i got your message lucas, i was out pretty late though. i'm pretty depressed these days. you haven't been online in a long time.
amazing, i just managed to refresh just as you were posting. i'm assuming this is mike (non-schuld, although it could be) from wlwl. am i correct?
if it's not too personal, might i ask why you are depressed. i'm going through a phase of my own and i just thought i could compare/contrast reasons.
if it's not too personal, might i ask why you are depressed. i'm going through a phase of my own and i just thought i could compare/contrast reasons.
reasons are as follows, in order of prevalence:
1. long relationship (almost two years) recently ended, most likely for good, it appears.
2. general lack of direction in life
3. schoolwork, and the procrastination of
4. existence
i've resorted to escapism through cannabis, alcohol, media or any combination thereof. effect on mental/physical health has been minimal, thus far. seems to be working for now.
1. long relationship (almost two years) recently ended, most likely for good, it appears.
2. general lack of direction in life
3. schoolwork, and the procrastination of
4. existence
i've resorted to escapism through cannabis, alcohol, media or any combination thereof. effect on mental/physical health has been minimal, thus far. seems to be working for now.
I would have to say that (1) is probably the worst. I have gone through both 1 and 2, and i am still struggling with 3, just because of 2, that lead from 1.
Lol thats weird.
Lol thats weird.
i fear 1, i love 2, 3 is my escapism, and 4 i am ignorant to.
i should probably explain 3 and 4: i have a strange optimism about the diligence put into my scholastic efforts. i'm getting better at avoiding procrastination, actually this semester at this moment i'm either caught up or ahead in each class. this is the first year i have actually took the initiative to study hard in my life. i turned on some sort of motivation that makes me disciplined enough to sit through something until the job is done -- and early! i've been trying to get people together to study but i haven't been all that successful in that arena. that isn't necessarily the fault of my own, but i think i can get a better turnout. today i failed my second econ quiz. i'm upset about a lot of the questions, but they were fair. besides that getting me down, i rocked some of the other questions and felt the studying i did do worked out great.
on existence i am not sure why that is a reason for your depression. to me, with respect to depression i am ignorant to existence. i don't see what it has to do with being depressed. "oh wretched, oh vile, i am alive this sucks" doesn't cut it for a reason. consider the alternative, nothingness. unless you have some alternative faith(s) where being depressed because you exist actually works for you because you ache for something after existence. maybe i have you wrong, but i am ignorant to existence being a reason when it comes to depression.
how much effort do you all put into pumping yourselves up daily?
i should probably explain 3 and 4: i have a strange optimism about the diligence put into my scholastic efforts. i'm getting better at avoiding procrastination, actually this semester at this moment i'm either caught up or ahead in each class. this is the first year i have actually took the initiative to study hard in my life. i turned on some sort of motivation that makes me disciplined enough to sit through something until the job is done -- and early! i've been trying to get people together to study but i haven't been all that successful in that arena. that isn't necessarily the fault of my own, but i think i can get a better turnout. today i failed my second econ quiz. i'm upset about a lot of the questions, but they were fair. besides that getting me down, i rocked some of the other questions and felt the studying i did do worked out great.
on existence i am not sure why that is a reason for your depression. to me, with respect to depression i am ignorant to existence. i don't see what it has to do with being depressed. "oh wretched, oh vile, i am alive this sucks" doesn't cut it for a reason. consider the alternative, nothingness. unless you have some alternative faith(s) where being depressed because you exist actually works for you because you ache for something after existence. maybe i have you wrong, but i am ignorant to existence being a reason when it comes to depression.
how much effort do you all put into pumping yourselves up daily?
a lot.
it basically comes down to this for me: i try to pinpoint some happiness or some meaning in my life that i should concentrate on. i try to justify it. i fail, and in fact, i recognize every possible reason to _not_ focus on that particular meaning.
i think it mostly comes down to whether you are a deep-rooted optimist or pessimist. whether you strive to make your actions have a deeper meaning or not.
analyze anything: academia, society, politics, technology, family; what is your meaning and purpose in this area? if you think you have it figured out, you're just being ignorant. there is always an equally valid and equally persuasive argument against your position.
the next time i have an example, i'll post it. hopefully someone else can help.
it basically comes down to this for me: i try to pinpoint some happiness or some meaning in my life that i should concentrate on. i try to justify it. i fail, and in fact, i recognize every possible reason to _not_ focus on that particular meaning.
i think it mostly comes down to whether you are a deep-rooted optimist or pessimist. whether you strive to make your actions have a deeper meaning or not.
analyze anything: academia, society, politics, technology, family; what is your meaning and purpose in this area? if you think you have it figured out, you're just being ignorant. there is always an equally valid and equally persuasive argument against your position.
the next time i have an example, i'll post it. hopefully someone else can help.
