Interbane wrote:If only it were that simple. A single sentence is meaningless without the definitions for each word involved. The definitions are meaningless without experience to tie them to. Even your reply is evidence that a single sentence does not suffice, judging by the number of questions you had.
I do have a lot of questions, that is true. The confusion I feel is a product of being on the one hand a nihilist and on the other knowing full well that struggle, and perhaps even to a greater degree, and without intentional irony meant, the absence of struggle, fills me with longing to do something about it - even though I know ultimately it's without meaning! And yet it isn't, because (and here I'm quoting The Flaming Lips) all we ever have is now. And right now there is desire, love, suffering... consciousness.
A single sentence does suffice for an operating principle. I do believe it to be that easy. Here are three variations of what I consider an acceptable principle: 1) Do unto others as you would have done unto you. 2) The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer? and 3) Afford everything an equal consideration of interests. These are ethical principles rather than assertions of fact. That someone tries to live by the golden rule does not mean that everything she does will live up to the standard, because, yes, implementation is hard.
I see religious morality as a set of rules rather than principles.
And at least in terms of Christianity that's probably a reasonable viewpoint, but I'm not sure what prompted the references to religion since it doesn't play any significant part in my (or presumably your) view of things. OK I mentioned the golden rule but only because, regardless of its context, it's something I view as a good operating principle.
I've never heard of systems kill. What does it refer to?
It is from a song called "Punk is Dead" by a band called Crass. I want to say I haven't given enough time to think about what I've been talking about. I'm not doing so now either as actually I need to be leaving pretty soon. Anyway, this is one reason why I'd be quoting someone I'm pretty sure no one here has heard. It was just an easy 'n' quick summation meant to say (agree?) that anything can and will be perverted. Here are the lyrics (if anyone happens to know what a "velvet zippie" is I'd be interested in hearing about it):
Yes that's right, punk is dead,
It's just another cheap product for the consumers head.
Bubblegum rock on plastic transistors,
Schoolboy sedition backed by big time promoters.
CBS promote the Clash,
But it ain't for revolution, it's just for cash.
Punk became a fashion just like hippy used to be
And it ain't got a thing to do with you or me.
Movements are systems and systems kill.
Movements are expressions of the public will.
Punk became a movement cos we all felt lost,
But the leaders sold out and now we all pay the cost.
Punk narcissism was social napalm,
Steve Jones started doing real harm.
Preaching revolution, anarchy and change
As he sucked from the system that had given him his name.
Well I'm tired of staring through shit stained glass,
Tired of staring up a superstars arse,
I've got an arse and crap and a name,
I'm just waiting for my fifteen minutes fame.
Steve Jones you're napalm,
If you're so pretty (vacant) why do you swarm?
Patti Smith you're napalm,
You write with your hand but it's Rimbaud's arm.
And me, yes I, do I want to burn?
Is there something I can learn?
Do I need a business man to promote my angle?
Can I resist the carrots that fame and fortune dangle?
I see the velvet zippies in their bondage gear,
The social elite with safety-pins in their ear,
I watch and understand that it don't mean a thing,
The scorpions might attack, but the system stole the sting.
Punk is Dead.