lynx Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 Not only that it might have been better for none of us to be born, but it might have been better for life to never have evolved on this planet. That has crossed my mind since my deconversion, because before that I believed all life is something sacred to god and a part of his grand purpose, which will eventually have a perfect outcome. Since I no longer believe that, I obviously don't accept all crap that happens as having a purpose. Without the existence of a benevolent higher power, we're at the mercy of material forces that are not capable of having any regard for us. I can't really say I get depressed the way people generally define depression. I have a disgust for the conditions of this existence, even to the point of being morbid about it at times, but I don't think it would be defined as depression in the standard sense. I don't tend to feel sorry for myself, don't feel more worthless than anyone else, don't mope and cry, etc. even if this life is nothing but pure meaningless bullshit, living on despite it is a way of extending the middle finger to the concept of Nihilism. Basically, I guess I see how pointless things are, but by living on, I say fuck you to hopelessness and despair. That's one way to look at it. I think one of the cynical philosophers spoke of dealing with life the same way. Maybe someone here knows who that was. I can't recall. I say F you to many aspects of this existence, and then I just carry on, perhaps out of pure curiosity, or out of a sense that there is a missing piece to this ridiculous puzzle I have yet to discover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 The canonical example is that two years after becoming a paraplegic or winning the lottery, most any given person will be approximately as (un)happy as they were before either event. That's interesting. I've noticed we do the same thing with our financial condition. I've always referred to it as an internal thermostat. People seem to have a limit they are unwilling to live below and if threatened, will work harder or will feel anxiety if they cannot do anything about it. Likewise though, they will not rise above the settings of their thermostat. They will even self-sabotage when things are going too well. I see it in myself all the time, but it seems to apply broadly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Ok, this won't make sense unless you've seen "Brain Candy" by Kids in the Hall. If you haven't seen it, see it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 or out of a sense that there is a missing piece to this ridiculous puzzle I have yet to discover. For me it's learning, enjoying my family, enjoying my cat, and enjoying the now when friends and I get together or when visiting a new country, etc... These are highlights that appear randomly in the middle of longer periods of the banal, but they cause me to enjoy my ride. I don't think life has any meaning to discover. It is just a ride. That makes it somehow more enjoyable than it was when I felt life was a time of self-sacrifice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertBob Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Precisely. Which is also why we can't solve people's problems in any decisive way by simply suggesting that they change their perspective. It requires a certain amount of energy to move very far away from one's perceptual "center" and remain there. Yes, and in some cases, it may require a great deal of energy ... more energy than is reasonable to expend. Yes, that's my major malfunction; in some significant areas of my life I feel I've run a marathon and that it will require me to continue that level of effort to sustain everything that needs sustaining. Probably, something will have to give. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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