Things to ponder....

Keeping negative company

Don’t let someone who has a bad attitude give it to you. Don’t let them get to you. They can’t pull the trigger if you don’t hand them the gun. When you remember that keeping the company of negative people is a choice, instead of an obligation, you free yourself to keep the company of compassion instead of anger, generosity instead of greed, and patience instead of anxiety.

Wearing a mask to impress others

If the face you always show the world is a mask, someday there will be nothing beneath it. Because when you spend too much time concentrating on everyone else’s perception of you, or who everyone else wants you to be, you eventually forget who you really are. So don’t fear the judgments of others; you know in your heart who you are and what’s true to you. You don’t have to be perfect to impress and inspire people. Let them be impressed and inspired by how you deal with your imperfections.

Settling for less than you deserve

Be strong enough to let go and wise enough to wait for what you deserve. Sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you have ever been to stand up taller than you ever were before. Sometimes your eyes need to be washed by your tears so you can see the possibilities in front of you with a clearer vision again. Don’t settle.

If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?

If man evolved from, then why. Evolution is like branches on a tree. Branches form branches, and the new branches form branches in turn. A new branch coming out of an existing branch doesn't mean the one it came from disappears. The old and new coexist. So too with life.

But. Given the amount of inequality and unfairness and war and racism and so on, I'm not convinced that our species has evolved beyond what I often see as a rather demented ape.

I believe our species was misnamed. We don't show much evidence of sapiens. Even birds can make tools. It's not even clear that humanity will survive long-term, thanks to our extraordinarily irresponsible destruction of the biosphere, and equally irresponsible over-breeding. Scientists have calculated the optimum human population to be 2 billion; that could be supported long term. But now there are 7 billion of us, and the number is still growing rapidly. Currently we're causing about 70,000 other species to go extinct every year; a horrific rate. That can continue for only so long before humans are on the list of species that have perished.

We're threatening now to pull down the biosphere that we depend on. We could do it this century. No thinking species would do that. I see us as more the species that doesn't think.

In order to consider ourselves evolved, beyond apes, we'd have to stop squabbling worse than chimpanizees, stop killing more than chimpanzees do, and stop being the most destructive species on this planet.

I suspect the primary reason Neanderthals disappeared from Europe was Homo was better at killing; more aggressive; more predatorial. That's hardly a feather in our cap, if humans were the main reason a brother species disappeared. Humans killed at least 100 million of their own, just in the 20th century, by violent means, and we're downing other species like mad these days. So it's hardly an unreasonable idea, that we were the main reason Neanderthals disappeared. Killing seems to be what our species does best.

But that means we're a notch below most other apes; not higher than. Our arrogance tells us different. I think Homo Arrogant would have been a more accurate name for humans.

Consider that we're still poised - 24/7 - to incinerate much of the Northern Hemisphere with thermonuclear weapons. That makes us pretty much the stupid species. I think we're really not much evolved beyond or above the level of baboons. From watching the news, you may notice the striking similarity in mindsets and personalities. Baboons can be nasty; humans can be *really* nasty. Way nastier than baboons. Humans could out-nasty baboons with their eyes closed. Easy.

My impression of a human:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... Baboon.jpg

As for negativity. Some might say...god, he's negative. But I see myself as a realist; actually I tend to be more positive-minded than negative-minded. What in my post wasn't accurate? Humans aren't too good at seeing themselves clearly. But I see myself clearly. Often I think...I can't be human. I must be something else!

Hi Rod.  

I am a believer in God.  But I have to say, I love your write up here.  I am going to read it again and again to make sure I didn't miss anything.  

I am so open-minded. You may think that rare coming from a Christian, and it is; but, I am a rare breed and I love knowledge.......and I also love the comfort "believing" brings to me, especially if I am sick or scared.

Please Rod, keep talking as I am listening.

Jessy  

If man evolved from, then why. Evolution is like branches on a tree. Branches form branches, and the new branches form branches in turn. A new branch coming out of an existing branch doesn't mean the one it came from disappears. The old and new coexist. So too with life.

I am not quite sure we can compare a living creature with a face, to a tree tho Rod.....would you like to talk about that further?

Thanks  

As for negativity. Some might say...god, he's negative. But I see myself as a realist; actually I tend to be more positive-minded than negative-minded. What in my post wasn't accurate? Humans aren't too good at seeing themselves clearly. But I see myself clearly. Often I think...I can't be human. I must be something else!

I agree with you totally . I have to say though I think people are now starting to get on that list where so many wars so many countries killing millions of people I think we are already on the list with all the animals to hope sometime soon someone will stop all this feeling of wanting so many people dead or we will sooner or later end up on that list with so many animals of no fault of their own are on we will be on it much sooner than a lot of people realize. They need to open up their eyes.I agree with everything you are saying.