User: Nickismynickname

I went to school in a small town, so wasn't divided from my education-loving or my education-hating friends at any time until the end of high school. I enjoyed the idea of learning all there was to learn, and went to university. I still have lifelong friends for whom I'm sure high school didn't help them in their life. They don't remember most of the simple things they learned, or disdained being there enough to ignore what they learned. They went into the sub-academic classes, didn't work hard, and dreamed of the day that they could just get out there and work at a trade. I think it would have been beneficial for some of them for the school system to admit that those friends of mine weren't getting much out of their sub-academic courses and that they'd be happier and more productive in trade school. I wouldn't be for forcing them out of high school, but they didn't want to be there for any other reason than they had to be in order to go to trade school later. What do people think of an educational system that allows people to go into a trades-based high school system as an alternative to academia based?

Is that so many people think they know a lot about many religions. I guess it's all in how you define "a lot" and "many".

Your religion doesn't control you? Who told you God does or doesn't want you to do certain things or think certain thoughts? Was it instinctual? Would you have come up with Christianity all by yourself if you grew up completely on your own..or, more practically, would you have converted to it if you were raised in a very different culture with a different religion?

I think I'd be better in many ways if I believed strongly

I see people who do, and they just seem to have much more focussed lives. They work hard, are optimistic about things which I am not, seem to think things will all work out. I just don't have that anymore. I wish I did, but I don't. I know some religious people for whom it's pain and sacrifice to be religious, but overall they think what they're doing and thinking is right. When push comes to shove, I just think I'll be dead and gone some day. I look to science to stave off death for a lot longer than it can now, but I know I'll never be physically immortal. What will come after that? I have no idea, but assume just a total lack of consciousness. Nothing, forever.

I would have to agree that happiness is the only real choice here. I'm sure if I was wealthy but had no friends or family and was in poor health I'd be willing to trade money for those things. If I dominated the world, but it was a constant pain because people kept fighting against me and attacking my friends and family and making me less rich, I would rather have less grip on the world and more peace. Yeah, you should take happiness out. It does make the other responses more interesting though. Maybe just leave it in. It doesn't matter that much, I guess.