I logged on intending to continue the discussion with Wayne about GMO's .... and I would like to continue that discussion on a very limited time alowance which is short these days. But the time allottment is better spent here ....
Wow you guys .... what a heavy topic! I am blown away by the amount of suffering you've both experienced, both physical and emotional. But of course, physical suffering begets emotional suffering. I recently read a study that the brain does not differentiate because emotional suffering ends up registering as physical. I will of course find that study if you want it. A broken heart is registered in the same way as a broken arm or leg .....
Back to being blown away ..... I am!
I realize that I live in a bubble of sorts as I've never experienced much suffering in my life, not even a broken bone, ...not even child birth. I experienced dire poverty for about 4 months at one time which lead to some weight loss and stress/worry ..... and so I now empathize with the homeless and hungry and regularly contribute to food bank donations, etc. But only because I have become sensitized to the suffering of the homelless and hungry.
There is the archetype of the "wounded healer" ..... meaning that which is hurt .... heals. I have understood that people who have suffered gain an understanding of those who suffer. Waiters and waitresses tend to give larger tips, for example. (perhaps an insignificant example in light of much larger examples of suffering).
Mothy, although your question was originally addressed to Wayne ..... and although Siber has responded by relating an incredible story of suffering .... a rare story which most of us have probably not experienced ... and while Wayne has responded with his own incredible story of suffering. Geez you guys! And Mothy, I'm sure you have your own story which is probably more psychological/emotional than it is the raw experience of physical and therefore emotional pain ... And yet you seem to suffer the most .... maybe.
I would still like to add that suicide is both noble and realistic as well as tragic and avoidable. But the idea of morality is just an idea. We made it up. There is not an overseer who judges such mattters. There is, in my mind, a sanctity in life which is up to us to discover and that sanctity is boundless and infinite and will probably not be found in any religion.
And I feel as if I have crashed a topic. I have no "real" experience of suffering. Yet, I wonder how I can empathize with the cruelty hoisted upon animals and the poeple of Iraq and soon to be Iran ..... as well as the Palestinians and the Americans ...... in privatized prisons, etc., without ever having broken a bone?
Somehow the healer has been wounded anyway ..... While still totally amazed by these stories of suffering. I have a renewed sense of empathy and I may just speak more softly from now on ....
We need to look after each other and we need to elect governments who take this into account ...... if we need to elect governments at all and I guess we do at our present level of understanding/evolution.
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