Dog-Eat-Dog World

[clbent04]

I’ve been down lately. I don’t really have much to be down about. But sometimes life just wears you down I guess.  I have an amazing wife, the cutest baby girl, 3 fun-loving dogs, and a good job. So what’s missing?

Life has become bleak.  I don’t know when or exactly why my perspective changed. Maybe a year ago? I started seeing life for the rat race that it is and it has really affected me.  Everyone building their own little empires, going to work to collect their paychecks, to buy a bigger house, nicer cars, status, ego…  What does it all amount to?

Why is life set in this format where we are prone to be greedy, self-interested, and segregated from one another? Maybe this is part of where the argument evolves from of capitalism vs. socialism.  Socialism obviously doesn’t work very well in this world, but why must the world we live in thrive off competition and not harmony?

Was God’s design for this world intended to make us compete rather than be unified?  While God’s desire for us is to be unified, what of His design?  We live in a world where we only get to have meaningful relationships with very few people.  Think of how many more friends we would have if we didn’t live in a dog-eat-dog world, if we didn’t care about status, if we didn’t just live for ourselves to build our own little empires. 

Why does the format of this life limit us to having so few meaningful relationships?  I heard a quote once saying something like you’re lucky if when you die you have 2-3 good friends in this world.  Why does it have to be that way?  Think of how many like-minded individuals must be out there that you would connect with given the opportunity.  But instead, we are systematically geared to exist in confined circles. 

I would like to live in a world where we are more inclined to be integrated with each other.  Instead, we spend most of our time at a job to make money for ourselves and our families.  Maybe you do a little charity on the side, but for the most part you dedicate yourself to your job for your benefit, to pay your bills, for the purpose that you can live and prosper, not for someone else’s benefit.

How much of our selfish attitudes are attributable to the world we were placed in?  A world where resources are often hard to come by?  Would mankind be more unified if resources were easier to obtain, if no one had to worry about food and shelter?

If we are made in the image of God, and this life is a test in preparation for life hereafter, what does systematic segregation in this life teach us?  The segregation that naturally arises in one’s pursuit to survive in a resource-limited world.  Are we to overcome it?  Or is it just a reflection of the eternal nature of things?  How will our relationships with one another be in the next life?  Is being sealed to your family for eternity a way we will continue to segregate ourselves from others not sealed to us?  We are only able to be sealed to a handful of individuals in this life.  Do temple sealings prevent us in the life hereafter from having equally meaningful relationships with others not sealed to us in this life? 

I for one long for the many meaningful relationships we had in the preexistence.  To be reunited with the like-minded and true friends we’ve been disconnected from.  The thousands, millions, billions?  If one relationship in this life can bring us so much joy, how much more joy would we have.  Maybe that reunion itself is one of the underlying reasons that Joseph Smith reportedly said if man could see beyond the veil, he would be tempted to leave this life. 

Edited December 26, 2017 by clbent04

[Guest]

28 minutes ago, clbent04 said:

1. Why must the world we live in thrive off competition and not harmony?
2. Was God’s design for this world intended to make us compete rather than be unified?
3. Why does the format of this life limit us to having so few meaningful relationships?
4. Would mankind be more unified if resources were easier to obtain, if no one had to worry about food and shelter?

1. The world does NOT thirve off competition.  It DOES thrive on harmony.  This has nothing to do with capitalism vs socialism.  That is more about freedom than about being connected to one another.  

   Quote

   And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.

   Jacob 2:19

2. No, it was not.  God's design for this world was to have us love and serve one another.  It is MAN who decided not to listen.  And we end up wondering why we're not happy.  But it has to be by choice (freedom) not by force (socialism).
3. It is not the format of this life that causes this.  It is our current culture in the US and most of the developed world.  Don't blame God for the disobedience of men or the tyranny of TPTB.
4. No, we wouldn't.  There would be very few reasons to even leave home.  And without purpose, we'd find that life would be much shorter.

First, read the following thread.

Then consider how much cultures and societies thrived, the more individuals were dedicated to serving one another.

The Golden Age of Rome there were two types of leisure:  The slave's leisure (entertainment) and the citizen's leisure (what we might call public service today).  The citizen's (or what were termed "liber") leisure meant getting involved in politics, being involved in a charity, or otherwise doing good for the community.  It was not a time to simply lounge around.  The slave (when they had such little leisure time as was afforded them) went to entertainment or simply lazing about or sleeping.

