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Have you read "Candide"? Voltaire wrote it as a satire on certain overly optimistic and positive philosophical views. It's really short, and I thought it held u

Have you read "Candide"? Voltaire wrote it as a satire on certain overly optimistic and positive philosophical views. It's really short, and I thought it held up great despite the age and translation. Douglas Adams' "Hitchikers guide" series is another satire I can't recommend enough. Life is as strange, terrifying experience that is often absurdly unfair for no good reason at all. But it can also be kind of hilarious for the exact same terrible reasons. Develop your ability to see the humor in deeply dark and unfair situations. They aren't going anywhere. You could try to convince yourself they aren't there or that they aren't so bad with some religions/philosophies, or maybe you'll convince yourself that you'll triumph in the end - but most likely you will just end up angry, resentful, and not particularly well-liked as a result. Humor though... that's something other people (and you) can work with.

ryderm 8y ago
Cracking jokes at the unfairness as a way to swallow it is very different than cracking jokes as a way to point out how unfair it is to others. I'm not exactly sure which you mean, but it seems like the former, and that is depressingly jaded. I find the existential dread caused by acknowledging the unfairness a good motivator to try to improve things. There will always be randomness, but life doesn't have to be as deeply flawed as it is today
- sudosteph 8y ago
  I think it's more that humor provides a great vehicle to commiserate with the pain of others, and to explore our own pain semi-safely as well. It's almost always pro-social expression, and is equally so whether it's directed at vain rulers or fickle rolls as fate. It can indeed drive social change (and usually with less violence than fear or anger), but that's not the only reason to embrace humor. The universe really is funny. It's absurd in so many ways, and the flaws are so obvious, so persistent, and in such contrast with certain authentically sublime experiences and emotions... Until death and pain are no longer mandatory elements of human existence, it will indeed be deeply flawed.

ryderm 8y ago

Cracking jokes at the unfairness as a way to swallow it is very different than cracking jokes as a way to point out how unfair it is to others. I'm not exactly sure which you mean, but it seems like the former, and that is depressingly jaded. I find the existential dread caused by acknowledging the unfairness a good motivator to try to improve things. There will always be randomness, but life doesn't have to be as deeply flawed as it is today

sudosteph 8y ago
I think it's more that humor provides a great vehicle to commiserate with the pain of others, and to explore our own pain semi-safely as well. It's almost always pro-social expression, and is equally so whether it's directed at vain rulers or fickle rolls as fate. It can indeed drive social change (and usually with less violence than fear or anger), but that's not the only reason to embrace humor. The universe really is funny. It's absurd in so many ways, and the flaws are so obvious, so persistent, and in such contrast with certain authentically sublime experiences and emotions... Until death and pain are no longer mandatory elements of human existence, it will indeed be deeply flawed.