What’s Wrong With the World? Not a Damn Thing

Glen Allsopp Says:

August 14th, 2008, 3:29 am

Quite a brave topic to take on Leo. Whilst I don’t quite agree with your mindset I do appreciate that you took a different angle on things.

Submitted to Stumbleupon! :)

Cheers,
Glen

Leo Says:

August 14th, 2008, 3:38 am

Thanks Glen! I’d be interested in hearing why you don’t agree, though … I’m guessing that this post will probably stir up an interesting discussion, and I’m open to the views of others.

Daniel Erickson Says:

August 14th, 2008, 3:48 am

I’d have to say - this really works. I’ve been thinking this way for years now, and I’m happy. It really inspires you to help people- and really get to the root of their suffering.

zwerdlds Says:

August 14th, 2008, 4:14 am

Interestingly, I have a pretty tangible anecdote for this. I majored in Economics in university, and one of my final classes was international econ. Not particularly difficult subject given some of my prior experiences, but nonetheless, I had some pretty lousy initial exam scores. It turns out that I was able to do all the questions just fine, but it took effort on my part to calm myself and realize that there was no issue with my ability in order to think straight and actually demonstrate it on paper. If I had used that strategy on all of the exams, I believe I would have done much better overall.

However, I do believe that some amount of doubt is necessary; I have a strong desire to improve the human condition, which may or may not happen in my life by me in any real sense, but the desire exists and I am not the only one that possesses it. For example, on graduating I initially wanted to demonstrate my desire for advancement in underdeveloped areas such as sub-saharan Africa, which I think most people will agree needs some pretty important changes in order to come into its own or generally take the inhabitants out of the state in which they are currently.

I don’t think it makes sense to get worked up about things, for sure. It’s taken me a long time to realize that. But that’s not an issue of finding issues with things - it’s how we deal with them.

Great article, I really do enjoy this blog.

Dave Says:

August 14th, 2008, 4:28 am

Hi,

I have been thinking this way for some time as well and even though I am still not perfect at it, it changes my life.

I understand people who disagree with this mindset since it could look quite radical to them, but I think that only this mindset can lead to true happiness and can change the world to be a better place.

Great post Leo.

99ppp Says:

August 14th, 2008, 4:32 am

Nicely done Leo, a nice change from how-tos and dabbling into philosophy.Now here’s the thing…

The concept of love is as idealized as utopias. Asking others to love the world as it is, is as likely as asking anyone to see nothing wrong with the world.

Dissatisfaction is inevitable for anyone who wishes to create change, otherwise, why bother? I’m skeptical of stoic compassion.

As far as judging, it’s unavoidable, otherwise we’d have no ethics.

I agree there are tough questions within with no easy answers, and I applaud you for tackling them.

Leo Says:

August 14th, 2008, 4:49 am

@99ppp: You’re right that the concept of love might be idealized … but on the other hand, the act of love is a real thing. We’ve all experienced it, and it exists in reality. Is it an ideal to love all the time and not hate? Of course it is — and I’m not asking anyone to do that. As I said, I don’t do it myself, and I don’t think it’s possible. So am I asking anyone to do anything idealistic when I say that I try to love things as they are? Maybe, but I think what I’m really saying is not that you *should* love the world as it is, but that it leads to happiness and compassion, which leads to improving the world.

Is dissatisfaction a prerequisite for changing the world? Perhaps. But change could be 1) an attempt to make things conform to your ideal or 2) an act of compassion, trying to lessen the suffering of others. In the second case, you aren’t trying to rid the world of suffering and make everyone happy, as that isn’t possible — you’re just trying to make a few people suffer less. That’s not idealistic, but compassionate.

I also agree that judging is unavoidable … but is it the final step? Can we not go beyond judgments, to true understanding and compassion? I think it’s not only possible, but that we’ve all done it at some time, and that it often leads to better results than just judgment.

Thanks for stirring up the discussion! :)

helaron Says:

August 14th, 2008, 4:54 am

Hello (sorry for my bad english, in advance)

Sorry to kind of get you wrong… but…

Things aren´t just as easy as it might seem if I get you right.

Mankind is in fact destroying the basement for their own living. We are destroying the oceans living by capturing fish. When the amount of fish we harvest is going down, mankind changes to harvest whales an so on and so forth.

Not beause we need such a big amount of fish for food. Just for having it harvested and having made some money… in the long run we have to face that we kill whole species and ecosystems…

As a result of this we should IMHO really be aware of what we are and what we have… WE ARE THE EARTH… and we should actually fight against pollution, waste and useless exploitation. Everybody has to fight for “MOTHER EARTH”…

This means that one has to face the problems… and after that I agree with you that we should also lay back and enjoy life and nature. We should catch all power we can get… but we should also invest this power into nature.

Leo Says:

August 14th, 2008, 5:02 am

@helaron: I agree that we should be trying to preserve the environment … but not because there is anything fundamentally wrong with the earth or with the people on it … but because we love the earth and want to preserve it.

My instructions to myself (I’m not telling you to do this): If people are doing something destructive, judge it not as a bad thing, but see it as the world is … try to understand why it happens … try to find love and compassion for them and for their actions … and then try to work to do good, to lessen suffering, to preserve the things I love.

roderik random Says:

August 14th, 2008, 5:04 am

this guy reading your entry in hungary, central eastern europe, agrees to the last word. a short quotation from a buddhist monk, thich nhat hanh, might be added: “love is understanding and understanding is love” - really just an alteration of the buddha sentence you quoted.

i’ve tasted a few things in my short life so far, i.d. religion, atheism, politics, philosophy, etc. the only thing seemed not to fail and give about the correct answer to anything is the four-letter word we’re talking about here.

i must admit though that i also perceive a sense of “apocalypse-waiting” kind of atmosphere, especially here, in my country, where people tend to be more negative than in most parts of the world.

the best i can do for now is that i share these thoughts with my friends in my google reader.

keep up the good work!

sincerely,
roderik

helaron Says:

August 14th, 2008, 5:18 am

@Leo

NO!

