UPNetwork  

Go Back   UPNetwork > General Forums > The Misc

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 04-17-2016, 10:53 PM   #1
Zelphon
Caffeinated
 
Zelphon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Bed
Posts: 2,788
Send a message via Skype™ to Zelphon
Do We Live Only To Avoid Suffering?

So this is being written rather spur of the moment and I'll probably live to regret posting it as it's likely stupid but sense when has that stopped me?
———————————————

Recently just now I had a mental conversation with myself trying to understand why suicide is a thing (even outside of humanity) when in theory the goal of all things is to survive and and spread with suicide going completely against the former by personally ending ones own survival.

But then the idea struck me: Maybe the living don't hold survival as a base desire but rather TO AVOID SUFFERING.

Thinking deeper every part of humanities general way of life seems to convene on this one thing. We eat to avoid feeling hungry, we stay safe to avoid pain, we breed/make friends/seek partnership to surround ourselves with those we think might further us in this goal. We even seek leaders and Gods to put or feel like there is this extra layer of protection both from external sources and our own error.

If all that is true then perhaps suicide is mearly the action taken when something or someone sees life itself as suffering and seeks to escape it.

If you made it this far please share your thoughts.
__________________
Life, but a series of paths and flows
Down many one can go
May yours run smoothly and be soft to your feet

Zelphon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2016, 11:03 PM   #2
KamenAeons
ROASTY ROASTY
 
KamenAeons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: THE WORLD OF HOT POT
Posts: 2,791
I personally agree with your sentiments, Zelphy, in that we as humans pursue the avoidance of suffering. We've seen countless wars in history where the goal is "end the suffering of our people + reclaim what should be ours + etc." The harsh reality of that is that we impart suffering upon others to end our own suffering. It's a really vicious cycle.
__________________




Spoiler: show


Yukirin is awesome for doing this for me! And by Yukirin, I mean lilbleucorsola.
3DS FC: 1607 2923 7949

The Kamen Fleet (TL5 / A- Grade Referee) | Cameron Kalmia: Viridian's Maskmaker
Hizumi Yukikaze: Emerald Breeze~ | Tokikou Nobuyuki: Time Mage
Ludger Bullenaar: Bastion of Raji City | Helena Levinton: Violet Stitching
Shizuya Kasen: SHSL Armourer

Waifu Squadron and Explorers | Cavern of Chaotic Creativity




Paradise lies beyond the horizon, challenge it because it is unreachable.
Speak of the absolute territory, and grasp it with your hands.


Spoiler: show


SAAVE ME


FLOOF AND MOFUMOFU JUSTICE! *WHACK*


Spoiler: show

"Quit poking my face! >_<"
"Ahahaha, you'll never get rid of this! *hiss*"

Spoiler: show

"STOP POKING MY SISTER!"

Spoiler: show

"That was a terrible idea. But holy carp, this tastes pretty nice."


Spoiler: show
Kamen's mind:

"YOUKOSO WAGA CRAZY E"



Love burns brightly for one and all.

Spoiler: show


Please don't diss idols or fluffy things in my presence.
KamenAeons is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2016, 11:58 PM   #3
McSweeney
Soul Badge
 
McSweeney's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posts: 1,488
I've always thought that the meaning of life for any atheist should be to maximize pleasure while minimizing suffering. Therefore, if suffering far outweighs the pleasure, and the person sees no way that they can fix this situation, suicide is the best option.
__________________


Smoking Gary sez:
"Stay in school kidz"
McSweeney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-18-2016, 12:06 AM   #4
Doppleganger
我が名は勇者王!
 
Doppleganger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Emina Isle
Posts: 14,198
Send a message via AIM to Doppleganger
Life doesn't have meaning. It is. Meaning is a human concept ascribed to "stuff". You basically have to assign your own meaning to life.

Suicide, to me, looks like something that only occurs in higher-cognates, especially humans. In fact, it pretty much only happens in humans, which suggests to me it's sapience overriding the biological imperative to survive.

I know that people who consider suicide are either not aware of the value of their life (are very young) or their awareness of that value is clouded (usually by things like emotion). I know of a case where a girl tried to kill herself via OD because she was dumped by her boyfriend.

I don't want to put it like this, but as a child living to me was closer to a "video game" awareness in the sense I was rarely aware of my own mortality. Like the person who grows up in peacetime and craves war, that naiivety would cause people to underestimate their own value of living.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zelphon
But then the idea struck me: Maybe the living don't hold survival as a base desire but rather TO AVOID SUFFERING.
But what of living organisms that are too primitive to have nerve cells? Those organisms, still, fight to survive and reproduce. So I don't think it's a matter of suffering for them.

...

As an aside, I think suffering/pain is far more integral to life than the opposite. You feel, you are constantly reminded that you are alive. Lack of sensation is closer to death.
__________________
あなたの勇気が切り開く未来
ふたりの想いが見つけだす希望
今 信じあえる
あきらめない 心かさね
永遠を抱きしめて
Doppleganger is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Lower Navigation
Go Back   UPNetwork > General Forums > The Misc


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:10 PM.


Design By: Miner Skinz.com
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.