The challenge of modernity is to live without illusions and without becoming disillusioned. —Antonio Gramsci
There’s avoidable suffering and there’s unavoidable suffering. The avoidable suffering is mainly due to our perception of the world we live in. Though its root is in our biological wiring but it is intensified by our perception of the socio-cultural-economic-etc atmosphere. It can be gotten rid of by changing or adjusting our perception.
The unavoidable suffering is totally due to our biological wiring, irrespective of our perception. Like all suffering, it has an evolutionary basis. For successful evolution, our body is wired to have certain responses to certain stimuli. It creates experiences that we in our consciousness may not like to have. But we can’t help it. It is impossible to get immune to this unavoidable suffering as long as one chooses to live in the human society as normal functioning human being.
Difference between the states of aware and unaware people
Aware people are those who know the fundamental truths of existence, viz. intrinsic meaninglessness, no God, no right-wrong (amorality) etc. Needless to say, awareness won’t make one immune to the unavoidable suffering. But it sure makes one free from the avoidable lot. I think the greatest miseries people suffer from, which make their life hell, can be eliminated by the awareness. However, awareness doesn’t come without its downsides.
Unaware people —
Aware people —
Although being aware or remaining unaware is not in one’s hand but is determined by one’s nature and myriad uncontrollable factors, I was thinking which position is better.
The biggest advantage the unaware people have is that they can always remain hopeful. Since they have the mysteries of life intact, they certainly seem to be “living” much more intensely than the aware people who have figured life out and have little to do now. The irony is, however, what makes their (unaware people’s) life more “lively” is their constant striving to live through and understand the mysteries; something that the aware people have achieved and lost their “liveliness” thereby!
They (the unaware people) don’t know the absurdity of existence. For them, suffering is a result of some wrong committed by them and can be gotten rid of by asking God’s forgiveness. Or it’s something that God has planned for their good. In any case, when they are severely suffering they can go to God and take the satisfaction of having done something concrete about it. (In worst cases, they get depressed and suicidal, though.)
An aware person, on the other hand, can just sit and watch the events when the suffering is taking place; for he knows exactly why it is happening. He can’t go to God or build up unrealistic hopes. Of course, he would do what he can, but he can’t expect miracles. In the end, he just has to wait till it passes, without the satisfaction of having done something concrete about it. This satisfaction, which unaware people derive by praying to God, is comforting beyond measure! This loss of eternal comfort is the biggest loss the awareness entails.
However, that is not to undermine the importance of awareness. Besides, I doubt if one can consciously limit the contents of one’s consciousness. For instance, when someone is suffering he needs to know the truth of it, and he will seek. If he doesn’t seek he will suffer. So there, seeking awareness (truth) is only right. Where one ends up in one’s seeking depends on the momentum of one’s inquiry and many other factors which one can’t possibly control.
Finally, looking at the costs and benefits of both the states, I am happy with my awareness. By accepting rational-irrationalism*, I am as well off (psychologically, of course) as a human can be. The challenge is well taken, I think.
--
*Rational-irrationalism is a philosophy of emotion-intellect balance, in contrast to rationalism which is totally reason and intellect oriented. As the name suggests, it is rationally accepting some irrationalities of life. I will properly introduce rational-irrationalism on this blog some time in future.
There’s avoidable suffering and there’s unavoidable suffering. The avoidable suffering is mainly due to our perception of the world we live in. Though its root is in our biological wiring but it is intensified by our perception of the socio-cultural-economic-etc atmosphere. It can be gotten rid of by changing or adjusting our perception.
The unavoidable suffering is totally due to our biological wiring, irrespective of our perception. Like all suffering, it has an evolutionary basis. For successful evolution, our body is wired to have certain responses to certain stimuli. It creates experiences that we in our consciousness may not like to have. But we can’t help it. It is impossible to get immune to this unavoidable suffering as long as one chooses to live in the human society as normal functioning human being.
Difference between the states of aware and unaware people
Aware people are those who know the fundamental truths of existence, viz. intrinsic meaninglessness, no God, no right-wrong (amorality) etc. Needless to say, awareness won’t make one immune to the unavoidable suffering. But it sure makes one free from the avoidable lot. I think the greatest miseries people suffer from, which make their life hell, can be eliminated by the awareness. However, awareness doesn’t come without its downsides.
Unaware people —
- Experience both avoidable and unavoidable suffering
- The impact of both suffering is greater
- They cry in misery
- But they have the God (or “goodness”) and thereby eternal hope
Aware people —
- Experience only the unavoidable suffering
- The impact of suffering is minimal
- They can only laugh in misery (repeat, in misery)
- But as a big downside, they have no hope, no comfort
Although being aware or remaining unaware is not in one’s hand but is determined by one’s nature and myriad uncontrollable factors, I was thinking which position is better.
The biggest advantage the unaware people have is that they can always remain hopeful. Since they have the mysteries of life intact, they certainly seem to be “living” much more intensely than the aware people who have figured life out and have little to do now. The irony is, however, what makes their (unaware people’s) life more “lively” is their constant striving to live through and understand the mysteries; something that the aware people have achieved and lost their “liveliness” thereby!
They (the unaware people) don’t know the absurdity of existence. For them, suffering is a result of some wrong committed by them and can be gotten rid of by asking God’s forgiveness. Or it’s something that God has planned for their good. In any case, when they are severely suffering they can go to God and take the satisfaction of having done something concrete about it. (In worst cases, they get depressed and suicidal, though.)
An aware person, on the other hand, can just sit and watch the events when the suffering is taking place; for he knows exactly why it is happening. He can’t go to God or build up unrealistic hopes. Of course, he would do what he can, but he can’t expect miracles. In the end, he just has to wait till it passes, without the satisfaction of having done something concrete about it. This satisfaction, which unaware people derive by praying to God, is comforting beyond measure! This loss of eternal comfort is the biggest loss the awareness entails.
However, that is not to undermine the importance of awareness. Besides, I doubt if one can consciously limit the contents of one’s consciousness. For instance, when someone is suffering he needs to know the truth of it, and he will seek. If he doesn’t seek he will suffer. So there, seeking awareness (truth) is only right. Where one ends up in one’s seeking depends on the momentum of one’s inquiry and many other factors which one can’t possibly control.
Finally, looking at the costs and benefits of both the states, I am happy with my awareness. By accepting rational-irrationalism*, I am as well off (psychologically, of course) as a human can be. The challenge is well taken, I think.
--
*Rational-irrationalism is a philosophy of emotion-intellect balance, in contrast to rationalism which is totally reason and intellect oriented. As the name suggests, it is rationally accepting some irrationalities of life. I will properly introduce rational-irrationalism on this blog some time in future.
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