Philosophy

Every human being has a philosophy of life but many people are not aware of this fact. Most people have never examined which values, ethical ideas and metaphysical assumptions they live by. We don’t know what we think and how we look at life, really. This is dangerous because unconscious thoughts, ideas and beliefs strongly influence our decisions and actions.

What do you think?

Do you think that you understand what life is about?

Do you think that human beings are selfish by nature? Do you believe that the law of the jungle still applies and that friendliness and helpfulness is just a cloak to make us look good? Do you think we all are like car salesmen or politicians?

Do you believe that all people are wolfs in sheep’s clothing?

Alternatively, do you believe that people are sheep really, but in wolf’s clothing?

Do you believe that human beings are sometimes sheepish and sometimes wolfish, by nature?

Do you believe that human beings are a cross between sheep and wolfs?

Do you think that equal rights and justice are important issues?

Do you believe that poor people suffer because they are lazy?

If you happened to win a thousand dollars on a lottery ticket, would you spend the money on yourself or would you send them to hungry children in India?

Do you believe that objective truths exist, or do you believe that truth is always relative?

Do you believe that an action is good if it feels good?

Do you believe that we have a free will, that we can make decisions?

Do you think that all ideas, including your ideas, should to be questioned?

Do you believe in an objective reality outside your own mind?

Do you believe that science is an important tool, or do you believe that intuition is more secure road to the truth?

Do you think that evidence is quite unimportant?

Do you believe that extraterrestrial beings are sometimes visiting earth? If you believe that extraterrestrials are sometimes visiting earth, what makes you think so? Have you met them? Have you seen convincing film clips on You Tube?

Many people have met angels, many have met ghosts and many have seen UFOs. Can they be nuts, all of them? What do you think? Can they be right?

If you don’t believe that extraterrestrial beings are sometimes visiting earth, what makes you embrace this idea?

Do you believe in reincarnation? Do you believe in heaven and hell? Why? Why not?

If you believe that a human being has only one life and if there is no heaven, how would you justify that so many people have to suffer so much because you and other rich people don‘t want to share enough of their riches?

Do you think that religion and spirituality simply are fantasies we need in order to stay sane in this world of grotesque injustice, inequality and madness?

Do you think that it is possible to live a life of selfishness, delusion, greed and evil without any repercussions whatsoever?

Do you think that the karma theory or the ideas of a judgment day are fantasies?

Do you agree with that your explanations may be total misunderstandings because you are aware of the fact that all people make mistakes and misunderstand things?

Do you believe that there are no mistakes? Do you believe that everything is in perfect order?

Are you aware of the fact that your answers to the questions here are not necessarily yours? Where did you find them, in books or on the internet? Did you learn them from someone you admire?

Are you aware of the fact that your ideas are not your ideas?

The thinking mind can’t make you happy.

Both spiritual and scientific explanations are created in the thinking mind. The thinking mind is just a small fraction of the whole mind but it is nevertheless very important. This part of us makes us human. Without the thinking mind, we would be apes. No-mind is a meaningless concept. What is important is how we make use of the thinking mind and to which end.

Our history and our plans for the future are also important. Human beings live not only in the now, like the animals. We have memories and stories to tell; we make plans and look forward to when things will improve. To focus all attention on the now will not bring about awakening.

Warmth is much more important than the now and all clever explanations. Imagine someone without the ability to feel sadness, love, kindness and friendship, but with a head filled with answers. Can you think of a more miserable person?

Death

Some people believe in reincarnation, others that they will end up in heaven or hell when they die. I believe that my life is like a fire in a cold and indifferent winter’s night. Eventually it will go out, but others will bring the fire on..

We will not wake up from the hypnosis

You can’t expect that a devout Muslim would abandon his religion simply because you have strong arguments against religious delusions and superstition.

You can’t expect that a Jew or a Catholic would question their beliefs. You can’t expect that a right-winger would understand that his worldview is nothing but a mental construct, like a fantasy or a daydream.

All people build castles in the air, new-age people, religious people, people with political opinions and agendas. All people confuse their fantasies with the reality.

Very few are able to realize that they’ve been indoctrinated and deluded. Very few are able to realize that their religion, worldview and political opinions are nothing but weird ideas. Very few are able to drop their delusions.

This is the reason why I don’t believe in a future for humankind here on earth. We simply can‘t give up our desperate fight to defend our follies.

Faith can move mountains

Some believe that they are saved, others that they are spiritually awakened.
Some believe that they are stupid, others that they are smart.
Some believe that they are cursed, others that they are chosen.

Some believe that life is about struggle and competition; others believe that without love and friendship life is not worth living.

Some believe that we reap in this life, what we have sown in a previous life; others believe that we will end up in heaven when we die.

Maybe those groups in our social evolution whose faith was strong competed out groups without deeper convictions. Maybe they fought harder. Maybe they where more united. Maybe their frenzy and zealousness made them invincible.

Beliefs, faiths and myths are two-edged swords. They create disasters, war and madness in the world, but they can also create meaning and inner strength for individuals, or depression, delusions, low self-esteem and misery.

Minestrone soup

You’re not good or bad, you’re both. You have good and bad sides. You’re not stupid or smart, not lazy or diligent; you’re not a dreamer or a realist; you’re a mixture of many ingredients, like a minestrone soup - in a skin bag.

However, two minestrone soups will never taste the same. The ingredients vary with the season.

You can be a mixture of, for example, greed, sadness, anger, joy, silliness, curiosity and tenderness in different proportions. Sometimes there is too much jealousy in the soup; sometimes there is too much contentment.

You’re sometimes like a sleepwalker, sometimes wide-awake, sometimes sloppy and sometimes disciplined, sometimes selfish and sometimes unselfish.

There is no true self. There is no genuine minestrone.

Double-talk

Religious people are seldom particularly religious. They usually don’t even follow their own doctrines. Most Christians, for example, store up for themselves treasures on earth and refuse to forgive their enemies. They don’t turn the other cheek and they blow trumpets when they give alms so everyone will know how good they are.

In a similar way, scientists are seldom particularly scientific. They speculate, assume and hypothesize. If they would only speak about what they had clear evidence for, they wouldn’t have much to say. They would have to stop trying to explain how life begun, the Big Bang, humankind’s early prehistory, superstrings, parallel universes, what consciousness is made of and thousands of other things.

What about you, do you walk your talk? Are you not like all the rest? Are you not human?