Is a world without feeling, really that bad?

[Joseph_Stalin]

I was watching the movie Equilibrium for like the 7th time today (), and then the thought occurred to me, "Is this really so bad?" I mean, the people in the movie are portrayed as content, so what's really so wrong with that (exclude the murders of people who feel in my hypothetical world)? Even if they don't have freedom of speech, and a way to express themselves through creativity and the arts, and that most technological growth has been cut off, they aren't killing each other. There are no wars, no murders; only peace. If you had the power to do so, would you really take that away from them? Questions/comments?

[Lifechild]

I haven't seen the film or anything. Do you mean that they can't feel physically? Or that they can't feel mentally? How are they still living then? If they can't feel physically then they might accidentally kill themselves etc, and if they can't feel mentally, who is in control ?, who would want to be in control, if they wouldn't feel any pleasure in doing it or any reason to. I guess if you were in a world like that then you wouldn't know any different, but it would be a bit of a wasted life to not feel anything. I'd rather like that kind of world not to exist if it did. It would be hypocritical anyway wouldn't it, sort of like in 1984 by George Orwell, with the inner and outer parties and the proles etc. Zoe

[Joseph_Stalin]

Well I mean, feelings, like anger, sadness, happiness, etc. The highs and lows of feelings have been eliminated. The aren't complete zombies, because of this (which to me is good, I wouldn't want a society of robots...).

[Human]

Originally posted by Joseph_Stalin Well I mean, feelings, like anger, sadness, happiness, etc. The highs and lows of feelings have been eliminated. The aren't complete zombies, because of this (which to me is good, I wouldn't want a society of robots...). I think that animals who have less feelings than humans, have a more easy life in general. People often think's that humans is the "ultimate" creatures on the Earth; just because we are the dominating creatures on Earth. But in my opinion; it is no reason to think it is better to be a human than a animal, just because humans are the dominating creatures.

[Alric]

Animals have feelings. You look at pets they seem pretty happy where they are.

[Joseph_Stalin]

I think that's just a reaction (waging tail, tongue out) to a pleasurable stimulus (being petted). So I suppose they do have some "feelings", even though humans have more complex emotions and pyschological traits, such as egos and such.

[evangel]

That's a good question... which leads me to believe that with "feeling" (both physical and emotional) comes a deeper sense of self and knowledge. Ergo, if you have no feeling, you might be "content" or peaceful in one sense but it would be in an ignorant or shallow way... interesting to ponder though. Anybody noteable in the movie?

[Howie]

My adopted newbie Spicfiend, just recomened that movie to me. I just watched it. Very interesting. The thing is that if you had no feelings you would not miss them. I know this sounds of the wall but I have always thought that if you took your harmones away you could lead a much more efficient and productive life. Think of all the effort spent in that catagory alone> the opposite sex. Obviosley not everyone could use this theory because there would need to be some procreation in order for the species to exsist. = Which leads me to a question I had about the movie, Equilibrium, How did these people with know emotions reproduce?

[Alric]

You must not have a pet, its more than just a reaction.

[Joseph_Stalin]

Originally posted by Howetzer My adopted newbie Spicfiend, just recomened that movie to me. I just watched it. Very interesting. The thing is that if you had no feelings you would not miss them. I know this sounds of the wall but I have always thought that if you took your harmones away you could lead a much more efficient and productive life. Think of all the effort spent in that catagory alone> the opposite sex. Obviosley not everyone could use this theory because there would need to be some procreation in order for the species to exsist. = Which leads me to a question I had about the movie, Equilibrium, How did these people with know emotions reproduce? That is true. If someone took your feelings away, you wouldn't have the feelings to miss them. Oh yes, and your question. The director said that even though he didn't say it directly, he assumed the audience would assume that intro vitro fertilization took place (if anyone doesn't know this, it's like "in a test tube" to put it blunty"), and that relationships are just formalities (just to give the children "normal" pychological interaction). If you didn't notice the movie has plenty of religious undertones as well, deviating from the usual satirical dystopian future story. The clerics who wear 16th century -esque clothing and such, and the whole Tetragrammaton, which has something to do with god and the jewish religion. Not to mention the leader is named "father". P.S. The fight scenes are awesome. (and to answer evangel's question, the movie has Christian Bale, and he's semi-known you could say)

[kufu91]

if we dont have feelings we dont exist. there would be no self and no group. nothing would happen noone would lean and we would all die from lack of food and water.