We are too silent… we have to FIGHT for our nature. To often man just accepts the rules and decisions that men in power once made.

Would you accept that one bites you? I think you won´t.

And in the same way we have to fight against industry and economically driven exploitation of our Planet.

Kelvin Ng Says:

August 14th, 2008, 5:28 am

Love is active; first we accept, then we seek change. A paradox, but that’s how things are.

Victoria Says:

August 14th, 2008, 5:37 am

Ah … if only we’d all loved Hitler a little more…

Scott McIntyre Says:

August 14th, 2008, 5:57 am

This is a very thought provoking mini-essay on how we perceive the world and our role in it, Leo.

I’m glad you made the point that, even with this perspective, one can and should aim to influence positive change.

It’s a wasted opportunity to have the potential to achieve something in life to benefit both yourself and others- but to be so trapped by our views that we do not even try.

Seeing the reality of our world today does not mean that we accept this as the way it has to be. There is always the potential for us to do great things right where we are.

The world is neither good or bad- it just ‘is’.

When we start using terms like ‘good’,'evil’,'right’ or ‘wrong’, to describe our fellow human beings, we brand them based on your own view of the world.

What is one man’s meat is another man’s poison, as they say.

Of course, some individuals do terrible, ‘bad’ things, but does that make them ‘evil’? In a civilized society, they must be held to account for these actions and dealt with in a way that is deemed appropriate to that society.

But, are people who do positive acts inherently ‘good’?

We are all capable of negative and positive behaviors depending on the circumstances we find ourselves in.

I believe it is best to keep an open mind in life. To me, being too quick to brand the world and others in a particular way runs the real risk of closing our mind down to the possibility of change.

And without a belief that change is possible, everything seems that little more bleak.

Leo Says:

August 14th, 2008, 5:58 am

Ah, the Hitler argument. Godwin’s law was bound to come up, I guess.

But I’ll respond, briefly: I don’t claim that my world-view will end all problems and stop people like Hitler … in fact, I don’t claim that my world-view will do anything other than bring an increase in love, happiness and compassion, if done right … but what world-view would end all problems, Hitler or otherwise?

Jen Says:

August 14th, 2008, 6:22 am

Leo — I agree … even though “evil” will always occur in way or another (it’s just numbers … there are BILLIONS of people in the world, and bad things are going to happen … not every single person in the world can be on the same wavelength all the time, it’s just not possible).

So … that being said — we can make our own PERSONAL worlds better by looking at the world in this way. To others disagreeing with this, Leo is not saying that this frame of mind will change the world, but it will change how you view the world from your eyes. It will increase YOUR happiness and YOUR perspective. I think, eventually, if enough people do this, it would start having a more positive effect on the world. But until then, I will be peaceful in my loving state of compassion and understanding.

Thanks Leo!

warren Says:

August 14th, 2008, 6:29 am

Interesting topic. I’m not sure that any World Veiw will be collective enough to make a real lasting change for good when put against the true realities facing Mankind, all the other species and the World we live in. I know your not saying that yours will.

Hiltler, Stalin and a long list of others past, present and future are just drops in the ocean of time. Had Hiltler carried out his genocide a few hundred years earlier it might have been accepted as the norm and he seen as a great and powerful King.

As for your way of looking at the World I’m sure that if you can crack this way of loving all things and showing compassion you may well live a happier life. I am also sure it must be a difficult task and one that needs constant practice. Depending on an individuals personalilty, geographical location, lifestyle etc it could be almost impossible to achieve.

Goodluck with it.

Victoria Says:

August 14th, 2008, 6:45 am

“But I’ll respond, briefly: I don’t claim that my world-view will end all problems and stop people like Hitler … in fact, I don’t claim that my world-view will do anything other than bring an increase in love, happiness and compassion, if done right … but what world-view would end all problems, Hitler or otherwise?”

I agree that the fact your world-view would not necessarily eradicate problems such as Hitler does not remove any value the world-view can offer. More compassion is always better than less compassion, even if it doesn’t fix everything. But I also think an approach that stops short of asking what *would* prevent such enormous human catastrophes is a shame.

I, personally, am interested in improving the world on a small *and* a big scale. Can you feel good about your compassion if hundreds of thousands of people still die as a result of the flaws of human nature? “Change what you can, accept what you can’t” is a good way to concentrate your energy on the areas where you can achieve the most good, but its a fairly limiting approach if one never asks how one can increase the circle of influence.

Leo Says:

August 14th, 2008, 7:06 am

@Victoria: What alternative do you propose, that would end all problems? I’ve never heard of such a thing. What would prevent hundreds of thousands of people dying as the result of flaws in human nature? I’m not sure what world-view would stand up to such a test, but I’d be glad to hear what you have to say.

Pete Says:

August 14th, 2008, 7:13 am

To me, it is all about expectations. Everyone of us has our own expectations of what is ‘right’ and what is ‘wrong’. However, life is what life is. The minute I learned to throw out my expectations, and kind of work with the flow, I was much better off mentally.

Trying to control, or make sense, of a world where trillions of individual decisions are made every second, is a bit of a tough mountain to climb. The book ‘Siddartha’ really changed my view on how to read people, rather than judging them.

I guess the saying goes ‘know thyself, and you will know the secrets of everyone else’

http://www.YinVsYang.com

Victoria Says:

August 14th, 2008, 7:16 am

@Leo: I propose that humanity never stops searching for ways to prevent the flaws in human nature impacting the lives of thousands of people.

Human nature is flawed - this I accept, at least in part because to pretend otherwise or to kid ourselves we can always exhibit perfect judgement would result in extremely harmful delusions that also would impact on the lives of thousands of people. But I do not accept an approach that seems to advocate doing nothing about it.

