Unfortunate people, or the human condition?

It seems that all charity is based on the belief that there are these unfortunate people. We therefore must help these unfortunate people. I espouse a different view: that all people on this planet are unfortunate. It you look around you will find hunchbacks, the deaf, blind etc... all around you: these are the ones you can see. There will be many more unfortunate people, I argue a lot more, everyone in fact.I believe that what these charities define as unfortunate is the enduring natural state of the human race. If you agree this is the case should all of these people be helped.

reply to post by s12345


Interesting thought.

I believe that in this human condition, we are indeed unfortunate. All of us are. Whether we are considered "normal", or we are blind, deaf, etc.

We are unfortunate in the sense that we are the only inhabitants of this Earth that have to pay to live here, pay to thrive, pay to eat, to drink, to live.

The human condition is unfortunate, in it's essence as we are aware of our effect on the environment and our inevitable death.

This is just my own opinion though.

I agree instead of looking for unfortunate types: they should accept we are all unfortunate types,it is what it means to be human.It is probably what it is to be alive.

So, basically it boils down to all of us helping each other?
Because we are all unfortunate, but to varying degrees...?

I couldn't have gotten through some situations in life without someone else reaching out to me...
and they in turn had their own issues, what made them great people was their willingness to help despite their own hardship.

I seek to emulate that now.
I can't afford to lend my work friend the bus fare but I can offer them a lift... that sort of thing.

Wag.

reply to post by wagtail


This is true.

However, I must speculate that most people are more likely to lend that helping hand only if they or someone else they know has personally experienced that issue.

It is easier to help you go through a situation I have also been through or something similar, otherwise I can't relate to it and my views are misguided as I cannot help you through a situation I know nothing about.

The best advice and words come from someone who has been through something similar to you.

reply to post by s12345


I'm not sure what you're getting at.

Though you better not be suggesting that charities don't help the Deaf.

reply to post by GreenEyedVixen


Yes, good point, very much so...
our ability to empathize is often based on our own experiences...

Wag.

reply to post by s12345


I'm not getting it....

You mean that this unfortunate kid



And this "unfortunate" kid



are actually equally unfortunate???

I'm not getting it.......

Peace

reply to post by operation mindcrime


Let me try to put it this way.

In you comparing the conditions of others, are you also saying that you can be the judge of whether being born blind or deaf is worse?
Can you judge whether mental retardation or physical disabilities are worse?

That obese little boy is plagued by ignorance, and not ignorance in the context of arrogance. Ignorance as in lack of knowledge.

He desires the McDonald's and fast food because he knows no better. All he knows is that it is delicious to him and probably his favorite food. The fast food is making him obese, in turn giving him health problems and weight issues. Besides the health problems, I'm sure he will experience ridicule at school for his weight.

Not saying I personally make fun of others for their weight, or anything for that matter, that is just the honest reality. We all know this. So he suffers psychological issues aswell and self-esteem issues most likely.

Childhood obesity should be a form of child abuse, and abuse in any way, shape or form = suffering in my opinion.

And do not take me wrong, I am in NO way belittling the situation of the unfortunate baby pictured above the young boy.

However, I just do not see myself fit to weigh their misfortunes against one another. I have had my own awful upbringing, and terrible things happen in my life, and I will not try to compare that either.

I just believe we are all unfortunate, in some manner. There's charities for everything, can you weigh out which one is more important to donate to?

Originally posted by s12345
It seems that all charity is based on the belief that there are these unfortunate people. We therefore must help these unfortunate people. I espouse a different view: that all people on this planet are unfortunate. It you look around you will find hunchbacks, the deaf, blind etc... all around you: these are the ones you can see. There will be many more unfortunate people, I argue a lot more, everyone in fact.I believe that what these charities define as unfortunate is the enduring natural state of the human race. If you agree this is the case should all of these people be helped.

You have just described the karmic circumstances that people get into when they incarnate on planet earth. Souls experience and learn and when they make mistakes with the Cosmic Law, they have to learn. However, we can also be the recipients of someone else's karma making and we can learn from those experiences as well.
And this also demonstrates what is spiritually wrong with socialism and the Utopian ideals socialists espouse. They think they are doing people good by demanding others in society give up the fruits of their labor to help the unfortunate ones. On some level they may truly believe they are doing good, hence the term "do-gooder". But on another level they may just be delaying that souls' learning experience.
The Nanny State will never be able to truly take care of everyone on the planet permanantly like the Utopians want, at least not untill enough souls have enough mastery to manifest the Divine on earth.

