Philosophy Now Forum

I turn 50 next week. I wonder how much more time I have left in this world. I've had an enjoyable life. But living always seems to come at some other being's expense. I feel like the longer I live, the more damage I do. On the flip side I have probably also been a party to or responsible for the flourishing of some other life forms, for example: many cockroaches have probably thrived off the crumbs I've dropped. (Of course I kill them on sight when I see them in the house.) I've also been responsible for a few cats and dogs living good lives. I suppose, however, that makes me an accomplice to all the creatures they killed during those lives.

Color me a pessimist, I guess.

Gary Childress wrote:I turn 50 next week. I wonder how much more time I have left in this world. I've had an enjoyable life. But living always seems to come at some other being's expense. I feel like the longer I live, the more damage I do. On the flip side I have probably also been a party to or responsible for the flourishing of some other life forms, for example: many cockroaches have probably thrived off the crumbs I've dropped. (Of course I kill them on sight when I see them in the house.) I've also been responsible for a few cats and dogs living good lives. I suppose, however, that makes me an accomplice to all the creatures they killed during those lives.

Color me a pessimist, I guess.

There's many less reasonable and decent beings than you, Gary.

Thing is, if you are not the one robbing other organisms of life, then you leave a space for some other organism to do the same. Could they be guaranteed to operate as carefully as you?

It's a dirty job and you (and the rest of us) have fallen into it. Some say that we choose to come to Earth. Others say we are simply thrust into life. Some say a lot of things

It seems to me that if you embrace qualities like gratitude, goodwill, understanding, decency, calm, humour and kindness then you are probably doing okay morally.

I find our routine killing of "vermin" to be an interesting issue. It's easy to be gentle and spare the life of a single bug in the home, but once you get dozens of them, the empathy wears thin very quickly! By the time the critters number in the hundreds or thousands we have already been transformed into wild eyed hunters, seeking nothing less that the complete annihilation of the insects ASAP.

In my fifties I have increasingly come to spare daddy longlegs' webs in the house. I have one in every corner of the living room ceiling and they seem to be finding things to eat. I don't permit multiple spider living arrangements, though - that prompts murder of spiders I deem surplus to requirements. It makes me feel like a CEO

Greta wrote:

Gary Childress wrote:I turn 50 next week. I wonder how much more time I have left in this world. I've had an enjoyable life. But living always seems to come at some other being's expense. I feel like the longer I live, the more damage I do. On the flip side I have probably also been a party to or responsible for the flourishing of some other life forms, for example: many cockroaches have probably thrived off the crumbs I've dropped. (Of course I kill them on sight when I see them in the house.) I've also been responsible for a few cats and dogs living good lives. I suppose, however, that makes me an accomplice to all the creatures they killed during those lives.

Color me a pessimist, I guess.

There's many less reasonable and decent beings than you, Gary.

Thing is, if you are not the one robbing other organisms of life, then you leave a space for some other organism to do the same. Could they be guaranteed to operate as carefully as you?

It's a dirty job and you (and the rest of us) have fallen into it. Some say that we choose to come to Earth. Others say we are simply thrust into life. Some say a lot of things

It seems to me that if you embrace qualities like gratitude, goodwill, understanding, decency, calm, humour and kindness then you are probably doing okay morally.

I find our routine killing of "vermin" to be an interesting issue. It's easy to be gentle and spare the life of a single bug in the home, but once you get dozens of them, the empathy wears thin very quickly! By the time the critters number in the hundreds or thousands we have already been transformed into wild eyed hunters, seeking nothing less that the complete annihilation of the insects ASAP.

In my fifties I have increasingly come to spare daddy longlegs' webs in the house. I have one in every corner of the living room ceiling and they seem to be finding things to eat. I don't permit multiple spider living arrangements, though - that prompts murder of spiders I deem surplus to requirements. It makes me feel like a CEO

I've never intentionally killed a spider. I've always been quite fond of them. But you are right about when insects invade en masse. It's a primeval revulsion and fear we have when we see tiny wriggling or crawling things in unmanageable numbers. Spiders don't seem to do that though. I think the superstition of bad luck came about because some people understood how useful they are to us. It's never been considered bad luck to kill a fly, although they have a useful role in the ecosystem too.

All insects in my household (excepting bees) suffer from a death penalty, which I call the Texas solution.
They die in a glass and then are thrown out of the window.
If I had to chose a death penalty for myself, this would be fine with me too.

I suppose that cockroaches and some other intelligent bugs do reconnaissance. So if they never come back no friends will follow. I don´t trust that they will go back to the base and tell: no food supplies easily accessible in duszek´s household, everything in jars and recepients.

Big spiders like to come into quiet, nice apartments when the sun goes down in summer.
They look for lodgings for the night. So it´s better to close the window when you go for a long walk and come back late at night.
One time in summer late at night I discovered a huge spider sitting on a heating tube so I could not put a glas over him. Shall I call a neighbour or the police ? The spider seemed to read my thoughts and moved behind the tube as if to say: look, I try not to be seen by you since you are so frightened and disgusted (which is an insult to me), just leave me alone and tomorrow morning when you wake up I will be gone.
I accepted the deal and it worked.

Getting older makes you more relaxed due to life experience.
The main thing is to stay clear in the mind.

Have I damaged the planet earth too much ? Have I made too many people unhappy ?
Hopefully not.
I can start trying to improve the balance today.

vegetariantaxidermy wrote:I've never intentionally killed a spider. I've always been quite fond of them. But you are right about when insects invade en masse. It's a primeval revulsion and fear we have when we see tiny wriggling or crawling things in unmanageable numbers. Spiders don't seem to do that though. I think the superstition of bad luck came about because some people understood how useful they are to us. It's never been considered bad luck to kill a fly, although they have a useful role in the ecosystem too.

