Would You??

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Originally Posted by Jay

The others not knowing would still mean that your martyric death had a meaning and a purpose? When you're dead and the world keeps on living, your meaning and purpose of dying dies with you. Did you mean that you knowing in your last moments that your death might have had a purpose would be enough for you to die willingly? Just curious.

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Curiosity is the highest form of insubordination. - Nabokov

Good question! And my answer is, "Yes, it would be sufficient for me and me alone to realize that I had acted in a noble fashion and sacrificed my own life and personal pleasure for the sake of future generations."

Obviously, not everyone feels or thinks the way I do, nor do I have any right to impose my own idiosyncracies and values upon others. Whenever we choose to write and publish, we do impose ourselves, potentially, upon posterity in the sense that we leave behind us a legacy, to be read. And there is always the danger that our legacy may survive, like a rosetta stone, and one day be rediscovered, and taken seriously.

Consider that obscure poet who wrote "The Tobacconist".

http://www.online-literature.com/for...ad.php?t=12693

All that was left of his life was a chest of manuscripts, found in his wretched, rented, furnished room. But, as fate would have it, it was a chest that survived, and was one day open, and read, and taken seriously.

If you happened to read my long post on the Baudelaire Seminar

http://www.online-literature.com/for...273#post101273

You will notice that I sat silently through the seminar, only taking notes.

I mention this because I want to speak of a certain kind of "forebearance".

It is the forbearance mentioned in the "Life of Pi" post, in the explanation of "Tsimtsum".

http://www.online-literature.com/for...ead.php?t=4365
(see #18)

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Originally Posted by Forebearance

An ancient Indian poet Tulsi Das, rewriting the oldest of stories, and one of the best, the Ramayana ,adds this "the gods themselves live by forbearance"... they live by drawing back.

And so it is written of Jesus in Philippians that he "took on himself the form of a servant..." The Greek word Kenosis or self-emptying can parallel the Tsimstsum and perhaps each word enriches the other a little. Unfortunately few people have set them together! But you and I may today and see therefore the sign of the cross on the creation of the world itself, and then the cross as no isolated moment
but the heart of a deep mystery of creation-by-making-space.

Into that space which God made, light entered... and from the light came all the worlds and all the persons and you and I...

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Forebearance can become a way of life; a practice.

The true thespian is always on stage, even when there is no audience to applaud or jeer.

I would die immediately, why not.

You are really hungry and decide to make a sandwich. The sandwich was the best tasting sandwich you've ever had, you get halfway through the sandwich and you notice there's a small piece of mold on the bread. Would you pick off the mold and continue eating?

seeing that as i was a poor child growing up I have done this. it really wasnt to be bad plus you have already eaten then bread so might as well finish up.

OK would you do nothing all day long if you knew you had to pack because you will be moving in five or so days?

Yes, as I always pack on the last day before I leave, and not a day sooner. I don't really see the need to start packing earlier.

Would you negatively use other people to further your personal goals?

Not knowingly... but I do tend to be egotistical to attain things I want - I stop looking around me and noticing that I might hurt others. :blush:

Would you jump in a train even if it was already moving (but the door is still open)?

I suppose it depends on how fast the train traveled, how badly I needed in the train, and why. If needed, yes, I would. :nod:

If your best friend or close family member committed a crime, would you turn him/her to the police?

Depending on the severity of the crime, Yes I would.

Would you avenge yourself by killing your killer if you had the chance?

No, I don't want to be responsible for anothers death, however I may change my mind if it was to prevent the killer from killing a loved one.

If you were being put to death (wrongfully of course) would you chose to die by hanging or firing squad?

Firing squad.. It makes me very scared to think of dying by suffocation - for me a couple of seconds under water are already quite a feat :goof:

Would you try to escape if you were sent to jail?

Depends on the circumstances. If the punishment wouldn't be...er...anything fatal in the not-unprobable case that they caught me, then I'd probably try...but I think after a few attempts I'd probably just give up and submit to being caged up...I would certainly *try* to escape, though.

Of course, that's if my conscience was clear. :p

Seriously, if I had to spend a long time in jail then I would HAVE to have 1) paper 2) pen (for writing and drawing) 3) pencil and 4)...I would put this first but somehow I'm not sure if they'd let me bring my violin. :D

Would you steal if the life (or lives) of a loved one(s) depended on your stealing? (nothing serious, not drugs or cameras or anything expensive, just...I dunno, a loaf or two of bread, like Jean Valjean?)

Yes.

Would you let part of your memory be erased if you could choose which part?

No I would not, no matter how much I want to, because I would be less of a person for it.

Could you leave your loved ones forever, they would die if you didn't?

yes i would do anything for my loved ones

would you travel the world and leave your family behind if they slowed you down?
lets say that you had to travel the world in 80 days or they would die.

That would probably depend on my purpose for traveling. I would never travel in a hurry, but if my family and I wanted to see very different things, then I would consider it; but a great part of traveling seems experiencing things with people you love, in my opinion.

Would you ever trust anyone enough to lead you around the city, while you wore a blindfold?
(I have heard of this experiment somewhere :D)

yes well maybe not. they do it here on my college campus as part of orientation.

would you eat something you had no clue what was if someone you love told you to try it?