In our culture, the vast majority have been brainwashed into thinking that we've "earned" our time to just sit and watch TV for a while.  IOW, we're behaving like the slaves.  Yet, we think we're free.  In a culture of slaves, we do NOT socialize.  We do NOT make meaningful connections.  That is for liber.

One great function of the Church is to provide an outlet for us to make such connections.  While it isn't the only one available to us, it is certainly a valuable one.

So, I'd ask you (regarding your current blues) what is it that you're doing about it?  You can make friends at work (unless you've got the bunch that I'm working with currently).  You can make friends at your neighborhood.  You can make friends at church.  You can make friends by going to https://www.justserve.org/ and finding a common cause that you can work towards.  You can pursue more education through seminars and study groups.  You can get involved in politics.

What do you do when you are able to choose what to do on your own?  We make a lot of excuses about not having enough time.  But we've all got plenty of time to do meaningful service.  We just tend to waste it on a lot of things or we make life choices that burn up a lot of time.  Even choosing to work far from the office means we're burning up a lot of time in commute time.  But that's a life choice.  The more agrarian lifestyle of underdeveloped countries has a lot more interaction.

We were meant to earn our bread by the sweat of our brow.  But our hearts were always meant to be connected to one another.  The very doctrine of sealing tells us this.  In the end, sealing is not just a family thing, except that it includes the entire family of Adam.

If after all this, you honestly cannot come up with any part of your life where you feel you can connect, then remember the motto of BYU.  Make your career about more than just earning a living for you and your family.  Make it a matter of service.  You were given talents.  How are you using them?  Are you using them for filthy lucre?  Or are you using them to provide a service for which there is a demand?  It doesn't matter if we get paid one way or paid another way to make a living.  But we must always consider how we are best serving God and man with the talents that the Lord has given us.

[clbent04]

46 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

1. The more agrarian lifestyle of underdeveloped countries has a lot more interaction.

Hopefully this is true. Maybe I need an extended trip to Fiji to restore some of my confidence in mankind.  Being in the middle of the US of A though, and observing the prevalence of the dog-eat-dog mentality, is despairing.  It is so prevalent everywhere I look, not just at work but even at church I see so many of us solely focused on seeking personal gain in one form or another.  I can't help but believe this is how human mentality is across the board, regardless of where we live

Edited December 27, 2017 by clbent04

[zil]

15 minutes ago, clbent04 said:

Being in the middle of the US of A though, and observing the prevalence of the dog-eat-dog mentality, is despairing.

I believe you see this because you believe it.  Believe something different and you will see something different.  I think this is one of the keys of faith and reality.

Today, I saw two couples go and help an older sister in our ward who was injured in an accident.  I saw technology enable us to communicate this information rapidly so that the right people could step in to help.

On a regular basis, I see very generous people giving gifts to strangers without any expectation of compensation - they do it for the joy of sharing a hobby they love.

Yesterday, I saw people put aside moral disagreements to share a holiday meal and exchange gifts, because despite those disagreements, they love each other.

Change what you see, and your world will start to change.  Will greedy and sinful people still exist?  Sure, but they won't dominate your world any longer, and you will find reasons for hope rather than despair.

[wenglund]

3 hours ago, zil said:

I believe you see this because you believe it.  Believe something different and you will see something different.  I think this is one of the keys of faith and reality.

Today, I saw two couples go and help an older sister in our ward who was injured in an accident.  I saw technology enable us to communicate this information rapidly so that the right people could step in to help.

On a regular basis, I see very generous people giving gifts to strangers without any expectation of compensation - they do it for the joy of sharing a hobby they love.

Yesterday, I saw people put aside moral disagreements to share a holiday meal and exchange gifts, because despite those disagreements, they love each other.

Change what you see, and your world will start to change.  Will greedy and sinful people still exist?  Sure, but they won't dominate your world any longer, and you will find reasons for hope rather than despair.

Viktor Fankl grasped that profound concept while starving in a Concentration Camp, sleeping under the barracks with human feces dripping on his face at night, among other fomrs of unimaginable depravity.

 

Thanks, -Wade Englund- 

[clbent04]

4 hours ago, zil said:

I believe you see this because you believe it.  Believe something different and you will see something different.  I think this is one of the keys of faith and reality.

