strawdog65

Hi Aaron! Hey, is there really any doubt that there were many earlier cultures that had attained a sophisticated level of technological advancement , only to be lost thru some great calamity or destructive process? There is always the talk of where is the technology if it was created where is it? What we consider technology of today does not necessitate what would have been high technology of an earlier civilization. The harnessing of the natural forces for example. the use of crystals for energy resonance and vibrational frequencies. there was a tv show on the history channel about what would happen to the cities and the world and how it would deal with the technology of mankind if mankind was to be eradicated from the face of the earth. I forget what the series was called, something like "after man" or something. And it was surprising how little actual time it would take for our civilized cities to crumble, there was something like a few thousand years to reduce our civilization to rubble. Given the time span you referenced, on the order of 150,000 years... the better question would be what would actually be left? I feel pretty strongly that the civilization of man is cyclic just like everything else. We are just the most recent springing up of civilization... and our technology may or may not be something that was before. If civilization has existed many times before, say in 150,000 year cycles, maybe we are approaching the outer limit and a decline into backwardness is imminent? Until such time as we are able to effectively leave this planet in massive numbers, there will never be a way to prove what went before. Peace!

A shadow deep down, The Lurker on the bottom, Jaws of death await.

Wow. That song is a headache. He who knows.... knows not. Why post something if you are not willing to be patient and considerate in your explanation of what you originally posted? Please show some consideration.

Hi 9th! I do agree with the first part of what you are saying, up to the point where you are saying that compassion is a process that ordinary people have not yet decided to undertake. From my own experience, some of the most naturally compassionate people are the ones others would consider the "dregs" of society. The act of acquiring knowledge does not make compassion something more easily attained just because of knowledge gained. Many times those claiming attainment of anything(including knowledge) are in fact the people in society that cause separation to manifest by their judgment of others as not being as on the same level(as good) as themselves. Compassion is a free flowing natural aspect of all humanity. It is the separation and judgment that humans make in keeping the world of have and have-not's a reality, that keeps compassion from being expressed with no effort. When all people of the world are treated equally, and all people no longer need desire for the necessities of living life, then will compassion be self evident and continuously flowing.

Hi Apech! We (all of the sentient life) are amazingly miniscule dust motes living within ever greater and ever more complex structures which to my mind are probably infinite. The sheer act of our awareness and the ability to observe such incredible attitude changing phenomena is humbling to the core. Comprehension of what is infinitely vast is forever beyond us. We will always be the spectators, thinking we know what the nature of the universe (at least ours) is based on by the things we learn in our cosmological backyard, never grasping the complete picture. But is it great fun! That is unless this is a holographic universal existence, then all is contained within the smallest piece. Peace!

MH, Thanks for putting it out there. I knew you would have something entirely thoughtful to say. I would like to say something about the condition of our lives and needs being met. I also believe this "needs being met" is he single largest stumbling block in the way of Humanity being Humane without effort. In my post about a future society, I brought up this subject in reference to a resource based economy and how it would change how we live our lives as far as how all people are treated. The desire for "needs": food, shelter, safety, and I would also say education, are what is necessary for all people to combat this feeling of not having the most basic of needs met. The world as we live in it presently is structured to create the disparity of people, the have and have-nots. Plain and simple. This is a manufactured reality in the sense that it does not need to be this way. Greed is rampant, and desires will always exist as long as people do not have the basic needs of their lives met. The concept of sharing is seemingly repugnant to the western mindset. This attitude flies in the face of the Taoist principle of knowing "when enough is enough", then sharing of resources can be seen as what it is , a natural process when abundance is the rule not a society based on created scarcity to create profit for the greedy few. Marblehead, thanks for the great reply...I agree with what you have posted. We all have to consciously work to be more selfless, and see our desires for anything other than basic needs as the frivolous and selfish things they are. Peace!

The place that we go. Floating islands, in the sky. Clouds of every shape.

Hello Everyone I am still interested in hearing some stories of your own YoungMind experiences. Surely I am not the only person to be able to remember the awe and mystery of my youth? I love a good story.... who's got one to tell? Peace!

