Discussion Thoughts on ''the world owes you nothing''?

[lostangel]

Hi, what is everyone's thoughts on that statement? I think you can flip the statement around and say ''the world owes you nothing, so what do I owe the world''.
My existence? Why?

I always thought that if the world doesn't have a right to help me when I'm at the lowest then why should I stick around.
We know the world is extremely unfair. Some people are born without proper human mobility. Some are born into poverty etc.

What is your take on that quote?

 

[alexit]

I think it's a cold world. You survive by beating everyone else to resources. It's easier to get resources if you work together but that's the only incentive.

 

[BipolarGuy]

Usually the saying "the world owes you nothing" is used by miserable old men who want to make a point that they did manual labor their whole lives to get what they've got, and that in their eyes anybody who does any different is just lazy!

The reality is this:
Back in the days when humans foraged/hunted for food and lives in close communities, long before business and politics, you were born equal with everyone else - with a right to obtain food, travel where you like and do whatever.

I have no issue with business (I used to have my own), but business, profit, etc have now been placed in such high regard above everything else that you have to work to make somebody else money in order to be able to access even basic necessities for life: healthcare, food, accommodation, etc.

The world is so far away from where it should be.

 

[alexit]

Usually the saying "the world owes you nothing" is used by miserable old men who want to make a point that they did manual labor their whole lives to get what they've got, and that in their eyes anybody who does any different is just lazy!

The reality is this:
Back in the days when humans foraged/hunted for food and lives in close communities, long before business and politics, you were born equal with everyone else - with a right to obtain food, travel where you like and do whatever.

I have no issue with business (I used to have my own), but business, profit, etc have now been placed in such high regard above everything else that you have to work to make somebody else money in order to be able to access even basic necessities for life: healthcare, food, accommodation, etc.

The world is so far away from where it should be.

Totally agree. And I have no doubt life back then was harder but you could really, really live on your own. Never have to come across another person in your life. You can't do that now.

 

[Worthless_nobody]

If "the world owes me nothing" they why should I be forced to live? I didn't ask to live. "The world owes you nothing" ...sadly life is based off of luck and fate...some get great luck and others don't. I got handed a terrible unmercifully cruel life...so why live? Society and the world do nothing to actually help people...they just slap us in psychiatric prison, force meds in us and say empty platitudes as if that changes anything. The core issue is life is cruel and unfair and some people cannot accept their terrible circumstances...so they ctb.

 

[Human2020]

I agree with that statement. There will always be the fortunate and the unfortunate, the former has no obligation to lose sleep over the latter nor spend energy for it. I just wish the former had the kindness to at least provide the unfortunate like ourselves the option to commit suicide easily and painlessly. Instead we get treated like we are crazy and in need of a straitjacket when we just want to be free. The only reason they try to force us to live is because otherwise they would feel too bad about themselves since in reality while not being obliged to help us they are still linked to our suffering, it's really an issue of selfishness which they love to project unto us.

 

[Thatdude]

Hi, what is everyone's thoughts on that statement? I think you can flip the statement around and say ''the world owes you nothing, so what do I owe the world''.
My existence? Why?

I always thought that if the world doesn't have a right to help me when I'm at the lowest then why should I stick around.
We know the world is extremely unfair. Some people are born without proper human mobility. Some are born into poverty etc.

What is your take on that quote?

I highly believe everything cost something. For example, to get a garden to grow, it cost you the action of upkeep and making it. Or to have running water, it most likely will cost you money.

With that being said, I don't think the world owes you anything but you also don't owe the world anything. I think it is best to try your best to improve your life as much as possible and to enjoy life. However if you can't, then I agree suicide is a great option. But it should be the last option since you can't take it back. I just wish society would agree

 

[Apathy's Girl]

I don't think the world owes anybody anything but to live in a society I have a responsibility to take care of others, no matter what my views on my own mortality are. This is especially important now with so many people out of work. I have a job so I'm in a position to give money to family that can't pay bills, I give money to food pantries. I'm mindful of others when I go outside and wear a mask. Society doesn't owe me anything but if I'm in a position to make someone else feel a little better while I'm still alive I will. I keep hoping it will make me feel better, it usually doesn't but I still try. Why make this already horrible world any worse.