Society can be a powerful tool to educate people on how to overcome these difficulties, and support one another in achieving that. So I do not accept a society that stops short of challenging harmful behaviours. If people “stop searching for ideals” and “accept things as they are” I don’t really see how we can end up with anything else.

This is my view. I don’t feel the constant disappointment wiht the world that you describe in your post. I do feel sad when I see avoidable human tragedy. But zen isn’t about not feeling anything; its about accepting what you feel, and understanding what it means.

Ma-Rie Says:

August 14th, 2008, 7:28 am

I appreciate very much your idea, to leave this concepts, that make special reasons responsible for the problems in the world.
The idea of love is very nice, but I think there is a big problem: I really believe, that there are always people (and not only a few) who do not have love and compassion for anyone else than themselves or for only a few others and (what is very important) because of no special reason. Yes, I do believe that sometimes people are ‘bad’ just because it is their nature.
I was educated very religious, but eventually i recognised, that I have love and very much compassion for all living creatures, and nothing changed, when I stopped believing in god. It is just in me, and there is no need for any ethic concept or any god to tell me to do so. But where does this come from? I don’t know.
Of course many indivuduals turn into bad and hateful persons by bad influences, but sometimes that’s just how they are.
I think nature itself doesn’t not know ‘love’ (that’s my impression if see how cruel animals are to each other), I believe that love and hate only exist in our brains and, to say it very simple, often evil, hate and suffering comes accidentally and for no reason.
And this aspect of the world I can’t love and makes me pessimistic.
Sorry for this negative comment, it was not my intention to say anything against your statements.

El Says:

August 14th, 2008, 7:30 am

Hi Leo
I really enjoyed this article. I think that on a personal scale (rather than whole world scale) this translates well into the ‘make the best of what you’ve got’ attitude towards life. Irealise that for a long time I was aiming for an idealised version of my life (perfect job, perfect partner, nice place to live) but that ideal is so far away from what I have that it was causing me unhappiness and feeling like a failure for not getting there. But I have discovered that if I just accept my life as it is, with the bits I like and the bits I don’t like, then I am able to make the most of it - which means working with what I have to improve my lot.

I think it’s similar with this world view - accept that the world is a long way off ‘perfect’ and it won’t get to be ‘perfect’ - but we can understand how it is and work from there.

Leo Says:

August 14th, 2008, 7:31 am

@Victoria: “I propose that humanity never stops searching for ways to prevent the flaws in human nature impacting the lives of thousands of people.”

As I said, I’d like to see what the actual proposal is. If you know of a way to prevent the Hitlers of the world from destroying, I’d like to hear it.

What I propose, instead of focusing on the flaws of human nature, is to focus on the incredible beauty of human nature. I say we never stop searching for ways to allow creativity and imagination and humor and love to make the world a better place.

Humans are flawed, yes, but that’s what makes us human — that’s what’s beautiful about us.

The only thing that allowed the flaw in human nature that was in Hitler to destroy so much was power. When people give so much power to others, it becomes destructive. So stop ceding power — I think that would be a good change, undoubtedly, and if you propose that, I’ll help your cause.

Such a democratic change — giving power back to the mass of people instead of to a small few — would actually do what I suggest, which is to allow the beauty of human nature to flourish. A freer society tends to be more creative than an oppressed one.

Is such a change in opposition to my world-view? Not necessarily, if you think about the 6 steps I proposed in the post.

“But zen isn’t about not feeling anything; its about accepting what you feel, and understanding what it means.”

I hope you didn’t take my post to mean that we shouldn’t feel anything. Just the opposite — feeling is important in my world-view. :)

James Says:

August 14th, 2008, 8:01 am

Snap political comment aside, I recently found this, and found it most interesting:

“Capitalism is the greatest system ever created for alleviating human misery, and yet it breeds ingratitude. People ask, ‘Why is there poverty in the world?’ It is a silly question. Poverty is the default human condition. We are born naked and penniless, bereft of skills or possessions. The interesting question isn’t, ‘Why is there poverty?’ It’s, ‘Why is there wealth?’ Or ‘Why is there prosperity here but not there?’”
- Jonah Goldberg

Leo Says:

August 14th, 2008, 8:05 am

“Capitalism is the greatest system ever created for alleviating human misery…”

That’s an amazing statement that’s never been proven and contradicts most of the evidence. I wonder if the author provided any evidence for this statement?

Victoria Says:

August 14th, 2008, 8:32 am

@ Leo

“Is such a change in opposition to my world-view? Not necessarily, if you think about the 6 steps I proposed in the post.”

The steps proposed in your post are to stop searching for ideals in the world and to accept it as it is. If you were to do this, you would never identify the need for a change. Which perhaps is why you felt the approach was fully thought out and complete, and why some of your readers don’t.

Your view works for you, which is great. I have questionned it because I think with a large readership there comes a responsibility to be diligent in your thinking and particularly in your suggestions to others as to how to live. This forum has the facility for people to question and discuss, which is great. But I don’t think we’re going to agree on this, and I don’t think we should have to. Readers can see these comments and make their own minds up.

Susan Says:

August 14th, 2008, 8:45 am

I just finished reading Confessions of an Economic Hitman, by John Perkins. He explains the “corporatocracy” that has virtually enslaved the peoples of less developed countries and caused their corrupt or naive governments to sign away their countries’ natural resources to outside exploiters.

http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Economic-Hit-John-Perkins/dp/0452287081/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218717386&sr=8-1

When I read about the lies, the manipulation of U.S. citizens by the corporate-owned media, the exploitation of people for the sake of the accumulation of wealth and power, I find it hard to accept the world as it is and be happy. Added to that is the sense of the lack of my own power to do anything about it. Any suggestions?

