Sunday, July 3, 2011

Questions, questions


If I had my way, any world-changing idea worth its salt would lick the boxes of a long list of interconnected concerns (see Appendix 1 for the entire list). For my money, it would need to address questions such as:
  • Is there a meaning to life? 
  • What is death? 
  • Is there such a thing as reincarnation? 
  • Is there an afterlife? 
  • Is there a God in charge—and what sort of a job does she think she’s doing? 
  • Does my dear sweet pet have a soul? 
  • What is the nature of good and evil? 
  • What is the essence of time? 
  • Is the universe, like diamonds, forever? 
  • Is there a ‘right’ religion—one that we’re meant to follow and never ever question? 
  • How does love fit into the picture? (Were the Beatles right?)
  • What is sex for, and is it okay? (Again, see under Beatles.) 
  • What merit, if any, does there lie in abstaining from alcohol, drugs, meat and tobacco? (Linda? Yoko?) 
  • Are humans really at the top of the pole? 
  • What should I, personally, do with my life? 
  • Do I have an assigned role, or am I free to please myself? Should people act ‘selfishly’, or is it better to devote ourselves to the lives of others? 
  • Is happiness in itself an admirable goal? 
  • Is there such a thing as free will? 
  • Is everything predetermined, or can we change the future? 
  • Why do wars, poverty, starvation and terrorism exist, and what can we do about them? 
  • Isn’t it a waste of time and effort to try to save the world? 
  • If there is a higher power, why doesn’t he, she or it appear to give a damn? 
  • Does anyone really know what it’s all about, or are we all just floundering in the dark? 
  • Is there a mountaintop guru that we can approach for help? 
  • Is it even possible to become enlightened? 
  • If so, where’s the manual?


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