 

[ilovenightmares]

Whatever the reasoning behind it, the statement is true, no?

 

[AllReturnsToNothing]

The world owes you nothing; which is why it's important that people work together to create a world where as few are left behind as possible. To someone who deflects other people's wishes of living in a better world with "the world owes you nothing" I have one response: If that's the case then do I owe you the dignity and respect that comes with treating you like a human being? Do I owe you it to you not to bust your kneecaps? If your house is on fire and you might lose everything does the fire department owe it to you to show up and help for free? I'd like to think that the human drive to care for one another is a lot stronger than an uncaring universe. I can't say I know if that's the case for sure, but I guess I'm just a fool clinging on to whatever fraction of hope I can.

 

[Arvinneedstodie]

The world owes you nothing, and you owe the world nothing. You don't need to explain nothing to anyone. Screw the people trying to morally hold you hostage.

 

[Phantom]

"The world owes you nothing. Your society, on the other hand will have made promises by its own morality, and you should respond at the scale. I, for example, live in a Lutheran society. They owe me work, they owe me support, and education. I owe them labor, I owe them faith in them, and I owe them ultimately myself. An Anglican society, like England, or by extension United States, owe you little, giving you your freedom, if you want to call it that. Consider what your "contract" is.

I will not kill myself, until I have an societally acceptable reason to. That is the short extent of my spine.

 

[GoneGoneGone]

This is a pretext used by people in power to make poorer people feel bad that "they're not trying hard enough." It's called the just-world fallacy and works on the premise that people receive what they deserve, and deserve what they receive. So if you complain that you don't receive what you deserve, when others get things on a silver platter, someone in power can always say "yeah but the world doesn't owe you anything."

 

[Wayfaerer]

It's true, the world owes you nothing but you also owe it nothing in return.

Ideally, I think a nation owes it's citizens a healthy and satisfying life and in turn the citizen owes it productivity and to produce future laborers but it doesn't work like that now. Everyone is out for themselves and you must act in kind.

 

[Superdeterminist]

It's true but I hate hearing it because it always seems to come from pro-life zombies who think there's always a solution to everything.

 

[EmbraceOfTheVoid]

I don't owe pro-life people anything either then but they still want it both ways. They won't offer you any meaningful forms of help and when you confront them about it they'll tell you that they don't owe you anything but have no issue with forcing you to live against your will. Mental gymnastics at their finest I suppose.

 

[TAW122]

The same is true conversely. I don't owe the world anything either so they aren't entitled to my existence, let alone my 'contributions' in the form of labor, taxes, and/or other inputs. I never chose to participate in this game, so I don't owe any allegiance towards society. However, given the hypocritical nature of this world and the way they treat the mindfully suicidal, I've been left with no option but to quietly and secretly make my exit, under the nose of society and government (it shouldn't be this way; but sadly, that's just how society and the world works).

I don't owe pro-life people anything either then but they still want it both ways. They won't offer you any meaningful forms of help and when you confront them about it they'll tell you that they don't owe you anything but have no issue with forcing you to live against your will. Mental gymnastics at their finest I suppose.

Exactly, they are hypocritical and that's one of my major reasons for resenting them.

 

[Sprite_Geist]

The phrase: "the world owes you nothing" is overused and often times twisted to suit the needs of whoever is using it. From personal experience it gets used to justify crappy behaviour. Like when a bully hurts someone and then says "I'm not responsible for your feelings. I don't owe you anything!"

Now sure the phrase might be true, and we might not owe anything to anyone, but that doesn't mean we still can't try to be kind and helpful to each other?

Also if it's true that the world owes us nothing then we shouldn't owe the world anything either; which means it's okay to leave when we see fit... Except instead we are called "selfish" as if to imply that we owe our lives to the world; the same world that claims it has no obligations to us. It is hypocritical.

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

Why is it that the people who say the world doesn't owe you anything are also so resentful toward you not sacrificing your own internal or external resources? If the world doesn't owe you, then neither do you owe the world.

It's just a non-sensical, negating argument that makes the person small and steps on them, along with their needs and wants, like a pestilent bug. It's on the level of myth, it doesn't really mean anything substantial but it appeals to emotions and a sense of "rightness."

