The bittersweet

Can there be sweetness without what is bitter?
Can there be heroes without villains?
Can there be saviours without crises?
Can there be satisfaction without struggle?

 It seems the notion that struggle makes accomplishments all the sweeter may invariably be true, and conversely, we might not truly get satisfaction without hard work or sacrifice (satisfaction not being equal to contentment). Being human, we always crave something more, something new, but what if there is just enough? We either learn to accept it with contentment (by changing our mindsets against our natures), or we get overcome by greed.

 Case in point, a friend who can easily get sex and relationships complains about easily losing interest in said relations, whereas my long relationship has been forged through a tumultuous history. Or how my grades suffer when my career path has been set but peers outperform me as money matters weigh down on them. 

Whether the act of choosing contentment is right or proper I do not know. Competition breeds competitiveness; struggle breeds performance. But in this age when the consequences of rapid human development rears its head, it's time for us to review how we move forward as a whole and if we need the unbridled advancement and competitive spirit we have lauded as the hallmark of humanity.

There is Asura in all of us

of which most are unaware

Stress relief

It's funny, you know what makes good stress relief for me? Watching videos of cityscapes fly-by.

The wonderful architecture built by human minds and stand as a testament to intellectual advancement.
Thousands of people cooped up in small, well-designed areas where their every needs are cared for.
The synergy, the vibrancy, the life within.
The shapes, the colors and the lights.

All these contribute to make cities such a wonderful sight to behold. Ironic that living in one can sometimes make one disillusioned or depressed. I feel like taking a long hike through the city center, just like back in London or Tokyo.

Hopes and Fears

Awesome album by Keane, but anyway

"Fear cannot be without hope nor hope without fear."
Baruch Spinoza

I understand that hope cannot exist without fear (that said hope may fail), but can fear exist without hope? A morbid, hopeless desperation without any chance of redemption, where all is naught but an end? I keep thinking and pushing by extension: a fear of something permanent with no alternatives of do-overs - a fear of death. But people face the truths of their mortality and direct hope to their offspring. With no offspring they direct hope to humanity. With no faith in humanity, one may place hope in nature/other species. With no faith in the universal laws, one may place hope in the afterlife. Therefore I convince myself that it is a very peculiar trait of the human trait to create hope where there should exist none.

In that case, should one place hope onto the end-point, then what should they fear? Effectively, if one places all hope and belief into the afterlife, nothing on Earth can instill fear in him except through the wavering of this faith. Is it a wise choice? No one can tell. Is it practical? For all intent and purposes, it can very well keep one sane through the greatest burdens. Perhaps that accounts for the inability to remain objective to such a strong topic as religion.

This brings to mind a quote from the movie 'dangerous methods' - "why should we replace one delusion with another?" Concerning the human propensity to cultivate our own realities, it begs the metaphysical question 'can we approach truth', or rather, is it useful to pursue an absolute truth in the first place. It is not the place for a blog such as this to ponder such a question, but it does let us think. The human notions of hopes and fears - revealing insights into how we perceive and approach the world around us.

Mercy

The world offers no mercies of its own. The only mercies to be sought, is that which we can offer to each other.

Fun

It is a peculiarity, that the concept of pleasure/'fun' is accorded the person by his aptitude for work. A work-adverse person seeks pleasure in a world that needs recompense, and so he must work; regardless of the pleasure he obtains from income, job and duty looms over his head and he can never be said to be in a state of persistent pleasure. Yet for workaholics, the challenge and satisfaction afforded by his work gives him pleasure which requires no recompense. From such a perspective, it might only seem logical for everyone to delve headfirst into an unerring love of the job, yet few would do so. I, for one, fear that I might lose some special part of my personality I never knew dear to me.

I had an idea for a short story, a person given the ability to rewind time - some good ideas up in the head, but not fully fleshed out yet. Hope I can piece together a coherent article soon.

Posting

I've just posted a couple of half-finished posts, stored away in drafts forever, the original intents and ideas forever lost as the epiphanies slipped away, but nonetheless publishing allows me to reflect on what the ideas might have been, grasping at shards of faded memories. In short, posting is important. Procrastinating sucks.

Just wanted to place a little nugget of thought here - when friends have diverged from your life far enough to actually oppose your life view in a significant manner, is it justified to take action up to the point of renouncing said friendships? Purely hypothetical, but certain close acquaintances seem to be headed in that direction.

This warrants further thought, but I would love to hear comments should anyone chance on this post.