Food, Sleep, and Sex. That's all we need. (1037 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.47 on 18 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by kitchens_closed (View user info) at 2005-09-11 11:20:56 EDT
Sometimes when I'm bored, I go outside and visit the creek. My favorite spot is where this tiny stone bridge stretches over a deep section of the creek. When you sit on the bridge and look down, you can see fish of all different sizes darting back and forth.
One day, I decided to have a little picnic. I made myself a turkey sandwich with cheese and mayonnaise, and made my way outside. I sat on the bridge, eating my sandwich, when I decided to throw in a chunk of turkey, just to see if the fish would eat it. To my surprise, they not only ate it, they annihilated it. I watched in disbelief as all the fish converged on each piece I threw in, snatching up tiny pieces, until the bigger fish emerged from the shadows to swallow the leftovers.
I was amazed. These fish were doing exactly what instinct told them to do. They were eating as much as they possibly could. Not because they were hungry, but because the food was there.
I continued to throw in piece after piece. At this point, watching the fish fight over tiny morsels was quite amusing. The funniest thing I ever saw out there was when this one fish, his mouth stuffed with a piece of turkey, saw a larger piece lying on the floor. He promptly spit out the piece he had in his mouth, sucked up the other piece, and swam away.
As I watched the fish do the same thing every time I went out to feed them, strange thoughts came to mind. What if I was a fish, or any other animal for that matter? My natural instincts would tell me to eat, and if I had to, fight to eat, just like the fish were doing. When I wasn't eating, I would be looking for a "mate," sleeping, or running from predators (assuming I had any).
An even more provocative thought: if you could give up all your human emotions and responsibilities for simplicity and peace of mind, would you do it? Think about it: No work, no school, no tax, no terrorism, no AIDs, no stress. All you have to do is, quite simply, survive. Stay alive. Avoid death. Only the necessities.
On the other hand, you must keep in mind that human traits are not all about anxiety and negativity. You'd also be losing your ability to love, drink, get high, party, use technology, drive, laugh, watch movies...the list could go on forever. So, the question again: would you give up everything good and everything bad, for life itself? Would you be willing to live a stress-free life in exchange for your ability to think about anything you wish? A tough question, one that I know I sure as hell can't answer.
Sometimes we forget how complicated our lives are. Think about all the people we've met over the years, all the news we see on TV, all the times our hearts have been broken, all the shit we go through just to get a job. Fucked up isn't it?
But we're humans, and that's the price we pay.
User Reviews
Submitted by sebcharrot (user info) at 2005-09-12 07:59:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Rating this is hard. I agree with everything you say... the problem is that it's such an old idea, and you're proposing it as if you've just come up with it yourself.... To me this seemed a bit... patronising, seeing as I realised this when I was like, ten years old.
I dunno. A solid zero, I think, simply because going negative would be cuntish.
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2005-09-12 07:36:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by kitchens_closed (user info) at 2005-09-11 20:29:08 (#)
Ranking: 0
You're looking at this wrong way. I'm saying if you were an animal, you wouldnt have to worry about being born into poverty. I'm not proposing an exchange for a primitive lifestyle. I'm saying if you were an animal, you wouldn't have to worry about things like that.
Of course, that would mean you survived childhood as an animal, but come on. Use your imagination.
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Then the question becomes even more irrelevant. Life is hard and the things that make it hard are the complexities of social interaction. Jockeying for position with one's freinds, trying to find a partner, retaining said partner and so on. Living in a primitive way is not going to change any of hard, bad things in life. It'd just erode all that is good.
Submitted by TuTs (user info) at 2005-09-12 05:31:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Or you could just be retarded.
Submitted by ozzy (user info) at 2005-09-12 05:12:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Interesting thought.
I don't know that I could handle an existence as basic as the one you've outlined, but having a stress free environment definitely appeals to me. Going without drugs or material goods wouldnt bother me at all.
