# Question About Peace **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 6, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140 "2013-09-06T02:40:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Phil\_CostaMesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Phil\_CostaMesa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phil_CostaMesa)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/41 "2013-09-07T00:25:35Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > If you’re surrounded by suffering and injustice but you’ve managed to shut it out and feel okay about things, then your response to life is wrong. You need to pull your head out of your ass. What if I’m surrounded by suffering and I AM aware of it, and I’m STILL able to experience Inner Peace or “feel ok about things”? Is my response to life wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Phil\_CostaMesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Phil\_CostaMesa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phil_CostaMesa)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/42 "2013-09-07T00:36:20Z")
> [@Phil\_CostaMesa](#): > > What if I’m surrounded by suffering and I AM aware of it, and I’m STILL able to experience Inner Peace or “feel ok about things”? Is my response to life wrong? Maybe it will be helpful to mention Victor Frankl, a psychologist who was imprisoned by the Nazis in WWII. He wrote, “Everything in your life can be taken away except for this one thing: Your freedom to how you respond to a situation.” Dr. Victor Frankl in ‘Man’s Search For Meaning’ ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/43 "2013-09-07T00:52:39Z")
Maybe it would be helpful to mention John Lennon, a song writer and singer: he wrote “All we are saying, is give peace a chance.” John Lennon, in bed with Yoko Ono. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/44 "2013-09-07T03:02:54Z")
Have you ever had the EKG to show if you have Inner Peace? How do you know if you really have it or if you mistakenly believe that you have it? People deal with things differently, some people trive on turmoil. Great art and major advancements often come from people who are frustrated and want to make change. In addition, you have no meaningful definition of Inner Peace other than something that makes you feel better. You need more detail if you want others to understand what you are talking about and take you seriously. Right now you just sound like any one of dozens of flavors of pop psychology: basically good advice but hopelessly vague and impossible to follow. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/45 "2013-09-07T06:18:24Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Inner peace is like self-esteem - it’s great when it’s a reflection of external circumstance but it’s solipsistic bullshit when it’s unconnected with reality. > > If you’re surrounded by suffering and injustice but you’ve managed to shut it out and feel okay about things, then your response to life is wrong. You need to pull your head out of your ass. > [@Phil\_CostaMesa](#): > > What about doctors or fire fighters who can be at peace while they do their work? Or mothers who can peacefully attend to their children’s sufferings? > > In other words, isn’t it possible to experience Inner Peace, while at the same time aware of suffering, and being responsible? > [@Phil\_CostaMesa](#): > > What if I’m surrounded by suffering and I AM aware of it, and I’m STILL able to experience Inner Peace or “feel ok about things”? Is my response to life wrong? As I wrote, you can live amid suffering and injustice and have inner peace - but it’s only true inner peace if you’ve earned it. And in this case that means fighting the suffering and injustice around you. If you can look into your heart and honestly say that you’ve done what you can to fight suffering and injustice then you deserve your inner peace, even if that suffering and injustice still exist. But if you’ve achieved a sense of inner peace by shutting out the suffering and injustice rather than doing anything about it then it’s a false inner peace. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/46 "2013-09-07T06:23:22Z")
> [@Phil\_CostaMesa](#): > > And again, my central question is: Is there a downside to Inner Peace? If you lose it, you’ll know what it is that you’re missing. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/47 "2013-09-07T06:27:35Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > John Lennon, in bed with Yoko Ono. Sokath, his eyes uncovered! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/48 "2013-09-07T11:25:03Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Have you ever had the EKG to show if you have Inner Peace? How do you know if you really have it or if you mistakenly believe that you have it? The Delusional Inner Peace Experience. Hmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Phil\_CostaMesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Phil\_CostaMesa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phil_CostaMesa)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/49 "2013-09-07T17:47:57Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > If you lose it, you’ll know what it is that you’re missing. Hi, Thank you for your response to my question. But, it seems to me, you’re not pointing out a downside to Inner Peace, but instead, to the absence of it. Or do I misunderstand you? ---
**Author:** ![Phil\_CostaMesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Phil\_CostaMesa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phil_CostaMesa)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/50 "2013-09-07T18:07:57Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Have you ever had the EKG to show if you have Inner Peace? How do you know if you really have it or if you mistakenly believe that you have it? > > People deal with things differently, some people trive on turmoil. Great art and major advancements often come from people who are frustrated and want to make change. > > In addition, you have no meaningful definition of Inner Peace other than something that makes you feel better. You need more detail if you want others to understand what you are talking about and take you seriously. Right now you just sound like any one of dozens of flavors of pop psychology: basically good advice but hopelessly vague and impossible to follow. Maybe for the moment, it would work to try to put aside all my thoughts regarding Inner Peace and how to prove it or define it. All I’m really after is answers to a question ABOUT