On the other hand, karma-yoga is the yoga of doing good works without attachment to the fruits of that labor, and those who do good out of genuine empathy do gain great mastery, but it is sure easy for some people to spend other people's money and think they are doing good.

reply to post by GreenEyedVixen


Thank you explaining that, I really did not understand the point of the OP.

In short, the first kid has a lack of funding.

The second kid has a lack in education.

The difference is the kind of help they both need. Kid one is (in a perfect world) helped with donations. Kid two is helped with a government interested enough to care. But they are equally unfortunate, right?

Got it, I'm of to work. (unfortunate me )

Peace

reply to post by operation mindcrime


Yep, that is the jist of it. I am sure what I said is extremely controversial, but it does make sense when you truly think about it.

I apologise for the late reply, as I fell asleep hehe.

I am very lucky, I have a loving family and parents who set a good example and have been supportive all my life.
I work at a charity for young homeless people.

Young people who have never had any love, no support and no positive role model in their life. Many suffer from mental Illness and lack the social skills most of us take for granted. These young people have little education and little in the way of job prospects.

These are the unfortunate ones. I am the fortunate one. A stable loving family is the basis to my fortune.

So imagine your life without having a family, no one to turn to, no one to point you in the right direction or instill discipline. No one to love you or care for you. That's unfortunate

reply to post by woodwardjnr


How noble of you to offer your help to those needing it. Things like this are truly deserving of noble peace prizes.

Although I do agree with you, as I was abandoned by my parents for reasons I will not disclose here, when I was 15 and have been living on my own since then, raising myself, fending for myself...

But my point was never saying that anyone is more or less unfortunate than another, but that we are all unfortunate in some way or another; as it is the human condition.

For some reason I do not believe your life has been 100% without fault, or sadness. Although I do not know your life, I just speculate that even the most seemingly happy people have had very unfortunate situations befall them in their lives and I believe it is foolhardy to try and weigh one misfortune against another and decide which is worse, because it is impossible to get an accurate, true answer on this subject.

reply to post by operation mindcrime


Both kids are unfortunate
First child is malnourished
Second child is a victim of his parents feeding him too much junk food laced with crap that harms his young body

reply to post by artistpoet


Yes, this is my exact stance in a summarized manner Thank you for reinforcing it.

Stars for you friend, hehe.

reply to post by GreenEyedVixen




The reason I do the voluntary work at the charity, is not really a noble thing. I am recovering from cancer and needed to get myself back involved with society after being out of action for such a long time. I tried lots of different voluntary projects but settled with the homeless charity as it was the most convenient.

However the experience opened my eyes to how some peoples lives can be so different and what I found to be the correlating factor for many of these lost souls was the lack of family or parental figure.

I've done lots of things wrong in my life and have had too much sadness for my tender years, but despite all that has happened to me I feel I can outweigh the misfortune. My misfortune of having cancer, yet a life filled with love is preferable to a life having never felt love. If that makes any sense?

reply to post by woodwardjnr


I am sorry to hear that dearest brother.

Well, you may not consider it noble but I feel in my own heart it is as I would have been grateful for the outreaching hand years ago when I was homeless and abandoned. Kind words from these people, people like yourself, regardless of their reason for being there, selfish or not - at the charities saved my soul, their helping hands pushing me forward when I was too weak to do it on my own saved me and I think it is one of the most noble things and should be awarded with praise higher than which society gives sports stars and such.

However, this is just my opinion.

And I suppose you are right, but still in essence, you ARE unfortunate yourself and who is more or less unfortunate I believe remains a matter of opinion.

Originally posted by GreenEyedVixen
reply to post by artistpoet

 

Yes, this is my exact stance in a summarized manner

Thank you for reinforcing it.

Stars for you friend, hehe.

Thanks for the stars - Pretty soon I will have enough to start forming my own galaxy.
But to be serious - what struck me is how we are offended by the sight of certain things and people.
We are hard wired in way to react in a certain a way which stops us looking deeper.
Rather than just look at the effect ie starving child, obese child we need to investigate the causes.
Which I picked up from your earlier post - So stars back at you

reply to post by woodwardjnr


Your years may be tender but you have a wisdom that is tangible
Wishing you good fortune and warm regards