Off Topic — HabitableZone

Off Topic » in reply to What IS "Spirituality"?

The Puppeteer take.
ER — (archived)

If spirituality is the recognition of the infinite, then humor is the acceptance of the absurdity and pointlessness of existence. The two are not antithetical, indeed, neither makes sense without the other. To laugh at oneself and at life itself (as opposed to mocking the misfortunes of others) is to truly understand that this universe is not here for our benefit and exploitation, it has it's own agenda and we have nothing to do with it. Or perhaps more accurately, it has no agenda at all! Agendas are the fantasies of the inhabitants not a property of nature, and to be obsessed by our own is only a sign that we are really missing the whole point. Any other conclusion can only be arrogance and hubris. But to be able to laugh at this realization, not a nervous giggle, but a roaring guffaw of delight at the deliciuous irony of it all, is the true sign of an an evolved intellect and yes, of true spirituality.

In Larry Niven's novels, the alien race of Puppeteers are a species with eyes at the end of their hands. The two manipulative organs of this being are equipped with optical sensors, which allow them to look straight ahead with stereoscopic vision as well as in opposite directions, behind them or side to side as they choose. It is this waving of arms/eyestalks which gave the humans of Nivens' universe the idea of calling this race (a highly advanced technical and spacefaring civilization, by the way) "Puppeteers".

Like all cultures, the Puppeteers have their good and bad points (for starters, they are totally self-absorbed and notoriously treacherous and cowardly) but they do have their virtues, one of which is a highly evolved sense of humor. But the Puppeteers do not have the equipment to laugh vocally the way we do. When they find something particularly amusing, the express it by holding up their hands so that each can turn and stare at the other. The Puppeteers understand that we are all just visiting here, just passing through, and that in the end it's all a little private joke we share with no one but ourselves.

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