James Says:

August 14th, 2008, 8:53 am

I’ll note Leo, I don’t have any personal opinion about the author as a person, or his other works - I simply liked the quote.
Regarding your question about evidence, I’m not the economist in my family, but my first thought that comes to mind is “what’s the alternative?” Most evidence in the world today (especially China and Russia) have adopted more freedom in their markets (aka capitalism), not less, in the wake of previous anti-capitalistic policy failures, in response to the will of the people? I’m under the macro impression that the opening of China ultimately is a good thing for the Chinese, don’t you?

Isn’t your blog, your main source of income, a pure and beautiful example of the freedom, we’ve achieved through capitalism, that is 1 to many product marketing? You’re free to say whatever you wish to say, and charge what ever you wish, and bearing a free market to choose the value they wish to place on your goods, a transfer of value occurs. Viva zenhabits.net!

pril Says:

August 14th, 2008, 9:03 am

Very nice!!! I agree!!!
Short story -
when my life wasn’t so great it had issues the issues were me. I thought this world was just as crazy as the media makes it sound..

Well even though there are hard times they are everywhere with everyone but it’s how you look at it!

My life and My world are GREAT! the more I look at the world and see what it has to offer for us it really does get better!

the world is what you make of it just like life!
Thanks for sharing this post Leo! it’s great!

Lisa | Holistic Treatment for Depression Says:

August 14th, 2008, 9:07 am

Isn’t it possible to do BOTH — to accept the world as it is, to have a love and understanding of what is, AND to work to make things better? Think of the Dalai Lama — and no one says this is easy — but he’s got joy going on, and yet works to create a better world. He’s a great model for this type of work.

I think this article points out that we should never be “black or white” in our thinking, but try to walk that middle line of loving what is and striving for better.

Writer Dad Says:

August 14th, 2008, 9:12 am

It’s refreshing to hear someone say this. It helps to look at things with historical perspective. If we look at things in cycles, then things are pretty great right now and, I would have to say, getting better.

Mulungu Says:

August 14th, 2008, 9:12 am

It seem to be easyier beeing understood by saying “pay the bills regulary” than “love you and others”.
(And if I forgot to pay.. I will get reminders.)
So I am very happy for the “refreshers” to love which I use to forget too.

Thank you for keeping my eyes open
Leo

Alec Says:

August 14th, 2008, 9:36 am

I disagree with this viewpoint, but I also think that it has great lessons to teach us.

There isn’t anything inherently good or bad about humans or the world. We are just living… there’s no reason why there has to be a “good” or a “bad” label attached to our existence.

I think this is easy for many of us to say. But for those who are truly suffering, they can’t bring themselves to do this nor should they. While I like this view in that it emphasizes things such as our experiences are largely shaped by our perception of them, etc. it can also be dangerous in that it can also be used to blame the victim. “It’s not that you’re suffering, it’s just that your mindset is too negative and you need to change.” Again, not what you’re advocating, just carrying it to its logical extreme.

Ack Says:

August 14th, 2008, 9:38 am

I feel like your problem is poorly posed. There are beautiful things in the world and horrific things in the world that desperately need changing. When the horrific things cause so much pain to stop us short in our tracks, we need to focus on the beautiful parts. The horrific parts otherwise need changing as fast as possible. It’s a difficult balance. Arguing that we need a single general perspective on the world (and a favorable, accepting one at that) breeds excess complacency. I think one of the greatest challenges we face is learning to think like the large, global population we are, instead of focusing on our immediate friends and family, which (evolutionarily speaking) has worked well but is not a sustainable strategy. We have a tendency to downplay the suffering of strangers.

Capitalism is, at heart, mutual gains from voluntary exchange. In its current form, it can breed gross inequalities–but there is no question at all that subjective well-being (happiness) correlates positively with per capita GDP, and that even the poorest among us have more opportunities now than in hundreds of years and millennia before. Whether we should focus on these absolute improvements rather than the inequalities or other human rights problems (though I’d argue that access to food, water, shelter, contraception, etc., is a human rights issue) is an important question for psychologists, behavioral economists, and philosophers.

So I’m not sure why you’re trying to argue we need a complacent, accepting worldview, and especially that we shouldn’t try to achieve ideals. I’m willing to accept some suffering myself as I contemplate the gap between ideals and reality to alleviate more intense suffering in others. If that means I occasionally wrestle with guilt and anxiety and have trouble sleeping at night (as long as these bouts aren’t pervasive), so be it. I can’t imagine not trying my hardest to help other people, as long as I stay physically and mentally healthy in the process.

Muffy Says:

August 14th, 2008, 9:43 am

Leo, this post marks a change for you from my perspective. You are allowing us to see your political views by stating that you tend to agree with a liberal point of view. You also reveal much by stating that you haven’t seen an statement that could prove that “Capitalism is the greatest system ever created for alleviating human misery…”
When you worked for a traditional employer your life was different than it is now. It is by your own work that you have been able to improve your situation and that of your family. Under what other system if not capitalism —would you have been able to flourish?

Stephen Brandon Says:

August 14th, 2008, 9:43 am

Leo,

I’m surprised to be writing you to say anything but, “Thank you.” Over the past few years, I have used your blog to teach a variety of subjects; and, I’ve gained much in following your journey and thinking about what you have to say.

In this post, however, you’ve fallen into a philosophical trap, namely, treating idealism and realism as if either had meaning. If you follow realism to its logical conclusions, you end up with a kind of early 20th Century view of the world as science, capital “S.” The problem here is one must discard many of the spiritual and emotional aspects of life because they are subjective and seemingly not sharable or measurable. The other extreme is Idealism, where everything is subjective. Follow this line of thought far enough, and one comes to cultural relativism and the belief that no one can understand another because everyone’s experience and background separates them from everyone else. Here you honest, well-meaning, stupid debates about things like pedophiles just being misunderstood. Western society, indeed most philosophical tradtions have been debating which is “real,” Idealism or Realism, pretty much forever. The problem is there’s no way to answer the questions each entangles, and you end up with all kinds of rot and very complicated rationalization based on doctrain only a few, with lots of time on their hands, can understand. Worse, you end up wasting a lot of time you could be using to bring about happiness.

