The points you made about the desire to matter being elevated following the fulfilment of material needs made me think of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. The World State utilises genetic engineering, pre ordained social classes and drugs in order to placate social unrest. I wonder whether there is a danger governments attempt to ‘solve’ the spiritual needs of its citizens in a manner similar to the way they approached the solving of material needs.
I think the reason why we would never be fully satisfied is because it is also a part of our desire to be "unsatisfied." I really like a quote from Kant that says, "Rules for happiness: something to do, someone to love, something to hope for." These things shape our identities by directing where we put our attention and effort into. Therefore, if they are just automatically quenched, we would ironically be more miserable. We wouldn't have anything to "hope for" if anyone doesn't have to hope for, and work for the sake of, anything.
I appreciate your take, Paul, but I'm not sure I agree.
In your book, you say early on something like (paraphrasing / my memory) that the meaning of life is to take on as much suffering as you can take. I think that goes to far. I think we can have a meaningful life and make the world a better place w/o suffering. IMO, people should read your pal's books "The Moral Animal" and "Why Buddhism is True."
Of course this also explains the rise of cults and conspiracy theorists. They provide a shortcut to significance without the work of doing it properly. Everybody wants to be a player.
The alternative is that social media becomes more immersive (we haven't heard much about Elon's mind interface recently but somebody will crack it), so we eventually merge into a single consciousness and everybody in the world joins in. Then we need more minds to expand the experience and our shared importance. So we move into space and build a cube...
The points you made about the desire to matter being elevated following the fulfilment of material needs made me think of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. The World State utilises genetic engineering, pre ordained social classes and drugs in order to placate social unrest. I wonder whether there is a danger governments attempt to ‘solve’ the spiritual needs of its citizens in a manner similar to the way they approached the solving of material needs.
I think the reason why we would never be fully satisfied is because it is also a part of our desire to be "unsatisfied." I really like a quote from Kant that says, "Rules for happiness: something to do, someone to love, something to hope for." These things shape our identities by directing where we put our attention and effort into. Therefore, if they are just automatically quenched, we would ironically be more miserable. We wouldn't have anything to "hope for" if anyone doesn't have to hope for, and work for the sake of, anything.
I appreciate your take, Paul, but I'm not sure I agree.
In your book, you say early on something like (paraphrasing / my memory) that the meaning of life is to take on as much suffering as you can take. I think that goes to far. I think we can have a meaningful life and make the world a better place w/o suffering. IMO, people should read your pal's books "The Moral Animal" and "Why Buddhism is True."
Or, much shorter:
https://mattball.substack.com/p/a-meaningful-life-2-minute-version
Thanks for your post - appreciate your thoughtful takes.
Of course this also explains the rise of cults and conspiracy theorists. They provide a shortcut to significance without the work of doing it properly. Everybody wants to be a player.
The alternative is that social media becomes more immersive (we haven't heard much about Elon's mind interface recently but somebody will crack it), so we eventually merge into a single consciousness and everybody in the world joins in. Then we need more minds to expand the experience and our shared importance. So we move into space and build a cube...