I think almost everyone never has a set direction in life. It is very hard to set things in stone instead of just taking them as they come and go. I try to keep my balance of unhappy = to things I enjoy otherwise life is not worth it to me. I love days when my happy tasks are > than the unhappy. I honostly do enjoy school, but I always put myself under constant stress to try to pull a 4.0 and I think that is why I will be glad when is over because its just to much stress. Not to say a job will be any less stressful.
i pump myself up, but i infact probably shouldn't. it's one of those things that when i start pumping myself up, damn near impossible to stop me. this is when i get too far ahead of myself and lose track of the present, living in an idealistic future. at that point i find it mundane and difficult to return to the present and wait for the future. that makes more sense in my head but maybe an example will help. when i study for school i do fine and keep focused, that is until i start looking ahead at what i'll be doing in 2, 5, 10 years down the road if i achieve what i'm working for, then when i have to go back to class in the present i have trouble focusing on what i need to do to achieve that future.
i would like to take up your challenge lucas. personal happiness as a philosophy, that's it... no strings attached, if it's your thing then do it. fuck all else. maybe that is ignorance.
now i assume that when you said there is an arguement against it that you meant an internal one. if not then you're correct. i'm sure someone else has an opinion that differs from mine and that will be able to justify to themselves that theirs is correct and mine is not. that said, since the two arguements nullify themselves when placed head to head i am naturally inclined to choose my own since that decision aligns with my personal philosophy.
ah, back to my original post topic. what makes me sad.
i guess what makes me sad is that i fail so badly on a regular basis, whether it be at school, as a friend, as a person in general i feel as though i haven't lived up to my expectations. maybe they're set too high but i feel as though that is just an excuse. examples of each failure goes as follows: school, failed twice and now i'm back where i started but only i'm 20 now and a freshman; friend, failed to follow through with commitments in prinicple with multiple parties; person, if one cannot live up to their philosophy which was chosen of their own volition then maybe they should look into a new one, problem is that i can't find one that matches what i've got going on logic alone. without logic guiding me i'm sure i'd be much happier in this catergory but i'm afraid reason pre-empts emotion and it's going to be that way for a while.
questions, comments, concerns?
i would like to take up your challenge lucas. personal happiness as a philosophy, that's it... no strings attached, if it's your thing then do it. fuck all else. maybe that is ignorance.
now i assume that when you said there is an arguement against it that you meant an internal one. if not then you're correct. i'm sure someone else has an opinion that differs from mine and that will be able to justify to themselves that theirs is correct and mine is not. that said, since the two arguements nullify themselves when placed head to head i am naturally inclined to choose my own since that decision aligns with my personal philosophy.
ah, back to my original post topic. what makes me sad.
i guess what makes me sad is that i fail so badly on a regular basis, whether it be at school, as a friend, as a person in general i feel as though i haven't lived up to my expectations. maybe they're set too high but i feel as though that is just an excuse. examples of each failure goes as follows: school, failed twice and now i'm back where i started but only i'm 20 now and a freshman; friend, failed to follow through with commitments in prinicple with multiple parties; person, if one cannot live up to their philosophy which was chosen of their own volition then maybe they should look into a new one, problem is that i can't find one that matches what i've got going on logic alone. without logic guiding me i'm sure i'd be much happier in this catergory but i'm afraid reason pre-empts emotion and it's going to be that way for a while.
questions, comments, concerns?
> i would like to take up your challenge lucas. personal happiness as a philosophy, that's it... no strings attached, if it's your thing then do it. fuck all else. maybe that is ignorance.
i have such a challenge?
> now i assume that when you said there is an arguement against it that you meant an internal one. if not then you're correct. i'm sure someone else has an opinion that differs from mine and that will be able to justify to themselves that theirs is correct and mine is not. that said, since the two arguements nullify themselves when placed head to head i am naturally inclined to choose my own since that decision aligns with my personal philosophy.
i meant an internal one. i can see a completely valid counter-point or counter-example for every belief i hold. "choosing your own" doesn't make sense to me, because i have two mutually-exclusive options that are both valid. this isn't a contradiction. it's merely recognition of relativism.
thinking you are right is simply ignorance (i'll excluse scientific verification, but this doesn't deal with philosophy which is the matter at hand.) if you think you have chosen the correct premises, the correct philosophy, or the correct actions, then reconsider.
when you realize that nothing is necessarily correct, then crawl back online and we'll continue discussing personal options after that point.
i have such a challenge?
> now i assume that when you said there is an arguement against it that you meant an internal one. if not then you're correct. i'm sure someone else has an opinion that differs from mine and that will be able to justify to themselves that theirs is correct and mine is not. that said, since the two arguements nullify themselves when placed head to head i am naturally inclined to choose my own since that decision aligns with my personal philosophy.
i meant an internal one. i can see a completely valid counter-point or counter-example for every belief i hold. "choosing your own" doesn't make sense to me, because i have two mutually-exclusive options that are both valid. this isn't a contradiction. it's merely recognition of relativism.
thinking you are right is simply ignorance (i'll excluse scientific verification, but this doesn't deal with philosophy which is the matter at hand.) if you think you have chosen the correct premises, the correct philosophy, or the correct actions, then reconsider.
when you realize that nothing is necessarily correct, then crawl back online and we'll continue discussing personal options after that point.
