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Should one be thankful since the “probability” that one exists is so low ?

  Should one be thankful since the “probability” that one exists is so low ? Not really - thinking of probability in these terms is meaningless when we don’t understand a lot of things - eg consciousness, qualia, creativity etc. It’s like buying a KitKat and asking what is the probability that this exact KitKat is in my hand right now out of the billions that have been manufactured and why KitKat and not katkit (ie why did they name it KitKat) etc. Such probabilities are meaningless. I understand where this line of thinking comes from - wanting people to appreciate life more given how “improbable” it is that we are here. But that’s not the reason to appreciate life in my opinion and this kind of reasoning - first of all is not useful and secondly doesn’t have much meaning as I said. There are reasons to appreciate life of course even though we don’t understand a lot of them yet (since philosophy, including moral philosophy hasn’t ma...
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Old movies are better?

 Someone said some time back "I love older movies, they are so much better. They don't make movies like that anymore - older movies are so much better". I promptly pointed out this reasoning is mistaken. The fact is that there are a LOT more older movies than newer movies. Like a lot lot more. If you classify newer movies as movies released in the last 5 years, there are like perhaps a 100 times more movies made from the dawn of cinema till 5 years ago. So even if say only 5% of older movies are good as compared to 10% of newer movies (which is the other side of the preposition) even then there would be 50 times more "good" older movies then newer movies. 

Not doing anything you don’t want to do

 Anything you don’t want to do, but “have” to do because of any number of reasons - societal norms, religion, culture, bodily needs, responsibilities etc. - is a shame.  That is a bold statement, I know. I don’t mean to say that you should drop all those things you don’t want to do. That would be immoral in many cases. What i am saying is that those are the areas where progress can happen and if it continues we might have a way of life where we never have to do anything that we don’t want to do (unless not doing it is immoral). All the things we have to do today (which we don’t want to) are problems which will be solved and automated or eliminated with progress (ie creation of knowledge) in science and philosophy. There include things like having to work for money, having to exercise to maintain health, having to eat “healthy”, having to take care of children etc. etc. 

Against success

I see the road ahead  Leading to success But I want to instead Just make a giant mess Why would you, you may ask And be right to do so It’s just I’m not up to the task  I’m quite lazy and slow  You see I’ve taken that road before And success I did get But then my feet were so sore  And my shoes all wet So now I shall stay put And forgo the chance at glory “He was never afoot” Shall be my story   

Meaningless

  Searching for meaning  In a confusing world Is almost becoming kind of absurd You have the teachers You have the books You worship the preachers Who turn out to be crooks So what shall a man do To live a life worthwhile  Maybe -  to oneself be true  And do what makes you smile  PS - “Unless you are a psychopathic serial killer. Then don’t do that please.”

War

No, not anymore can we wait It’s time to pick up the sword Now we take charge of our fate And fight the evil untoward  I know, we abhor violence  But when evil is just this far It’s no time for silence  My brother, it’s time for war