Taoist Novice's Deep Question's

[LousyLaoTzu]

Hey this will be a series of critical thinking question's  I will be asking out of curiosity  to the human condition. 

 

 

Our first subject will be: Human Nature

 

 

Is human nature constant or is it molded by culture?  Can human nature be completely changed by culture or society? 

 

 

-Lousy Lao Tzu

[Marblehead]

This could well be an interesting and helpful series.  Thanks for starting it.

 

Seems to me that the nature of the human animal is to be a herd animal.  We are educated into the culture of our parents and society.

 

As culture is constantly changing I would have to suggest that human nature is constantly changing as well.

 

 

 

 

[Lost in Translation]

43 minutes ago, LousyLaoTzu said:

Is human nature constant or is it molded by culture?  Can human nature be completely changed by culture or society? 

 

I can't say this is Taoist per-se, but I have a belief that the ultimate source (insert diety here), being infinite in power and wisdom has no need to hide anything from us. If something appears hidden it is only because our perceptions are wrong. (For example, you are looking for your keys and find them on the kitchen counter top. "Oh, here they are" you exclaim, feeling foolish because you walked past them a half dozen times and failed to see the obvious).

 

With that it mind...

 

43 minutes ago, LousyLaoTzu said:

Is human nature constant or is it molded by culture?  Can human nature be completely changed by culture or society? 

 

I would turn this question back upon you and ask you what do you see?

 

[Edit: Sorry for the double-quote. I pressed a button and everything got wonky. ]

Edited September 12, 2017 by Lost in Translation

[LousyLaoTzu]

 

36 minutes ago, Marblehead said:

This could well be an interesting and helpful series.  Thanks for starting it.

 

Tomorrow I will post another or simply add it here,  I am uncertain. 

 

24 minutes ago, Lost in Translation said:

I would turn this question back upon you and ask you what do you see?

 

Human nature seems constant in its conditioned response to culture.  In the earliest civilization's culture directed morality and governed it's people. 

In a time before civilization,  human nature was directed by survival and continuing it's legacy through offspring. 

One could say that that is human nature even today but I feel that would be a prudent thought. 

 

Humanity is but an animal capable  of deep thought,  which enables our biggest fault,  ego. 

Ego which differs from culture to culture. 

Human nature has and will constantly be in  state of flux.  It cannot be constant for our environment is never constant. So my humble belief is that human nature can be  completely changed by both culture and society. 

[Lost in Translation]

Hmm. Food for thought...

 

3 minutes ago, LousyLaoTzu said:

Human nature has and will constantly be in  state of flux.  It cannot be constant for our environment is never constant. So my humble belief is that human nature can be  completely changed by both culture and society.

 

It seems to me that human nature is rather fixed. We (humans) seek happiness. Our means to achieve happiness vary but generally involve feeling safe, healthy, valued by our peers, etc. Towards that aim we have developed many cultures that each seek to provide the above. Some cultures attempt to provide for all, others only for select few, but the basic equation stands.

 

[LousyLaoTzu]

18 minutes ago, Lost in Translation said:

Hmm. Food for thought...

 

 

It seems to me that human nature is rather fixed. We (humans) seek happiness. Our means to achieve happiness vary but generally involve feeling safe, healthy, valued by our peers, etc. Towards that aim we have developed many cultures that each seek to provide the above. Some cultures attempt to provide for all, others only for select few, but the basic equation stands.

 

Very,  very well said.  Thank you brother. 

[Sudhamma]

Does an unborn baby has "human nature" in the original state though it is accepted that the emotive state of the mother, the host do affect the foetus? However, when the baby is born, that "human nature" is consciously absent. The baby's mental state other than the biological needs is a total blank and as the baby grows so does the contact with the 'world' with the people around. The child forms his/her own character and 'human nature' forms and evolves. The other aspect from the Buddhist point of view is the 'opportune moment of conception' that considers both the parents and the "soul" of the baby-to-come. The strength of the 'karmic link' must be there for the conception to be successful and the Buddha commented that to be born a human is difficult ( and more so, to be a Buddha). It is our karma (or kamma) that follows us through deaths and rebirths and which differentiates us from one another though one aspect of our existence is common, that is, our "human nature".

[LousyLaoTzu]

6 hours ago, Sudhamma said:

The other aspect from the Buddhist point of view is the 'opportune moment of conception' that considers both the parents and the "soul" of the baby-to-come. The strength of the 'karmic link' must be there for the conception to be successful and the Buddha commented that to be born a human is difficult ( and more so, to be a Buddha). It is our karma (or kamma) that follows us through deaths and rebirths and which differentiates us from one another though one aspect of our existence is common, that is, our "human nature".

Amitoufu, brother. 

 

 

Brilliantly said and thank you for your insight. 

 

6 hours ago, Sudhamma said:

Does an unborn baby has "human nature" in the original state though it is accepted that the emotive state of the mother, the host do affect the foetus? However, when the baby is born, that "human nature" is consciously absent

 

Interesting that you used the new born baby analogy,   this is often the same, motif used by the Internal Alchemical school of Taoism.  Even Lao Tzu,  uses this motif when talking about the "uncarved block  (p'u) ".  A new born baby is a perfect example of an unbias,  contented, and pure human nature through non-conforming means. 

