Saturday, February 03, 2007

Lucky

In Danish we have an expression which could loosely be translated as: "that's more luck than it's intelligence". I think this is it.
(As usual, click for larger view. Author unknown.)


19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello Sir Stobblehouse! I heard you lifted your censorship block. I am very pleased to come back (if you don't mind?)
Your photo is quite surprizing! Well done my friend! Yes sometimes "Luck" is all we have :)
Thank you my good man for letting me post on your wonderful site :)
Is Mr Pascal still posting? I hope so ? I like that peace-loving doctor.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

1: Thank you.

2: I did not take the photos, I don't know who did.

3: I'm sure Pascal is still around, though not here for a a few days.

Anonymous said...

Well, if such a thing as luck existed, which I don't believe it does, this would be about the best possible example.

In all its seriousness the photo is downright humoristic. :-)

Anonymous said...

Well, if such a thing as luck existed, which I don't believe it does. ttl spoke

Very strange thoughts you have. If there isn't "luck" in the world than what else is it then?
Do you believe in fate? Destiny? Do you believe these things exist?
In my service,
Flip Dog

Anonymous said...

In all its seriousness the photo is downright humoristic. :-)

Sad indeed. You find humor in near tragedy. Sigh.

Anonymous said...

flip dog said: If there isn't "luck" in the world than what else is it then?

Luck, as it is commonly understood, means "happy accidents". I don't believe in accidents. I believe we create all events in our experience through our choices (=actions).

You could also define luck as preparation meeting opportunity. In this case the "accident" component is removed from the equation. I fully believe in this kind of luck.

For example, Eolake says his success with Domai was due to luck. I don't believe that at all. Rather it was preparation (or passion?) meeting opportunity. Had he not gotten the timing right now, he would no doubt have "cracked it" at some other point in time, perhaps with a slightly different approach.

Anonymous said...

Wowser. Somehow this photo montage makes me feel lucky. I think I'll go practice some of brace of saxes. :o)

Anonymous said...

I don't believe in accidents.

Perhaps an alien from another world could understand what you mean't by what you attempted to explain?
So when someone wins the lottery it wasn't luck or an accident? Hmmmm, it was all preplanned and arranged. Uh-huh. Ok?

I believe we create all events in our experience through our choices (=actions).

When we chose to walk on ice then fall, we planned on falling to start with? If there were no "luck" in the world then why play the lottery?
Happy accidents? (You refer luck as) yet you say there is no luck or accidents?
Your explanations leave a mind left in a maze of confusion. You can't have it as you attempted to express it.
Logically it is void. No offence.

Anonymous said...

Kimberely Vaughn,

I fully stand by my words, but at the same time I admit that I have in no way proven, or even properly explained, my point. I merely answered flip dog's question concerning my beliefs.

This is one of the most difficult metaphysical problems we humans have, and these commentary notes are not a very suitable medium for discussing it.

I will write a more proper treatise when/if I ever manage to create a blog of my own.

So when someone wins the lottery it wasn't luck or an accident?

Correct.

it was all preplanned and arranged. Uh-huh. Ok?

No. Not preplanned nor arranged. But not accidental either. The person is fully responsible. She created it through her choices.

Anonymous said...

No. Not preplanned nor arranged. But not accidental either. The person is fully responsible. She created it through her choices.
ttl reference

we'll leave it at whatever you said but still made no sense at all.
bye

Anonymous said...

Obstacles cease to exist. They are replaced by countless chances to improve your lot in life and raise your level of consciousness.

Lucid, are you saying that if we think positive all the time then the bad luck will stop?
Where is the opportunity of a higher level when we stare into the faces of our deceased loved ones?
Especially when they have been taken away by a random drive-by shooting or robbery? I'm not trying to sound negative but I believe my argument has valadity? Thanks.

Anonymous said...

And if death is real, and nothing awaits, I say that is all the more reason to make good on what we have now. If there is an end unto darkness, we'd best make this an existence worth remembering! There is no need to mourn the non-existent; they suffer not.
Lucid spoke.

If death is real? Well certainly physical death is real. This is a proven fact. But spiritual death is the ultimate endless nightmare (if the soul winds up in Hell.)
Your words are troubling referring to dead people as "non-existent." They exist alright, not on Earth anymore but rather in one or two places according to God's unchangeable word. (After death that is.)
It's sad you think Heaven and Hell are fairytales. One day you will discover that the afterlife does exist and "if" you wind up in the lake of fire it will be too late for you son.


In reality it may simply be a loss of awareness of a body, not an end to the soul. Many journeys may still await the deceased. Lucid continues.

You speak scripture here and you are in line with the truth. But only "one" journey awaits the soul that lives on forever, not many.
For the soul itself lives on and on forever and ever.
I feel really sad for you Lucid. I know you may not like or even believe my words but they are from my heart.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion. Take care young lad.