[LewisM]

"Ignorance is bliss" I don't know where this came from originally, but as I remember it, Cypher from the Matrix(I THINK it was Cypher... the bald one) when he is dining with Agent Smith in the fake world says it. I feel exactly the opposite to Cypher! And also the opposite to you, Joseph_Stalin, however I know that you are just musing and do not truly desire ignorance (am I right?). I hunger for learning, love and all other things on this earth, even hate! Perhaps it is better to say that I 'embrace' hate, rather than hunger for it. With the good times come the bad, and thus the opposite. Although I know that were I ignorant, I would be happy, right now it is a sad thing to imagine happening to me. You could say that I would 'lose' my mind.

[Howie]

Although I would not want to give up my emotions and I hope most people feel the same way could you argue that in a scientific mind frame the world would not prosper in a more functional and effciant way? I hate to say it, but human emotions cause a lot of falacy in life.

[Joseph_Stalin]

I don't desire ignorance--in fact, in this world (if I led it), would be purely scientific. And things would be more efficient. Not to mention that everyone would soon forget things that are seen as counter-productive (to the "cause" of all human-kind), such as religion. They are forgetten, and know one will ever care to think of them.

[Belisarius]

In you world Joseph, I would quote John Paul Jones and be gunned down in a blaze of glory. Freedom cannot be sacrificed for prosperity and peace, or, in effect, economic security and physical security. Which brings me to a Benjamin Franklin quotation. "He who would sacrifice freedom for security deserves neither."

[Joseph_Stalin]

Yes, but he who would sacrifices security for freedom, will inevitably be shot

[Belisarius]

But it would be worth it.

[Joseph_Stalin]

Definately. And who knows? Maybe we'll actually land a man on Mars by then, because obviously we haven't been to the freaking moon yet.

[L0s7 4 Lyf3]

Having no feelings or emotions would really be a horrible thing, you'd be reduced down to the usefulness of insects. Just mindlessly cohorting about in life, think of it like The Giver, where everyone says they love each other, but in all actuality they don't have the slightest clue as to what love is like. They say they hate something but they don't really hate it, they just say a hollow statement, without the slightest idea as to what the emotions they're describing are like. You'd have no purpose in life because everything in life would involves some level of emotion and feeling. There would be no art, music, literature, or anything artistically related. Walls would be flat and boring because we'd have no idea as to what they could be like. In short, living without emotion would be one of the most horrible things that could ever happen to anyone. But the only way to really do that to someone is to slowly break down their mind and their ideals until they're no more than a figment of your imagination.

[imported_Berserk_Exodus]

Those things are what make us human. It's the human dynamic, the struggle of life.

[I Bleed Blue]

Obviously none of you have read A Brave New World. The entire book revolves around a society of mindless individuals kept emotionless and pleasure filled by hypnopaedic messaging and drugs. There is a "savage" reservation where the last of the truely normal people are kept. One of these "savages" escapes into this world free of emotion and filled with meaningless pleasure. He eventually ends his own life rather than live a meaningless one. Without emotion, and feeling... what reason is there to live? There isn't one. If chocolate didn't taste so good, would people eat it? No, its not necessary. You just have to figure some people come up short on the happy end of things in life, and other people get more than their fair share. It is usually an individual's personal outlook on life that determines which one they are. Variety and emotions are the spice of life, without them it wouldn't be worth living.

[Joseph_Stalin]

However, as said before, only an outsider would feel robbed. A person on the dose wouldn't care.

[Human]

Originally posted by L0s7 4 Lyf3 Having no feelings or emotions would really be a horrible thing, you'd be reduced down to the usefulness of insects. Well, we will not be able to have good feelings, but the most important is that we escape from bad feelings. I think to live with no feelings is more easy, and we don't need to "suffer" from bad feelings like sadness, etc.

[Demerzel]

The only reason there are wars etc. is because humans are arrogant naturally. For example, "Aliens" are drawn with eyes, noses, mouths etc. We believe everything has to be the way we get used to it. And if it's not, we just destroy it.

[Joseph_Stalin]

This can also be put on a smaller scale, with Whites in the 1500-1800s of thinking they were better than Africans and Native Americans, and other groups (Still happens today, but sometimes in reverse, with one group thinking this way, etc.). Without emotion there would be no real ego as well, so no racism or superiority complexes.