 

[snowman626]

i dont owe this world or you pro life shit cunts a fucking thing either

 

[VIBRITANNIA]

i mean yeah, nobody really owes you anything. the concepting of owing anybody anything is made up, in my opinion.

 

[Hoid]

I think there is a justification to be made for the whole "world doesn't owe you anything mentality." Unfortunately we live in a world that has limited resources and where labor is a necessity. So I can't say it's entirely unfair to tell people that they need to be pulling their own weight, although it would be far more justifiable if we actually had equitable societies. That being said, I still find that sort of mentality to be utterly callous and would vastly prefer to live in a world where society did its utmost to allow everyone to live a fulfilling life regardless of their physical, psychological, and circumstantial limitations.

Generally though, what people really mean when they say the world doesn't owe you anything is, "Yes. We are on some level aware that you've been dealt a god-awful hand in life. Yes, we sort of feel bad about that. We also really don't want to have to do anything at all to rectify that so please just shut up and go away."

So fuck them. And fuck them twice for not actually letting us go away.

 

[IrRegularjoe]

Seems like a cruel statement. I think an asshole would say this. Same asshole would have to eat his words when he was in a place of unfortunate circumstances. Everybody needs help. It also sounds like a very prideful statement. Or perhaps it's just the world we live in.

 

[foreverlikethestars]

lazy attempt to dismiss all that is wrong in this world. as humans we have the means and a social responsibility to provide everyone with the means to a decent, successful life. our political and economic systems are insurmountably cruel.

 

[Fear191829218]

What do you think the world is? For me personally, I am the entire world. Everyone and everything else is just alien like to me. You help me, I help you. You give me love, ill give you love.You insult me, I insult you. You want to exploit the poor, do some other horrible shit, go on do it. Stay out of my business and ill stay outta yours.

Its a very simple but extremely lonely way of living. I think its not that greatest ideology to live by, maybe thats why im on this forum

 

[whywere]

We as a species are truly in the begining stages of something wonderful. As long as we do not over populate or over pollute, we will evolve. Now we have a long road ahead with alot of trials and tribulations, but the generations to come will look back at us in wonderment of how we survived .That is the true mark of how great all of us are.

 

[262653]

A big guy (let's say, twice as bigger, street smarts, good at martial arts) says to a small guy, a spineless wimp: "You owe me 20 bucks, if you won't give me 20 bucks until day X, I'll break your limbs." Does the small guy owe anything to the big guy?

 

[Soul]

A big guy (let's say, twice as bigger, street smarts, good at martial arts) says to a small guy, a spineless wimp: "You owe me 20 bucks, if you won't give me 20 bucks until day X, I'll break your limbs." Does the small guy owe anything to the big guy?

Well, wait: Is the big one lying, or does the spineless one actually owe him $20?

In your allegory is the world the spineless one who owes the big tough me nothing, or vice versa?

Either way, I don't feel I'm "owed" anything; that's not the way the world works. As far as I can tell we "owe it to ourselves" (ie it makes sense) to strive to make the world a better place. We're all the messiah, but we have to work on it if we want anything to change.

 

[Jeff_The_Cursed]

The world may not owe us anything, handouts are frowned upon by most people, and earning what you get is a good thing, but far too often, services are not fairly valued.

 

[262653]

In your allegory is the world the spineless one who owes the big tough me nothing, or vice versa?

Vice versa. I'm exploring the topic by asking things, I already noticed a few flaws on my way to the kitchen, once I sent the message. I wanted to present the big guy as someone who can back up the imposed obligation with force.

Ok, I just googled the meaning of "owe", it's different from what I've expected. I thought it means to have an obligation to give something as to pay respects, or to acknowledge submission, like a tribute, but not necessarily to pay something in return for something. In this sense the spineless one didn't owe him anything. Sorry for the confusion.

"The world owes you nothing" could also be seen here as "the world doesn't have an obligation to give you anything, even if you already gave to the world something of value which wasn't paid for yet..." But back to more allegories! If someone would give me $20 forcefully even if I didn't ask for it, that means I don't owe anything for those $20, right? (Right?) Then if someone would take $20 from me forcefully, without my consent, then I definitely don't owe anything for taking away my $20. Taking $20 is like giving birth to me (in my eyes), and then demand something out of it. I believe people would generally agree that such demand is absurd, but what if one party sees $20 as something bad and another party as something good?