Change what you see, and your world will start to change.  Will greedy and sinful people still exist?  Sure, but they won't dominate your world any longer, and you will find reasons for hope rather than despair.

There’s a difference in seeing the world as we want to see it, and how the world really is 

[wenglund]

6 hours ago, Carborendum said:

1. The world does NOT thirve off competition.  It DOES thrive on harmony.  This has nothing to do with capitalism vs socialism.  That is more about freedom than about being connected to one another.  
2. No, it was not.  God's design for this world was to have us love and serve one another.  It is MAN who decided not to listen.  And we end up wondering why we're not happy.  But it has to be by choice (freedom) not by force (socialism).
3. It is not the format of this life that causes this.  It is our current culture in the US and most of the developed world.  Don't blame God for the disobedience of men or the tyranny of TPTB.
4. No, we wouldn't.  There would be very few reasons to even leave home.  And without purpose, we'd find that life would be much shorter.

 

While I mostly agree, I would frame it somewhat differently as a battle between the natural and the spiritual man. I believe that the natural man is inclined towards competition, which is a function of psychological status systems in an environment of limited resources, whereas the spiritual man thrives on unity through faith in God which can make all things possible.

If so, the Dog-eat-dog world is a natural  expression of the natural man, with the anecdote being subjection of the natural to the spiritual, the competitive to the unifying  the way of the world to the way of Christ. 

This means that if one is disheartened by the dog-eat-dog world, then joy cometh through turning to Christ. Living in the world, but not of it.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Edited December 27, 2017 by wenglund

[wenglund]

9 minutes ago, clbent04 said:

There’s a difference in seeing the world as we want to see it, and how the world really is 

That may be true if we were or are omniscient rather than limited in our perspectives. Because it is the later, "reality" becomes a matter of chosen perspective. Those who focus on the roses will have beauty in their lives, while those who focus on the thorns will be disheartened.

I should note that discouragement tends to be more a function of how we personally are faring in the world, rather than how the world is faring around us. In  other words, as long as we are succeeding in the world (even the natural man side of us), we will tend to feel encouraged regardless. The caveat to this is depression due to chemical imbalance.

I mention this because you indicated that your change in mood was fairly recent, and you weren't sure what changed so that you began seeing the dog-eat-dog world, resulting in depression. Please consider the plausibility that, if you haven't experienced a significant trauma in your life (death of a loved one, dissolution of relationships, bullying at work, etc.),  you may have a chemical imbalance.

Something to consider.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[clbent04]

5 minutes ago, wenglund said:

That may be true if we were or are omniscient rather than limited in our perspectives. Because it is the later, "reality" becomes a matter of chosen perspective. Those who focus on the roses will have beauty in their lives, while those who focus on the thorns will be disheartened.

I should note that discouragement tends to be more a function of how we personally are faring in the world, rather than how the world is faring around us. In  other words, as long as we are succeeding in the world (even the natural man side of us), we will tend to feel encouraged regardless. The caveat to this is depression due to chemical imbalance.

I mention this because you indicated that your change in mood was fairly recent, and you weren't sure what changed so that you began seeing the dog-eat-dog world, resulting in depression. Please consider the plausibility that, if you haven't experienced a significant trauma in your life (death of a loved one, dissolution of relationships, bullying at work, etc.),  you may have a chemical imbalance.

Something to consider.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Interesting you say that. I honestly feel really off right now. I think my cynical view of the world is an accurate depiction of how life really is, but maybe it’s something else driving it like you said.

Why do you think having a cynical view of the world is exclusive to experiencing trauma or having a chemical imbalance? And why can’t the answer just be that this world sucks? I guess I know that’s not the answer since I seemed to be ticking along just fine before. 

I’m not sure if my view stems from trauma, a chemical imbalance, or both. Can it be both? I’ve never been diagnosed with any kind of chemical imbalance before.

When I was 23 my dad murdered my mom by running her over in his car and then killing himself with a gunshot to the head. Maybe that is catching up with me causing an imbalance to how I see the world? I also had a dissolution of a relationship that weighed on me for many years (first gf/love, didn’t work out).

So I don’t know. Maybe I just have a bad brain at this point. I used to being hopeful and optimistic about most things. I’ve attributed my new cynical perspective to me having more life experience and knowing how this world really works, but maybe it’s more than that? How can I tell if it’s trauma or chemically related? Or if it really is just the pulse of this world that has me down?

