Posts by Emily Collins52

Michael Anderson2 said:I have to say, I'm inclined to agree with you. That leads me to the conclusion that there are different types of wealth—and different types of poverty, too. Is one kind of poverty better than the others? Personally, I think it is: material poverty is the absolute worst; it’s the kind where people literally starve. So, what am I choosing between here—being short on time or being short on cash?

What does "poverty is a state of mind" actually mean? Go ask the kids in Somalia about spiritual poverty. Or you don't even have to go that far—just look around at the local welfare office... Care to elaborate?

😂
I haven't touched the TV in years. What next—unplug the internet too? How am I supposed to stay informed? Does a person even need information in this day and age? Am I supposed to just retreat into some cave somewhere?

Whose fault is that? Theirs or yours?

To even have this debate, we’d need to define our terms first. What does "equality" actually mean? It’s obvious we aren't all equal in a physical or mental sense, but we ought to be equal under the law, regardless of what those rights look like. Sure, rights have to be bounded by some kind of social contract, but they should apply to everyone—why shouldn't everyone be equal when it comes to their rights?

So, you're stuck with the dilemma: is life predetermined by fate, or is it just a self-contained value that ends at death? I’m still not following. Even if someone believes in destiny, they still view life as a "self-contained" value, so I don't see where the dilemma lies.

Whether life is predestined or just completely random, it ends in death regardless—and after that, there's nothing, just like there was nothing before you were born...

Fear it or don't, you're going to die anyway, so there's no point worrying about the inevitable. Besides, you were dead for billions of years before you were even born. Of course, that's easier said than done. I'm still working on it myself...😁

Look, I don't really buy into the whole soul hype (not that you can, when concepts like "souls" are basically just part of the game)—I lean more toward the idea that everything is ultimately One, playing a game through multiplicity. In reality, "I" don't even exist; I'm just a manifestation of the One playing a game...

First bold point: 👍the thing I find myself dwelling on most often...

Second bold point—could you elaborate on that slightly?

silverraven7 said:I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, which basically means nothing is just some random fluke.
Another thing is that we usually can't wrap our heads around those reasons right away. If you actually bother to pay attention to your own life, everything starts to click and make sense. I've lived enough years now to look back at my own history and the path my kids have taken—for instance, looking at how things played out with our moves across the States—and honestly, everything that went down had its purpose.

Look, I don't buy into fate, karma, or what the stars are doing, but I do believe we end up with exactly what we expected or wanted, whether we realize it or not. Whether we actually deserve what we have (or what we're lacking) is really just an individual's struggle to deal with. At the end of the day, we're all constantly impacting one another.

If destiny exists, then free will is a myth. Everything is preordained; you act, but you aren't really choosing... human agency vanishes if fate is real.

I believe in a certain purpose that must be fulfilled. It will happen, one way or another... observing both humanity and the higher powers.
Of course, living a life "without destiny" is a bit... that kind of existence doesn't give us enough "significance," so people tend to view things through rose-colored glasses of fate. We attribute major life turning points to destiny while ignoring the tiny moments.

Partial determinism... 🤣
No one has the answer, but my philosophy is simple: "Since I'm already here, why not?"
In any case, Metrodorus "wins"—meaning fate wins if it exists. If it doesn't, well, at least he tried. "Why not"... 🙂