Lots of problems have been solved by folks following an ideal. Let me give you an example of one toward which I work. There’s this guy named Habermas who came up with the notion of “The Public Sphere.” The PS is a place where everyone understands they have places where they are ignorant, but everyone is willing to try to try to become informed. In the PS, everyone is rational. Everyone is willing to listen to others, talk, and debate; because, everyone has a stake in learning from everyone else and trying to come up with answers to shared public problems. Of couse, this space is an Ideal, but if one takes it as “just and Platonic Ideal,” it becomes too easy to dismiss. It never existed, nor will it ever exist. People don’t have the time to become informed about everything. Folks don’t like to admit, even to their selves, they are ignorant, nor do they like to listen to folks whom they consider inferior. Folks are lazy. However, here is the important part, the Public Sphere is still worth working to bring about or, maybe I should say, bring the reality closer to the ideal. While the Public Sphere isn’t a something I can bring into being, I don’t need perfection; instead, I’ll settle toward moving toward a perfection I know I’ll never achieve. I take the time to listen to others. I take the time to teach and to get others to listen to one another. I teach folks to value rational discourse and debate, because these are where we have a chance to learn, where I can learn, and where society has a chance to grow. I teach my students to suspect anyone who tries to close down those who can speak or the places where folks can be heard.

My point here is that if one recognizes that ideals are not realities but goals to work toward, and one has a space to debate and learn about how to achieve–like you advocate in your blog–then ideals are great things. They provide motivation and a vision of a better world. They allow you to grow and make the world a better place at the same time. I’m all for working toward the ideal of everyone having enough to eat, access to information, tolerace for stupid and wise behavior which doesn’t hurt anyone else, etc.

While I don’t agree with you in your contention that there’s not anything wrong with the world, I do agree there’s more right than not. I also agree we don’t spend enough time appreciating those things we do have. In the early 2st Century, more people have access to education and public spheres–like the net–allowing everyone to profit from a larger talent pool. Science and technology, which have provided more benefits than not, allow standards of living and life expectancies unheard of in the past, again allowing use to have access to talent otherwise missed. There are more people on whose talent we can draw. In the West, most of us, at least when compared to almost everyone throughout history and most in the rest of the world, live increadibly affluent lives. We drink clean water. We have access to heat, air conditioning, clean living enviornments, easy transportation, relative freedom, etc.

Is all lovely? No. Folks are dying out there. I’ve witnessed cruelity and perversity which cause nightmares. Somewhere along the way we allowed folks like Bush to forget the Ideal that *all* are created equal, not just those in American or in the West. There are ideals still worth working toward, because there are very, very real problems which can be made better.

Here’s my point, happiness isn’t a static state of being. It isn’t a thing or a place or an idea that one obtains. Happiness or, if you perfer, enlightenment are dynamic, changing, moveable feasts. There are different paths, but it is the way of work, strieving because of enlightment in the moment toward helping others while helping one’s self where I’ve found my own Zen.

How does one achieve such Zen? Well, you do a pretty good job of writing about it in your blog. You get there by setting a goal (There’s nothing wrong with calling a social, group goal an Ideal.), talking about it with others, sharing it, getting others to help, focusing on it, finding one step toward it, taking this step, making this step a habit, and repeating. You focus on the process, but you keep the Ideal in mind.

Could the world be better? Silly question. Of couse. Is it my job to make it better? Again, silly question. Of couse it is. Can one be happy while making the world a better place. Isn’t this what you advocate on Zen Habits?

Diana Calvario Says:

August 14th, 2008, 10:20 am

Leo, you managed to put into words exactly what I feel and “try” to do. “Try”, because depending on my mood I can fall back into criticizing. What you are saying here is “Allow this moment to be as it is” - Eckhart Tolle - No, you go even further! You are trying to say “Allow absolutely EVERYTHING to be as it is”. This does not mean that you are of the same opinion of something but you consciously take it into account and allow it to be.

You said: ”When reality doesn’t meet ideals — and it rarely does — we become unhappy.” You’re so damn right and I would even say we become unhappy and ill since unhappiness and constantly fighting against what is makes you sick!

Again, thank you! Well said Leo!

Diana

Steve Says:

August 14th, 2008, 10:40 am

There was a feeling that came over me upon reading this piece. It was something of strong identification. I’ve felt this way, and believed that love is a solution or a path to happiness and a better world.

But, I’ve also felt a similar feeling when listening to a record that came out this year with a very different message. It’s called “The New Amerykah: The Fourth World War” and within, the following message can be found:

I DONT HAVE TO TELL YOU THINGS AREN’T GOOD.
EVERYBODY KNOWS THINGS AREN’T GOOD!
WE KNOW THE AIR’S UNFIT TO BREATHE
AND OUR FOOD IS UNFIT OT EAT!
YOUNG PUNKS ARE RUNNING THE STREET
NO ONE KNOWS JUST WHAT TO DO
AND THERE’S NO END TO IT!
(THERE’S NO END TO IT!)
THE DOLLAR BUYS A PENNYS WORTH!
BANKS ARE GOING UNDER
CONGRESS ARE KEEPING A GUN UNDER THE COUNTER!
WE SIT WATCHING OUR IDIOT BOXES
WHILE SOME LOCAL ANCHOR MAN
TELLS US THAT
TODAY WE’VE HAD 18 MURDERS AND 80 VIOLENT CRIMES
AS IF
THAT WAS THE WAY THINGS WAS SUPPOSE TO BE! (be, be,)
WE KNOW TIMES ARE BAD!
WORSE THAN BAD!
PEOPLE ARE CRAZY! (CRAZY, CRAZY)
ITS LIKE EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE
IS GOING UTTERLY MAD!
SO WE NEVER LEAVE OUR HOMES!
WE SIT IN OUR COMFY ABODES
WHILE THE WORLD IS GETTING SMALLER
AND WE SAY
COME ON!
AT LEAST LEAVE US ALONE IN OUR FAMILY ROOMS
LET ME HAVE MY MICROWAVE
AND
FLATSCREEN
AND MY
20 INCH RIMS
AND I WON’T SAY ANYTHING!
JUST LEAVE US ALONE!!
WELL I’M NOT GONNA LEAVE YOU ALONE!!!
I WANT YOU TO GET ANGRY!!!!
I DON’T WANT YOU TO RIOT,
I DON’T WANT YOU TO PROTEST,
I DON’T WANT YOU TO WRITE YOUR SENATOR
BECAUSE I WON’T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU TO TELL HIM!!
I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE RECCESSION
AND THE INFLATION,
AND THE CRIME IN THE STREET!!
ALL I KNOW IS THAT YOU GOT TO GET MAD!!!
YOU’VE GOT TO SAY;
I’M A HUMAN BEING DAMNIT!!!!!
MY LIFE HAS VALUE!!!!!!
Copied from advertising-laden page at http://www.metrolyrics.com/twinkle-lyrics-erykah-badu.html

