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ttd_76 t1_irgp4n1 wrote

Reply to comment by MyNameIsNonYaBizniz in How to Live In A World That Makes No F*cking Sense: Nietzsche and the Search for Superhuman Laughter by simsquatched

You don’t think someone starving in a war torn country ever thinks about why they are suffering so bad and what is the point of all their pain? There’s a reason why poor people tend to be more religious.

I think that the meaninglessness of the world manifests itself in different ways to people of different income. And that some unfortunate people have physical problems/concerns in addition to metaphysical ones so that you cannot equate the two. But I do think that everyone suffers from the desire for meaning in a meaningless world. That’s a function of merely existing.

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MyNameIsNonYaBizniz t1_irgpk87 wrote

I think 99% of them want to be not starving and not be in a war first, lol.

Religion is something people use to justify their suffering, without suffering they wont care as much about god's plan and mysterious ways.

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ttd_76 t1_irgxz97 wrote

>Religion is something people use to justify their suffering

Exactly. Which is just another way of saying they are searching for meaning. It feels less bad if there is an explanation and purpose for why all of this horrible shit is happening to you, especially if it also comes with a promise that soon the suffering will be over in exchange for an immense payoff in the afterlife.

>I think 99% of them want to be not starving and not be in a war first, lol.

Do they, though? I think there is some truth to the idea of religion being the opiate of the masses. The Catholic church is sitting on billions of dollars. Why don't the people in all the poor Catholic countries simply rise up and overthrow the Pope? And if you look throughout history, there have probably been way more people who have killed other innocent and suffering people or died themselves to protect their religion and religious leaders than tried to overthrow them.

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