 

[Chrisberockin]

clbent04,

Thank you for sharing these thoughts of yours in such a well-composed manner. Reading your post, I really could sympathize. I have had many of these same thoughts. Life can be frustrating, that's for sure.

The only words of encouragement I would offer is that life isn't always frustrating. I'm sure that you, like me, have certain relationships and certain fond memories and experiences that you are grateful to have had, even if it meant having to come struggle along in a dog-eat-dog world. A lot of these good things for me came from the Church. Most of my closest friends I met during my mission, or in my wards, etc. This is a testimony to me that all good things do come from God. Those negative, despair-inducing realities that you are speaking of are not really from God. God's creation was "good," and mankind has used agency in ways which have brought negative effects that we get to deal with at the present time, but I take comfort in knowing that this life is just a blip in eternity, and we will get to live in a paradise where we don't have to struggle to survive, and I believe that we will have the time to meet and enjoy all of the delightful members of the human family and it will be wonderful. As someone else has already mentioned, sealings bind families together like links in a chain, and so in theory all of the human race can be together in celestial glory.

So... You're not crazy to feel discouraged by the things you talked about. But in my experience, that kind of feeling comes in waves. I'm sure you've had more joyful periods of life, and I'm sure you will have such periods in the future, although that is hard to see during the bad times. This life can be hard, and sucky, and so many people are wrapped up in selfishness, and it is discouraging to have no choice but to take part in the rat race for the sake of your own preservation, but there is also good in everybody, and there are blessings from God to be grateful for, and there is a bright eternity to look forward to. Overall, life is definitely worth it.

[Grunt]

That's why I go to church. Maybe the world stinks.  It doesn't really matter to me.  I don't always look at the world as a whole.  I make my little part of the world as good as I can by surrounding myself with people who make it that way.  I expand my world a little more every day.  

Maybe that's what you're missing.  Did you ever go back to church?  How are you doing with your other issues?

[clbent04]

2 hours ago, Grunt said:

That's why I go to church. Maybe the world stinks.  It doesn't really matter to me.  I don't always look at the world as a whole.  I make my little part of the world as good as I can by surrounding myself with people who make it that way.  I expand my world a little more every day.  

Maybe that's what you're missing.  Did you ever go back to church?  How are you doing with your other issues?

Hey ya ole Grunster. Thanks. Your outlook is how mine used to be. Regardless of how the world really is, I maintained a positive outlook.

But then I realized I’m part of the very machine I despise, as we pretty much all are. The machine where we all work jobs mostly for our own benefit. The self interest of everyone became so apparent to me. But it’s not that we are all bad people who care nothing about anyone else. It’s that we are placed in this environment that forces us to survive.

Our monthly bills mount up where we have to use the greater portions of our paychecks to address our own expenses, not our neighbor’s. We primarily go to work for our own benefit. And that in turn trains us to be self interested, to see how much money we can save, then think of how many things we want, ultimately playing a part in the social segregation we see today. 

People are not able to have the relationships they otherwise would have since most of our time is spent on ourselves. You have a regular 40 hour, 50 hour+ job, time you spend with your family, all amounting to us needing to spend the majority of our time sustaining and building our own little empires. I’m just a little burnt out on the format 

Edited December 27, 2017 by clbent04

[Guest]

14 hours ago, clbent04 said:

I can't help but believe this is how human mentality is across the board, regardless of where we live

The natural man is an enemy to God.  So, I have no problem believing this.  But your first post was of the position that "this world is set up to be this way" is not really correct.  We're placed in a world where we need to do some things to survive.  But to thrive, there are three routes:  The devil, man, or God.  People will choose what they will choose.  But the Lord's way is different than what we normally see.

I'll agree Mormons are not immune from this mentality.  Just this morning I was face-to-face with it when I was simply in my own home.  And it wasn't from my kids.  It was me.  I had to do a double take at some of the things that I considered doing.

Luckily, I thought better of it before I went through with anything.

9 hours ago, clbent04 said:

There’s a difference in seeing the world as we want to see it, and how the world really is 

Technically, yes.  I'd agree.  But in practical application, there really isn't.

Edited December 27, 2017 by Guest

[zil]

3 hours ago, Grunt said:

I make my little part of the world as good as I can by surrounding myself with people who make it that way.  I expand my world a little more every day.

