purpose... or something along those lines...
Anyways, it got me thinking. Why do people even need to have a "purpose"? When you think about it, it's pretty narcissistic of us to think that nothing else on this earth has a purpose, but WE do because we're human. I think the only reason we think we "need" a purpose is because we have a higher consciousness and cant stand the thought of nothingness. We question our existence because we are infinitely conscious of it, and feel the need to satisfy our questions by giving ourselves the happy little notion that we're here for a reason and things aren't just random. Furthermore, I don't think one can simultaneously believe in human purpose and be atheist. If you believe that humans all have a purpose in life, then you must have an answer for who assigns such purpose and why. If human beings are nothing more than chemicals and cells and matter, then how can that have a purpose? In the scale of geologic time, human existence is literally miniscule. My geology textbook put the time scale into perspective by explaining that, if the entire existence of earth were a football field, human life would be equivalent to the very last blade of grass in the end zone. If we are so insignificant in the larger scale of things, then why do we think we're so important? I say narcissism and higher consciousness.
Q: Its difficult sometimes for me to truly grasp the infinitude of time and space. When thinking about space, I always raise the question, "well, whats beyond that?" My question for you is, How do you deal with or comprehend the infinitude of both time and space? Do you ever think about it?
Anyways, it got me thinking. Why do people even need to have a "purpose"? When you think about it, it's pretty narcissistic of us to think that nothing else on this earth has a purpose, but WE do because we're human. I think the only reason we think we "need" a purpose is because we have a higher consciousness and cant stand the thought of nothingness. We question our existence because we are infinitely conscious of it, and feel the need to satisfy our questions by giving ourselves the happy little notion that we're here for a reason and things aren't just random. Furthermore, I don't think one can simultaneously believe in human purpose and be atheist. If you believe that humans all have a purpose in life, then you must have an answer for who assigns such purpose and why. If human beings are nothing more than chemicals and cells and matter, then how can that have a purpose? In the scale of geologic time, human existence is literally miniscule. My geology textbook put the time scale into perspective by explaining that, if the entire existence of earth were a football field, human life would be equivalent to the very last blade of grass in the end zone. If we are so insignificant in the larger scale of things, then why do we think we're so important? I say narcissism and higher consciousness.
Q: Its difficult sometimes for me to truly grasp the infinitude of time and space. When thinking about space, I always raise the question, "well, whats beyond that?" My question for you is, How do you deal with or comprehend the infinitude of both time and space? Do you ever think about it?
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