Life is suffused with suffering. David Benatar said it. Buddhism says life is dukkha (suffering).

[Deleted member 23885]

Can someone give me a break. As much as I try to distract myself with netflix and music, I can't help but notice the pain & suffering in the background. It never quite goes away, it can only be muted by distractions for a while. Even then, the pain you're trying to avoid will eventually catch up with you. And you'll be left feeling empty & inadequate.

 

[262653]

Except Buddhism is somehow popular and has many disciples. Can the same be said about antinatalism, for example?

 

[Intotheflames]

Except Buddhism is somehow popular and has many disciples. Can the same be said about antinatalism, for example?

Maybe the issues lie in antinatalism has no disciples to promote it since they are all dead and have no next generation to pass on?

 

[262653]

Maybe the issues lie in antinatalism has no disciples to promote it since they are all dead and have no next generation to pass on?

Maybe. I thought of AN at first because Benatar was mentioned. What about philosophical pessimism though?

It seems that according to Buddhism life is suffering and that we should focus on reducing that suffering, but I don't think I've ever heard it condemning procreation or something of that sort. Could be in some part due to the established view that souls, spirits, or whatever unitary, indivisible beings we are, are going to be reborn anyway so you're not really earning any karma points by not bringing kids into existence...

 

[Intotheflames]

Maybe. I thought of AN at first because Benatar was mentioned. What about philosophical pessimism though?

It seems that according to Buddhism life is suffering and that we should focus on reducing that suffering, but I don't think I've ever heard it condemning procreation or something of that sort. Could be in some part due to the established view that souls, spirits, or whatever unitary, indivisible beings we are, are going to be reborn anyway so you're not really earning any karma points by not bringing kids into existence...

My understanding of buddhism is life is full of suffering because we cling on stuffs, and we act out of our obsession, and these actions have consequences. Stuffs come in many forms, e.g. one suffers when she clings to reproduction but is prohibited so she suffers, another suffers clings on abortion but denied, she also suffers.

 

[signifying nothing]

Can someone give me a break. As much as I try to distract myself with netflix and music, I can't help but notice the pain & suffering in the background. It never quite goes away, it can only be muted by distractions for a while. Even then, the pain you're trying to avoid will eventually catch up with you. And you'll be left feeling empty & inadequate.

Have you tried to face your suffering rather than avoiding it and try to find out what's causing it?

 

[shadowchaser]

And Friedrich Nietzsche was one of the leading thinkers and contributors to the philosophy of nihilism, yet he was the one who said, "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how".
Yes, life is suffering, but those who find something to suffer for are the ones whose suffering is rendered insignificant in the face of meaning.