Submitted by d_prime (user info) at 2005-09-12 00:10:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
A talented human can take advantage of being human and yet not get stressed out about it. I've always tried to expand my life as much as possible, while always consider it all to be 'extra' that I shouldn't be frusturated without.
Submitted by Captain_Lurk (user info) at 2005-09-11 23:14:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice work.
So, the question is...would I give up everything good and everything bad, for life itself? Would I be willing to live a stress-free life in exchange for my ability to think about anything I wish?
Nothing needs to be given up! I haven't watched TV in over a month. I don't read the paper anymore. I don't (gasp) read the news on the web. When gas prices were soaring, I had no clue why. Had to ask someone if it was because of the war. I get to things when I can, no pressure. If it doesn't get done today, it will be there tomorrow. Something has taken over my body, feelings, emotions, and that something is LOVE. Yes, I fell in love, and nothing else really matters anymore. Sure I need food and occasionally sleep, but it is amazing what one can do without - not think about - not care enough to worry about - because one has found true love.
I still need beer...we all do. Best of luck to you.
Submitted by kitchens_closed (user info) at 2005-09-11 20:29:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
You're looking at this wrong way. I'm saying if you were an animal, you wouldnt have to worry about being born into poverty. I'm not proposing an exchange for a primitive lifestyle. I'm saying if you were an animal, you wouldn't have to worry about things like that.
Of course, that would mean you survived childhood as an animal, but come on. Use your imagination.
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2005-09-11 19:21:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Yeah, life would be so much easier if life where more basic. My sister would have died in childbirth and I'd have gotten extra servings at dinner. That said, I've seen pictures of those folks living in Africa and the rainforest and such, they don't look to happy. 'specially when they starve and shit 'cause they can't just go to Tesco.
This is a stupid question. What your saying is that you'd like to live in a more backwards era. Misery and death are the only things you'd gain.
Submitted by Orla (user info) at 2005-09-11 16:14:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Interesting thought.
I would never give it up. For example, I don't regret any of my relationships, and I've had a couple that have been incredibly negative. Even if they've ended on bad terms, even if it was a "bad relationship," I've taken something from every partnership I've ever beeen in. The same goes for any type of relationship, not necessarily intimate ones.
Submitted by RydinJ (user info) at 2005-09-11 15:02:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Great Read
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2005-09-11 13:39:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I worship me, too. It's a side effect of having my necessities taken care of.
VIDEO GAMES ARE MAKING A MOCKERY OF MY ATTEMPT TO GET AN EDUCATION. THEY ARE THE CRACK OF THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY. DAMN THEM. DAMN THEM AND THEIR VICIOUS VORTEX OF FUN.
Phew. Sorry.
Submitted by kitchens_closed (user info) at 2005-09-11 13:28:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Getting high, video games...I worship you.
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2005-09-11 13:07:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
The reason why we don't live that way is because for all our stupidity, a few of us have managed to make getting the necessities of life easier. Once the necessities of life are taken care of, we move on to other things, like getting high, videogames, etc. At least that's my take on it.
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2005-09-11 13:01:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
It's an interesting thought. In order to live that type of existence, not only would one's self awareness have to be completely different, but also one's awareness of everything and everyone around him/her. It's not a trade that I personally would like to make. I enjoy my ability to think and reason (such as it is), and my ability to feel emotions. I wouldn't trade it for a basic existence because the only way to have such a basic existence is to get rid of those things.
Submitted by kitchens_closed (user info) at 2005-09-11 12:29:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
You wouldn't have to be a fish, and I agree, that would be extreme. But no matter what animal you choose, life would be COMPLETELY different.
Well, except maybe a monkey
Submitted by Siren (user info) at 2005-09-11 12:29:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Brilliant!
Submitted by a_palindrome (user info) at 2005-09-11 12:13:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Sometimes I wish I could stop thinking of everything I have to do, like get into college, worry about what I want to do with my life etc. But I don't know if I'd want to turn into a fish. That's a little extreme.
Submitted by Psycosis (user info) at 2005-09-11 11:32:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
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