Zeng Rui:
I Read The Theory of Perception Caprice (49)
The source of selfishness
The essence of human beings is selfish, and this is what many people feel after they join the world. Why are people selfish? We don't know how to answer this sentence, but we only know that there was a saying that once described it like this, people do not do it for themselves, and the heavens are damned. Although this sentence is a bit extreme, it also reflects the negativity of people. Where does man's selfishness come from? Life exists. Why? We can look at the relationship between life and existence, is life existence? Life is not existence, because there is a matter besides life. The existence of matter is independent of the existence of life, and the existence of life does not affect the existence of matter. This is our basic view, so the main activity of the existence of life is to obtain existence through matter.
These two kinds of existence are contradictory, and the contradiction is that the meaning of life and matter is not the same as the purpose of existence. The purpose of life is for itself, the purpose of material existence is also for itself, and all existence has its own meaning, that is, it is not related. So is existence like this? For existence to be stable, there must be a set of rules and logic, and it is this set of rules and logic that makes existence exist. The existence of this set of rules and logic is the existence we observe, the sun rising from the east, the water flowing low... So where is this set of rules and logic? What's it called? It is very reluctant to say that this set of rules and logic is objective, and if this set of rules and logic is objective, then the contradiction is accepted. Life and matter both operate under objective rules and logic, and the contradiction between life and matter is the norm.
This set of rules and logic of existence is contradictory because all beings have their own meanings and purposes. Does existence have a general meaning and purpose? This is really asking why existence exists? People cannot answer with materialistic logic why existence exists, existence is matter, matter is objective, objective is unknowable, if it is known, it is not called objective. It's like guessing a riddle, but people like to guess. I don't know why this exists which is the biggest reason for the vacancy of the purpose of human life. And the purpose of materialism's existence cannot be reconciled, what is the purpose of existence? Existence is the existence of matter, which is supposed to be for matter, but in fact it is for life. People can't figure out why life is born in matter, and the existence of life seems to be accidental.
The source of selfishness is actually the vacancy of the purpose of existence, and man cannot find the purpose of his existence, so he can only be for himself. In addition, the idea of the privateness of life is also the source of human selfishness. Does existence have a purpose in itself? What does life exist for? Existence itself must have a purpose, otherwise it would not exist. What does life exist for? For matter. There is no doubt that in materialistic thinking, the world is material. But what is matter for? People can't find it. It is reasonable to say that matter is the existence of the first nature, and existence must be for matter, but the fact is that life is matter and matter is life. Man cannot find a reason why matter is life, for it is not allowed by materialistic logic. Therefore, from the standpoint of matter, the purpose of existence of life and the purpose of existence of matter are in conflict. In fact, if we do not pay attention to the difference between material and life, this conflict will disappear in an instant. What does life exist for? For matter. What does matter exist for? For life. What is life and matter for? In order to exist. This explanation is not an instant dawn on people that life and matter are both part of existence, where they are divided into each other in existence. And to divide existence into matter and life to know is subjective.
What does it exist for? Do we still need to think about this sentence, isn't existence for the sake of existence, specifically the existence of pleasure and the pleasure of existence. Such a simple problem is incomparably complicated by us, what should we say? People can't figure out why the answers to these ultimate big questions are so simple and incredible. This is actually due to the habit of looking at the high place and not willing to look down. What is the difference between high and low in existence, isn't it both existence itself? If all existence is connected, then doesn't existence have a purpose? For continuity, stability and order. Man's selfishness has also found the answer, man is for the continuity, stability, and order of his own life, not for the continuity, stability, and order of existence itself. Man's selfishness is to separate oneself from the whole of existence, only for that self.
All human suffering is caused by this "for oneself." Is this self a being itself or a part of existence? is part of the existence. People think that "for yourself" is perfectly normal and reasonable. But what makes sense? The rationale for existence? Existence itself is part of existence? Existence is for the sake of the whole, not for the sake of partial existence. Man is originally a part of the whole of existence, but man must separate this part of himself from the whole of existence. Existence is not life, life is existence. The independent life is always afraid of its own existence, and this is the reason for man's selfishness, because his existence is intermittent, concussive, and disorderly. The individual will eventually die one day, because the individual is only a part of existence, man always yearns for the immortality of matter, and if man does not exist in his own existence, but on the whole of existence, man will not be afraid. The whole of existence has always existed, and for the individual, the whole of existence is human beings.
We want to exist well, we think about it, the whole of existence is not good, how can the part of existence be good? Do we exist for a part of existence, or do we exist for all existence? In fact, the existence of matter and our existence have never been separated, life is our inner existence, matter is our external existence, and our existence is the coexistence of life and matter. (next)