A thought

What is the most important thing?

This question could itself be the most important question?

Lots of things are important: Politics, The Arts, Religion, Sports, Technology, Philosophy, Health, Fun, Knowledge in General, etc.

And I believe that you could make an honest and well-based claim that any of the above, or perhaps some other subject is The Most Important Thing

It's a damn hard question, and it appears nobody has the answer to it.

Intuitively (although I suspect this is drilled into our heads from formal education) our answer would usually be something like "Happiness" "Love" or "Wisdom"

But what of religion? Isn't it really what it's all about? No matter what your religious beliefs are, they should take precedence... shouldn't they?

Well if you look at the issue on a physical level, then perhaps happiness is the most important, and this is caused by health and well-being. Maybe this is the most important.

Westerners have passed down a tradition that knowledge is of the highest value. Easterners, on the other hand, have had a tradition that treats knowledge with much criticism, to the point that it appears ignorance is sometimes valued.

So what is the most important thing? I believe that even Sports or Music could be the most important. Something which entertains us, and we can foster a love for.

For any of these there is an argument. Is it best to pick some point of view and argue for or against it? Or perhaps the best thing is purely believing in something.

Maybe the question itself is irrelevant. There may be no cosmic judge, or system of measurement for such things, therefor nothing can truely be better than anything else. If this is the case, then is the answer different for everybody? Or perhaps it simply doesn't matter.

But we were all born with some sense of what is good and what isn't right?

Can you really come to a firm conclusion on anything? When we learn things we believe we can come to a solid conclusion on (specifically mathematics) are we learning these principles or merely remembering them from some inner knowledge. Perhaps knowledge is recallection (As Plato believed).
If this is the case, then perhaps the best thing is to remember all that our souls have previously known. This, I believe, would be pure wisdom.

[Ugly Bastard]

I'm going to say "intelligence". Walking through life being a blundering idiot with an IQ of 75 would certainly make the quality of life quite a bit lower. Intelligence is one thing that can be objectively measured in every human, whereas things such as love and religion are merely emotional things we probably shouldn't hinge our whole existance on. Or maybe I'm just a cynic.

-Ugly Bastard

[Mr. Blonde]

FC, quit reading your damn books.




I think that happiness changes depending on the person. I don't think there is or ever will be a general standard by which people should judge their happiness on. I also believe that different factors affect happiness at whatever age that person happens to be in...we change our interests, priorities, and concerns as we move through life. For example, as you mentioned before, (seeing as how you covered pretty much all of the bases), physical well being is much likely more appreciated by those who are older than young strapping blokes like us.

Anyways, I think the question is, in fact, irrelevant, simply because one standard cannot practically cover every single person.

Well you naturally assume happiness.

Some would argue that knowledge is more important than happiness, or perhaps virture.

[Mr. Blonde]

Yeah, for some reason I forgot the thread subject was "what is important" and not "what is happiness". My bad. But it still stands what I said...different things are important to different people at different times of their life...i think it depends on every factor of a persons life put together.

[THEINCREDIBLEdork]

the most important thing is finding someone you can share a big beefy fart with.

[Beebs]

Life, without it everything is irrelevant.

[AcTivE]

concentration

con-cen-tration

con-sen-trattion

period after the end of the sentence. pause. here it is at then

then isn't here, a string,

following, here. understand?

a feeling, of knowing--then and here.

present. anything else and meaning is

searched. a concept, and then,

a search for

what else? question.

not hing

ba-ba-ba-tt-ear-ring

mis spun der - at sting

conformed.

2, everything,

always following.

[St. Anky]

have fun last night active?

[AcTivE]

i ended up eating them all. it was fun