A Depressing Thought That Just Occurred to Me

[Unimagined]

Most depressing thought... hmmm. Too many to list if one was to really get into it, but for the sake of discussion I throw this out there:

You Tube comments.

List upon list of hateful, racist, ignorant, and downright unpleasant text representations of human detritus for all to see.

It could be a video about kittens and you can guarantee that they'll be some pointless argument resulting where you'll see all the classics pulled out: retard, gay, fag, ******... death threats... a combination of the above... total lunacy.

The most revolutionary advance in communications is being used to fight pointless word wars, usually resulting in who can out-stupid the other. It's pretty disappointing from a faith in humanity point of view.

For me, the internet is a device to close distance, to reach out to the unreachable and as such, I try to be an ambassador for myself, even if I remain unknown to those I address. Such as now for example.

It might sound elitist, or I have to "relax" because it's the internet, but I see no sense in being so disrespectful to people I neither know or do not know.

 

[SilentHunter7]

That doesnt really get me down. In fact it makes me amazed how far we've come in that just 500 years ago we were burning whale oil in thatched-roof hovels.

But I do find it depressing that we have a forum here with dozens upon dozens of topics on religion, and fundies and atheists decide to shit on otherwise interesting topics with their ongoing flame wars.

 

[Jharry5]

I'd love to go out into a National Park and not hear any traffic, planes etc. Just sit and think - really get away from the bustle of my adopted city and just write with a notebook in one hand and a pen in the other.
Then, I'd get in a car, go home and watch some television. Yes, I'll agree that some of humanity's sontributions have been detrimental, not all of them have. As much as I can hate the hurrying and noise of the city, I wouldn't have it so they didn't exist.
I believe that areas of natural beauty need to be preserved. Sort of like an open-air museum... the fact that this doesn't seem to be done is what's depressing.

 

[Loiosh91]

while some of our achievements are great, it makes me angry that we have such little regard for other things on earth

my family and i like to go camping, and we go way out where you would think there would be no signs of people, but you look in the sky and theres a jet leaving a trail of fumes, or on the ground there are cigarette butts or bottles, there is simply no place on earth that humanity hasn't touched and more often than not thats a bad thing

 

[Archemetis]

Go to New Zealand, the place where they shot the Lord of the Rings movies and the Chronicles of Narnia, i realise that's "Touched by man" but when people aren't shooting films there it's just such an open environment and you'd literally be there by youtself.

If i reach retirement age that's where i'll be heading. (South Island New Zealand, at least i think that's the one)
As much as i appreciate mankinds growing dependancies on Technology (and i'm in no way excluding myself here) i just hate the idea that i'd live out al my days surrounded by a world that's by majority, unnatural.

 

[Apocalypse Tank]

Well... why is it so depressing?

Unless you were brought up knowing how to survive in the wild, traces of humanity symbolize how far we've progressed as a race.

It is great to see traces of wild life/ beautiful landscape in our everyday life, yet we are tied to our friends, family and jobs. The growth of human civilization will only be the debacle of nature.

 

[ParkourMcGhee]

Like the title says. A depressing thought that has just occurred to me is that... where I live, I can't find anywhere that hasn't been touched by humanity in any way. Even the skies. It depresses me because it is quite sick and disgusting to see what we've done. Even though it is considered "Great" by many, it's not at all great in my mind. Does anyone else find this remotely depressing?

EDIT: Changed title and everything, It isn't the most depressing that I have thought of. Haha not at all.

Actually you're right about one thing: In England, not only are cities man dominated, but man has changed the outlook of the wilderness too.

However you seem to be conservative. Some things change and some things stay the same... people have their own preferences but it's all the same in the end. I wouldn't be too worried about human change to the enviroment, if you get too depressed I recommend that you go to my home country Serbia - the wilderness there I know is beautiful and plentiful too. You just have to watch out for snakes and the like . But seriously if you're sick of seeing human influence you have 3 options: take a LONG vacation, become a hermit, or disable yourself (ie admit yourself to a metal institute or suicide), you're not likely to convince multiple billions of other people on the earth to cease living and revert things to the way they 'once were' on a whim.

 

[Archemetis]

One thing occured to me earlier today that actually bears something on this arguement.

I was thinking of civilisations of man that shun anything "manmade"
But at the same time aren't the crude tools that early man created still manmade?
Fire is even considered to be manmade...

So how exactly would you escape it?
I realise the topic is mroe to do with indtustry and technology/science driven things, but it's just an interesting thing to think, even at our earliest and mroe primitive stage, we had access to things, manmade.

 

[xXyZaThEx]

What depressed me more than anything else is the knowledge that in this modern era where we can instantly communicate with people across the globe, have invented robots the size of human cells, have simulated the fusion reaction of our sun within a laboratory, and have gone so far as to set foot on another celestial body, there are still people in this world who believe a benevolent, sentient being created the world in seven days.

