Hope?

De Lorimier

North American Scum
Joined
May 26, 2002
Messages
4,845
Location
Île de Montréal
I slept at my folks house yesterday because I had to do some laundry there and I didn't feel like driving back here.
I was watching tv, zapping from channel to channel when I saw Craig Killborn's face. I was about to change the channel to go see what Conan was up to but Killborn's first guest was none other than John Cleese so I decided to keep watching.

They were making small talk and a bit of comedy and then Cleese said something like this:

"I fell great! I feel great because I've lost hope. Now that I'm older I enjoy life. When you're younger, growing up, you want to see the world change, you wish for a more sensible, open, intelligent society. You see what's wrong with people and countries and you feel horrible! You want to see the light at the end of the tunnel and some real change that will help mankind's unity for the well-being of others.

But if you lose hope, if you know there won't be major changes and the world is going to be noticeably the same from when your born to when you die, you'll live an happy life!


That was probably funnier when he said it and he was joking a little bit, but this still makes sense. I know a lot of people who just don't care and they're happy! Most people that I know who do care aren't as much.
Do you care? If you do, do you think you're less happy that other people who don't? Do you think you'll stop caring growing older?

Personally, I think I could be a lot happier if the troubles of this world (wars, religions,global warming, radioactive sites, imperialistic wrongs, animals rights, etc...) didn't affected or bothered me in any way. But since I do care, I'm less happy than my friend who prefers to smoke weed, watch SuperTroopers and play playstation2. That's not right! Will I change growing older? Probably. I might care more for small but important things like having children and providing everything for them. But in the meantime, I'll be a sad frustrated sob... ;)
 
The way to be the most happy is to have small, reachable goals and attain them. The way to be the most depressed is to not reach your goals; therefore if your goals are such things as world peace and the end of poverty, you're probably going to be pretty damn sad.
 
True, but more peace and less poverty are possible and attainable.

I think big goals are a good thing, not to reach them, but to strive towards them.

I understand Cleese's point of view though, pick your worries selectively and learn to deal with life's struggles, because you are guaranteed to face them.
 
The only reason the world doesn't change is apathy, and the only reason apathy appears is because people think the world won't change.
 
Originally posted by cgannon64:
The only reason the world doesn't change is apathy, and the only reason apathy appears is because people think the world won't change.
Very true. Would make a nice sig too.
 
Thanks but I like mine and I think I'll stick to french for this option.
 
Originally posted by WillJ
The way to be the most happy is to have small, reachable goals and attain them. The way to be the most depressed is to not reach your goals; therefore if your goals are such things as world peace and the end of poverty, you're probably going to be pretty damn sad.

Exactly! Do what you can and be happy with what small strides you can make. Excpect the world to become a Utopia in your life time and your going to end up disappointed.
 
Of course if I expected the world to become an utopia I would be disappointed.
But what Mr.Cleese also seemed to mean is that when you don't care, or stop to care for intelligent structured arrangements, for a better way of doing things either locally or worldwide, you become happier. I think it's sad that the uninterested ones are the happiest but apparently ignorane is bliss.
 
If you don't care, then you have no hope; if you do not care about education, you do not have any hope of reaching a good job.
 
Originally posted by CurtSibling
Every sheeple hopes to become a donkey one day...
Sheeple?

For now I'll assume you mean sheep, but men are sheep, and I don't hope to become a donkey one day.
 
As people get older their perspectives change.


They tend to take the view:

(a) they can not change the world much

(b) there is no point in worrying about
what they can not affect

(c) there is no point in making long term plans

(d) enjoy happiness where you can.

It is not that they stop caring, but their caring becomes
more focussed; upon their relatives and friends.
 
Back
Top Bottom