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I am grateful for the great thinkers of the past, and for the wisdom that can often be found there. Buddhism and Stoicism have helped folks endure horrific cond
by haswell 4y ago
I am grateful for the great thinkers of the past, and for the wisdom that can often be found there. Buddhism and Stoicism have helped folks endure horrific conditions.
But there is no virtue in experiencing pain. It is not better to reach some form of personal enlightenment by being forced to do so through adversity.
And I think this is also a different category because we're talking about childhood here. This is a period of time when a human is most vulnerable, fully dependent on those around them, and unable to even understand that the world could be different than it is. The impact into adulthood can be catastrophic, and the fact that some folks navigate this successfully via contemplative practice should be something we marvel over, not an ideal we should strive for.
- cwsx 4y agoI agree about there being no virtue in experiencing pain, but I think there's value in it. Neither form of personal enlightenment is inherently better, they are different experiences that lead different yet similar paths, though both provide an understanding the other cannot
- haswell 4y agoI agree that there's value that can be found, but it's not the kind of value that I think most would choose to acquire if they were given a choice and understood what the experience would entail. It's a silver lining. It's like throwing a faster pitch after Tommy John surgery. But when we're talking about childhood trauma/stress, I'd be more cautious about associating value. While value may certainly be derived by folks fortunate enough to find a path out, many don't find that path. And that path out can also leave quite a bit of damage in its wake.
- is_true 4y agoI think the most important part is how developed we are when we experience the trauma.