Jul 29 (edited) in Words of Wisdom
Ahad's Blog: Is this world good? (3 mins)
"Do you think this world is good?"
As I was winding down for bed last night, I received the above text message from my good friend and I thought to myself, 'That's a pretty vague question.' Here's the response I sent:
"I would ask for a definition of 'this world' and 'good' but I’ll give it a go anyway.
I think the average person walking by you on the street is nice and pleasant and kind and helpful if they can be.
I think that people generally lean selfish in a way that makes total sense, but averages out to many decisions going for the guy in power and against the little guy, until you end up like we are today.
I think that the world is the world.
I can’t apply good or bad to the ecosystems and wildlife. I saw a butterfly land on a flower earlier and that was nice, but on Tuesday I saw a grey squirrel pounce from a branch and slash a pigeon minding it’s own business scattering feathers into the wind - which happened to be blowing in my direction - and that was less nice.
I think that the universe is massive, we’ll amount to very little 'in the grand scheme of things' but I think that’s not our job. I think we’re supposed to do our best and live a good life by whatever standards we deem, and some people agree to the standards I hold and some people don’t and that’s OK - and important to remember.
I think good and bad are awkward words to describe anything, because the full context of a thing or a person or an event is often obscured before the judgement making process, and after the initial judgment is made the mind hardens to that 'fact'. You can't teach a man that which he thinks he already knows.
I think I’m good, until I’m bad by accident and sometimes, even worse, on purpose.
I think you’re good, because I don’t know what capacity you have to be bad.
I think a stranger walking up to me is bad because I don’t know the capacity they have to be good.
I think good can be done by bad people, and bad done by good.
I think it’s nuanced in a way that is not satisfying but very human.
I think I could say a jillion things so I’ll stop now"
About 30 minutes after reading a solitary question, I had written a summary of my overarching views on humanity and the universe, views which had slowly been built over time but never had been expressed outright before and I'm very glad I did.
So what about you, do you think this world is good?
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Ahad's Blog: Is this world good? (3 mins)
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