And thus, the universe improves - literally.

[wenglund]

9 hours ago, clbent04 said:

Interesting you say that. I honestly feel really off right now. I think my cynical view of the world is an accurate depiction of how life really is, but maybe it’s something else driving it like you said.

Why do you think having a cynical view of the world is exclusive to experiencing trauma or having a chemical imbalance? And why can’t the answer just be that this world sucks? I guess I know that’s not the answer since I seemed to be ticking along just fine before. 

I’m not sure if my view stems from trauma, a chemical imbalance, or both. Can it be both? I’ve never been diagnosed with any kind of chemical imbalance before.

When I was 23 my dad murdered my mom by running her over in his car and then killing himself with a gunshot to the head. Maybe that is catching up with me causing an imbalance to how I see the world? I also had a dissolution of a relationship that weighed on me for many years (first gf/love, didn’t work out).

So I don’t know. Maybe I just have a bad brain at this point. I used to being hopeful and optimistic about most things. I’ve attributed my new cynical perspective to me having more life experience and knowing how this world really works, but maybe it’s more than that? How can I tell if it’s trauma or chemically related? Or if it really is just the pulse of this world that has me down?

 

Wow, that is a huge trauma that no child should have inflicted upon them. It may indeed be catching up to you unawares.

Please note that I didn't say to ignore the thorns of life because you may do so at your peril. Rather, keep them in your peripheral while focusing on the good, the roses,, and this because it activates the healing balm of gratitude.

This may be done even if, on balance, the world around you sucks, since even in the worst of conditions (such as the unimaginable depravity in the Concentration Camp that Fankl experienced), there is still some measure of goodness, God working in your heart.

I speak somewhat from experience. I was working at an international brokerage firm, and like you I started to notice all the dog-eat-dog and self-centered love of money, etc., and it really got me down. But, one day I happened to stand and look across the seemingly endless rows of cubicals, and the thought struck me as to how much good was being done--i.e. food was being put on my coworkers' tables, their families had roofs placed over their heads, it enabled them to provide places to gather in love, as well as charitable funds to donate, and on and on.  This thought literally, and near instantly, changed my mood for the far better.

Granted, while I had depressing things in my past, they would pale in comparison to the trauma you experienced. But, I believe the principle still applies.

More important, though, is that the "reality" of the way things are, is only half the psychological equation. The other half is how you let that "reality" affect you, which is a matter of choice.  Here are a couple of short animated videos that explain what I am suggesting and a bit more (see HERE and HERE)

I hope this helps.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Edited December 27, 2017 by wenglund

[Guest]

10 hours ago, clbent04 said:

So I don’t know. Maybe I just have a bad brain at this point. I used to being hopeful and optimistic about most things. I’ve attributed my new cynical perspective to me having more life experience and knowing how this world really works, but maybe it’s more than that? How can I tell if it’s trauma or chemically related? Or if it really is just the pulse of this world that has me down?

It is really easy to "blame" our behavior or outlook on chemical imbalance or trauma or ...

I suffer from clinical depression.  While that is a fact, I simply can't allow that to be my excuse every time I have a negative outlook.  The fact is that the negative outlook is still mine.  Whether it is chemically induced, spiritually induced, mentally induced or anything else.  In the end, it is my choice.  I have to deal with it.  I have to make the choice to be happy.  I fail at it quite often.  But I have made the choice to own my feelings, my outlook, my moods, and my choices.  

My choice.  Your choice.

[zil]

11 hours ago, clbent04 said:

There’s a difference in seeing the world as we want to see it, and how the world really is 

I didn't say "want", I said "believe".  You believe those things are rampant and so you see them everywhere - what you think is there, your mind provides you evidence of, to the exclusion of other things.  In other words, you see what the lens of your mind is focused on, while the rest is out of focus or out of the picture.

If you would change your perception, turn to the Lord.  While you might be able to do it without him to some degree, that is the hard, and generally temporary way.  Ask the Lord in every prayer you say to help you choose to see beauty, generosity, kindness, love - virtue.  Ask him to help you choose joy over despair.  Then get up and do your best to make those choices.  Do the things the Lord has taught us to do - follow his example.  It may take years for your perception to change, but if you enter this effort willingly, it will change.

Nearly every situation can be viewed from different perspectives, some hopeful and grateful, some cynical and pessimistic.  Choose one, and you will see that one.

