turquoiseb: > And this tendency in human beings to want "pat > answers" to unanswerable questions has been the > basis of centuries of war, suffering, and intol- > erance... > So, this is your "pat" answer.
> > I am not inventing a God that hates Japan... > > It's just that some of us, like to have a reason, > > Why things happen as they do.. > > And this tendency in human beings to want "pat > answers" to unanswerable questions has been the > basis of centuries of war, suffering, and intol- > erance. From the Crusades to the attempted > extermination of the Jews, from slavery to > the right to vote being denied to women and > minorities, ALL of it is due to people settling > for "pat answers" about *why* this is happening, > or "should" happen. > > It seems to me that it would be a far better > world if people just got comfortable with the > fact that they'll NEVER "know" why things happen, > and stopped glomming onto the first charlatan > who gives them a made-up "pat answer." > > From astrologers to prophets, charlatans are > always waiting in the wings to give people the > "pat answers" they want, so that they can relax > and feel that they "know" the answers, and thus > can predict to some extent the future. From my > side, I just can't understand anyone, anywhere > being so upset about *not* knowing the future > that they'd buy into the charlatanry. It just > does not compute for me. The future is as > uncertain as the present, with no "why" in > sight. BFD. That makes life more interesting, > not more threatening. > > It seems to me that if humans want a three- > letter word starting with 'W' to build their > lives around, "Wow" would be a better choice > than "Why." There has never been an answer to > the latter, at any moment in history, and as > far as I can tell there never will be. But > there are opportunities for the former in > every instant. >
