WHEN FORTUNE TURNS AGAINST US

FINANCIAL SENSE ONLINE ^ | 4-3-2009 | J.R.Nyquist

[mick]

It seems that we take our good fortune for granted, and when fortune turns ugly we lament the world’s unfairness. What do those who are blessed by fortune really know about the unfairness of the world? If the U.S. economy collapses and America goes hungry, will we remember the misfortunes of Bangladesh, Biafra, or Sudan? If millions suffer abroad, do we imagine that we are immune? The happiness of America, suggests Philosophy, is chance happiness. By its very nature, this happiness cannot last. It is temporal, it is transitory. One day our material happiness must turn to physical suffering and misery. This seems impossible to you, I know. You do not believe in Philosophy. You believe in your continued prosperity, that the economy will recover, that the barbarians will remain on the far side of the frontier, that your military is forever strong. But power and prosperity have made you stupid, so you are deluded. You have forgotten that whatever goes up must come down

[mick]

We must brace ourselves for this turn in fortune against us as our ancestors did. It is the Wheel of History. So be it. And what is coming may turn out to be a blessing if it makes us tougher, wiser and a lover of Philosophy.

Anyway, happy Saturday morning !

[johnthebaptistmoore]

THE U.S. IS SO SCREWED FOR A VERY LONG TIME! Anyway, have a nice life!

[HangnJudge]

http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/fourtruths.html
Our Buddhist Friends have something to say about this

The Four Noble Truths

1. Life means suffering.

2. The origin of suffering is attachment.

3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.

4. The path to the cessation of suffering.

To live means to suffer, because the human nature is not perfect and neither is the world we live in. During our lifetime, we inevitably have to endure physical suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age, and eventually death; and we have to endure psychological suffering like sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and depression. Although there are different degrees of suffering and there are also positive experiences in life that we perceive as the opposite of suffering, such as ease, comfort and happiness, life in its totality is imperfect and incomplete, because our world is subject to impermanence. This means we are never able to keep permanently what we strive for, and just as happy moments pass by, we ourselves and our loved ones will pass away one day, too.

[HangnJudge]

For everything there is a season,
And a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate,
A time for war, and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

[HangnJudge]

And from the Hindu...

A person who sees everything in relation to the Supreme Lord, and sees all entities as His parts and parcels, and who sees the Supreme Lord within everything, never hates anything, nor any being. One who always sees all living entities as spiritual sparks, in quality one with the Lord, becomes a true knower of things. What is there as illusion or anxiety for him?

Isavasya Isopanishad 6-7

[mick]

Thank you for the quotes. They need as wide a distribution as possible as we Americans enter our winter of discontent.

[HangnJudge]

And my favorite stupid cartoon quote for these times

When you find yourself in danger,
When you're threatened by a stranger,
When it looks like you will take a lickin’,
(puk, puk, puk, puk)
There is someone waiting,
Who will hurry up and rescue you,
just Call for Super Chicken!
(puk, ack!)
Fred, if you're afraid you'll have to overlook it,
Besides you knew the job was dangerous when you took it
(puk, ack!)
He will drink his super sauce
And throw the bad guys for a loss
And he will bring them in alive and kickin’
(puk, puk, puk, puk)
There is one thing you should learn
When there is no one else to turn to
Call for Super Chicken!
(puk, puk, puk, puk)
Call for Super Chicken!
(puk, ack!)

[mick]

Now that’s a plan !!

[pieceofthepuzzle]

The fortune of America didn’t happen because of random chance. That’s philosophical drivel. The fortune of the US happened because our political system was built on individuality and freedom, and individuals worked hard to make good things happen under this system. The reason that we have problems currently is because we’ve gotten away from the realities of hard work and sacrifice and have become lazy and complacent. The same is happening in Europe. There are still plenty of people in the US and Europe who work very hard, but the political system has shifted away from rewarding these people, and has instead made them into ‘villains’ of a sort, blaming them for those who have less.

In the meantime, the rest of the world has seen what we have, and they want it. So they are working very hard for it. If their hard work leads them to prosperity and ‘fortune’ it won’t be because some random turn of fate led to this. It will be a direct result of empowered individuals working hard to better their lives.

We can retain our fortune, but it means we have to stop wasting time on crappy entertainment, including getting fat eating while watching a bunch of overpaid immature athletes butt heads on TV, and get down to business. It means we have to again as a society value people who delay gratification so that they can train hard to gain skills. It means we have to again value the production of goods, rather than just the manipulation of other people’s money. Etc....

[HangnJudge]

And from Cicero...

Pro Plancio 80

etenim, iudices, cum omnibus virtutibus me adfectum esse cupio, tum nihil est quod malim quam me et esse gratum et videri. haec enim est una virtus non solum maxima sed etiam mater virtutum omnium reliquarum.

In truth, O judges, while I wish to be adorned with every virtue, yet there is nothing which I can esteem more highly than the being and appearing grateful. For this one virtue is not only the greatest, but is also the parent of all the other virtues.

[tiki]

As far as suffering goes Americans live in the human condition, we will suffer in some way it is as unavoidable as death.

OTH, If we as Americans think we are anywhere near the suffering of some of the really poorest countries then we are deluded. Our cultural footprint is large and I don’t think it will be easily erased, we will survive this just like we survived the depression and we will come out of the this more powerful than ever because we are Americans, an amalgamation of the most fearless and ambitious peoples of the world. Ancestors of people who left their known world to brave a new and unknown world. Our genetics, combined with our distinctly American culture will keep us strong because when it comes down to the nut-cutting we are tough and we think we deserve success. We may suffer through it but we will come through it.

[mick]

Of course you are right.

America's good fortune was not created by "random chance" but by a system created by our Founders that took into account the Natural Law, The Lessons of History and the nature of man.

But our Founders also knew and believed that when any society grows rich and complacent it will forget these eternal truths and slowly chip away at the reasons for it's success. And then the wheel of fortune will turn against that society. It is the Iron Law of History.

That is what I believe is meant by the wheel of fortune. It is not random but rather caused by the inherent imperfection of human nature. That imperfection being a belief that good things will just happen without massive effort and vigilance. That we are somehow owed our place in the world just because we are Americans. A deadly delusion.

[yetidog]

Don’t doubt karma, the wheel, what goes round comes round or there is a season etc.... But fatalism is no good way to live life while you live it.

[getarope]

This cartoon was funnier than George of the Jungle IMO.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

“That we are somehow owed our place in the world just because we are Americans. A deadly delusion.”

A sobering and concise point. I for one will do my best to prevent this, and if enough of us feel the same we will be O.K. I love my child, and I owe no less to him and all the other children. Actually, it’s not just Americans that will suffer if we continue to lose our way. All those in the world for whom America was/is the voice of freedom and reason will also suffer.