Life is benevolent, do you agree?

[Sushan]

We expect our lives to go on in a certain way. When everything goes as per our liking, we say it is good, and the life becomes benevolent. If life is the 'jar', then where are ourselves located? Is it within the jar, totally outside the jar, or some other existence?

As per the universe, yes, it does not matter whether we exist or not for the existence of the universe. But humans are capable of destroying anything, and I am doubtful whether the universe can be excluded from that fate.

My view is that if life is the jar, we are.

I am sorry but I did not get you. Can you please elaborate on that. Thank you

Well, I simply meant that life equals ourselves. Just two different words for the same concept. There is no other complex causality or anything. Also, I've used the edit tool to extend my previous reply, so feel free to check that one out as well.

I read both comments, and thank you for the elaboration. Life and existence, and humans are the same thing in our own eyes, because we look at all these relative to ourselves. It is hard for us to think about a different life or an existence since we have seen only a single universe, a single form of life, etc. What of there are many? What of the multiverse theory is true? What if aliens really exist? Then all these concepts will have meanings and existences more than one.

[Sushan]

But then what might the author wanted to tell us? To be optimistic? To take everything as good?

Life happens; the universe changes and progresses. To us, at least, it is a near-infinite series of dice rolls. Is it rational, or wise, to hope for all 6s and no 1s? Are we really asking for a world where only 6s are rolled? Are we that naive? Should we not just accept that life will throw all the numbers at us, from 1 to 6? After all, whether we accept it or not, it will happen. So will we accept what is, or will we fight it, pointlessly and unsuccessfully? The Tao is the path; follow it, and enjoy the journey.

There are many possibilities for a single event. But chance is not the only determining factor in our lives. Otherwise there will not be any use in putting effort in any field. It is good to keep in mind that sometimes failure is inevitable even without our fault. It will help us to bear the pain. But if you wait till 6 rolls on your dice without any effort to get it, there is a high chance that you will never get it. Many billionaires are hard workers, while only a handful of billionaires have become so by winning a lottery.

[Pattern-chaser]

But then what might the author wanted to tell us? To be optimistic? To take everything as good?

Life happens; the universe changes and progresses. To us, at least, it is a near-infinite series of dice rolls. Is it rational, or wise, to hope for all 6s and no 1s? Are we really asking for a world where only 6s are rolled? Are we that naive? Should we not just accept that life will throw all the numbers at us, from 1 to 6? After all, whether we accept it or not, it will happen. So will we accept what is, or will we fight it, pointlessly and unsuccessfully? The Tao is the path; follow it, and enjoy the journey.

There are many possibilities for a single event. But chance is not the only determining factor in our lives. Otherwise there will not be any use in putting effort in any field.

Yes, of course. Our world is unpredictable and uncertain. But it is what we make of this unpredictability and uncertainty that makes the difference (to us!), and it is the area where we get to choose, not just to accept what the universe gives us. Acceptance and wholesome opportunism is the optimum path, it seems. But there is no point at all in pretence. For example, we might pretend (i.e., tell ourselves) that life is benevolent, but it is not so, even though if we repeat it often enough we might convince ourselves… Life isn't malevolent, either. It is life, in all its splendour and unpredictable wonder.

[Tegularius]

This topic is about the May 2022 Philosophy Book of the Month, The Maestro Monologue: Discover your Genius, Defeat your intruder, Design your destiny by Rob White

Life is benevolent. Life never blinks. Life is always responding to what you think.

(Location 157 - Kindle version)

This author implies that life always watch upon us and responds to what we think. So, as per my understanding, then the life should go on as we wish. But life is not like that. It has many ups, which we like, and many downs, which we do not like or wish to have.

Can we really say life is benevolent?

Not at all! These kind of pollyannish views are written by the secular division of modern evangelists. This kind of "Chicken Soup for the Soul" variety of writing is a dime a dozen - though some are better than others. The main idea here is to enhance oneself with royalties by a perpetual repeat of the same BS hoping people will buy it...which they do.

[LuckyR]

This topic is about the May 2022 Philosophy Book of the Month, The Maestro Monologue: Discover your Genius, Defeat your intruder, Design your destiny by Rob White

Life is benevolent. Life never blinks. Life is always responding to what you think.

(Location 157 - Kindle version)

This author implies that life always watch upon us and responds to what we think. So, as per my understanding, then the life should go on as we wish. But life is not like that. It has many ups, which we like, and many downs, which we do not like or wish to have.

Can we really say life is benevolent?

Not at all! These kind of pollyannish views are written by the secular division of modern evangelists. This kind of "Chicken Soup for the Soul" variety of writing is a dime a dozen - though some are better than others. The main idea here is to enhance oneself with royalties by a perpetual repeat of the same BS hoping people will buy it...which they do.

Very true, there are no shortage of the gullible willing to swallow feel-good stories, be they pop psychology or Iron age mythology.