Seeking your opinion, man.

[DigitalBuddha]

So I was thinking about how people react to various short statements. What opinion, man, do you have about a comment like this one?.......

"We must all abide."

What thoughts does it bring up. Looking for notes, here.

[Hominid]

It's a commandment. Me no likes the sound of being TOLD what to do. Now, if the statement was "It would be a good thing for this world if everyone leaned what abiding is, and how to do it.", then it would have a more general appeal, and would encourage learning FOR YOURSELF what abiding is, instead of simply having it forced upon you without a full personal understanding of what it entails.

[Tripnastic]

I agree with Hominid. I agreed last night too, but was too far gone on oat sodas to articulate it.

It's the word "must" that bothered me. 

I believe you were using it in a way that says "it's the only way we're going to make it", but it could definitely get misconstrued as a commandment.

[Rev. Ed C]

Agree with Hominid and Trip there, DB.

Dudes abide.  They don't have to, but it's just in their nature.

No one has to do anything, but some things are advisable, like breathing, and not poking bears with soreheads (I hear that someties, just sometimes, THEY eat YOU).

[DigitalBuddha]

I was thinking more down the line of "we must live" as a way of saying "we must abide.' Or, "it behooves us to live." Not a requirement or rule, but a passion.

[hannahdude]

still has the sound of a threat somehow.

[Caesar dude]

Any time the word "must" is applied it implies rules....and dudes know that all rules are made by uptight nihilsts...of course we rail against against such things.

"must" our first four letter word perhaps!?

Peace

[hannahdude]

'must' def a top contender for the official first four-letter-word of de dudes.
anyone ever see the show 'taxi'? where louie ( danny de vito), goes off on the word 'shouldn't'??
fabulous stuff.

[DigitalBuddha]

Then how do we react to the dude as he states "the dude abides." Why and what motivates him to abide? And of course that brings up the continuing question of what does it mean for each person to abide?

[Sailing Dude]

More like guide lines   AARRGGGG

[meekon5]

Then how do we react to the dude as he states "the dude abides." Why and what motivates him to abide? And of course that brings up the continuing question of what does it mean for each person to abide?

Surely this is simple if you treat it as simple, complicated if you complicate it.

Is it not good enough to say the Dude (or I as a Dude) abide because he does (because I do).

There is not motive, there is no reason, I abide because that is the way of things.

The more you analyse the abiding the less it is abiding.

Like analysing meditation, doing so just makes it a practice of analysing how you meditate, instead of just meditating.

Now I don't claim to have reached the pinnacle of all Dudeism and just abide in a perfect state of Dudetopia (or Dudevana if you would).

I have doubts, I have conflicts, I have arguments.

We are back to my original premis.

One does not become a Dude by practice, by rules, by trying to be, one realises one is a Dude.

(To be perfectly honest the only reason the dude does anything, in any way, is because that was how the script was written, but that's an aside).

[milnie]

Then how do we react to the dude as he states "the dude abides." Why and what motivates him to abide? And of course that brings up the continuing question of what does it mean for each person to abide?

perhaps he is not motivated to anything, he simply does abide because he is too lazy to do anything else.
but saying that, he is motivated, he is competative (bowling). lets face it, he is an enigma, wrapped in a mystery, etc.
or as M5 observes, he's a character in a film!

[DigitalBuddha]

Then how do we react to the dude as he states "the dude abides." Why and what motivates him to abide? And of course that brings up the continuing question of what does it mean for each person to abide?

perhaps he is not motivated to anything, he simply does abide because he is too lazy to do anything else.
but saying that, he is motivated, he is competative (bowling). lets face it, he is an enigma, wrapped in a mystery, etc.
or as M5 observes, he's a character in a film!

Definitely a character in a film; but are not some of the greatest thoughts of humanity encapsulated in mythical characters? Witness C.S. Lewis and his characters, or J.R.R.Token's characters, or mythical characters of Greece and Rome. Are they "myth," or simply extensions of genuine human thought? As is the dude.

[milnie]

absolutely DB, the morality of generations can be defined by the writings produced or adhered to, regardless of the subjects realness.

to be honest, when i hear the dude say he abides it fills me with a great deal of envy. I was there about 10 years ago, life was balanced and moved along with virtually no effort. now with kids, position of management at work, potential move to new country, its all off kilter. its partly the reason i joined the forum, so i can relate to other dudes and use some of their dudelyness to help bring mine back

[DigitalBuddha]

absolutely DB, the morality of generations can be defined by the writings produced or adhered to, regardless of the subjects realness.

to be honest, when i hear the dude say he abides it fills me with a great deal of envy. I was there about 10 years ago, life was balanced and moved along with virtually no effort. now with kids, position of management at work, potential move to new country, its all off kilter. its partly the reason i joined the forum, so i can relate to other dudes and use some of their dudelyness to help bring mine back

Ahhh, now that brings up a good point to ponder, milnie dude; namely...abiding in all seasons of life, no matter what comes your way or what path you choose to walk. Definitely food for thought there.