"Most of us agree that pain is part of life, that none of us can escape it, and that death comes for all of us in the end. And yet many of us feel that life is worth it; that the pleasure of life outweighs the suffering. Anti-natalist philosophy takes a different view. The anti-natalist believes that pain outweighs pleasure, so much so that it's morally wrong to bring a child into the world. What follows from this? Should we not only abstain from procreation but seek to stop non-human animals from doing the same? What about the innate biological drive to reproduce? And are happy people the victims of false consciousness?"
That is the blurb for an edition of a podcast called Philosophy Bites on ABC [Australia]. Well worth a listen.
I must admit, I had not heard much about this ideology before.
Thoughts?
13 Apr 22
@fmf saidI like the proverb a live dog is better than a dead lion. Life if it is being compared only to dead nothing we are comparing something to nothing.
"Most of us agree that pain is part of life, that none of us can escape it, and that death comes for all of us in the end. And yet many of us feel that life is worth it; that the pleasure of life outweighs the suffering. Anti-natalist philosophy takes a different view. The anti-natalist believes that pain outweighs pleasure, so much so that it's morally wrong to bring a child int ...[text shortened]... Well worth a listen.
I must admit, I had not heard much about this ideology before.
Thoughts?
13 Apr 22
@moonbus said'Suffering is optional' makes it sound so easy. It's not. One needs to consistently practice mindfulness to reach a state of rejecting suffering.
@FMF
Pain is unavoidable. Suffering is optional. The difference is only the judgment you put on it, and no one forces you to judge one way or the other.
@kellyjay saidThinking that life without your beliefs and aspirations [that there is everlasting life awaiting you] can simply be described as "dead nothing" is a pretty poisonous outlook, I'd say. I don't need you to agree.
If that is all there is life or nothing, but if there is more to this life than living and dying, obviously that will change the calculations.
13 Apr 22
@fmf saidIf there is nothing else then being happy here or sad, filled with joy or pain all leads to the same end. The righteous and evil in the end there would be nothing, how one chooses anything is totally unimportant after this life, if history swallows it up to be completely forgotten or a footnote until even the footnote is forgotten there is no value in nothing.
Thinking that life without your beliefs and aspirations [that there is everlasting life awaiting you] can simply be described as "dead nothing" is a pretty poisonous outlook, I'd say. I don't need you to agree.
13 Apr 22
@bigdogg saidI did not say it was easy.
'Suffering is optional' makes it sound so easy. It's not. One needs to consistently practice mindfulness to reach a state of rejecting suffering.
"It is more difficult to tame the mind than the wind." -- Gandhi
13 Apr 22
@kellyjay saidYour dogma. Not mine.
If there is nothing else then being happy here or sad, filled with joy or pain all leads to the same end. The righteous and evil in the end there would be nothing, how one chooses anything is totally unimportant after this life, if history swallows it up to be completely forgotten or a footnote until even the footnote is forgotten there is no value in nothing.
Life is a dance. The joy and purpose of the dance is the dance itself, not the critic's review the day after.
13 Apr 22
@kellyjay saidClearly, psychologically speaking, your religions beliefs are very important to you.
If there is nothing else then being happy here or sad, filled with joy or pain all leads to the same end. The righteous and evil in the end there would be nothing, how one chooses anything is totally unimportant after this life, if history swallows it up to be completely forgotten or a footnote until even the footnote is forgotten there is no value in nothing.
13 Apr 22
@fmf saidas for anti-natalists
"Most of us agree that pain is part of life, that none of us can escape it, and that death comes for all of us in the end. And yet many of us feel that life is worth it; that the pleasure of life outweighs the suffering. Anti-natalist philosophy takes a different view. The anti-natalist believes that pain outweighs pleasure, so much so that it's morally wrong to bring a child int ...[text shortened]... Well worth a listen.
I must admit, I had not heard much about this ideology before.
Thoughts?
biology outweighs that philosophy, some procreative actions are painful, and yet it continues
what amuses me is the philosophy behind the name of the podcast, "philosophy bites"
13 Apr 22
@rookie54 saidIs it better than “philosophy sucks”?
as for anti-natalists
biology outweighs that philosophy, some procreative actions are painful, and yet it continues
what amuses me is the philosophy behind the name of the podcast, "philosophy bites"
14 Apr 22
@moonbus saidIf there is nothing after this life, you can dance all you want; you'll end up no different than someone who sits in the corner all day doing nothing.
Your dogma. Not mine.
Life is a dance. The joy and purpose of the dance is the dance itself, not the critic's review the day after.