@Baden - it's a shame that I have been on here little over 24 hours and yet felt much worse for having joined. Please close my account, and any related thread/s.

Thank you kindly.

See, now you are just being facetious. Constructive is fine. The "I want to hurt you" and "you must hate your work" comments (not made by you) are just out of order. That's my opinion and it's an entirely valid one.

Many people simply don't know how to converse with each other in a decent manner.

Free registration is always factored into view, hence why I am leaving of course.

You are a good person Wheatley. For what it's worth, you have my full respect.

I'm in my 30's, done a lot for my age, seen the world, been to war, lived overseas as a civilian for many years and much more. One thing I have always believed in is being kind to others. You can get a point across without being rude, nasty or obnoxious. Without getting personal. Because most of my life I have been in a position of strength, and I have told others "be gentle with strangers, because you have no idea what they may be going through".

The irony now, as it is ME that others should be gentle with. I am sure this time will pass. However, the point is, the one's being a "shark" today could well be the one's in a depressive and unfortaunte state tomorrow. We must all treat each other as we would wish to be treated.

That goes for online forums too.

No good philosopher will ever be an utter ass to another. It simply makes no sense. All opinions are valid. All arguments can be counteragued with RESPECT.

These are basic moral values.

I see both your points. Although, if I were in a position of strength, this place would be fine for me. But since I have been on the verge of suicide the last few weeks, I do not think being ripped apart on here is going to add any value to my life... in fact, quite the opposite. The careless vultures may be the very cause of my demise.

I see no reason to add to my suffering at this time.

i was obviously misinformed about the nature of philosophy, thinking that it would be a gentler crowd. so i think you are right, wheatley. thank you.

My poorly written OP was my first EVER OP and my first EVER philosophical argument.

I think you guys are brutal, and some of us don't arent ready for the hate. Considering I've lost everything in the last 3 months, including my "work" as you put it, and both my parents.

I had hoped that it would be a little more welcoming here... I don't suffer fools.

yeah well... i'm in bad shape and don't need comments from utter asswipes adding further to my personal suffering. philosophy is supposed to be a subject of the learned, the thoughtful and the wise. sadly, this forum has shown me anything BUT.

@Baden, please delete my account and thread/s

Thank you.

This thread has successfully shown me how rude people can be. And that philosophy is full of twats. Congrats.

The "just for fun" introduction makes me want to hurt you. — Valentinus

What a cvnt.

True. Although this system no longer exists in Britain. Perhaps this is modelled on a much older system?

To be fair, Wheatley, it's one of those things: ie. when have you ever used this particular skill, etc.

I remember learning algebra and all kinds of fanciful things in school / uni etc. When have I used them in life? Never. IQ means nothing. It's just processing speed. Much like the CPU in a computer. It's the hard drive and other units that are actually most important. Slightly self-deprecating, but true. IQ societies are nothing but social clubs. And I am trying to find a place to belong... my weakness, if anything.

I have found that travelling the world has actually taught me more than school or tests ever did. Plato believed the same.

I would add that: you might be surprised! You mention that "you don't think you would score very high on an IQ test".

Neither did I.

Look up the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Where some of the smartest people actually think that they are not very clever, and the dumbest people believe they are an absolute GENIUS!

Why is having a high IQ immediately considered boasting? This is no different than being member of any other club. Being a musician, multi-linguisitic, gifted in math, or anything else.

There is nothing remotely boastful about my above post, although once IQ is mentioned I do note that insecurities tend arise in others, for whatever reason. I am merely asking who else here is a member, so that I may connect with them on said site / forum? It also suggests that studying philosophy is good for overall IQ, and thus the 2 are interlinked.

I would agree with you that intelligence is wildly multi-faceted and includes other areas, including EQ and other unmeasured things.

Niki, dear, you and I are not indifferent. I continue to ask myself these questions regularly. Recently, I have not left my house for 3 days and have remained in bed for 2 of them... concerned that I may wish to end it all.

But alas, I am up and about today and reconsidering lifes many possibilities.

This is not a success story, and we can all grow rather sick of hearing overly positive comments about WHY you should go on, why life is beautiful etc etc. It's all rather nauseating. However, these comments, I would argue, stem from a well-meaning public who, either consciously or subconsciously, feel a moral responsibility to keep you alive - because they worry that we may give up the ghost.

The fact of the matter is, there is no "should" or "shouldn't". No right or wrong. Merely choice. And even then, that "choice" may arguably be the mirage of free will.

However, I digress.

What I will say to you is this: if you are to face the unknown, with the unknown being death, and knowing that you will face death anyway later in life (as we all do), not knowing what lay beyond, would it be better to quickly fade to that unknown NOW, or merely try to enjoy the present, even small things, knowing that that UNKNOWN will come to you anyway, so there is no rush?

Consider yourself the main character of a movie. The film is just starting to get good. Would you wish for the film to suddenly end, fading to black? Or for the main character to persevere, against all odds, at the possibility of finding answers and living a life that is more meaningful to him/her?

You see, by encouraging yourself to stay alive a little bit longer, you agree to experience more of what life has to offer, be it good or bad or a mixture. You also run the risk of becoming a better philosopher, a wiser human being, and opening yourself up to various other opportunities that you wouldn't have otherwise.

If for nothing else, continue on for philosophy. Report back with your findings. This is what I have chosen to do. Let's do it together.

Einstein was also, as it happens, a critic of the modern academic approach. However, is the issue itself in academia and the academic framework that has been set forth by society, or is it in the attention span and forever changing and expanding interests of the human mind?

I like to think that I am not alone in always wanting to learn more about a wide variety of subjects. Too much time spent in one specific area of study leads to boredom and eventual distraction.

Everything in moderation.