On 5/6/2010 2:29 PM, vamadevananda wrote:
Charity, as the word signifies, is a Christian concept that drives
away people, even kind and well-meaning ones ! That ' giving for
another's sake ' leaves people fearful and so dissatisfied because
there are so many that need and are forever there to take. On top of
it, if you are being pushed or shamed into doing it because it is the
expected thing ... would be a horribly destabilising practice to
perpetuate.
The ' giving for one's own sake ' is another paradigm ... as and only
as much as I feel I must, even judge when and to whom, in accord with
whatever my values and calling ... because I want to !
Would this then represent yet another paradox: selfish means for
selfless ends? Kidding. The daring thing that some allude to is that in
order to beat game theory the practice of the principle (recognizing it
is in our own best interest, sowing virtue) has to pass a threshold in
both quality and quantity. What you propose, and I agree, should be the
fundamental basis and is qualitative. As principle is undermined by
necessity, it is a luxury. That does not negate the principle though,
and pursuit of it may provide us an indication of 'leaky' reductions of
situations and pre-assessment. Adding my take on it, I think this is
implied with '...in accord with whatever my values and calling ...
because I want to !'
Either way it does appear to sustain the evolutionary model by avoiding
self destructive traits. We could argue that it is indeed how people
apply the principle in practice and mold the 'rules' or select the
'scriptures' that are potent to it. Now, how to refactor the zero-sum
game the world is playing? Creative potential might be sustenance, but
the threshold will require ignition or unifying vision. I hope we can
find that by choice... I retain the hope that the majority of people are
waiting for something, an indication or ignition, that we may not know
what looks or sounds like but is fundamental and natural to what we are.
