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This is the Hindu idea of svadharma - one's personal work in this lifetime. As you said, it need not be anything outwardly unique, just that it is what is right

This is the Hindu idea of svadharma - one's personal work in this lifetime. As you said, it need not be anything outwardly unique, just that it is what is right for you.

civilized 5y ago
We're only confused about this obvious philosophical truth because, in the age of tech, we seem to expect one god-like gizmo or human to do X for everyone on the planet. When in reality, this only works for a tiny, tiny set of X's. Most things need millions of people doing them.
PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago
Is staffing a public toilet right for anyone? Hauling trash? Overseeing a car-making robot? Bending over in a field all day picking green vegetables? There are many things that we all need done for our society to function. At this point in time, it is still necessary for most people to spend large amounts of their lives doing these things rather than what is right for them as unique individuals.
- chana_masala 5y ago
  You are misunderstanding what is meant by svadharma. Svadharma does not mean I do not work hauling trash or working in a field all day. It could mean exactly that. However given advances in technology, it could evolve to mean something different. It is not ones "ideal" - it is what one is naturally best at.
- zepto 5y ago
  > Is staffing a public toilet right for anyone? It could be right for you. Until you try it, you’ll never be certain.
nathias 5y ago
No, not at all. Hinduism is a slave-system where slaves have a duty towards their caste, vocation is an expression of positive freedom, of your own recognition that you have been born to do something.
- chana_masala 5y ago
  Heh, are you for real? Hinduism is a religion and way of life, first of all. Secondly if you're actually making an honest mistake and not being completely ignorant, you probably meant that the caste system is a slave-system. And I can agree, it's been horrible, and it has no scriptural authority in Hinduism. Svadharma is not the caste system and the caste system is not Hindu. > vocation is an expression of positive freedom, of your own recognition that you have been born to do something. There, you got it! This is svadharma.
  - nathias 5y ago
    There is no need to act offended, if I am mistaken so is every encyclopedia on the web. Svadharma is defined as duty towards your place in the caste system, I'm pretty sure castes play an important role in the Vedas but I has been a while. If this isn't the case my bad, but please provide resources because every resource online seems to be wrong.

This is the Hindu idea of svadharma - one's personal work in this lifetime. As you said, it need not be anything outwardly unique, just that it is what is right for you.

civilized 5y ago

We're only confused about this obvious philosophical truth because, in the age of tech, we seem to expect one god-like gizmo or human to do X for everyone on the planet. When in reality, this only works for a tiny, tiny set of X's. Most things need millions of people doing them.

PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago

Is staffing a public toilet right for anyone? Hauling trash? Overseeing a car-making robot? Bending over in a field all day picking green vegetables? There are many things that we all need done for our society to function. At this point in time, it is still necessary for most people to spend large amounts of their lives doing these things rather than what is right for them as unique individuals.

chana_masala 5y ago
You are misunderstanding what is meant by svadharma. Svadharma does not mean I do not work hauling trash or working in a field all day. It could mean exactly that. However given advances in technology, it could evolve to mean something different. It is not ones "ideal" - it is what one is naturally best at.
zepto 5y ago
> Is staffing a public toilet right for anyone? It could be right for you. Until you try it, you’ll never be certain.

nathias 5y ago

No, not at all. Hinduism is a slave-system where slaves have a duty towards their caste, vocation is an expression of positive freedom, of your own recognition that you have been born to do something.

chana_masala 5y ago
Heh, are you for real? Hinduism is a religion and way of life, first of all. Secondly if you're actually making an honest mistake and not being completely ignorant, you probably meant that the caste system is a slave-system. And I can agree, it's been horrible, and it has no scriptural authority in Hinduism. Svadharma is not the caste system and the caste system is not Hindu. > vocation is an expression of positive freedom, of your own recognition that you have been born to do something. There, you got it! This is svadharma.
- nathias 5y ago
  There is no need to act offended, if I am mistaken so is every encyclopedia on the web. Svadharma is defined as duty towards your place in the caste system, I'm pretty sure castes play an important role in the Vedas but I has been a while. If this isn't the case my bad, but please provide resources because every resource online seems to be wrong.