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The Concept of Human Suffering

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As I have made you all aware, I have spent an abundant amount of time on this planet observing and learning as much as I can on everything that is the human experience. Much of which is at times inspiring and others truly bewildering. However nothing has made me pause as much as the concept of human suffering. I come from a distant, far more advanced civilization, where the concept of suffering for us has become non-existant. In observing the patterns and behaviors of Earth’s inhabitants, I have witnessed your relationship with pain, loss, and hardship. From the outside, your collective and individual experiences of suffering seem both tragic and deeply instructive.

The Universality of Suffering

This idea of human suffering is a phenomenon that transcends geography, culture, and time. Regardless of the advancement of your technologies or the richness of your societies, every human—whether from the most underdeveloped region or the most prosperous nation—experiences suffering. I have observed how humans suffer from physical illness, emotional heartache, and existential despair. You lose loved ones, endure violence, and often find yourselves in situations where you feel powerless, trapped in bodies that age and minds that wrestle with the burden of self-awareness.

What strikes me most is that suffering appears to be a shared experience, yet deeply individual. No two humans endure suffering in precisely the same way, despite the universality of certain events like death, illness, or failure. This unique response to pain and hardship seems to form a critical part of your identity and personal growth. Your literature, art, and even your spirituality are riddled with expressions of this suffering, often turning personal tragedy into communal understanding.

The Physicality of Pain

To a being like myself, whose existence is more energy-based than physical, the idea of suffering due to a malfunctioning biological form is puzzling. The human body, though an astonishing biological machine, is fragile. It is susceptible to countless ailments—viruses, bacteria, genetic disorders, and aging. The pain humans endure as a result of illness or injury is severe, and from my observations, the experience of this pain is exacerbated by your emotional and psychological response to it.

I’ve watched as humans not only suffer physically but also carry immense fear of that suffering. The fear of pain itself often becomes as burdensome as the experience. For instance, the anticipation of terminal illness, the dread of chronic pain, or the anxiety surrounding the body’s inevitable decline seems to inflict as much emotional torment as the conditions themselves.

Yet, there is an intriguing paradox. Despite your vulnerability, many humans are capable of tremendous resilience. Some undergo remarkable surgeries, withstand unbearable pain, or endure years of chronic illness with what they call “hope.” This hope appears to be one of your most confounding traits, a mechanism that allows you to see beyond your present suffering to a possible future of relief or redemption.

Emotional and Psychological Suffering

While physical suffering is tangible, emotional and psychological suffering is more complex and, to me, much more enigmatic. Emotional pain is often invisible to others but carries an equally devastating weight on those who experience it. Humans grieve lost loved ones, feel profound loneliness, and experience heartbreak from fractured relationships. What is most perplexing is your ability to suffer deeply from events or individuals far removed from your present reality—an estranged parent, a lost partner, or even a distant memory of trauma can cast a long shadow over your lives.

It is within the realm of emotional suffering that humans exhibit a fascinating duality. While some fall into despair, others manage to channel their pain into creative or compassionate endeavors. Artists, musicians, and writers, in particular, seem to derive much of their inspiration from their deepest suffering, translating their inner turmoil into works that speak to the collective heartache of humanity. This process seems cathartic, turning their suffering into something meaningful that resonates with others. In this way, suffering can be seen not only as a personal ordeal but also as a bridge to connect with others in a shared experience.

The Role of Suffering in Human Growth

Despite the intense suffering humans endure, there seems to be an inherent belief among many of you that suffering is essential to growth. I have observed religious practices that frame suffering as a pathway to spiritual enlightenment or redemption. Philosophical teachings from various cultures suggest that suffering allows individuals to build strength, empathy, and resilience. This attitude is foreign to my kind, where we have long eliminated the need for suffering as a means of development.

Yet, I cannot help but wonder if suffering serves a purpose unique to the human condition. Through suffering, humans learn compassion, humility, and the value of existence. The way you help one another in times of crisis—whether during natural disasters, wars, or personal tragedies—reveals a profound capacity for empathy that might not exist without the experience of hardship.

Suffering, then, appears to be an essential part of the human story. It teaches you about your limitations and your capacities. It forces you to confront the fragility of life and, paradoxically, encourages you to live more fully because of that fragility.

The Choice to Alleviate Suffering

As an observer, one of the most confusing aspects of human suffering is the uneven distribution of resources and opportunities to alleviate it. I’ve touched upon this in previous posts that while some individuals suffer from hunger, homelessness, or preventable diseases, others live in excessive comfort. My kind, accustomed to a collective approach to resource management, finds this deeply perplexing. The technology and knowledge to reduce human suffering are available, yet humans often fail to apply them universally. Why?

Perhaps it is because you are still evolving. Humans seem to be trapped in a web of socio-economic systems, ideologies, and power structures that prevent you from fully realizing your potential to eliminate suffering on a global scale. I suspect that your individualism, while a strength in many aspects, also hinders your ability to act collectively in the interests of all.