> i have such a challenge?
i merely took it as one. for this i apologise
> when you realize that nothing is necessarily correct
said like it is correct.
at this point i'm conceding, it seems as though you've become angry or something and that's not something i'm willing to deal with right now.
i merely took it as one. for this i apologise
> when you realize that nothing is necessarily correct
said like it is correct.
at this point i'm conceding, it seems as though you've become angry or something and that's not something i'm willing to deal with right now.
i'm not angry. after writing that post and reading it, i realized that i probably wasn't going to convey the message and tone that i wanted. i was about to just delete it, but i decided to leave it up to spur conversation.
the first paragraph in my first post in this thread wasn't about a source of happiness--it was about my source of depression.
i get depressed because i cannot justify anything in my life. everytime i think i have a good reason to be doing what i do, i can undermine it in my own mind.
i like relativism as a general outward moral principle: be accepting towards others (one doesn't know the circumstances of others), don't be egotistical (your view is simply your opinion, others' opinions are equally valid).
i do, however, draw the line for relativism at science. but remember that objectivity in science doesn't get us anywhere in the moral realm, despite what ms. rand has to say.
my personal, subjective philosophy has become some variant of existentialism. i haven't read the classical existentialists, only nietzsche. and i don't agree with all that he writes.
i acknowledge one thing: that i can make my life as beautiful to myself as i wish. i can do this by two methods: making my actions fit my values; or, making my values fit my actions.
ideally, i'd like to arrive at certain values in a descartian fashion, but i'm not sure that it is possible. i can, however, follow my values as they change and alter my actions with them (this being the first method). i have reservations against the second method (perhaps it's the rationalist in me).
one thing that i have discovered thanks to other extraordinary people is that one can alter everyone that one interacts with in whichever way desired. i wish to make my life beautiful not only in itself, but also with respect to relationships. if i don't find others beautiful, i have the power to change that.
a good friend is able to relate himself to people in such a way that it makes them aware of who he is, how much he values life as a medium for conveying beauty, and how they themselves can convey such a beauty.
my current challenge for myself in life is to make my relationships with others as beautiful as i make myself. after all, what i deem beautiful is subjective to me, and my subjectivity was and is shaped by others. so if i can reciprocate beautification in my relationships with others, all the better.
everyone: please continue discussing personal challenges, motivations, and philosophies.
the first paragraph in my first post in this thread wasn't about a source of happiness--it was about my source of depression.
i get depressed because i cannot justify anything in my life. everytime i think i have a good reason to be doing what i do, i can undermine it in my own mind.
i like relativism as a general outward moral principle: be accepting towards others (one doesn't know the circumstances of others), don't be egotistical (your view is simply your opinion, others' opinions are equally valid).
i do, however, draw the line for relativism at science. but remember that objectivity in science doesn't get us anywhere in the moral realm, despite what ms. rand has to say.
my personal, subjective philosophy has become some variant of existentialism. i haven't read the classical existentialists, only nietzsche. and i don't agree with all that he writes.
i acknowledge one thing: that i can make my life as beautiful to myself as i wish. i can do this by two methods: making my actions fit my values; or, making my values fit my actions.
ideally, i'd like to arrive at certain values in a descartian fashion, but i'm not sure that it is possible. i can, however, follow my values as they change and alter my actions with them (this being the first method). i have reservations against the second method (perhaps it's the rationalist in me).
one thing that i have discovered thanks to other extraordinary people is that one can alter everyone that one interacts with in whichever way desired. i wish to make my life beautiful not only in itself, but also with respect to relationships. if i don't find others beautiful, i have the power to change that.
a good friend is able to relate himself to people in such a way that it makes them aware of who he is, how much he values life as a medium for conveying beauty, and how they themselves can convey such a beauty.
my current challenge for myself in life is to make my relationships with others as beautiful as i make myself. after all, what i deem beautiful is subjective to me, and my subjectivity was and is shaped by others. so if i can reciprocate beautification in my relationships with others, all the better.
everyone: please continue discussing personal challenges, motivations, and philosophies.
need a follow-up from mike.
well we have successfully migrated to the philosophy section. since it wasn't the original posters intent i'll keep 'er here. where is that fellow anyhow?
plus shuffling threads to different forums while keeping statistics correct is difficult due to a lack of an administrator control panel. ;o
dude, lucas. many props on my new sig thing. i'm in love.
user title, db. user title.
i love this thread, where's mike?
random post:
i met the audrey tatou girl last night. (this girl: http://www.wingedleopard.net/wlwlv1/?view=649 ) she's married. i guess i waited too long.
i met the audrey tatou girl last night. (this girl: http://www.wingedleopard.net/wlwlv1/?view=649 ) she's married. i guess i waited too long.