So, how can these two messages resound with the same person? Can they? I feel no dissonance in believing that both messages are appropriate for me at different times.

Furthermore, I believe that people have different roles to play in society, simply because there will never be a day where every human, as we know them to be, will focus energy and efforts on optimism, positivity, and the pursuit of a better world.

Leo, do you feel that there is a time and a place, perhaps even within your model of loving, for anger toward about injustice and hatred? How can someone who is faced with these things, perhaps in a more dangerous cultural position, subscribe to this philosophy when their situation stretches beyond their *moral* threshold for acceptance. I feel like your six steps leave this question unanswered.

As a side note, I really appreciate your blog. I’ll be sure to share this article. I think the message is important, both in its understated position and its conversation stimulating topic.

Steve Says:

August 14th, 2008, 10:43 am

^ sorry for not closing my em tag above :(

Shanel Yang Says:

August 14th, 2008, 10:43 am

This post reminds of me the great inauguration speech given by FDR when this country was in the throes of the Great Depression. In it he talked about how even when it seems that the worst things are happening to us, there is still much to be thankful for and that ultimately faith in our love for one another is our salvation. I wrote about it in “Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself” at http://shanelyang.com/2008/04/24/nothing-to-fear-but-fear-itself/

Also, did you know that the cute little song “It’s a Small World After All” (along with the Disneyland ride) were created in answer to the horrors of WWII? See http://shanelyang.com/2008/04/25/its-a-small-world-after-all/

We can be outraged at what is unjust in the world and still be happy for all that we have AND still seek to change the things that we know will make it an even better world … such as giving someone a smile just because! : )

Fit Bottomed Girl Says:

August 14th, 2008, 10:45 am

This was a great post that really stirred something inside of me. Chasing perfection in your own life–and within the world–is a lost cause. You might as well make the best choices you can, accept what is and enjoy. If everyone did that, the change in the overall world would be amazing.

Nick B. Says:

August 14th, 2008, 10:47 am

So you’re saying that all other worldviews are incorrect and that your own is superior? It seems to me that’s what everyone else is thinking. I don’t see how you’re any different from Greenpeace or White Supremacists, Al Qaeda, Scientology, Hippies, etc…

Everyone thinks they know the answer. Isn’t true knowledge in admitting a lack of knowledge?

Brian Reindel Says:

August 14th, 2008, 11:10 am

I have enjoyed reading your blog on occasion, especially since you offer a considerable amount of advice on how to simplify life, which is something that I believe is important. However, I must say that with this post you are perpetuating a notion that is wrought with fallacy, and is extremely dangerous.

An entire argument can be made for this based upon your summary of love and compassion:

“Once you’ve accepted things or people as they are … try to find it in your heart to love them, as they are. The way to do this is to see the good in everything and everyone, and if you’ve sought to really look and understand, you will find good in everything. When you see bad things, understand that this is because of suffering, and have compassion and seek to end that suffering.”

If I find good in everything, then how might I see bad things? Everything is good, so nothing is bad. The world has no wrong, or bad, or evil. As you put it, “Accept the world as it is, and love it for what it is.” Do you understand the repercussions of such a statement, should we all hold to this view? It is a common relativism that perpetuates the myth that truth is based upon context, culture, and personal experience. It is the opinion that there is no absolute truth, because then that would mean there is an “anti-truth”, to which some would know and some would not know.

When I talk with people about this, I typically get the following reply:

“Well, okay, some things are good, and some are bad. Killing someone for no reason is bad.”

Is it? The key phrase to focus on is “for no reason”. Murder seems to be that one activity that constitutes some form of senselessness, but if you ask the people doing it, it always makes sense to them at the time. Maybe it was to hide another crime. Maybe it was revenge for another killing. Maybe it relieved stress. There is always a reason… so, who are you to decide whether the reason is good or bad? For all you know, killing this one person might have saved millions. Does that then make it okay?

You can disarm the argument for an absence of absolute truth fairly quickly, and most philosophy professors are able to do it with a single class of logic. The interesting thing to consider, is what happens when we move beyond those arguments? You get statements like, “When you see bad things, understand that this is because of suffering, and have compassion and seek to end that suffering.”

I do not disagree that suffering is transitive, and one human suffering can result in pain for a number of others. However, seeking to end suffering (and even doing so) will not eliminate the existence of bad things. Many people would consider assisted suicide an end to suffering, while others would consider that a bad thing. So, how do you reconcile the two? You would not. What if witnessing the struggle and suffering of others unto death gives another strength enough to fight so that others would not suffer?

There is one point though that I think you were trying to make, which I do agree with, and that is that we do need to have compassion for one another. However, I think there needs to be a better definition of what that compassion entails. Sometimes compassion involves doing things based upon truth that others consider harmful. Our children do not like to be punished, but in doing so we are often saving them from harm. We love them, and have compassion for them.