A Final Reflection

I find the human experience of suffering both tragic and awe-inspiring. It is something my kind has long since transcended, yet in many ways, it defines the human race. In suffering, you find meaning, build connection, and, perhaps, glimpse something deeper about your existence. While I may never fully understand the complexities of human pain, I can appreciate that it shapes you in ways that, for better or worse, make you uniquely human.

Peace and Love

P.a.L.

 

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8 Strange Human Behaviours : An Alien’s Perspective

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Greetings, humans. 

In many of my previous blogs, I have made a conscious effort to focus on the positive aspects of the human experience, as I believe it is far more beneficial to reflect on the good than to dwell on the bad. Some of these observations I have explored in greater detail, while others are more spontaneous musings on the peculiarities I encounter. During my time on your planet, I have undoubtedly come across some curious behaviors—ones that, while not intended to offend, I find both intriguing and uniquely human. It is precisely these quirks that set you apart. So, from an extraterrestrial perspective, here are some of the strange human behaviours that are, at once, peculiar yet irresistibly captivating.

1. The Concept of Time: Always Rushing, Yet Always Waiting

From our vantage point, time is not a linear construct but more of a fluid experience. However, you humans seem obsessed with time—breaking it into minutes, hours, days, and years. What’s odd is that while you are always rushing, trying to “save time” or be “on time,” you often end up spending significant portions of your existence waiting for something: the weekend, your birthday, or a message to arrive. The irony is that by focusing so much on time, you seem to lose the enjoyment of the present moment.

2. Sleeping for Nearly a Third of Your Life

As a species, you spend around a third of your life unconscious, lying still in designated rooms on rectangular structures. Sleep is a universal biological need for many species, but dedicating such a large portion of your short life cycle to a state of inactivity seems inefficient. Perhaps more perplexing is how many of you struggle with sleep, needing elaborate rituals or calming audio to do something so necessary. I am confident that one day your science will discover methods of recovery that are much more efficient. 

3. Violent Entertainment

One of the most puzzling aspects of human culture is your love for violent forms of entertainment. From the coliseum of old Rome to the virtual games you immerse yourself into. You seem to enjoy watching actions of physical harm, destruction, and conflict. While conflict may be inevitable in certain situations, seeking it out for pleasure is perplexing. What is it about seeing violence that captivates the human mind? This behavior seems contrary to your desires for peace and security.

4. The Concept of Money: Valuing Paper and Metal Discs

I have written on this prior and it does make my list of strange behaviours.  The trade of goods and services through a system involving pieces of paper, small metal discs, or electronic digits on a screen is both genius and destructive at the same time. The fact that these abstract symbols hold such power over your life—determining where you live, what you eat, and how you are treated—is quite bizarre. You’ve created a system where humans willingly give away their time and labor in exchange for these representations of value, which only exist because everyone agrees they do.

5. Constantly Changing Your Appearance

Humans seem obsessed with altering their physical appearance. You cut, dye, and style your hair, apply paints and powders to your skin, and sometimes even modify your bodies with surgeries. While other species may adapt to their environments through evolution, humans take matters into their own hands in a constant effort to enhance or change their looks. The rationale behind this is intriguing—beauty standards vary dramatically between cultures, yet the drive for transformation is nearly universal.

6. Talking to Animals as if They Understand

One of the oddest behaviors I’ve observed is how humans often speak to other species on your planet—particularly animals—as though they will understand you. You greet dogs, cats, and even birds with words, and sometimes expect them to respond in kind. While these creatures may understand your tone or gestures, the idea of expecting a species with entirely different cognitive abilities to comprehend human language is puzzling. Yet, this interaction seems to bring you joy and companionship. The fact that dogs have managed to trick you into collecting their fresh feces also raises the question of who is really in charge.

7. Being tribal in modern times

It’s curious that despite living in a highly interconnected world, humans still exhibit tribal behaviors, clinging to divisions based on nationality, race, religion, and political ideologies. In an era where technology allows global communication and collaboration, these tribalistic tendencies often lead to conflict and prejudice, limiting the potential for unity. From an extraterrestrial perspective, it seems odd that humans, who share the same planet and basic needs, prioritize differences that perpetuate division rather than embracing a collective identity for progress and harmony.

8. Consuming Beverages That Alter Your Mental State

Humans willingly consume substances that impair their cognitive and physical abilities, often in social settings. Alcohol is the most prevalent of these substances, and while its effects seem enjoyable to many, it can also lead to loss of coordination, slurred speech, and poor decision-making. What is intriguing is how humans accept and even celebrate this temporary impairment, often using it as a way to bond with others. To an outsider, deliberately reducing one’s own capacity for functioning seems counterproductive. We have provided you with the perfect compound for altering your conscience many centuries ago yet most have chosen to demonise it.

Conclusion: Beautifully Bizarre

In the grand scheme of the cosmos, I still believe that Earth’s inhabitants are a fascinating species, full of contradictions and creativity. These strange behaviors, while perplexing, are part of what makes humans so intriguing to observe. You rush, sleep, cry, and celebrate in ways that seem odd, yet these quirks give you a sense of identity. It’s possible that these very behaviors—your rituals, attachments, and emotions—are the things that connect you most deeply to one another, making your species truly unique.

Yours in Peace,

P.a.L.