GGM3. those who have said that there are doom-mongers and naysayers on GN are not calling any individual member by those names. They are simply describing what always happens when someone starts a cheerful, or light-hearted thread. Soon after they post it someone always comes on and starts reminding us of all of the people who are sad, or ill;, or starving and can not participate in what ever pleasure we are celebrating. Why? None of us is unaware of these things, no one denigrates anyone whose life is les than pleasureable. Many of the pleasures described are described by people who are grasping at these simple pleasures to make otherwise unbearable lives bearable.
Earlier I posted on the joys of leaf raking- I have spent over 2 hours doing this today and I feel invigorated by the exercise.
What should I have done to make this innocent activity acceptable those who like raining on other peoples parades? Not done it at all? Yes, that would have made me miserable, gales are forecast for tonight and to see my neat piles of leaves blown round the garden again would have throughly p*ssed me off. Or perhaps I should have meditated on those less fortunate than me, or invited someone disabled to help me?
What would be gained by any of these alternaatives? A sense of smug self satisfaction, because I had removed all the pleasure from a simple action and done it while thinking of all those that cannot rake leaves? How would that have actually helped anyone who was unhappy?
How would you feel if there was a thread about some tragedy -a natural disaster or family loss, and someone posted that in the nature of life this is a very small disaster in a huge population so perhaps we should be cheerful because it didn't happen more often. Would that be acceptable. If not, why not?
