Various Thoughts X

Thoughts and ideas are swirling around. I know you have yours, but I want to continue to set mine down for your consideration (or disdain). Your views, however they may disagree with what I'm saying, are always welcome. Please include your e-mail address with your comments so I can answer at length if your arguments intrigue me.

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Men were made to compete. So were women (and those who are uncertain about their sex/gender/whatever), although in some instances the “battlefield” is different and involves different subjects. We all want to be the best at whatever is under consideration. Perhaps it's sports, perhaps love, perhaps getting the lowest price for something most in fashion. Some people even argue about who has the worst disease, or who had the most frightful surgery. We even use reflected glory when we argue about our children and grandchildren.

We'll never stop the competition. We all want to be best no matter how sincerely we demand equality for all. Our goal is not to keep up with the Joneses, but to show them up.

How can the competitive fervor of all our citizens be converted into something more productive for society? Can we promote jousts for contributions of time or money? Of course we'd have to establish categories since there isn't equality. Prizes, if only certificates or plaques of honor, might be awarded. It's likely that they, themselves, would be the source of competition, but in the meanwhile society would benefit.

Are there other ways to make the urge to compete productive?

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Some maintain that the universe was created according to the laws of physics (and their origin was … ?). It was, apparently, a random event – fully explainable by natural laws and not requiring any supernatural intervention.

OK. But as unlikely as was such an event, according to this explication of events it could theoretically happen again. What could we expect if there were a new Big Bang in Boise? Would the current universe be eliminated or would there be a new universe centered in Idaho? Or is some other scenario worth consideration?

Give it some thought. It could happen at any time. You never know.

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I want to live forever. Or do I? Most of us see everything as revolving around us. We want to know everything and be part of everything. And if the devil offered us immortality in exchange for souls we've never seen, many would accept. The devil, of course, would keep his word as he always does in this type of deal. Once agreed there would be no turning back. Forever is forever.

The up side is that whoever chose that route would get answers to some of the questions he had. And he'd get a chance to find out what happened to those he loved. We don't get a chance to see the future, but he would.

Suppose, however, that soon after the contract was made there came the onset of severe pain or dementia. In that circumstance, Alzheimer's would be forever, or intractable pain would be eternal. Who would want that? Who would want to outlive the descendants he knew and be a burden on those he didn't know and who didn't know him? Sooner or later – after Medicare ceased to exist – he'd wind up in some charity hospital where those who cared for him didn't care. Forever.

Some might consider eternal pain better than eternal nothingness – if that is their belief about the future. Most, probably, would not. But in either case there would be no turning back. I think I'd opt for death, with a prayer that there is a world to come. Whatever the temptations, I don't think I want to live forever.

And you?

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That's all for now.

June 18, 2017