An Eschatological Laundry List (sic)

If you've read much of this guide, you'll know I'm not much of a one for tinpot philosophy.

I do like this list, though - rather pompously called 'An Eschatological Laundry List' - from the 70s self-improvement book by Sheldon Kopp, 'If you Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him¹

1. This is it!
2. There are no hidden meanings.
3. You can't get there from here, and besides there is no place else to go.
4. We are all already dying, and we will be dead for a long time.
5. Nothing lasts.
6. There is no way of getting all you want.
7. You can't have anything until you let go of it.
8. You only get to keep what you give away.
9. There is no particular reason why you lost out on some things.
10. The world is not necessarily just, being good often does not pay
11. off and there is no compensation for misfortune.
12. You have a responsibility to do your best nonetheless.
13. It is a random universe to which we bring meaning.
14. You don't really control anything.
15. You can't make anyone love you.
16. No one is any stronger or weaker than anyone else.
17. Everyone is, in their own way vulnerable.
18. There are no great people.
19. If you have a hero, look again; You have diminished yourself in some way.
20. Everyone lies, cheats & pretends.
21. All evil is potential vitality in need of transformation.
22. All of you is worth something, if you will only own it.
23. Progress is an illusion.
24. Evil can be displaced but never eradicated, as all solutions breed new problems.
25. Yet it is necessary to keep struggling toward solution.
26. Childhood is a nightmare.
27. But it is very hard to be an on-your-own, take-care-of-yourself-cause
28. there-is-no-one-else-to-do-it-for-you grown up.
29. Each of us is ultimately alone.
30. The most important things, each person must do for themselves.
31. Love is not enough, but it sure helps.
32. We have only ourselves, and one another. That may not be much, but that's all there is.
33. How strange, that so often, it all seems worth it.
34. We must live with the ambiguity of partial freedom,
35. partial power and partial knowledge.
36. All important decisions must be made on the basis of insufficient data.
37. Yet we are responsible for everything we do.
38. No excuses will be accepted.
39. You can run, but you can't hide.
40. It is most important to run out of scapegoats.
41. We must learn the power of living with our helplessness.
42. The only victory, lies in surrender to oneself.
43. All of the significant battles are waged within yourself.
44. You are free to do whatever you like. You need only face the consequences.
45. What do you know……..for sure……….. anyway?
46. Learn to forgive yourself, again and again and again and again.

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