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John Gray: 'What can we learn from cats? Don't live in an imagined future'

theguardian.com

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Re: John Gray: 'What can we learn from cats? Don't live in an imagined future'

#21

Post by BLKNSLVR »

_y5hn wrote: post #8
koboll wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is bitterly true but also profoundly, maddeningly, horrifically sad. Death is monstrous. We can do better. We have to do better. And it's tragic that we probably will but everyone alive today will probably miss that chance by a sliver. We happened to be born 99% of the way from the beginning of humankind to the end of death, but we just barely missed it.

How did you come alive. Did it really happen, and how come it never will happen?

One of the things that has helped me get into and maintain the state of 'grasping the concept of death' is the idea of the universe existing (for billions of years) prior to my awakening to conscious existence, and returning to that state of dis-being; non-existing.

Re: John Gray: 'What can we learn from cats? Don't live in an imagined future'

#22

Post by 6stringmerc »

CTRL+F "domestication" then "rats"

Felines are only partially domesticated. From my research into the subject, including the article about the first cat skeleton found with no teeth, indicating humans had fed it, is that they only associate with us because of our habit of debris and sloppiness that attracts their prey. Otherwise, feral felines are still unrepentant killing machines that will try and trip you while walking up the stairs just to feed them so they'll stop yowling.

Source: Personal experience with a feral kitten I have "domesticated" and would probably feed on my corpse for a few days if I trip and fall and die even though she's ~11 human years now.

Re: John Gray: 'What can we learn from cats? Don't live in an imagined future'

#24

Post by _jal »

6stringmerc wrote: post #22

CTRL+F "domestication" then "rats" Felines are only partially domesticated. From my research into the subject, including the article about the first cat skeleton found with no teeth, indicating humans had fed it, is that they only associate with us because of our habit of debris and sloppiness that attracts their prey. Otherwise, feral felines are still unrepentant killing machines that will try and trip you while wa…

It is a macabre topic, but cats and dogs don't need to be feral to eat your corpse if you die. Google around, it is not uncommon.

For that matter, imagine you being trapped somewhere you can't care for yourself, with a corpse. What do you do? People have chosen both paths.

Re: John Gray: 'What can we learn from cats? Don't live in an imagined future'

#25

Post by theonemind »

_jal wrote: post #24
6stringmerc wrote: post #22

CTRL+F "domestication" then "rats" Felines are only partially domesticated. From my research into the subject, including the article about the first cat skeleton found with no teeth, indicating humans had fed it, is that they only associate with us because of our habit of debris and sloppiness that attracts their prey. Otherwise, feral felines are still unrepentant killing machines that will try and trip you while wa…

It is a macabre topic, but cats and dogs don't need to be feral to eat your corpse if you die. Google around, it is not uncommon. For that matter, imagine you being trapped somewhere you can't care for yourself, with a corpse. What do you do? People have chosen both paths.

All other disgusting factors aside, human meat must have some ridiculous concentration of all kinds of harmful things like mercury and all kinds of bizarre things.

Re: John Gray: 'What can we learn from cats? Don't live in an imagined future'

#27

Post by alexpetralia »

BLKNSLVR wrote: post #21
_y5hn wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How did you come alive. Did it really happen, and how come it never will happen?

One of the things that has helped me get into and maintain the state of 'grasping the concept of death' is the idea of the universe existing (for billions of years) prior to my awakening to conscious existence, and returning to that state of dis-being; non-existing.

I also figure: you have only known existence. You will never know non-existence. You can sleep deeply for hours and it feels like a mere moment. For all you know, there is only existence. This is my backdoor way of getting to reincarnation.

Re: John Gray: 'What can we learn from cats? Don't live in an imagined future'

#28

Post by fendy3002 »

BLKNSLVR wrote: post #3

Live life for its own sake. The gift of life is life itself. What's the alternative? Twice in my life I've grasped the concept of death, and it made my heart race with an exhilarating feeling of suffocating claustrophobic for two reasons: 1. It's coming for me one day 2. Not just the lack of agency in the universe, but the lack of even the realisation of the lack of agency. All of this (wide sweeping hand gesture ack…

In buddhism there is the four noble truths, a teaching about living life and facing death.

In short, what many people afraid in death (or in life generally) is the fear of losing, either losing their possession, losing their loved ones or how those loved ones will feel when losing you, losing your ability to do your job, etc.

In the teaching, if someone is able to overcome that fear (suffering / dissatisfaction), he / she can accept death as a cycle of living and live more relaxed life.

Re: John Gray: 'What can we learn from cats? Don't live in an imagined future'

#29

Post by 6stringmerc »

_jal wrote: post #24
6stringmerc wrote: post #22

CTRL+F "domestication" then "rats" Felines are only partially domesticated. From my research into the subject, including the article about the first cat skeleton found with no teeth, indicating humans had fed it, is that they only associate with us because of our habit of debris and sloppiness that attracts their prey. Otherwise, feral felines are still unrepentant killing machines that will try and trip you while wa…

It is a macabre topic, but cats and dogs don't need to be feral to eat your corpse if you die. Google around, it is not uncommon. For that matter, imagine you being trapped somewhere you can't care for yourself, with a corpse. What do you do? People have chosen both paths.

Oh I get it, but my Corgi-Pug rescue mutt doesn't ever seem to intentionally try to trip me. My lovely kitty on the other hand, I wonder sometimes. I guess what I'm trying to say is that domesticated dogs ain't the same as feral cats that enjoy a symbiotic relationship.

A dog is a great source of oxytocin when it looks at you and wags its tail. A cat decides whether or not they want anything to do with you, and in my case, that desire is to sit on my chest and lick my chin with a tongue that feels like sandpaper. They both love attention and enjoy affection, they just express it in different ways.

Re: John Gray: 'What can we learn from cats? Don't live in an imagined future'

#30

Post by 6stringmerc »

theonemind wrote: post #25
_jal wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is a macabre topic, but cats and dogs don't need to be feral to eat your corpse if you die. Google around, it is not uncommon. For that matter, imagine you being trapped somewhere you can't care for yourself, with a corpse. What do you do? People have chosen both paths.

All other disgusting factors aside, human meat must have some ridiculous concentration of all kinds of harmful things like mercury and all kinds of bizarre things.

YC 2021 - Soylent Human Hummus - Do vegans taste better than omnivores? - ArsTechnica
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