What does one do when one is born but doesn't want to do what is required of being alive? — schopenhauer1
I don't know what idea or drug or strategic shove would get you moving again. — Bitter Crank
What is this something? Usually it is society's need for production, — schopenhauer1
You have an idée fixe. You could dislodge it with a little effort and that might help. — Bitter Crank
But that’s the attitude change. If it’s a choice, what does it mean to choose society’s need for production? At the end of the day that’s what I’m choosing. — schopenhauer1
There is no rebellion outside of the abstract notions which are just talk around the behemoth material social reality that is to be accepted with joy. — schopenhauer1
What am Insaving and why? The materialist conception seems to be the social reality. Charity is just one part of it if that’s what you’re referring to. But that is a symptom and not part of the structure. — schopenhauer1
What am I saving and why? — schopenhauer1
Magic mushrooms. Seriously. They’re doing research on it for depression (at Harvard I think) and it seems to work wonders. — Noah Te Stroete
I know people who didn't, who haven't accepted the behemoth material society reality with joy. I didn't accept it with job. To paraphrase the liturgy of baptism, "...behemoth material society reality, I reject you" (instead of "Satan, I reject you").
I, and others, like you may have to put up with social crap, but we don't have to rejoice in it. You can be as nonconforming as you can manage, and have as little as you can to do with the toilet full of social crap. Granted, it isn't easy. If you have to work (for daily bread) then you are likely to be dealing with at least some social crap. But you don't have to soak in it up to your eyeballs like some people do.
Keep complaining -- it's good for people to hear dissenting voices. But for your own happiness, carve out a little niche where you can feel OK at least sometimes. — Bitter Crank
And as long as it's all about me, it's the endless round of dissatisfaction and suffering you describe. — unenlightened
Is there a secular, non-christian, non-religious version of grace? Yes, and it is elusive. It's a paradox that you can not struggle to get grace. You can't force even godless grace to just appear. You can prepare yourself but you have to let grace happen to you. (At least, that's the way I understand it.) It's like love -- you can't make yourself love somebody, and you can't force somebody to love you. But what you can do is let it happen.
You have to "let go". — Bitter Crank
I don't see giving charity as an exercise in me displaying grace, surely you don't either. — schopenhauer1
So, what exactly do we do with this whole structure, work, charity and all? — schopenhauer1
Do you have any pets? If not, I might recommend getting a six week-old kitten. It would rely on you for all of its needs would grow to love you and you it. Caring for the kitty would get your mind off of yourself, and you would have a companion for 15 to 20 years. — Noah Te Stroete
Are you familiar with the religious idea of being "in the world" but not "of the world"?
Not being "of the world" represents one separating and distinguishing one's self from "the world" (structure, work, charity, social media, all that stuff) to the extent that one is able. It means identifying what in the world "is not for me" and what in the world "is for me". Philosophers have observed that people are driven like slaves by the demands of the world--not just that you work, but that you have a weed free lawn, drive a nice car, keep the monetary value of your property up, and so on. Strivers are all about achieving maximum rewards and displaying them to best effect.
You don't have to associate yourself with all that. Do you have to work for your daily bread? So you do because you don't want to starve. But you don't have to be a striver; you don't have to be the fastest worker, the top salesman, the largest grossing real estate agent, etc. You can arrange your life to get by with as little as possible -- thus requiring the least amount of effort possible, and least possible commitment to "the system".
How well does that work? At best, I'd say "so-so". At worst it is just another existential shit pile. — Bitter Crank
Hear hear. This is good. Why do you think the answer of impermanence and the foolishness of craving produce paradoxically contentment and satisfaction? — Wallows
Get involved in philosophical discussions about knowledge, truth, language, consciousness, science, politics, religion, logic and mathematics, art, history, and lots more. No ads, no clutter, and very little agreement — just fascinating conversations.