I think you’re caught in a loop, a vicious cycle as they used to say. I’m about to go out and buy myself a cup of coffee. You should do the same. — Brett

Yes, I shall wallow and await your return, as I just ate dinner (provided by a local food bank)...

*And, yet, once again, I just flat out state that I really have no reason to be depressed*

I really don’t know. Fed up at times, despondent, passive. — Brett

I mean, you work with people, right? You've seen worse, that always broadens the scope of one's solipsistic world, right? It sounds as if you would want someone to ask, do I have any right to be depressed?

With me, it's probably bona fide depression mired with apathy and doing too many drugs.

Eat it. — Brett

The banana? Oh, I put it away. It was an enticing opportunity though.

*changes the topic*

Have you ever been depressed, Brett?

What is with American jingoism? And, over what?

Is this guy beyond reproach?

Probably. — Brett

End my misery. Are you a cop by chance? I'm holding a loaded banana point-blank.

Y’know productive means something is produced. — Brett

Full disclosure, I'm on SSI (welfare). I literally have nothing to complain about.

This is getting pathetic...

Define productive. — Brett

For me? It's a very stipulative (low expectations) meaning of (not) wallowing as much.

I challenge you to change your profile name. — Brett

The tacit agreement between me and Baden was that this one was final. My spectrum of human emotions has and probably be defined by this nick.

You’re the ultimate minority, aren’t you? — Brett

But, I like my world, or not?

:razz:

Yep. That’s what I’m saying about the elderly. But they get up, get out, then bitch about it. It’s good therapy. — Brett

Ehh, I'm gonna suspend the navel-gazing for some time, if me, myself, and I will allow it so.

One pastime to get me through the day was taking ADHD meds, and killing time reading or doing something productive.

Can I skip my 30-60's and get the badge of approval to complain and whine away?

The thing is everyone thinks their issues are only theirs, that everyone else gets by fine. But eventually you realise those issues are just the human condition and not yours alone. Growing up takes time, peak maturity happens around 40. So how can you judge from your little anthill? — Brett

One takeaway thing from group therapy is the realization that you're not alone and others simply have it worse.

The issue here is that it just keeps on repeating itself here. On and on and on...

Y’know, at 29 I was still full of the bullshit of my youth. I thought I was a mature male, but I wasn’t. You do seem to be pretty self indulgent and lazy. Why the hell should you try harder? You need someone wiser and more experienced than me to kick you in the ass. But you know that anyway, don’t you. — Brett

Daddy issues left untouched, pretty much. I don't plan on committing suicide though. I have to see through helping my mom out and making it past that age when she makes her departure. I don't look forward to that day; but, neither do I see much to live once she is gone.

Now the president of Ukraine is lying... — NOS4A2

Of course, your standards are just beyond comprehension here.

I don’t get you, but I don’t know you well enough to advise you. You do seem to have quite a strong personality and equally unafraid to use it here. — Brett

Neither do I get me. To be unbiased and honest, here, I think I'm just pretty self-indulgent and downright spoiled. I have no apparent reason to hate my life; but, I don't find it rewarding or useful in many ways. I've spent a good portion of my life on online forums, asking for help, whining, and complaining about complaining. It's a self-justifying thing with me.

My point about older people, in case it wasn’t made clear enough, is that they live with their physical aches and pains, the idea that old age is not going to go away, and the long past with so many botched moments. But they get up every morning, do the same deadly routine, deal with the same problems over and over and face up to it.

I swim with a small group of older men, up to the mid eighties in age. Some have lost partners, some have cancer or suffered a stroke. They get up every morning and head down the beach, push themselves through the water and always comment on how good they feel. Bitching and arguing is also part of this process. — Brett

See, I wouldn't mind being at the end of my life, and just spending the rest with family or recollecting about it having been experienced and gone through. Yet, I am quite young, and find existence burdensome. The only time when I'm happy is before sleep, sleeping, and the half-hour after waking up. The rest of my waking life is spent in bed or checking my phone for new posts here.