Anonymous said...

I don't exactly agree with TTL, about that notion that we make all things happen. But I'm convinced that luck is a belief. A matter of perception on things. So, criticizing his ideas so abruptly because you believe otherwise seems a bit extreme to me.
Allow me to explain where TTL and I differ in views. Some might consider this driver very lucky for avoiding near-certain death in this accident. Others might feel the accident almost happening in the first place was very unlucky. For some, winning the lottery was a curse in the disguise of a good fortune. ("Fortune", this is a good one!) Me, I'm positive that our actions and risk-taking are often very important (a heavy smoker getting lung cancer can't honestly call it "bad luck"!), but this is not the only thing involved here. Some random -or simply unpredictable- events will happen, and the difference between random and "which we just couldn't predict or expect" is pointless as far as our control over our own life is concerned. Which is the practical question. I believe both in shaping our own life, and in the existence of a part which we cannot control. Call it Destiny, God's hand, or the random irony of an unfeeling Universe, I'm sure it is there.

Now, time for a Pascal-style dubious joke.

A man wakes up in the hospital. His loving wife is there, holding his hand, when he speaks :
"You are here, by my side.
- Of course I am!
- God, you've always been beside me in times of hardship.
- Always, my love.
- When I lost my job, you were there. You were there when I had that car accident. When our house caught fire. When I broke my leg skiing. When my mother died. When my business went bankrupt. When I lost all my money in the stock market. When I had cancer. And now, when I've had this freak stroke. You know, honey, I've been thinking...
- Yes?
- I'm wondering, perhaps you're simply bad luck?"

Back to being serious a little. Good or bad luck is in great part a matter of attitude, of glass half full vs. half empty thing. I realised that much of the worst luck in my life actually turned out to have positive effects. I was devastated when my first crush played me and dumped me. After taking some distance, I realized that although I had genuine and sincere feelings, they were misguided : she was not for me, and would only have made me very unhappy for a much longer time by not rejecting me so early. Many "failures" proved to be much less negative than I initially believed. Either I avoided what was eventually revealed to be a very unpleasant subsequent life, or sometimes I simply gained maturity from it. I could also have chosen to become a drug addict and throw my whole existence away out of spite. What made the difference? My choice in attitude.

You can do it too. Everybody can. And, best of all, I'm not charging any money for sharing this precious insight with you! (Nevertheless, satisfaction guaranteed, or I'll give your money back. All of it.) ;-)

"So when someone wins the lottery it wasn't luck or an accident?"
It is a scientifically proven and irrefutable fact : 100% of lottery winners had bought a ticket. If you don't, you're sure to never win. That's logic 101, baby. And the rest is cold statistics. ("Which, like the wicked weasel and the mini-skirt, show you everything except what matters!", to quote one of my teachers)

"Where is the opportunity of a higher level when we stare into the faces of our deceased loved ones?"
Being somebody who has lost loved ones (haven't we all?), I can remind you that death is a part of life. Nobody's eternal. (Lucid Twilight might have something to say about this, but a person's earthly existence is by essence limited.)
It all depends on how our loved ones were deceased, I believe. I lost three of my grandparents, and every time it was only moderately painful : they were old, had been ill for a long time, and had reached the term of their life. When they died, essentially they stopped suffering needlessly. I only hope to lead a full life, not an endless one. Death is not always bad luck either. Sometimes, often, it's just... normal!
Of course, the premature departures you mention are quite different. And yet... Losing loved ones can also teach you compassion toward those who go through the same trial, and it sometimes brings together those who remain and had fallen apart. Courage is a great way of making your own luck. (And sometimes I should listen to my own sound advice!)
Your argument sounds extremely valid to me, Ted. I'll just remind you of the many grieving people who found in such an ordeal the motivation to struggle for a better and improved society. I wish you luck in this endeavour. (No irony intended by "luck".)

"This means we'll begin to create more of our own luck and we'll stumble less with normally unpleasant surprises are thrown our way."
In Lebanon, we choose not to expect anything positive from our very stupid politicians. And we're usually spot on. The good part is, that way we can only have pleasant surprises! (Otherwise they wouldn't be surprises now, would they?)

"I have known those who died peacefully, with a smile, even though their bodies writhed during their final days and should have caused them much suffering. Then there are those who were supposed to die painlessly, yet they groaned every hour til their last."
You've seen a lot for your young age. And noticed a lot, too. Because what you say here is very true.

"I no longer identify with my body as I once did."
Careful there. For the duration of our earthly existence, our mind, body and soul are one entity and function as such. For instance, having a simple cold will put you in a temporary depressive mood, whatever your mental attitude. (A side effect of endogenous interferon.) It's biological and proven. You ARE not your body, but it's a fundamental part of you. Only a part, but fundamental.

Maurice Roberts said...
"You speak scripture here and you are in line with the truth. But only "one" journey awaits the soul that lives on forever, not many."

