Happy Thanksgiving to all and nice piece. dj On Wed, Nov 24, 2010 at 9:15 AM, gabbydott <[email protected]> wrote:
> And let's not forget to thank the first benevolencees: > > > http://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Datei:The_First_Thanksgiving_Jean_Louis_Gerome_Ferris.png&filetimestamp=20081117190753 > > Happy Thanksgiving also to those that didn't make it into this culture. My > deepest respect. > > > > On Wed, Nov 24, 2010 at 2:38 PM, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Thank you, Molly, and all- and I wish you all a happy day of >> thanksgiving whether it is celebrated in one's culture or not. Life, >> itself, is the feast! >> >> On Nov 24, 4:50 am, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: >> > I must say I certainly admire your strength, Chris. The emerging >> > field of epigenetics, for me, speaks to much of what you say in that >> > it says that our internal environments effect our lives on every >> > level, including genetic. So your thoughts and feelings (and tone) of >> > generosity and gratitude bring myriad wealth to your life (and those >> > around you.) They certainly inspire me, thank you. >> > >> > Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in ME. >> > >> > Molly >> > >> > On Nov 22, 10:05 am, Chris Jenkins <[email protected]> wrote: >> > >> > >> > >> > > Back atcha, Molly! :) >> > >> > > If I recall correctly, Dawkins wrote at length about altruism in "The >> > > Selfish Gene". My Readers Digest Condensed Version of his argument is >> that >> > > altruism is a selfish action which desires to improve society, >> culture, the >> > > world, whatever, which then indirectly benefits the actor. We give of >> > > ourselves and our resources not because of a direct emotional empathy; >> we're >> > > generally too far removed from the recipient to experience much >> emotional >> > > impact. Instead, we give because we don't want to live in a world >> where >> > > people don't give. We don't want to live in a world where people >> suffer, >> > > starve, lose everything, endure horrible illnesses or violence. We >> want to >> > > "make the world a better place" because we live in it, and want to >> live in a >> > > better place. >> > >> > > I was reminded of this when you said "I think it is true that your >> giving >> > > spirit comes back to you tenfold", a variation of the modern, main >> stream >> > > perception of karma. I've generally not given much weight to that >> concept, >> > > as it's often packaged as part of a universal concept of justice, with >> a >> > > greater hand somewhere balancing scales. Recently though, integrating >> > > Dawkins' ideas of both biologically driven altruism, and how memetic >> > > evolutions occur, I see karma as the philosophy of altruism, where the >> > > concept of a slow, progressive social evolution for the betterment of >> human >> > > kind which benefits all is replaced by the easier to grok direct >> return for >> > > "energies" expended in altruistic endeavors. It made your statement >> resonate >> > > with me. >> > >> > > I've dealt with some pretty challenging hardships this year (skirting >> > > dangerously close to the edge of insolvency), and yet there are two >> families >> > > connected to me by one degree of separation who have already gone over >> that >> > > edge, and are now just trying to pick up the pieces and survive. In >> honest >> > > introspection, I see that underlying selfishness, in hoping that by >> helping >> > > those worse off, I in some way contribute towards a world which will >> > > potentially help me if I fall to that level. >> > >> > > At any rate, that was a bit of a ramble, but your statement fit well >> into a >> > > long running conversation in my head, so figured I'd share. :) >> > >> > > On Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 5:46 AM, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: >> > > > I think it is true that your giving spirit comes back to you >> tenfold. >> > > > Nicely done, Chris. Blessings to you and yours this holiday season. >> > >> > > > On Nov 19, 9:10 am, Chris Jenkins <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> > > > > Every year, we try to do a little fund raising to help those less >> > > > fortunate. >> > > > > This year is no exception. Despite the challenges we've faced this >> year, >> > > > > there are several families who are even worse off. If any of you >> feel >> > > > like >> > > > > contributing towards a worthy cause, visit here: >> > > >http://flmediasolutions.com/help.htm >> > >> > > > > Otherwise, have a happy holiday, count your blessings, ignore this >> email, >> > > > > and move on!- Hide quoted text - >> > >> > - Show quoted text - > > >