And, I don't think it's not "depression" anymore. It's always been depression with me, as my mother, and closest relatives know that about me. Yet, I've tried countless drugs for depression, CBT, and a little bit of therapy. Nothing seems to help. I do think about suicide a lot and have talked about it as if it we're eating an ice-cream.

Again, my spoiled attitude seems to be the issue here, and character-building is prevented by this attitude. Am I not taking life seriously enough? Perhaps...

So, it's a witch-hunt if Trump says it's a witch-hunt, and it's alt-facts if he says it too.

So, the man must really be the second coming of Christ or something.

Let's see if he finks.

Similarities and differences between Stoicism and modern major Western religions, probably with emphasis on Christianity. — tim wood

What does Stoicism have, if anything, that might correspond to either God or reason/duty? — tim wood

I suppose Q#3, is kinda an offshoot between Q#2&1, being insofar, how much does the Kantian categorical imperative lend itself to Stoical duty? Or is there any overlap between the two?

Is that a good reification of your question(s)?

Not so lawless a country as one might assume:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/15/politics/trump-associates-convicted-in-mueller-related-investigations/index.html

OK, sorry for the smear. I'm sapped of all energy due to this lingering flu.

I hope the questions are acceptable, as it seems it's time to prepare a list of questions to ask until all the formalities are churned out.

1: Get jamalrob to agree to the invite.
2: The invite is successful.
3. We finalize a date.
3: We set up a space for the interaction.
4. We invite those willing and able to ask a few questions.
5. We do it and it'll be great. — Baden

We're on step 3 AFAIK. Baden seems to be grumpy, so I say we stick with one of the questions posed earlier being:

Why has Stoicism experienced such a revival as of late in the Western world? In your professional opinion, Professor Pigliucci is this due to our lifestyle, and if so, what has Stoicism to offer to better ourselves?

And, play it by ear from there?

Ps: many of us are "tired of life" until we make a purposeful decision and then you will be tired, not of life but because of living life. You have it within you. :strong: — ArguingWAristotleTiff

Wallowsome, but acceptable.

Yes, learning coping skills is awesome and necessary BUT you have to apply the skill/coping tool to an advancement of how to handle some difficult/challenge from your past, likely present as well so it doesn't disrupt your future. — ArguingWAristotleTiff

Well, here I chime in and say, no! I don't like the fetishism of psychology to fixate on some botched past. It is what it is.

I don’t know how old you are. — Brett

29, too young for this sort of shit>?

Maybe go and have a chat with people of older age, 70 on, and see what they have to say. Of course they may not open up immediately, stiff upper lip and all that sort of thing, so you may need to persevere. — Brett

I will go on wallowing...

It's happening @Amity, no worries.

Roger Stone, Nixon lover:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/15/politics/roger-stone-trial-verdict/index.html

Dreams are scary... I have really good dream recall, and am on good terms with my unconscious. It lets me know this in my dreams. Most of the times it gives me what I want, and am happy.

Ok sorry for badgering you. I'll give it a watch.

It's amazing that ISIS hasn't yet infiltrated Afghanistan or Africa... Yet...

@ssu, may I ask what is happening to Africa? It's my suspicion that Africa is prone to radicalization. Libya may have lost Gadaffi, and he seemed to be in perpetual check by Europe, now, what?

If we assume that life isn't unique to humans, then the probability of it arising isn't infinitesimally small.

I feel the vibe.

Somehow I feel this is relevant:

Someone stop cutting the onions.

Cool. Economic history sure sounds interesting. I majored in economics too.

And, yes, so it seems to me really paradoxical how US interests are misaligned with competing interests in the Middle East. Is this just a feature of US democracy as to create chaos and then declare the need for policing?

Yes.

A cemetery....

Thank you for offering your deep and edifying knowledge on the subject. Are you by any chance a history teacher or more with government? Curiosity asks.

Warm regards.

I understand your cynicism; but, I think your neglecting femininity in your analysis.

Insatiable guy. I was looking forward to him starting a thread... Guess not.

He is unlovable.