There’s an even more obvious culprit than pop music: advertising. Pop music does not go out of its way to tell us that we’re unhappy, at least in most cases. But advertising exists to convince us that we’ll be happier if we give money to a certain corporation. In most cases, that means making us believe that we’re unhappy at the moment, and would be happier with a certain product or service.
Plainly it’s a continuum. One can see as much without leaving this message board. Some people get insulted by almost every response to what they write and lash out at anyone who criticizes them. Others are able to take it in stride, having internalized the ability to not be fazed by that sort of thing. One does not need to live on a mountaintop in the Himalayas to reach that state.
Good point. To an advertiser, there definitely is a downside to people experiencing inner peace. (And, more broadly, there are other situations where some people/organizations have a vested interest in other people being unsatisfied, uneasy, or riled up.)
I disagree. I’ve had times where I had trouble “putting food on the table” and many other circumstances besides. And getting myself to Inner Peace DID help (or so it seems to me).
I don’t see myself as innately different than others. But I do think I’ve acquired a different understanding than most, about why we feel however we do,… and the implications of that.
I’m over 60 so you can reasonably assume that I’ve gone thru a share of difficulites.
My young adult life was a mess, but after I learned that I could change how I felt, by examining my thinking and beliefs (as opposed to unknowingly IDENTIFYING with them) and then go on to improve how i felt, my life has slowly gotten easier, and even simpler.
My guess is, you don’t know how you’re causing yourself to feel however you do. I’m guessing you, in part, think you feel how you do because of circumstances or others. I used to. I don’t anymore.
Btw, I hope you don’t take this as any kind of personal attack. I’m not trying to attack you at all. I’m merely responding to the ideas you gave.
This sie is called The Straight Dope, and I was drawn to that, and I’m trying to share what I think is some very useful and helpful ‘straight dope.’
I take it you’ve never watched Serenity. Miranda.
StG
I think most of us didn’t have problems as young adults and grew up knowing that life is what you make of it, taking responsibility for our actions, and not blaming others.
It sounds like you reached these conclusions a lot later in life.
I agree that Inner Peace, all by itself, is not usually going to put food on the table.
And neither will breathing.
But, it seems to be being able to breathe and be internally calm add significantly to the chances to being able to get food and a roof over your head.
My initial question, btw, was not, “Is Inner Peace the only thing needed to have a good life?” My question was, Is there a downside to having Inner Peace?
So, are you saying there IS a downside to having Inner Peace?
So, what if I did reach my conclusions later? So what? It seems to me you’re suggesting something. What are you suggesting? I’m curious.
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.
I think he’s suggesting that your insight is really just a basic mature outlook on life. All the other slings and arrows of outrageous fortune are what shape us. Inner Peace doesn’t really amount to much the way you’ve described it; even with that you have to deal with all the crap life dishes out.
In other words, your “different understanding than most” doesn’t really matter much in the grand scheme of things, nor is it really significant. Everyone has it in one degree or another.
You say, “Inner Peace doesn’t really amount to much the way you’ve described it,…” Can you elaborate? I don’t know what you mean.
And, “even with that you have to deal with all the crap life dishes out.” It sounds to me you’re saying, experiencing Inner Peace has no effect on the “crap life dishes out.” Is that what you’re saying?
Here’s my experience. Being able to determine how I feel (and thus experience more inner calm) seems to improve my ability to handle all that life dishes out. If that’s not significant, please tell me what is.
Inner peace is a nice place to visit, but other states of mind can be useful too. Creativity often arises from turmoil - new ideas can start with confusion or inner conflict.
I seem to be able to handle all that life dishes out. I don’t know if I have Inner Peace or not. Is there a test you can give me to let me know if I have it?
Take the pebble from my hand.
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.
I can’t, but from what I understand there are brain scan (EEG) machines that can test for Inner Peace. I recall reading articles about Zen Monks tested in both deep meditation and also full awake states of Inner Peace.
Subjectively, though, I think you’d sense it, if you were internally at peace.
On another note, I found an article on Google encouraging its employees to meditate, in order to improve performance, etc. Here’s the link:
http://www.wired.com/business/2013/06/meditation-mindfulness-silicon-valley/all/
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?
To paraphrase John Wayne, In her piece is fine.
For someone whose found inner peace, Leaffan sure got you worked up in a hurry.
You’ve assumed you know how I feel about it.
Also, btw, I did not say I’m perfectly peaceful all the time. Far from it. But I am a lot more at peace than I was in my young adult life.
And again, my central question is: Is there a downside to Inner Peace?