 

The baby has strong chi and can scream all day long and his voice  never get tired.  The baby has strong jing and can get an erection having not known the union between man and woman.  

Most importantly ,  the baby has strong shen and is closest to the Tao (or dharma)  by being so spirituality pure and one with itself.  

 

I might have just been rambling,  sorry. 

[LousyLaoTzu]

Taoist Novice's Deep Question of the Day:


Are humans better at creation or destruction?


 

[Wu Ming Jen]

Human true nature is divine. Conditioned mind just makes ordinary humans.

 

Men are great with destruction and blowing things up. Women are great with creation just ask your mother.

Woman must realize her significance, the great mission of the Mother of the World; she should be prepared to take responsibility for the destiny of humanity. Mother, the life-giver, has every right to direct the destiny of her children. The voice of woman, the mother, should be heard amongst the leaders of humanity. The mother suggests the first conscious thoughts to her child. She gives direction and quality to all his aspirations and abilities.

And woman is the one who should know and proclaim this leading Principle because from the very beginning she was chosen to link the two worlds, visible and invisible. Woman possesses the power of the sacred life energy. The coming epoch brings knowledge about this great omnipresent energy, which is manifested in all immortal creations of human genius.

 

What can not be created or destroyed is worth spending some time with.

Edited September 14, 2017 by Wu Ming Jen

[Marblehead]

1 hour ago, Wu Ming Jen said:

 

What can not be created or destroyed is worth spending some time with.

I like that well enough to want to repeat it.

 

[mrpasserby]

5 hours ago, LousyLaoTzu said:

Taoist Novice's Deep Question of the Day:


Are humans better at creation or destruction?


 

In my experience: the reason that we are here in this temporary superficial realm is to *explore destruction until we have been weened from it, become board with it, comprehend it, etc., so that we can move on to creating which is our natural state.

*beings of high intelligence and power, create controlled scenarios into which their children are placed, until they can overcome their forms initial behaviors. 'called the time of craziness by .......', called kindergarten by others.

[Sudhamma]

8 hours ago, Wu Ming Jen said:

What can not be created or destroyed is worth spending some time with.

 

Again from the Buddhist perspective, the Buddha had preached that any phenomena that exist because of conditions are subject to decay and decomposition, there is one that exist without any (pre-)conditions, and that is Nirvana (Pali: Nibbana). It is worth to spend some time to explore and journey to it.

[Marblehead]

Damn!  I just "Liked" a Buddhist post.  What is becoming of me?

 

[LousyLaoTzu]

1 hour ago, Marblehead said:

Damn!  I just "Liked" a Buddhist post.  What is becoming of me?

 

We're all apart of the Three Teachings.  Similar in design and thought.  When Buddhism was first introduced in China they all assumed it just some foreign kind of Taoism due to their similarities. 

[Miffymog]

 

21 hours ago, LousyLaoTzu said:

Taoist Novice's Deep Question of the Day:
 

Are humans better at creation or destruction?
 

 

For me, this is a simple, glass half full or half empty question. How do you (choose to) see the world?

 

A strange example would be Kim Jong-un's scientists creating an Hydrogen bomb. Depending on how much assistance they were given by the Chinese, this could actually be seen, in some lights, as a truly incredible success of skill and determination against really limited resources. The fact is, the speed at which he is creating deliverable war heads is astonishing.

 

(Although, given the expansion of Chinese territories in the region, the Chinese are just happy for the attention to be drawn away from their own activities).

 

 

 

Edited September 15, 2017 by Miffymog

[LousyLaoTzu]

Taoist Novice's Deep Question of the Day:

 

What are the best and worst parts of human nature? 

[cold]

Generosity & acceptance are best whereas greed & prejudice are worse parts of our human nature, imho ofcourse .

[Wu Ming Jen]

 A normal person has the divine human nature of 5 Virtues, Benevolence, Propriety Fidelity, Honesty, Righteousness and Wisdom

These aspects represent. Creativity, luxuriance and blooming, flourishing. Enthusiasm and passion. Nurturing, stability, and security. Ambition, determination, progress, and persistence. Aptitude, brightness, agile mind, and mental strength.

 

A screwed up person has the opposite effect on themselves and others around them like destructive behavior, no progress or persistence, no respect for others, untruthful,. bad or no morals and no wisdom to navigate life.

[Stosh]

 無 , faulty question. 

[Lost in Translation]

Context. It's all context.

 

Hatred and violence are bad, but a man filled with both can be a force for great good during a time of war if directed towards the enemy.

 

Love and compassion are good, but can be a cause of great suffering if they enable an evil man free reign.

[LousyLaoTzu]

4 hours ago, Stosh said:

 無 , faulty question. 

Haha,  someone must ask such questions!  I'm curious to hear everyone's answers. 

[Sudhamma]

17 hours ago, Marblehead said:

Damn!  I just "Liked" a Buddhist post.  What is becoming of me?

You 'liked' the post  because it reasonated with you, the adjective is a mere color. Thus, you are fast becoming.

[Sudhamma]

On 9/16/2017 at 3:51 AM, LousyLaoTzu said:

Taoist Novice's Deep Question of the Day:

What are the best and worst parts of human nature?

 

The best part: the 4 'godly' virtues of Loving-kindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy, and  Equanimity. 

The worst part: Anger, Greed and Ignorance.