Suicide is the ultimate selfish act; selfish on a macro and micro level. On a macro level, suicide is selfish as it implies we are focused on our suffering and not the far greater suffering of others who would love to be in our shoes. We are not suicidal when we recognize the suffering of others and come to their aid as that in turn distracts us from our suffering. Moreover, when we recognize our relative good fortune, we are grateful. Gratitude is one of the keys to happiness. Happiness precludes suicidal thoughts. On a micro level, when we die, it is most difficult for the ones that we leave behind. Thus, suicide is selfish as we think our death is an exit from our suffering and don't consider the suffering it will cause others. Of course, if we are painfully and terminally ill and a burden to others, suicide is not selfish. Unfortunately, most suicides are premature, mistaking one's current mentally-induced suffering for physical terminally ill pain and the misperception that we are a burden to others....
"Give a man a mask, and he will show you his true face." What an individual does when they’re an anonymous member of a mob reveals their true nature. We can learn more from someone’s internet searches than through the answers to their searches....
Love is like water in a stream connecting all, far and near. Thoughts are like a bend in the bay not allowing water to go its way. When the stream or bay overflows it's beyond imagination how far it goes....
There are three levels in the corporate hierarchy: standing up, sitting down and laying on one's back. Companies work well when management is standing, pushing their firms forward; workers are sitting, getting the work done; and salespeople are laying on their backs pulling customers in. Companies are dysfunctional when people take positions that ill suit their roles. For example, when management is on its back, doing nothing, or when salespeople are standing up, pushing workers around. However, workers will always be workers because they have been neutered, having no desire for push or pull....
Our mind is the greatest impediment to true love. True love is unconditional connectedness, whereby a subject and object are one. For example, we love our hands as we love ourselves as we and our hands are one. We may not like our hands when they are dirty, but we still love them. Our mind often makes love conditional. For example, it is rare that the "deep love" we have with our mate is not conditioned on their sexual fidelity. True love, unconditional love, braves space (physical separation), time (continues to energize us over long periods of time) and distractions; but not the workings of our mind....
Every day is not a day in a life but a life in a day. This is a simple but subtle truth. While our mind has us believe that we transition seamlessly from one day to the next, we are not the same person today as the person we presumably were lifetimes ago, days now passed. Perhaps this is easiest to see when we consider the physical appearance and the interests and perspectives of the person we are today with those of the person we presumably were ten years ago. This truth implies two apparently conflicting but complementary corollaries: each day is our first and last day of life. Thus, the qualifiers of first and last are meaningless as are most things to which our mind attributes meanings. However, as our first day of life, everything is new; intensely beautiful forms and colors engaging our attention and arousing our curiosity. We are present, grateful we are alive. As our last day of life, we are at peace; knowing we came from being one with everything in sleep death to which we will soon return. The realization that each day is our first and last makes for a wonderful life....
"I loved money and I loved children but couldn't afford to have both. I chose to have children because they could love me back." Hopefully, children pay us more interest than does money. Likewise, hopefully, the time and resources we invest in children realizes a higher return than otherwise....
Philosophers are like economists, they can explain everything but don't know anything. Philosophers can't tell us where we are and economists can't tell us where we are going....
More praise and love is given to the dead than the living, because the dead can do no wrong....