But it seems to me that “loving” the current wasteland is not an appropriate emotion.
Granted. It seems to me that the kernel of truth in the original statement is something like “you are not obligated to be depressed that the universe poorly satisfies your preferences”, which (ISTM) some people do need to be told.
Since when has being “good enough” been a prerequisite for loving something (or someone)? In this world, that’s a quick route to a dismal life indeed.
There’s the old saying in the USA: “My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.” The sentiment carries just as well, I think, for the universe as a whole. Things as they are may be very wrong indeed, but what does it solve to hate the universe for it? Humans have a long history of loving not what is perfect, but what is broken—the danger lies not in the emotion, but in failing to heal the damage. It may be a crapsack universe out there, but it’s still our sack of crap.
By all means, don’t look away from the tragedies of the world. Figuratively, you can rage at the void and twist the universe to your will, or you can sit the universe down and stage a loving intervention. The main difference between the two, however, is how you feel about the process; the universe, for better or worse, really isn’t going to notice.
Insisting on being unhappy that the universe poorly satisfies your preferences is certainly contrary, if not perverse. Of course, humans greatly value their ability to imagine and desire that the universe be different. This desire might only be perverse if it is impossible to modify the universe to satisfy your preferences. This is the situation that dis-satisfied materialists could find themselves in: a materialistic world is a world that cannot be modified to suit their preferences.
[last paragraph taken out as off-topic and overly speculative]
Granted. It seems to me that the kernel of truth in the original statement is something like “you are not obligated to be depressed that the universe poorly satisfies your preferences”, which (ISTM) some people do need to be told.
Since when has being “good enough” been a prerequisite for loving something (or someone)? In this world, that’s a quick route to a dismal life indeed.
There’s the old saying in the USA: “My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.” The sentiment carries just as well, I think, for the universe as a whole. Things as they are may be very wrong indeed, but what does it solve to hate the universe for it? Humans have a long history of loving not what is perfect, but what is broken—the danger lies not in the emotion, but in failing to heal the damage. It may be a crapsack universe out there, but it’s still our sack of crap.
By all means, don’t look away from the tragedies of the world. Figuratively, you can rage at the void and twist the universe to your will, or you can sit the universe down and stage a loving intervention. The main difference between the two, however, is how you feel about the process; the universe, for better or worse, really isn’t going to notice.
Insisting on being unhappy that the universe poorly satisfies your preferences is certainly contrary, if not perverse. Of course, humans greatly value their ability to imagine and desire that the universe be different. This desire might only be perverse if it is impossible to modify the universe to satisfy your preferences. This is the situation that dis-satisfied materialists could find themselves in: a materialistic world is a world that cannot be modified to suit their preferences.
[last paragraph taken out as off-topic and overly speculative]