Is the quest for balance and perfection a noble pursuit in today's society?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the concept of noble pursuits in contemporary society, questioning what constitutes a meaningful quest in light of personal and societal challenges. Participants reflect on various ideas, from philosophical inquiries to practical actions, without reaching a consensus on what a noble quest might be.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that a noble quest could involve dealing with complexity and striving for balance amidst imperfections.
  • Another humorously proposes becoming a ferryman, implying a metaphorical journey of listening to the river.
  • There is a suggestion that the search for a noble cause may be futile, as some believe that a cause finds the individual rather than the other way around.
  • A participant reflects on the possibility of pursuing gun control as a significant societal improvement, acknowledging the challenges involved.
  • One participant humorously mentions the quest for chocolate-covered cinnamon rolls, raising questions about the absurdity of such pursuits.
  • Another proposes the idea of finding out what one wants to pursue as a quest, leading to a recursive cycle of quests.
  • A later reply humorously contrasts the difficulty of engaging high school students in physics with the pursuit of prestigious awards.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a variety of perspectives on what constitutes a noble pursuit, with no clear consensus emerging. Some ideas are presented humorously, while others touch on serious societal issues, indicating a mix of light-hearted and earnest contributions.

Contextual Notes

Participants' views reflect personal interpretations of nobility and purpose, with varying degrees of seriousness and humor. The discussion includes speculative ideas and challenges without resolving the underlying questions.

CuriousArv
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The Buddha's quest was
To find a way to end all suffering.

and his genius allowed him to find a solution.


What would be a noble quest to embark upon in today's day and age?

I can think of dealing with complexity and finding a way to be balanced despite
imperfections and limitedness.

but I really don't know. Any ideas?
 
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Become a ferryman..
 
Well, suffering hasn't ended yet, so you could start again there...
 
You could copy my neighbor and go on a quest for the chocolate covered cinnamon rolls in chainmail with a sword?
 
Yowhatsupt said:
You could copy my neighbor and go on a quest for the chocolate covered cinnamon rolls in chainmail with a sword?

Why would a chocolate covered cinnamon roll wear chainmail and have a sword?

CraigD, AMInstP
www.cymek.com
 
CraigD said:
Why would a chocolate covered cinnamon roll wear chainmail and have a sword?

CraigD, AMInstP
www.cymek.com

Sorry I left out the he went
 
how about a quest to find out what you want to do a quest in?

well but in that case you are already done with the quest so you can start another quest to find out what your next quest will be in... and the cycle continues.
 
To sound deep: people of noble cause do not find their cause; their cause finds them.

Basically, it's meaningless to look for a "noble cause".
 
Become a ferryman and listen to the river. I try to listen but all the river does is laugh.. The path of the illustrious one is a hard one my friend.
 
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  • #10
now that i am beginning to get old, i also thought recently about what to devote my remaining time to, that would be for good.

It seemed to me that a big improvement would occur in life in the US if we could achieve some form of gun control. this will be a very difficult battle, even though most people favor it because it is opposed both by the moneyed gun dealers, and the rural people who love guns and do not think about, or do not care about, the effect they have in crowded cities.

i have not yet taken any concrete steps in this battle.
 
Last edited:
  • #11
You could find the graviton.

...or, if that doesn't work out, you could be a physics teacher.
 
  • #12
arunma said:
...or, if that doesn't work out, you could be a physics teacher.

i think getting high school kids to focus and enjoy physics is tougher than getting any nobel prize :rolleyes:
 

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