Hi Marblehead! Hey I was expecting you to have something more to say...... C'mon can I coax you to give an opinion on what your perceptions of what Taoism and a supposed Morality have between them? I have great respect for the ability of mankind to be compassionate without the self imposed rules system of a false morality to ride shotgun over us. The naturalness of a compassionate attitude toward all life is less evident in our western materialistic, shallow society, then in cultures that have little material goods, but are rich beyond our understanding in the non-material goods of the interconnectedness that is their lives, naturally..... because they do not have the distractions of material wealth. Desire and judgment ruin us. lets hear your opinion Marbles......

Building designs by Alexander Remizov These are just released new designs for self contained buildings. Able to house 10,000 people at one time, able to withstand hurricane force winds, and can be placed on both dry land and on the ocean. These buildings are meant to be easy to construct and use some recycled components. Is this an Idea for the future earth society? Comments and suggestions? Peace!

Hi Jetsun! Thanks for your reply! I have had a similar life experience, when morality is imposed there is actually less opportunity to express what is most natural compassion and love for others. The Human animal is a most contrite being when caged. Whether it be a physical cage of iron, or a cage constructed of our thoughts to limit our actions. I guess it centers on the whether people believe Humanity is inherently "good" or "bad". My own belief is complex, but I believe people are inherently good, until the outside influence of desire and judgment take hold and change what was at the beginning true Tao nature. It is the result of life that we are always seeking to return to our most simple state. The state of open awareness before a time of judgment and separation from Tao. The state of being an infinite child. Peace!

Hi Aaron! Thanks for the reply. I just thought that this "play" covered some interesting ground that I thad not seen on TTB and thought it would be good to stir up some conversation of morality and it's relation to Taoism. I myself do not engage in anything other then Taoism as a philosophical means of life. The religious aspects are (to my understanding) something that was put into place much after the first inklings of Tao thought concepts. Being that the actual concepts of Tao pre-existed the TTC it is in this respect that I would like to explore the aspect of morality. Without the religious thought processes, just taking the Tao concept as it's naked whole, how would morality apply? Since all actions/non-actions are within Tao, would not the concept of any morality be a constructed, imposed set of values, only useful to the mind of Man? Can morality be said to actually even exist? Without the value system of man.... is the consideration of any kind of morality even a sensical argument? To me, Morality is a concept that has no actual proof of necessity, except to us Humans. And only then as a means of controlling our attitudes and actions within a given societal structure. Otherwise... remove Human thought and value and there is NO morality. There is no need for morality, what will be will be, because it would be what was most natural to occur. Do animals act in accordance to any perceivable moral code? Or do they act in accordance to what they instinctively know is necessary to their survival? It is because of the ability of the Human animal to conceptualize right and wrong behavioral standards, that there exists what is called Morality. It is our expectation for something to occur which is desirable to us to take place that allows the sense of a moral structure to inhabit our lives. There is no real "Thing" that is morality. The thing inside of each of us that we call "morality" is nothing more than what each of us, of our own understanding, put forth as "right" and "wrong" behavior which is in fact nothing more than our own "judgment" of what is only true from our own limited perspective. Morality is self serving judgment. Which is why...the Tao treats all as strawdogs. Tao is indifferent. Man is not. Peace!

I have to agree that there are many times where (recently) a post has been made and the replies are not even close to the original topic. Why there are so many people feeling that there is no need to reply to the original question/post, I have no idea. We can only endeavor to control our own actions, not the actions of others. And either way the Tao is accepting of all. Like MH has said, if the person has posted, they obviously feel strongly enough to take the time to post. And even so, sometimes the tangents that arise are interesting and meaningful. But I would still like to read a thread and see where the OP has been addressed meaningfully and then take the tangents as they arise for whatever they may present that is of use. Peace!

The Tao needs only one. Contained within everything Worlds within worlds, US.

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May he see fresh snow! Heffalump tracks leading north, Pooh and his hunny!

Yeah...I forgot just how poignant that show was. Now that I am older I see how Tao has kinda' always been there. Just never realized it before.

Nature is indeed impartial.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNrRmsXMUOE&feature=related

please take a look. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-lA6PeGL0k&feature=related

I agree with this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yZ0M1pWD44&feature=related

I would like to ad this as my comment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6evj0KTxY08&feature=related

Another great one! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L156XHjoDL0&feature=related

Just wanted to add this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf5aYzbB4JM&feature=related

Just wanted to add: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JBQPCHHK0Q&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf5aYzbB4JM&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EadMQ4cnK8A&feature=related