it. My question is: Is there a downside to experiencing Inner Peace? If you need me to actually define it, then I think I must give up because I think it’s practically ineffable (indescribable). It seems to me it’s like the taste of an apple. How do you ACTUALLY describe it? Sweet? No, it’s more or other than sweet, isn’t it? But if you’ve tasted it you KNOW what it tastes like. I think Inner Peace is something like this. When you experience it, you know the experience of it, but may not be able to convey or explain it. ---
**Author:** ![Phil\_CostaMesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Phil\_CostaMesa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phil_CostaMesa)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/51 "2013-09-07T18:29:37Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > As I wrote, you can live amid suffering and injustice and have inner peace - but it’s only true inner peace if you’ve earned it. And in this case that means fighting the suffering and injustice around you. > > If you can look into your heart and honestly say that you’ve done what you can to fight suffering and injustice then you deserve your inner peace, even if that suffering and injustice still exist. > > But if you’ve achieved a sense of inner peace by shutting out the suffering and injustice rather than doing anything about it then it’s a false inner peace. It sounds to me like you’ve given me an answer to my question: Is there a downside to experiencing Inner Peace? I think you’re saying, one could have a False sense of it or a True sense of it. I think you’re saying a False sense of it is detrimental. If that’s correct, what is the consequence of having a False sense of it? ---
**Author:** ![Haleypop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/22d042/32.png) [@Haleypop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Haleypop)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/52 "2013-09-07T18:37:45Z")
Good shot! ---
**Author:** ![Haleypop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/22d042/32.png) [@Haleypop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Haleypop)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/53 "2013-09-07T18:38:54Z")
Inner peace can be a bit boring. But I can deal with that. ---
**Author:** ![sylmar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@sylmar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sylmar)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/54 "2013-09-07T19:04:53Z")
Inner peace? Like contentment with your lot in life? I think it’s really dependent on personality type. Myself, I feel it for about ten minutes after- a) Witnessing kids doing something that make me hold out hope for the rest of humanity b) A really good meal c) Sex d) Performing a task few others could have accomplished ( This usually involves taking liberties with the term few by equating few ~ couple of billion other people on the planet) After that ten minutes, it’s my poor sore nose back to the grindstone to continue striving… To better myself, my life and the lives of others I come into contact with. I wouldn’t classify my lack of substantive inner peace as unhappiness with life, but rather, disbelief that I’ve reached the point where there’s no room for improvement. ---
**Author:** ![Phil\_CostaMesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Phil\_CostaMesa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phil_CostaMesa)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/55 "2013-09-07T21:02:39Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I’m not suggesting anything. And to answer your original question, no, there’s no downside to having inner peace. For a lot of us it’s the default setting. Wow, that must be great. So, where do the ‘lot’ of you reside? Nowhere around me does it seem like a lot’s default setting is Inner Peace. (A lot of ok-ness and getting-by-ness, though.) ---
**Author:** ![Phil\_CostaMesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Phil\_CostaMesa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phil_CostaMesa)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/56 "2013-09-07T21:09:54Z")
> [@sylmar](#): > > Inner peace? Like contentment with your lot in life? I think it’s really dependent on personality type. > > Myself, I feel it for about ten minutes after- > a) Witnessing kids doing something that make me hold out hope for the rest of humanity > b) A really good meal > c) Sex > d) Performing a task few others could have accomplished ( This usually involves taking liberties with the term few by equating few ~ couple of billion other people on the planet) > > After that ten minutes, it’s my poor sore nose back to the grindstone to continue striving… To better myself, my life and the lives of others I come into contact with. > > I wouldn’t classify my lack of substantive inner peace as unhappiness with life, but rather, disbelief that I’ve reached the point where there’s no room for improvement. Hi Sylmar, Thank you for your response, but I don’t understand the gist of it. Are you saying you believe there IS a downside to experiencing Inner Peace? If so, could you elaborate? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/57 "2013-09-08T00:49:21Z")
> [@Phil\_CostaMesa](#): > > When you experience it, you know the experience of it, but may not be able to convey or explain it. If you can’t describe it, you can’t explain it, you can’t test it, then how the heck do you expect me to discuss the downsides of it? If I said “Inner Peace” is great but it gives me heartburn and leaves me unable to effectively write C++ code, how would you respond? I’m generally happy, I have a good life, I’m active, getting married, and looking forward to new adventures. I also stress occasionally over work issues, would like more vacation time, and my heart has palpitations when the Red Six play the Yankees. Do I have Inner Peace? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140/58 "2013-09-09T15:25:46Z")
I have a great deal of inner peace. And I have no problem putting food on the table. And I even have some ambition - I am going back to school in order to get a better job. Inner peace is bringing your happiness with you and not expecting external factors to make you happy. Sure, more money is great, but I am aware that merely having more money will not by itself make me happy. It will not, and people are wrong to think it so. I don’t feel it’s the default setting for most people. Most people seem fairly unhappy to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-peace/668140.md?page=2)