It is the same with the world. It is not accepting it as it is, but determining under what authority the truths should be upheld as it benefits all mankind. Who, or what that authority should be, is where the debate should really begin.

deepali Says:

August 14th, 2008, 11:16 am

Good post. But I have one minor tiny issue - I love your lists, but sometimes I notice you don’t use parallel structure. It seems stupid to focus on grammar, but it’s amazing how it changes impact. So, my suggestion - add the word “practice” in #5.

Substance-wise, this is all very true. Have you been reading Pema Chodron too?!

deepali Says:

August 14th, 2008, 11:26 am

@ Victoria -
“The steps proposed in your post are to stop searching for ideals in the world and to accept it as it is. If you were to do this, you would never identify the need for a change.”
I think that is untrue. In fact, I find that the core of Buddhism is to accept things the way they are and by doing so invoke change.
I think compassion without the expectation of change is the most transformative power of all.

@ Brian -
I do think things are relative, and the only absolutes are in my head. There is no right or wrong, only opinion. Why do some people find suffering in pain, and others do not? Why do some people place blame, and others do not? The only absolute as far as I can see is that everyone has a perspective. We couch it in the same language (”for no reason”), but we still define it differently.

winner27 Says:

August 14th, 2008, 11:28 am

I love this post Leo! It’s exactly what I practice in my own life. I’m not always great at it but I’m trying man! So many comments seem to say this post means you should accept the world the way it is and not try to change it. To me, it doesn’t appear that you’re saying that at all. When you can accept (not condone) the way things are, then you can look at something you would like to make better more objectively and take steps to help from a place of personal peace and power. That can be so much more effective than coming from a place of anger and negativity.

If you haven’t already read “A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle I strongly suggest you (and everyone) do. It echoes your message in a very powerful way. Not everyone will agree but many will get great value from it. Eckhart himself says that those who are ready will gain much insight from the book, but if it doesn’t make sense to others, that is okay - they’re just not ready yet.

I had to smile reading your post at how you kept mentioning that you weren’t saying that your way is the best way and it’s just what works for you. Some will take it that way no matter how many disclaimers.:)

Thank you for all you do Leo - you make my world a better place every day!

The Financial Philosopher Says:

August 14th, 2008, 11:29 am

Leo:

Personally, I believe this to be your best post in months (which is not to take away from other posts)! I sense that the idea “came to you” rather than the opposite…

You strike at the core of “non-being,” which is fundamental to Taoism, Buddhism, and some western philosophies as well.

Humans have the gift of “will” but it is often misused to force a change, which often has the opposite result…

Rather than write more, I will defer to the wisdom of others:

“Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend. Non-being is the greatest joy.” ~ Lau-tzu

“Freedom from the desire for an answer is essential to the understanding of a problem.” ~ Jiddu Krishnamurti

“Don’t aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you will miss it. For success, like happiness, can not be pursued; and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one’s dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself. ” ~ Viktor Frankl

Thanks, Leo

Fred M Says:

August 14th, 2008, 11:36 am

I must say that this has been the first time I have ever responded to a post here or anywhere else for that matter. I could go on and on about some of the things that I see wrong around me every single day. I won’t do that though because we all know about them already.

What I will do is say that I do love people, I love animals, I love this planet, and I love life in general. I understand that we human beings (homo-sapiens) are fundamentally flawed. However, I refuse to accept it.

What is perfection and what is ideal? It is in the eye of the beholder. If I have a goal in life, isn’t the reaching of that goal a perfect situation for me? Should I stop setting goals for myself?

Don’t get me wrong, I totally agree that we need to understand others more and why things are the way that they are. We should put love, the pure, caring, I will do anything for you attitude, at the center of our lives instead of the extreme selfishness that seems to be prevalent today. How may are truly willing to give that a shot? But I will never accept that things are the way they are and that I can not do anything about it. We each have the power to affect change on this world and only by more and more of us doing so will we be able to change the world.

I guess I rambled on enough now. I would just hope that we start seeing more engaging discussions like this so that more people become aware of the need for change.

Tony Del Plato Says:

August 14th, 2008, 11:38 am

Frankly, I think you missed it. There’s lots wrong with the world but what is wrong obviously depends upon your values, your politics and your vision. War, racism, hate, environmental degradation are wrong unless you’re profiting from this and don’t give a damn. I share the Hopi view of the world: Koyannitskatsi - Life Out of Balance. Way out of balance. The rich getting richer and the poor…you get it. Global warming and the melting glaciers and polar caps. So the challenge to me, and I believe the rest of us, is how to get the world back in balance. But that still presumes one has certain values we abide by. For me, if you believe that the earth is the mother of all life on earth, then respect and protect her. I believe the rest will flow from there.

Dave Says:

August 14th, 2008, 11:40 am

“And the world will never reach this Platonic ideal”

Why do you assume it’s a Platonic ideal? That’s a very specific assumption to make, as Plato’s ideal state is a very specific ideal in itself…

Ian Parker Says:

August 14th, 2008, 11:41 am

I think the issue is that we need to change our “self view”. All too often we project our ideals and issues on to the world at large as though all of our problems stem from some larger issues in the grand scheme of things. However, it is more likely that our problems are perceptions of our own lives.

Oh, and life is unfair. The sooner you can accept that (see #4 - Accept), the easier it will be to get through all of the obstacles you encounter.

Grinandbarritt Says:

August 14th, 2008, 11:46 am

it is fine to give up on ideals that are not really important, but not those that are. the ideal of a world with less violence and more love is not an ideal to give up. the pursuit of ideals is what has propelled humans over its animal brethren. should we stop pursuing ideals. No…

Sondra Says:

August 14th, 2008, 11:50 am

Hi Leo,

I’ve really appreciated your blog for a good year now. I feel like I need to comment on this one. A good part of me believes everything you say here - I think our suffering does come directly from wanting things to be different than they are. However, change, growth and all creativity comes from this exact same place. I think what you are preaching here is a valuable tool to have at your disposal but not necessarily the way to live out your entire life. Knowing that you CAN do this changes everything. Then it’s a choice when you get your feathers ruffled about something enough to let it push you along to change.