I have too many times in the past, and felt disgustingly ill afterwards, and have discovered a few foods I liked, but, if I knew the food had no meat (or meat derivatives), then sure. :D

Same question . . .

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Originally Posted by shortysweetp

would you eat something you had no clue what was if someone you love told you to try it?

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I probably would, but would first dissect it carefully to find out what exactly it is, and only eat it if I am absolutely positive it is not something I am allergic to.

Would you let someone you really don't like get hurt? example; He/She is about to do something that you know will get them hurt, but you don't tell.

Noop. Even if I really, really don't like someone I cannot watch them get hurt if I could prevent it.

Would you let someone close that might hurt your feelings and has done so in the past?

No, I don't let anyone get close ever (in an emotional sense that is)

Would you watch reality TV?

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Originally Posted by AimusSage

No, I don't let anyone get close ever (in an emotional sense that is)

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;) I am NOT going to ask you in which sense you do let people come close.. :D

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Would you watch reality TV?

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Yes, I like watching reality TV. Especially when I am tired.

Would you take a cat if you lived on a flat?

no i dont like cats and i wouldnt want a pet in such a small place.

would you clean the oven if you knew you werent going to get your deposit back?

If I had enough time while moving, I would, but I probably would not make an effort to do it well.

If your neighbors kept persisting being loud at odd times of the day (and night), would you speak to them yourself, or make a complaint to the apartment managers?

Speak to them myself and if it persisted call the police (I live in a house, but if I lived in an apartment I'd go for the apartment managers, of course)...I'm very sensitive towards noise, our neighbours had a long, loud party once just before one of my concerts and I couldn't sleep...*grr*

Same question. *Too tired to think of anything else*

I would probably talk to management, that's why my rent it so high.

Would you purchase a really cute piece of furniture that was 50% off because it had a small but noticable scratch?

Sure, furniture always costs too much, and it seems much easier repaired than purchased at full price, especially while on a college budget. :D

Would you ever live entirely alone in nature, "thriving on the land," so to speak, for two years as Henry David Thoreau did in Walden, just for the experience?

Yes, yes, YES!!!!!!!!!!!

:D

Same question, not because I'm too tired but because it's so good. ;)

Noop, wouldn't have the guts or the talent. Two left hands and very, very spoilt. Maybe somebody else could persuade me though. If I would do it with a very good friend or one of my sisters.. I might reconsider.

Same question (it is good!)

Nope, I like nature and all but I like civilization waaayyyy better.

Would you pay $80 for a concert ticket if it was your favorite band?

$ 80? Absolutely, Maiden is priceless. I actually think the going rate for high profile concert tickets might just be going in that direction. At least in Holland they are around 50 euro, which is about $ 60.

Would you try to get loose, when you are hand cuffed? (for whatever reason/crime/arrest)

Ouch.. no.. I value my wrists too much :goof:

Would you push someone aside at a concert to get a better look at the band?

Yep and I have done so.

Would you try to sneak into a concert if it was sold out?

Hmmm, it sounds tempting, and I may, but only if I wanted to see the concert enough. :D

Would you go paragliding if you had the chance?

ABSOLUTELY!!! In fact, I was pointing out some great sheer mountain peaks to my friend the other day that would be damn perfect for paragliding. Of course, the real test is the courage to run and jump into a 4000-10,000 foot gorge......YEEEE-HAWWW.....

Would you participate in a dangerous sport solely to attain the adrenaline buzz???

Yeppers!!! Although I'm skeptical of finding anything better then jumping out of an airplane for the first time.

Would you buy a piece of artwork for the sole purpose of waiting for the artist to die in hopes it will rise in value? For the sake of arguement the artist already has one foot in the grave.

I might consider it, if I enjoyed the artwork to some extent myself.

Would you camp alone in the arctic during january with no guide or supplies, for a full month to be paid 30,000 dollars (canadian, of course =) )

Only if my family would really need the inheritance :brow:. No, seriously, no way. I might be sad sometimes, but I am not suicidal..

Would you partake in a medical examination for money?

It depends on the purpose, but, yes, I think I would. Going to nursing school, I feel as if we students often examine each other professionally anyway (and we pay for school! :p).

Would you attempt resolving a violent fight you witnessed between two strangers?
(this actually happened to me yesterday, seeing two people fight)

Wow.. ehm.. I would walk close, but be afraid to interfere.. so I would call the police on my mobile while keeping the fight in view. Maybe I would try to get someone else to interfere. What did you do?

Would you try to get two people to talk to each other again if they have fallen out with each other and you know them both (not from my own life, just wondering)?

No, if they want to work things out, they will.

Would you, without protection, fight an irritated, starving grissly bear for 100,000 dollars, if you needed it to save an ill family member?

Heh...complicated, that one...I'd go for a "no" just for the $100,000, but to save an ill family member?
Common sense says no. But if the family member were someone close? pleads conscience. Common sense still says no. If the bear were starving and irritated, and I had only my "bear" hands...(okay, bad joke, but..) it would be more likely that I wouldn't have much chance of saving the family member anyway.

Would you go on a theme park ride that had never been tested before if you were paid a large compensation for it?