-Dread_Reaper

And HOW does the accomplishments of man DISPROVE the existence of God?

If anything, it should prove that it's possible for a "benevolent, sentient being" to create the world in seven days.

Sorry, but wtF?

If you want to disprove God, do it in a way that doesn't reveal your pseudo smart guy facade.

 

[Ibaapzo]

If you live in a modernized society, no, there shouldn't be a near-by area where there is tranquility away from human architecture, leavings or basic technology. However, branching into the less populated areas of the world (Ireland, Africa, Russia - more commonly northern areas), you find many places seemingly untouched by society. In Colorado, the land is pretty vast that hasn't been well-established. Just outside of Castle Rock, there is land far beyond human site that isn't properly established by the human hand.

I doubt you'll find anywhere in say, New York island that is pure; if you look to another state close-by, you'll certainly find the areas you're looking for. The problem is that the human mass (population count) on the earth is so established, we need to break out and expand, which is why we see home property (before the "crisis" at least) absolutely bursting.

If you look at it as an economist built on hysteria, stop it. Every home built buys more trees to be planted. We will ALWAYS have room on this earth for forests, a wide range of animals and land left untouched. Our technology gives more life and more space than you think. Do some homework.

 

[Ibaapzo]

What depressed me more than anything else is the knowledge that in this modern era where we can instantly communicate with people across the globe, have invented robots the size of human cells, have simulated the fusion reaction of our sun within a laboratory, and have gone so far as to set foot on another celestial body, there are still people in this world who believe a benevolent, sentient being created the world in seven days.

-Dread_Reaper

And HOW does the accomplishments of man DISPROVE the existence of God?

If anything, it should prove that it's possible for a "benevolent, sentient being" to create the world in seven days.

Sorry, but wtF?

If you want to disprove God, do it in a way that doesn't reveal your pseudo smart guy facade.

I believe, speaking only from assumptions, that he is one who understands that dominantly religious people believe that God gives all, and that human technology is a forbidden thing. Among the Atheist/Religious debates, the largest and most frivolous debate is still evolution vs creationism. Essentially, religion, when argued to this extent, believes that technology doesn't exist; technology is provided by God. To that extent, they believe the dinosaurs didn't exist and ignore the fossils left behind.

I'm certainly not choosing sides, here, but when facts are examined, faith blindly assumes a creator over evidence.


Honestly, Penn and Teller put it best, even at a radical stand-point. Check out a show called "Bullshit." I believe the episode is called "The Bible," but I'm not 100% sure, and the computer is too slow to research.

 

[xXyZaThEx]

What depressed me more than anything else is the knowledge that in this modern era where we can instantly communicate with people across the globe, have invented robots the size of human cells, have simulated the fusion reaction of our sun within a laboratory, and have gone so far as to set foot on another celestial body, there are still people in this world who believe a benevolent, sentient being created the world in seven days.

-Dread_Reaper

And HOW does the accomplishments of man DISPROVE the existence of God?

If anything, it should prove that it's possible for a "benevolent, sentient being" to create the world in seven days.

Sorry, but wtF?

If you want to disprove God, do it in a way that doesn't reveal your pseudo smart guy facade.

I believe, speaking only from assumptions, that he is one who understands that dominantly religious people believe that God gives all, and that human technology is a forbidden thing. Among the Atheist/Religious debates, the largest and most frivolous debate is still evolution vs creationism. Essentially, religion, when argued to this extent, believes that technology doesn't exist; technology is provided by God. To that extent, they believe the dinosaurs didn't exist and ignore the fossils left behind.

I'm certainly not choosing sides, here, but when facts are examined, faith blindly assumes a creator over evidence.


Honestly, Penn and Teller put it best, even at a radical stand-point. Check out a show called "Bullshit." I believe the episode is called "The Bible," but I'm not 100% sure, and the computer is too slow to research.

How can you not be taking sides if you are recommending to me a show that calls the Bible bullshit?

EDIT: In addition, hasn't anyone thought of the idea, God created us THROUGH evolution?

 

[GenHellspawn]

Rather than the inevitability of death, my most depressing thought would have to be the futility of existence.

 

[Ibaapzo]

What depressed me more than anything else is the knowledge that in this modern era where we can instantly communicate with people across the globe, have invented robots the size of human cells, have simulated the fusion reaction of our sun within a laboratory, and have gone so far as to set foot on another celestial body, there are still people in this world who believe a benevolent, sentient being created the world in seven days.

-Dread_Reaper

And HOW does the accomplishments of man DISPROVE the existence of God?

If anything, it should prove that it's possible for a "benevolent, sentient being" to create the world in seven days.

Sorry, but wtF?

If you want to disprove God, do it in a way that doesn't reveal your pseudo smart guy facade.

