| What do you think of this statement? | |
|---|---|
| Jul 5, 2008 10:12 |   |
 | "The Oriental philosophy of contemplation involves forsaking all work: the European does his meditating while relaxing from work, but the American seems to think things out best while working." Artist and writer Eric Sloane I often keep a slip of paper in my shirt pocket to write down ideas and notes while at work. Until I read this statement I did not notice the difference between attitudes to contemplation. How do those of you in China and other countries view the above statement? do you agree or dis-agree? |
| Jul 5, 2008 13:22 | #1 |
| Contemplation is not effortlessness or detachment from reality. My explanation of contemplation is that it is an important skill that enable you to adjust approaches when you are frustrated from something beyond your control. I think contemplation plays an important role for those work with tight deadline and serious responsibilities. You know most of frustrations are not from job itself but from complicated working environment composed of working animals with different characters (describing human as animals seems very popular nowadays). Leaving aside survival, doing the job you like brings happiness of fulfillment. |
| Jul 5, 2008 17:46 | #2 |
| Contemplation!! Personally, some of my best thoughts occur while sitting on the pot(commode, stool). Whether this would be considered work or not is a matter of personal opinion. Being that many societies only have squat style it might be rather difficult to concentrate(my opinion only). Other good ideas occur to me when doing menial tasks completely different from the problems I'm trying to mentally solve.(This does not work when operating power equipment, i.e. table or circular saws, electric drills etc.) A loss of fingers or hands might result. Have noticed other people when driving a vehicle to be having a cell phone glued to their left or right ear, but this is really not contemplating, or is it? Anyway it's dangerous to them and everyone else on the road and I hope this bad habit is not "pick-up" by other motorized societies(but probably already is). O.K. enough of my B.S. |
| Jul 5, 2008 20:51 | #3 |
| Good ideas can come at any time and you must be prepared to capture them. Contemplation is not a quest for good ideas, is it? I think of contemplation as self-evaluation and prayer. |
| Jul 5, 2008 23:30 | #4 |
| According to the Oxford American it states "to survey with the mind possible current or future events" but also notes that "it can be related to meditation". So Mr. Yinduffy, how was your question to be taken? |
| Jul 5, 2008 23:34 | #5 |
| Life is full of reasons to contemplate. We contemplate life itself relationships love work nature the beauty of things what we wear what we eat what we will do and so much more It can and should happen any time, anywhere but I agree with Gary, not while using power tools! Driving alone in the car is a great place to contemplate On the matter of 'squats' being a good place to contemplate. They must be. Haven't you ever walked into public toilets here and heard 'talking' from the cubicles. Someone or more than one person is on the cell phone. Personally I consider this a dangerous occupation since it is so easy to drop the phone and I would not like to be trying to retreive one from a public toilet in China. |
| Jul 5, 2008 23:47 | #6 |
| Good one J.B. |
| Jul 6, 2008 09:06 | #7 |
| Here in the U.S. if someone were to drop out of society to go someplace and meditate on the meaning of life or nature's grand scheme that person would not be held in high regard. However in Asian countries, many people enter Buddhist monastaries to meditate and leave the work force. Often while doing a menial task like raking leaves in the fall or mowing the lawn in the summer or shoveling snow in the winter my mind wanders to issues of the day or plans for the future. There is always something that needs to be done. Some jog or exercise while thinking things out. As a New Yorker displaced to New Hampshire I share both work ethics of hard work and consider idleness counterproductive. Eric Sloane, who wrote the statement above, was from New York and Connecticutt. How do modern Chinese view those who enter monastaries? |
| Jul 6, 2008 21:52 | #8 |
| "The Oriental philosophy of contemplation involves forsaking all work". Yup, Yinduffy. Since the ancient China, a lot of intellectuals have lived in seclusion in order to have a better contemplation on life. They were dubbed as hermits and wern not be held in high regard. How do modern Chinese view those who enter monastaries? In modern China, those who enter monasteries are still not be held in high regard. The average people think the hermits (nuns and monks) are a group of people who wants to escape from the reality. Though they claim they see through the earthly impurities, the majority of average Chinese thinks that they are "wounded people" who are too cowardly to face up to the reality. Somehow, different people have the freedom choose their lifestyles. |
| Jul 7, 2008 03:01 | #9 |
| I’m with Leonardo on this one. Retreating to a monastery is an easy way out. The monks in Tibet used to live off of the work of the peasants. Nice work if you can get it. If it is at no cost to anyone else Ok. But I’m not sure that that is the case in many instances. I do understand the need though for reflective and contemplative time. It’s important to have that balance. I used to have a T shirt that read “the older I get the better I used to be” How true. Cheers, Dodger. |
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