The Greater Good

[Louisa]

What do you think about the idea of the "greater good"?

Do you think it really exists? Why or why not?

Or is it possible to even know?

Maybe it depends on the timeline and scope from which one views it.

And then there's the "all is good" theory, or something like that... So any variation of experience is interpreted as being a good thing. And that good and bad are duality, so greater good is kind of trying to name something that can't be named, but just is? Not even is good, but just is...

[Louisa]

I personally think that good and meaning are something we subjectively create and it can be many different things to different people, therefore there's no real "good", nor any "greater good", but only sensation, perception, and interpretation. Most people agree certain things are good or bad, but some may alter perception to be able to perceive even the "bad" as feeling good to oneself?

However, most people aren't "there yet" (and maybe this is not an easy place for most people to reach, or to even see a need to reach towards). Most people have elaborate human needs and expectations and fight certain things, we have to cooperate with the greater tide of humanity if their needs (the "greater good") are to be addressed. But I don't know if it will ever really be addressed, so maybe this human society will cycle over into some new reality, another world, even if we burn ourselves out as a species. I guess there are no definite answers, but what do you think?

[knightofalbion]

From the spiritual perspective, to serve 'the greater good' should be the ultimate goal of everything you do.

Originally Posted by Louisa

Maybe it depends on the timeline and scope from which one views it.

To me it's all about the scope, the greater good being relative to our perspective or sphere of thought. It seems much of this Spiritual Journey and understanding comes from a very human-centric perspective but is it really little more than a quick snapshot, a few moments caught and frozen in time? We come from Spirit and we'll go back to Spirit, but what happened before we became incarnate and what will happen when we go back to Spirit? How does this Journey of ours fit into a picture like that, when we have forgotten everything before being born into this Life? And our actions can often ripple through time and affect generations to come, can we possibly encompass that? For instance, if you smile at someone in a supermarket queue they might decide Life is worth living after all, and five generations after them their offspring finds a cure for cancer - all because of your smile. It's really not so far-fetched if you think about it. Or the greater good would have been to frown at them because their Path would have taken them down the serial killer route? Granted the examples are a tad extreme, but we just don't know what the greater good really is. There is always another layer to the onion and we're sitting in the centre of it.

[Gem]

I live in ways of the greater good, and walk with the truth.

Originally Posted by Louisa

What do you think about the idea of the "greater good"?

I think it's a poor use of language. Neither greater nor good really describe anything.

However, there was a famous director called Stanislavski - and he came up with the notion that a character (in a play) had a minor objective for each scene or piece of action...But they also had a super-objective and this would influence all other objectives and choices. It is these objectives that give an actor a deeper understanding of their characters motivations.

In the same way, I feel that there is a super-objective within our psyche or energy, that motivates us in our choices, and attracts people and opportunities to us. A subtle energy that influences every part of our lives.

[lemex]

Originally Posted by Louisa

. Most people agree certain things are good or bad

Proof: People can see certain things are good or bad as well. You must not exclude when it is one or the other.

[Squatchit]

Originally Posted by Louisa

What do you think about the idea of the "greater good"?

It's an idea. Created by us.

A story.

One amongst many stories.

[running]

Originally Posted by Louisa

What do you think about the idea of the "greater good"?

Do you think it really exists? Why or why not?

Or is it possible to even know?

Maybe it depends on the timeline and scope from which one views it.

And then there's the "all is good" theory, or something like that... So any variation of experience is interpreted as being a good thing. And that good and bad are duality, so greater good is kind of trying to name something that can't be named, but just is? Not even is good, but just is...

I used to think there was some kind of greater good. But everyone has there own ideas of what that is it seems. My ideas of it have changed over the years. Its becoming more about accepting what is. I guess that would be its all good as you stated. I do stand up for what i feel as right. But more often now i sit back and let things take care of themselves. I just attempt to stay in a natural flow of my heart. It wants to accept everyone and i am becoming better at letting go to that i feel.

[immortal coil]

The idea of a 'greater good', stems from the fact that any misdeeds we perpetrate on others, we are also perpetrated on ourselves. In other words, if we are all in fact one, does it even make sense to cause harm to others which is equivalent to harming ourselves?