(I've spent hours trying to find the Nibley quote which explains this better than I could, but couldn't find it, so I give up.  It started with the scientific experiments that some things don't exist until they are observed.  I believe one of the secrets of true faith lies in that fact.  Look for it, and it will come into existence.)

[estradling75]

7 minutes ago, zil said:

I didn't say "want", I said "believe".  You believe those things are rampant and so you see them everywhere - what you think is there, your mind provides you evidence of, to the exclusion of other things.  In other words, you see what the lens of your mind is focused on, while the rest is out of focus or out of the picture.

Also known as Cognitive Bias https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_bias

I'll give a silly example...   When I was much younger I had friends who where into Astrology and Numerology and stuff like that, and being curious I read some of their books.  One of the things that stood out was was the prediction that based on my birthday I would have a weakness in the lower legs/feet.  I found it to be such a weird claim that it stuck with me.  And every time that my feet or lower legs ached I remembered it.

What I did not remember was all the other times other parts of me ached, because there was not weird connection to the other aches.  So if I were to go strictly on the number of times I "remembered" the prediction aches verses the other aches it would seem that I would have to call the "prediction" true.  Because I do not remember the other aches.  But if I were to catalog all aches (which I did for a while) I found that my feet and lower legs did not hurt more then any other part.

The world is full of everything... What we choose to pay attention to, to focus on, tells us more about us then the world as a whole.

[eVa]

@clbent04 I completely understand how you are feeling about the mentality of this world.  If you step back and look, it appears to be a mindless obstacle course of how can one get more, or it's little things like the lack of concern people seem to have for our planet, to wasting food products, to just being flat out rude in public.  Not to mention human suffering through oppression, starvation and pure immorality.  When I look through those goggles too long I tend to become complacent in life and depressed beyond measure.  I have to come back to the reality and soak up the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  No matter what has done or what will be done (only going to get worse) the sins, pains and agonies of this life are already purchased and paid for.  After that I am able to breath and just let it go to God who knows all things and that I should try not to contemplate that which is out of my control.  

I also thought about the early church while reading over the posts in this thread.  There was a time that the church wanted to live the "higher law," but were unable to leading to the law of tithing.  As far as I remember there will be a day when the church will be called to live that higher law and an amazing thing it will be.

[anatess2]

18 hours ago, clbent04 said:

Hopefully this is true. Maybe I need an extended trip to Fiji to restore some of my confidence in mankind.  Being in the middle of the US of A though, and observing the prevalence of the dog-eat-dog mentality, is despairing.  It is so prevalent everywhere I look, not just at work but even at church I see so many of us solely focused on seeking personal gain in one form or another.  I can't help but believe this is how human mentality is across the board, regardless of where we live

Hate to sound more of a downer but all you're talking about in the OP are First World problems.

My ginormous clan of a family doesn't reflect that kind of lifestyle.  Yes, of course, we compete to get ahead.  Nobody is gonna just hand money over for you to enjoy.  You get to work for it.   Or, at least that's the Filipino culture.  There's no government welfare in the Philippines.  So we are taught from the cradle to not settle for anything but the highest marks in school and the absolute best in work ethics.  But the purpose is not so we can have a McMansion and the fanciest of cars - the purpose is so that we will have the resources to serve the clan.  We don't rely on any government to provide welfare or healthcare or education or food, etc. etc. to any member of our clan.  We provide it ourselves.  That is our purpose.  Having a government do that for us will strip us of our purpose and the blessings of such.  If we're just giving taxes to a faceless government to provide for faceless people it is much easier to not feel one's charity.  So, when we provide directly for the succor of our own clan, then we see and feel the immediate effects of one's charity.  My clan spans the globe.  I have a 3rd cousin living only 3 hours drive from me and I have a sibling living 12 timezones away from me and more family spread in 4 continents.  I'm currently vacationing 2,000 miles away in my cousin's house - she is the ex-wife of my sister-in-law's brother. That's globalism, anatess-style.  I have aunts, uncles, cousins who you can't place in familysearch because they're not connected by blood.  Yeah, it won't be a surprise if I find out we're cousins because his grandmother and my grandmother were best friends in kindergarten.  I have clan members with McMansions and I have clan members in wooden huts.  My cousin in the wooden hut is proud of my brother with the McMansion.  He's the neurologist after all and my cousin is a jeepney driver.  The jeepney driver can walk into my brother's office anytime for a cough.  Yes, being a member of our clan, you can have the neurologist or my uncle, a general surgeon, treat your cough.  Free.  Medicine included.  Of course, we don't look down on the jeepney driver.  We get to ride his jeepney for free too.  Now, you may call that socialism.  The difference is - everybody in the clan wants to be in the clan and takes pride in the success of the clan.  We all share the same traditions and culture and are taught from babyhood about the traditions of the clan.  You bring the clan dishonor, you get kicked out of the clan.  Our name means something to everybody in the clan.  It's an identity.