I believe, speaking only from assumptions, that he is one who understands that dominantly religious people believe that God gives all, and that human technology is a forbidden thing. Among the Atheist/Religious debates, the largest and most frivolous debate is still evolution vs creationism. Essentially, religion, when argued to this extent, believes that technology doesn't exist; technology is provided by God. To that extent, they believe the dinosaurs didn't exist and ignore the fossils left behind.

I'm certainly not choosing sides, here, but when facts are examined, faith blindly assumes a creator over evidence.


Honestly, Penn and Teller put it best, even at a radical stand-point. Check out a show called "Bullshit." I believe the episode is called "The Bible," but I'm not 100% sure, and the computer is too slow to research.

How can you not be taking sides if you are recommending to me a show that calls the Bible bullshit?

EDIT: In addition, hasn't anyone thought of the idea, God created us THROUGH evolution?

It's just a rational look at alternatives and arguments, that's all. I'm certainly not trying to push anything, nor would I choose a side. If an atheist, deprived of research attempted to argue against religion, I'd refer them to the Bible. I wish that people would do the homework before making judgments.

Also, any people have thought of God having a master plan - evolution, and that cannot be disproven or proven, as God Himself cannot be proven. It's a matter of faith. Religious factions believe in something called "Intelligent Design," when explaining creationism, which does give lieniency for the big band theory, etc.

 

[hypothetical fact]

~200 years of heavy industrialization has not destroyed the Earth. Man is vain to think that our actions have any repercussions on a body that has existed for > 6 billion years.

What so the fact that we've sucked the planet dry, killed of thousands of its creatures, blackened its skies and polluted its water have had absolutely no effect. Hell if we've done all of this so far think of how badly the earth will look in another 200 years. Thats if we don't nuke the whole thing and destroy all life on it.

Circle of life simba.

There are already enough nukes in the word to wipe out all life on the planet. If you call "life" inadvertently killing everything around us then yes humanity has created a wonderful circle of life. This leads to another depressing thought; will we be able to terraform mars into Earth before the opinion of infinite loop leads to Earth being terraformed into Mars?

 

[Dalamard]

Like the title says. The most depressing thought that has ever occurred to me is that... where I live, I can't find anywhere that hasn't been touched by humanity in any way. Even the skies. It depresses me because it is quite sick and disgusting to see what we've done. Even though it is considered "Great" by many, it's not at all great in my mind. Does anyone else find this remotely depressing?

Seriously? That's your most depressing thought? You must have a pretty optimistic life.

My most depressing thought is the inevitability of death. I would elaborate, but I'd rather stop thinking about it.

A close runner up would be the fact that millions of people suffer the effects of famine, poverty, war, etc., through their entire lives, and those of us that have such luxuries as posting on forums are part of a lucky few.

Still my biggest fear is the thought of: "what if death was not inevitable what if war, famine and pestilence would be gone tomorrow how would the world be like"

 

[Chiasm]

the most deperessing thing i can think of is that in this age of cars, medical science and the greatest tool for communication ever, people want to go back to a time where it was prettier. Sure, you'd have to work longer hours plowing fields in the hope of maybe getting enough food to survive for the year, but at least you would probably lose a leg and die from gangrene.

I agree nature in movies and in TV and driving past is breath taking and lovely, But nature close up is scary and horrible spider webs everywhere you walk trees and branches forcing you to walk though more spider webs and bugs, Not to mention lack of clean non parasite filled water.

Nature is horrible,Did I mention the spider webs as big as a person too?

 

[xXyZaThEx]

[quote="Ibaapzo" post="18.83991.1197329
It's just a rational look at alternatives and arguments, that's all. I'm certainly not trying to push anything, nor would I choose a side. If an atheist, deprived of research attempted to argue against religion, I'd refer them to the Bible. I wish that people would do the homework before making judgments.

[/quote]

And that's exactly what I'm talking about. Sometimes I wonder if anybody going around touting "God doesn't exist" arguments like self-assuring litanies have ever actually seen a church, let alone know what they're talking about.

 

[Johninator712]

Haha...yeah I guess it was just spur of the moment. I'm usually never depressed about that and enjoy my life quite thoroughly. Does anybody have those thoughts that drag them down until they realize how ridiculous it is?

 

[xXyZaThEx]

~200 years of heavy industrialization has not destroyed the Earth. Man is vain to think that our actions have any repercussions on a body that has existed for > 6 billion years.

What so the fact that we've sucked the planet dry, killed of thousands of its creatures, blackened its skies and polluted its water have had absolutely no effect. Hell if we've done all of this so far think of how badly the earth will look in another 200 years. Thats if we don't nuke the whole thing and destroy all life on it.

Circle of life simba.

So you're saying if all our fathers die in wildebeast stampedes, the world will magically bring back extinct species that humanity hunted down?