I'm very curious here. I never noticed this specific part in judeo-christian scripture. Where is it said that there is only ONE journey, one chance for the soul, and that numerous incarnations, for example, are officially out of question? Please enlighten me.

Anonymous said...

"Indeed, to unlock our full creative potential all aspects of this realm must be put to full use."

Now, that's what I call using you noggin! :-)
Of course control is possible. And its vast potential remains vastly untapped to this day. Far too often, it just feels very tempting to say "it can't be done" and quit trying. While in truth (as I bet you'd readily correct), "it has never been done yet", which is immensely different.

It'll be interesting to see over the years how far you manage to apply your theories. "Strong in this young one the Force is, Padawan Kenobi."

Anonymous said...

Lucid Twilight said...
"the only way I could be absolutely sure of avoiding hell is by following every religion and living by every creed of those who say we are in danger of damnation."

Are you absolutely sure that would be enough? I mean, in the end, there's no solid proof that at least one of them is right, other than your belief in them. It's called "faith" for a reason... ;-)
(And there goes MY last chance of avoiding the fiery fate of those who ever dare to doubt!)

"in a world where the facts are not clearly spelled out by the divine."
They are clearly spelled out by those who contradict themselves but command that you trust them, like Newt Gingrich, Mark Foley or the Boston priests. What more do you need, man? A copyright statement written in latin on every atom and in the nucleus of every cell???
Actually, that would probably convince me... ;-)
"©, ® & ™ YHWH, all rights reserved. Cloning and modification prohibited. Reproduction strictly under Church permission." If my microscope showed that everywhere, I'd be convinced.
As my little brother once said to me : "What do you mean, it's yours? I don't see your name on it, so there!" Ain't no reply to that, you'll admit!

"Agreeing to disagree is perhaps the most essential step towards enlightenment."
I don't agree with that! Now, turn off that light, I'm trying to sleep here.

Anonymous said...

In Lebanon, we choose not to expect anything positive from our very stupid politicians. And we're usually spot on. Pascal quote.

So when you get depressed or angry about your "Stupid politicians" and your government it's okay? But when I say I get depressed by winter and it being a cold world you scorn me?
Sounds like a double standard here Mr Pascal.
I'm not always down or blue. But there are times when it happens. You sounded very troubled when you spoke about working a 100 hours or so without rest and how 40 some percent of your population have been leaving for Canada or Australia, this didn't sound very positive?
Just remember to pratice what you preach sir. No argument intended.
Nildar

Anonymous said...

I believe I can safely say I will not perish in any sense but the physical, if that. I no longer identify with my body as I once did. It is not my house, it is a means of interaction with the physical realm. When it is gone I remain unharmed. The pain it feels is not my own. This is merely a tool that I mistakenly identified with.

I think you speak in riddles concerning your ideas Lucid Twilight. Your body is your (temporary home) how else can you explain it? How can you say you mistakenly taken identity with it? This is beyond me? Cannot you feel with your fingers or feel your lungs breathe? So all that is an illusion?
The pain it feels is not my own? So if someone whacks you with a 2x4 someone else will suffer and you'll feel "nothing?" This isn't logical if I understand what you are trying to express?
How do you know for sure that when you "leave" your body you will remain unharmed? You cannot prove this. Yes, your body will no longer confine your soul but how do you know "for sure" that you will remain unharmed? That idea alone takes some kind of faith doesn't it?
Of course it does. You claim that if you follow all beliefs you could still wind up on the wrong track and yet you say when you die you will remain unharmed?
Basically you are admitting that you have faith in your own belief. But who is to say that your faith is correct? (I'm only comparing please remember this)
Mentally you attempt to explain it all away but it lacks credibility. But as others have said, You are entitled to believe whatever you chose too. But you do have your "own" faith whether you want to confess it or not.
Sincerely, me

Anonymous said...

Nildar,
I didn't intend to be scorning you, you know. Only to lift your spirits with some perspective. And I do believe a whole country steadily unraveling since 1975 is somehow more depressing than some seasonal bad weather, don't you agree? (Nevertheless, I'm very happy not to be living -or rather surviving- in Iraq, you can believe that!)

Happy to know you're not always feeling down. :-)

Oh, and I seem to remember saying earlier on this thread : "(And sometimes I should listen to my own sound advice!)"
So, as you can you see, I didn't wait for you to admit I speak better than I act. ;-)

You're right, there's no argument here, we're basically in agreement. Best to you then.

P.S.: Before you talk about a "cold world", perhaps you'd like to take that little "global warming" thingie into consideration, eh? ;-)

Anonymous said...

You're right, there's no argument here, we're basically in agreement. Best to you then.

P.S.: Before you talk about a "cold world", perhaps you'd like to take that little "global warming" thingie into consideration, eh? ;-)

Agreed. Best to you as well my good Doctor :)