You might think people in the US living the first world lifestyle would be a lot happier than my struggling family in 3rd world Philippines.  It's not about having a nice house or material comforts.  It's about the plight of the human journey.  If you put material comfort as your pride and joy then you will reap the benefits of material comfort.  If you put human relationships as your pride and joy then you will reap the benefits of human relationships and you will work hard to gain material wealth to be in a good position to maximize your service in your desire to strengthen human relationships.  Choose ye this day who to serve.

So, let me ask you... how are your wife and children?  How are they learning to build human relationships?  How about your parents and your siblings?  Are you helping them out?  Are they being helped by the government or the church instead?  How are you maximizing those relationships?  Because, you know, if all you see are the people living a dog-eat-dog lifestyle, you're looking in the wrong places.  You don't need to go to Fiji to find happy people.  You can find happy people where you live and you can live better right there where you stand.

Edited December 27, 2017 by anatess2

[Grunt]

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Edited December 27, 2017 by Grunt
dupe

[Grunt]

34 minutes ago, anatess2 said:

Choose ye this day who to serve.

 

 

Jacob 2:18

[clbent04]

7 hours ago, wenglund said:

I speak somewhat from experience. I was working at an international brokerage firm, and like you I started to notice all the dog-eat-dog and self-centered love of money, etc., and it really got me down. But, one day I happened to stand and look across the seemingly endless rows of cubicals, and the thought struck me as to how much good was being done--i.e. food was being put on my coworkers' tables, their families had roofs placed over their heads, it enabled them to provide places to gather in love, as well as charitable funds to donate, and on and on.  This thought literally, and near instantly, changed my mood for the far better.

I would like to have an aha moment like you did in your career. But when I look out at the rows of cubicles at my workplace I just see the machine at work, the rat race we are in the middle of, everyone being trained and groomed to collect that paycheck for our needs and wants.  Before I started a full-time job, I was somewhat ignorant to the way the world works.  I had no idea people were so selfish with their time and resources.  Growing up as a kid and always on the run with friends I honestly didn't give much thought into what makes this world turn round.  Maybe ignorance was bliss for me.  Because now seeing how the world really works is disappointing to me.  Everyone is so caught up in their own endeavors, no one cares about cultivating relationships outside of their very closed circles, we no longer are a social people

[clbent04]

Can anyone else relate to how the format of life molds us into self-interested beings?  How we dedicate ourselves to a job primarily for the benefit of our own little empires?  And how this puts us in conflict of wanting to share and be loving and kind to one another? 

Part of my problem is I’m wondering how much God is to blame for the format of life.  God created us to work by the sweat of our brow, and it was by His design we live in a resource-limited world.  Did God knowingly place us in an environment where He knew we would be naturally inclined to be closed off from most of the world?  A world where we get so caught up in our own affairs we are left with little time or concern or desire to interact with others? 

[estradling75]

4 minutes ago, clbent04 said:

Can anyone else relate to how the format of life molds us into self-interested beings?  How we dedicate ourselves to a job primarily for the benefit of our own little empires?  And how this puts us in conflict of wanting to share and be loving and kind to one another? 

Part of my problem is I’m wondering how much God is to blame for the format of life.  God created us to work by the sweat of our brow, and it was by His design we live in a resource-limited world.  Did God knowingly place us in an environment where He knew we would be naturally inclined to be closed off from most of the world?  A world where we get so caught up in our own affairs we are left with little time or concern or desire to interact with others? 

Per Abraham 3

25 And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;

God's design is to prove if we will follow him.  Therefore there must be an option to not follow him and indeed it is most likely the default option (aka the natural man is an enemy to God)

Its not much of a test if we do not have to really work for it to be "proven"