There is a distinct problem with being a sentient being, trapped inside an electro-mechanical meat bag with thought muscles, a degree of self-awareness, and possessing a conscience. That problem is that one can never escape this electro-mechanical meat bag and in addition to that, nobody else can ever know what it is like to be this particular sentient being, trapped inside an electro-mechanical meat bag. It is like one is trapped inside a prison, with no way out and with nobody to actually accompany us.
This is not a new phenomenon. In classical Greek mythology, Zeus (the chief Greek deity, the ruler, protector, and father of all gods and humans) complained that he was "cosmically lonely" and being placed in the position of the chief ruler and deity, he had to sit upon his throne and all he did was listen to other peoples' problems and grant their wishes. There was nobody who could truly empathise with him and nobody truly understood what it was like to be him.
If this is a problem for a Greek god, then imagine what it is like for a temporal and limited being, who is very very limited in power and scope and who always has the fear of their own mortality lurking away in the background. The minute we are born we start dying; we die a little more every day. Young or old, rich or poor, there's nothing we can do to stop it.
When you then place a mortal sentient being inside an electro-mechanical meat bag, it stands to reason that the centre of the kosmos for that mortal sentient being is going to be roughly 19mm behind the front of their corneas. Not only do we have to live with the knowledge that nobody else can ever know what it is like to be us, we can not even escape ourselves. That in itself causes a problem.
As we constantly live in the centre of the universe, then humans are by nature both rationally and irrationally selfish. How can they not be? Depending on whether or not you think that this is all there is, it can not be avoided that everyone has to die once, then face the consequences of there are any. The point of religion is to ask the the questions of what those consequences are and to whom/what one might be answerable to because sooner or later we’ll all have to face what is before us, regardless of our conditions and take what’s coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad.
I think that it can be pretty easily shown by evidence, that everyone without exception is selfish and that means that there are no properly good people. I think that the headline evidence of this can be found in any daily newspaper. Today's headlines from the Daily Telegraph are:
- Dealer swapped cocaine for lockdown gym access: police
- Healthcare strikes: Paramedics next to take action
- Missing man found alive in drain after extensive search
- Fears ‘dirty cheaters’ have tarnished Olympics forever
- Three men face court charged with alleged extortion offences
- Mum allegedly used baseball bat in footy crowd brawl
- Prince Andrew and accuser agree to settle sex abuse case
If you think that those things are only thing that happen to other people, then ask yourself. Are these exceptions, or am I like this as well?
A rationally and irrationally selfish being who can not escape themselves, also has the potential to do any of these things and more and you and I will have done something equally as awful. Even if you don't think so, the chances are that you will have broken someone's heart at some point, disappointed someone, taken or stolen something from someone, been irrationally mad at someone; even years down the line, they still think you're terrible and they will objectively be correct. All of us are terrible and although we try to be good at times, for the most part we are really bad people.
I think that it stands to reason, that no selfish mortal sentient being inside an electro-mechanical meat bag can honestly say that they actually deserve the kindness of other people and if we're truly being honest with ourselves, don't actually deserve the kindness of ourself. Rationally speaking, selfish mortal sentient beings should be ignored and or chided for their actions.
This is why I think that we can be hard on other people and hard on ourselves. Rational selfish mortal sentient beings are fitted with at least some kind of moral compass or set of beliefs about how the kosmos works and this includes some measure of justice that should be metered out.
For this reason, the most powerful words in the universe are not particularly all that difficult to understand. They are powerful because undeserving selfish people, when given these statements, are elevated.
- I love you
- I appreciate you
- You matter to me
- I miss you
- I trust you
- I forgive you
- You inspire me
- I believe in you
- I support you
- I don't know
- You are doing great
- I will do better
- I value your opinion
- I am proud of you
These words should be said not only to other people but also to ourselves, for the simple reason that as selfish mortal sentient beings inside electro-mechanical meat bags, we can not escape. The most powerful words in the universe, as messages of hope and encouragement nurtures patience and kindness in a kosmos which quite frankly doesn't care. If we are trapped inside a prison, with no way out and with nobody to actually accompany us, then the least we can do is try to elevate each other and ourselves and make that stay pleasant.
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