I also wanted to add that this acceptance should not be practiced without very firm boundaries. A lot of people mistake acceptance to mean letting everything IN - when in reality, true acceptance is letting everything BE - but not necessarily in my living room, heart, bed, etc. And it’s extremely dangerous to one’s psyche to let other people’s pain too far in unless you’re absolutely sure you can handle it. You have to know your own motives first - and understand exactly what you’re dealing with.

Anyway - just a few thoughts that came up while I was reading this. Thanks for continuing your posting. Your blog has been a very welcome companion on my own journey.

The Financial Philosopher Says:

August 14th, 2008, 11:51 am

Leo,

I went back and read more of the comments and I believe the discussion reflects your observation of the world: Some will naturally seek and find what is “wrong” and some will naturally seek and find what is “right” with the world (and your post), which is a reflection of the individual’s own perception.

“There is no conversation more boring than the one where everybody agrees.” ~ Michel de Montaigne

Also, I wanted to share another of my favorite “non-being” quotes with you and your readers:

“You spent the first half of your life becoming somebody. Now you can work on becoming nobody, which is really somebody. For when you become nobody there is no tension, no pretense, no one trying to be anyone or anything. The natural state of the mind shines through unobstructed — and the natural state of the mind is pure love.” ~ Ram Dass

Sondra Says:

August 14th, 2008, 12:02 pm

Sorry - I wanted to expound a little and hit submit too soon. So - the idea of one world view being THE ONE - that strikes me as so strange - much like “enlightenment” as some place we reach. In my understanding - one garnered from throwing myself at every moving thing in my sphere and then picking myself up and doing it again - I see that there are many many ways to interact and each of them is useful in different circumstance. I sometimes tell a story of my brother who once was a coke addict and would routinely steal my family’s belongings - no one would do anything - believing themselves to be compassionate. I finally got fed up and just “knew” that the right thing to do was to steal back from him - and I did - I entered his room and took every single worthwhile thing - tools, leather jacket, money, and held them hostage until my belongings were returned. I played bigtime hardass but I was detached from it. And you know - it worked - he began respecting me and never did that to me again - although it took a few years for the other family members to begin drawing boundaries and then for him to stop being a user with others.

Now if I’d been attached to the outcome - maybe I couldn’t have made that work - if I had been TRYING to change him - but I didn’t - I just was setting a boundary and that did work. Now, of course, I can set boundaries before things happen - but that was the first one and it was hard. I don’t use that tactic often now, but it’s nice to know that is in my pack of tools, along with other things like giving, and volunteering, and being open and accepting, and discerning judgment, and unconditional love, and conditional love, and all the many other modes at my disposal. Ultimately, I think you’re right - it is all good - but somethings are good in this context and others good in other context and from other perspectives and what each of us individuals has to work out is what is good for us in each of our moments - and personally, even though I like to think that I’m a person who thinks of what is good for everyone - the truth is that when you set boundaries, people who are users don’t think it’s very good. Boy - you’ve really got me thinking this morning - thanks!

neimanmarxist Says:

August 14th, 2008, 12:31 pm

what a great post! we invest so much time and energy in literatures that show us how the impossible ideals of ourselves and others are ruining our self-esteem, our relationships, our possibilities. we could use the reminder that our impossible ideals of politics and society are ruining what we mortals can do in the short-term. behold: the free-rider problem on a cosmic level :)

Doug Says:

August 14th, 2008, 12:33 pm

Leo,

I tend to agree with the philosophy that things are pretty darn good, just the way they are. Certainly there is a lot of suffering in the world, but suffering is part of the human condition, and honestly, much of it is self induced. This is the essence of the first two of the Buddha’s “Four Noble Truths,” the other two being that it *is* possible to stop the cycle of self-induced suffering, and that the path toward that ideal is what we today call Buddhism.

Breezing through a few of the comments, it seems the conversation jumped the tracks. But I would like to say that Jonah Goldberg’s statement about capitalism is one I believe to be true. Tremendous evidence exists to support the assertion that free markets provide the most efficient allocation of resources, thereby helping the most people. When tempered by small amounts of civic and social spending, you end up with a pretty good system, one that gives people the most freedom to do as they will. The question of capitalism has been studied by economists for centuries, and reams upon reams of journals articles, studies, and raw data exist to support the assertion that, while not perfect, it is pretty darn good.

You’ve stated that you’re a passionate reader, so my suggestion for you is to read the Economist, a weekly newspaper. Not only are they *by far* the best source for world news that I have found (and U.S. news for that matter), they also provide good analysis on economic theory, both old and new, within the context of current events. Even if you don’t agree with their analysis, the quality of the journalism makes it worth every penny.

And a bonus tip on that, if you subscribe to the paper, you get free access to their audio download. They hire a company of voice actors to read the entire magazine, cover to cover, in pleasant Brittish and Scottish accents, recorded into MP3 format so you can take it with you anywhere. A great resource for the time strapped. :)

Bob Watson Says:

August 14th, 2008, 12:38 pm

If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy.

If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem.

But I arise in the morning torn
between a desire to change the world
and a desire to enjoy the world.

This makes it hard to plan the day.
…E. B. White

Mark Says:

August 14th, 2008, 12:40 pm

I must concur that complaining and going around peeved at all we think ought to be different in the world is a definite downer to ourselves and others.

That said, this piece is a fine load of spineless, left-leaning codswallop.

You are right about one thing: Your alternative is no better.

In fact, the article violates what it espouses by pointing out something wrong with the world, not accepting it all as it is, for what it is, yadda, yadda.