Decent of you. It depends on the spiders. I don't want huntsmen roaming the house because I don't need to wonder about arachnoid nocturnal visitors capable of nipping when inadvertently rolled on or swallowed, even if not venomous. I certainly dealt out "the Texas solution" (well, Sydney) to the redbacks that set up under the chairs on the front verandah. Once I had hundreds of baby huntsmen suddenly roaming up my walls and on to the ceiling. Alas, theirs was a short journey as a result of some fairly primal behaviour from yours truly.

Good point about the relative value of spiders and flies. Mozzies too.

Greta wrote:

vegetariantaxidermy wrote:I've never intentionally killed a spider. I've always been quite fond of them. But you are right about when insects invade en masse. It's a primeval revulsion and fear we have when we see tiny wriggling or crawling things in unmanageable numbers. Spiders don't seem to do that though. I think the superstition of bad luck came about because some people understood how useful they are to us. It's never been considered bad luck to kill a fly, although they have a useful role in the ecosystem too.

Decent of you. It depends on the spiders. I don't want huntsmen roaming the house because I don't need to wonder about arachnoid nocturnal visitors capable of nipping when inadvertently rolled on or swallowed, even if not venomous. I certainly dealt out "the Texas solution" (well, Sydney) to the redbacks that set up under the chairs on the front verandah. Once I had hundreds of baby huntsmen suddenly roaming up my walls and on to the ceiling. Alas, theirs was a short journey as a result of some fairly primal behaviour from yours truly.

Good point about the relative value of spiders and flies. Mozzies too.

Just looked back over it, and I had read 'redbacks' as 'rednecks'. No wonder I was confused.

vegetariantaxidermy wrote:

I certainly dealt out "the Texas solution" (well, Sydney) to the redbacks that set up under the chairs on the front verandah.

Just looked back over it, and I had read 'redbacks' as 'rednecks'. No wonder I was confused.

The Texas solution: Ah got mah gun and ah'm a hankerin' to hunt me down some juicy rednecks! Aw heck, y'all comin'?

Edit: fixed wrongly assigned quote

Greta wrote:

The Texas solution: Ah got mah gun and ah'm a hankerin' to hunt me down some juicy rednecks! Aw heck, y'all comin'?

If I had rednecks setting themselves up under my outdoor furniture I would be getting out the Raid too

vegetariantaxidermy wrote:

Greta wrote:

The Texas solution: Ah got mah gun and ah'm a hankerin' to hunt me down some juicy rednecks! Aw heck, y'all comin'?

If I had rednecks setting themselves up under my outdoor furniture I would be getting out the Raid too :shock:

Here's a tip: the best way to quickly and cleanly get rid of rednecks hanging around the house is to play jazz funk or light jazz fusion music. It works quickly too, often in a matter of minutes. It's a miracle to behold - the rednecks just kind of drift away, presumably to more agreeable sonic spaces consisting of shouting, football calls, thumping pop music and the revving of cars.

Greta wrote:

vegetariantaxidermy wrote:

Greta wrote:

The Texas solution: Ah got mah gun and ah'm a hankerin' to hunt me down some juicy rednecks! Aw heck, y'all comin'?

If I had rednecks setting themselves up under my outdoor furniture I would be getting out the Raid too

Here's a tip: the best way to quickly and cleanly get rid of rednecks hanging around the house is to play jazz funk or light jazz fusion music. It works quickly too, often in a matter of minutes. It's a miracle to behold - the rednecks just kind of drift away, presumably to more agreeable sonic spaces consisting of shouting, football calls, thumping pop music and the revving of cars.

I think Bach would probably have the same effect. Apparently some city councils play Vivaldi loudly from street speakers because it distresses lurking low-lifes and they leave (presumably for another neighbourhood that doesn't have the 'offensive noise'.

vegetariantaxidermy wrote:

Greta wrote:

vegetariantaxidermy wrote: If I had rednecks setting themselves up under my outdoor furniture I would be getting out the Raid too

Here's a tip: the best way to quickly and cleanly get rid of rednecks hanging around the house is to play jazz funk or light jazz fusion music. It works quickly too, often in a matter of minutes. It's a miracle to behold - the rednecks just kind of drift away, presumably to more agreeable sonic spaces consisting of shouting, football calls, thumping pop music and the revving of cars.

I think Bach would probably have the same effect. Apparently some city councils play Vivaldi loudly from street speakers because it distresses lurking low-lifes and they leave (presumably for another neighbourhood that doesn't have the 'offensive noise'.

I guess people like an aural environment that encourages their desired mindset? Like painting prison interiors pink and other soft pastels to ease tension.

Gary Childress wrote:I turn 50 next week. I wonder how much more time I have left in this world. I've had an enjoyable life. But living always seems to come at some other being's expense. I feel like the longer I live, the more damage I do. On the flip side I have probably also been a party to or responsible for the flourishing of some other life forms, for example: many cockroaches have probably thrived off the crumbs I've dropped. (Of course I kill them on sight when I see them in the house.) I've also been responsible for a few cats and dogs living good lives. I suppose, however, that makes me an accomplice to all the creatures they killed during those lives.

Color me a pessimist, I guess.

Happy birthday, Gary. Every creature dies and every creature benefits from the company of a purified human at any point in its life-cycle.