I would say risk-taking concerns a lack of certainty. This however concerns the active choice of adversity.

Like why is the following quote by Gimli in the third Lord of the Rings movie exciting?: ” Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?”.

Why? They are two different options, one is adventurous in contrast to the completely other choice that is boring.

Definitely interesting reads!

However, I do not refer to the duties or burdens forced upon us by living, metioned by Inyenzi. Rather the will to carry a burden even when one has the option to comfortably sit and do nothing. Other quotes that embody the same concept:

”Have I been made for this, to lie under the blankets and keep myself warm?” - Marcus Aurelius. A question that Aurelius strongly answered ”no” to.

”What makes you think that if you had everything you asked for, that would satisfy you? What if being dissatisfied is part of what satisfies you? What if the fact that you have to have limits and need them and that there’s an element of insanity in the world, and there’s an element of insecurity and vulnerability. What if that’s what you need? What if that’s what you want? What if that’s what gives your life meaning? You’re gonna be like a lion after its eaten a zebra and do nothing but sleep. That hardly constitutes the appropriate human paradise. What makes people think that merely to provide economic security would be sufficient? Who wants that? It’s what you offer a cow in its pen so that it remains calm and fat. It’s not something for human beings” - Jordan B. Peterson

Regarding: ”And is it the desire of things or the possession of things that causes suffering?”.

Desire can be stressful almost to a degree of suffering in contrast to inner peace. I believe some understanding can be gained by the following quote:

”Ultimately, your every desire - the desire for material things, relationships, career success, sexual gratification - is really the desire for the peace you experience for brief moments when you attain the object of your desire” - Stephan Bodian

It makes some sense if one interpret it as gradual instead of absolute. The question that baffles me is: what can I call the concept of willingly choosing some degree of suffering (or uncomfortability). Because we are not satisfied by the boredom of absolute comfortability.

Yes there is an element of sarcasm to it, but I believe there is another element as well. However I don’t know what to call this other concept. The concept of willingly choosing some suffering in contrast to the boredom of comfortability.

Yeah actually reading Candide will probably give me a better understanding. Good suggestion and thanks for the recommendation!

I understand the concept but I don’t know what to call it. How can this ”will to rather face suffering than boredom” be defined so that one does not need examples to explain it?

Right now in my notes i just write ”Candide’s suffering”.

Philosophy is a treasure hunt for me. My interest in philosophy is a search for gold nuggets of understanding. This applies to, among other topics, practical ordinary life, the nature of society as well as patterns in metaphysics across both moden and ancient schools of thought. It is wonderful to find concrete, compact and elegant formulations that feels like revelations. I joined this forum to scout for unkown schools of thought, thinkers and books as well as actually discussing philosophy rather than merely reading about it.

Some gold nuggets that interests me in philosophy:
1. The poem "Good Timber" by Douglas Malloch which makes me grateful for adversity!

Thoughts from the ancient philosopher Seneca:
2. "Of all people, only those who are at leisure, who make time for philosophy, only those are really alive. For they not only keep a good watch over their own lifetimes, but they annex every age to theirs."
3. "It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that things are difficult."
4. "We suffer more often in imagination than in reality."

Hopefully this excites you about philosophy to some degree. Happy treasure hunt!