Alain deBottons 10 Commandments for atheists

i-need-a-martini — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:21:11 GMT

He's a such a cute little 21st C. philosopher so I am always fascinated by anything he has to say. So here is his list of life rules for all of us to follow.

He says this about his list:

For his part, de Botton claims that the aim of his atheist manifesto is to "ignite a vital conversation around moral character to increase public interest in becoming more virtuous and connected as a society".

He points out that improving one's body, by going to the gym, is approved of in society - "but announce that you're going to work on being more virtuous, and people will be guaranteed to look at you as if you're insane".

Not if you're part of a Christian or Jewish or Muslim community they don't. Striving for goodness is one freedom that the oft-criticised "strictures" of religious belief and worship positively encourage.

Alain de Botton's 'list for life'

1.Resilience:

Keeping going even when things are looking dark.

2. Empathy:

The capacity to connect imaginatively with the sufferings and unique experiences of another person.

3 Patience:

We should grow calmer and more forgiving by being more realistic about how things actually happen.

4 Sacrifice:

We won't ever manage to raise a family, love someone else or save the planet if we don't keep up with the art of sacrifice.

5 Politeness:

Politeness is closely linked to tolerance, -the capacity to live alongside people whom one will never agree with, but at the same time, cannot avoid.

6 Humour:

Like anger, humour springs from disappointment, but it is disappointment optimally channelled.

7 Self-awareness:

To know oneself is to try not to blame others for one's troubles and moods; to have a sense of what's going on inside oneself, and what actually belongs to the world.

8 Forgiveness:

It's recognising that living with others is not possible without excusing errors.

9 Hope:

Pessimism is not necessarily deep, nor optimism shallow.

10 Confidence:

Confidence is not arrogance - rather, it is based on a constant awareness of how short life is and how little we will ultimately lose from risking everything.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life/the-10-commandments-for-atheists-20130205-2dw83.html#ixzz2K1RMJxFT

Re: Alain deBottons 10 Commandments for atheists

j*oono — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 23:53:03 GMT

That is a good list. I like it.

Re: Alain deBottons 10 Commandments for atheists

kilroy_is_here — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 00:11:58 GMT

the only problem with all that is for it to realy take hold it would in its self become the foundation for a religiion, the problem lies not in the the brand of religion follows, it lies in the fact that we a sentinate beings are predesigned to want answers,and generaly to questions which we have no answers , so we provide an alternative answer to the big questions using religion to comfort us .

Re: Alain deBottons 10 Commandments for atheists

the_great_she_elephant — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 02:48:49 GMT

I like it too, Joono. I'm glad he put 'sacrifice' in there. In this me, me, me age the idea of self sacrifice is almost a heresy to many people, but if we were all more giving and less taking the world would be a better place.

Re: Alain deBottons 10 Commandments for atheists

kengillard — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 07:44:43 GMT

I have a miniature stallion in my back yard.

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