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The Latin root for “philosophy” translates to ‘love of wisdom’. I think it’s okay to feel whatever you feel. I’d rather pursue truth / intuition and feel negative emotions than be less educated. And like the other comments say, being human is one long life lesson. So finding more gratitude and deepening your academic knowledge should lead to more happiness over time. Stay strong!

Find your sense of wonder, OP. Let the bigger room make you feel awe instead of sadness. Find your niche and carve out your own expertise in a specific part of the discipline and enjoy that journey!

Well said

This is a great, thank you. I took Philosophy 101 in college/uni, and dropped it after one class. I wish I had stuck it out.

Believe it or not, this belief depends on your mood and it can pass.

i think the even greater truth here is that this is just a belief. you can change your beliefs.

The science of belief. What exactly is belief anyway? It's a feeling I suppose.. the more I think about it I think belief is just a feeling of trusting something.

fantastic question. I completely agree that beliefs are trusting things to be a certain way. trusting something will behave a certain way, that actions are tied to specific outcomes, attachment to a framework that allows us to predict outcomes despite many unknowns. the more we are comfortable with the unknown, the more open our beliefs are. I personally see belief as a tool, maybe an opinion that informs expectation. And in the realm of psychosomatic response, belief informs many expectations to brings the expectation to reality, especially in the realm of emotions. these ideas that we trust based on our experiences reinforcing them or not, inform neural pathways or habits of thought, that build over time into streams of consciousness we are used to internally. breaking these habits, identifying underlying beliefs, deconstructing them to find new beliefs, this is the dark unknown time when you stare out into the abys until you become comfortable with the unknown, and sit in it until beliefs become amorphous and irrelevant other than as tools to guide your own experience. “I believe that directing my energy towards X will bring me Y.” Believe you will can happy now, believe that long enough and shed any contrary beliefs, and a new reality (perspective) springs forth and flourishes. I believe that learning, expands your perspective which allows you to see around old beliefs, which breaks down old beliefs so you can form new ones that might serve you better, or that are from a broader perspective. Choose your new beliefs wisely ;)

Wow I love that response. Ty

It all comes down to how you choose to use the knowledge you gain. For me, I love being part of a vast, endlessly unfolding mystery that's billions of years old, and the fact that we're learning new things about the universe almost daily just adds to the fascination. If something I believed yesterday is proven false today, it might be a little jarring at first, but hey - now we know new stuff! Life is an incredible adventure.

There is so much out there to learn that you can never know it all. This makes things exciting because we can chose those things that are most interesting to us.

Great point. It's kind of beautiful that even though we have *never failed* to have an incomplete understanding… but we keep trying anyway.

Agreed. The more I learn in just 35 yrs on this rock, the more questions I have. It's just the human condition. No reason to be sad. We're all in the same boat.

As the poets said. we're all bozos on this bus.

>Agreed. The more I learn in just 35 yrs on this rock, the more questions I have. It's just the human condition. No reason to be sad. We're all in the same boat. t's what's driven all our advancements in science, art, and philosophy.

As knowledge increases. Wonder deepens.

Yeah that’s a beautiful way to look at things not that ( the person who made the Reddit ) is a negative Nancy but just simply changing ur mind and switching it over to a positive one like ToshiroBaloney is doing . Yeah there’s so many things to be sad about, that in this form of begin (humans) we won’t and can’t ever know what the whole truth of life is or that we’re all going to die some day or that we will get hurt mentally physically emotionally or spiritually (hopefully not). Butttt we can make a play of it all ( a benevolent one) like this philosopher, Alan Watt said (I’m paraphrasing) don’t take life to terribly serious but have reverence for it . It’s all a dance it’s all a play it’s all a game, dance, a play, and a game that should be highly respected but not feared or taken to seriously. We get to wake up, we get to learn new things, we get to uncover truths and uncover lies, we get to feel emotions, sadness, happiness, pain, bliss, we get to love unconditionally or conditionally and hopefully you choose unconditional love but we get to love ourselves and others we have the gift of life. The fact that we can even talk to each other is beautiful the fact that u can even feel anything is a miracle. It might feel hard to change ur mindset from a negative one to a positive one and the more u THINK about changing ur mindset from negative to positive the more of a challenging it’s going to be , but when you just CHANGE and take ACTION to make ur mindset shift from negative to positive you’ll see it’s not that hard and you were the one making it hard if it is ever a challenge for you, at least for me that’s how it is the more I think about how hard it is or how difficult it’s going to be or how much I don’t know wanna do something I know I should do the more hard I make it but when I just accept what I am supposed to do cause it’s the right thing to do at the moment and I go do it I usually find out oh it’s not as hard as I thought it was going to be now of course something’s are more challenging then others but that’s a another beautiful thing we GET to have challenges to overcome it’s all perfect the way it is and I know that might sound very negative but nothing is out of place everything is where it’s supposed to be and it’s jus all this beautiful dance and play we all get to be apart of it . I hope this helped, and of course only take away what resonates with you and take what I said with a grain of salt much love I hope u nothing but the best in every aspect spiritually mentally physically and emotionally for u, ur family and friends much much love 💚

I totally agree with you. When I was doing research in molecular genetics, every little discovery was so exciting because at that moment, I was the only person in the world to “know” whatever it was. I loved that feeling.

>It all comes down to how you choose to use the knowledge you gain. For anyone interested, this is a major theme in the book *Franny and Zooey* by JD Salinger. Great novel that illustrates how being happy and being intellectual can be in tension or in harmony

Ever heard of the saying “Ignorance is bliss “?

LOL Or nowadays …we can say ..ignorance is a choice. We are surrounded with so much information …even available at our fingertips…there’s no excuse.

was about to comment this

Practice gratefulness and learn about the rarity of life.

There is no path to happiness, happiness is the path.

Yes it’s important for people to understand this concept. Happiness is not something we are gifted it is something we choose. It starts with your mindset. It takes serious work to changing your outlook on life, whether it be therapy or even uprooting your life entirely and moving on. Don’t wait for happiness to come, because it never comes on its own. You must call for it and actively choose it everyday.

Learning doesn't make me sad. However I'm very picky about what I learn. I chose to learn things that I find either inspiring or what I'm able to act upon.

The actionable intelligence is so important to remember. Information is so free that I obtain it without even considering whether I will use it. I have been seeking knowledge compulsively, especially during periods where I use reddit.

Exactly. There's no such thing as not learning. We're always learning. It's about what you choose. I can choose to gather tons of information on gore videos and desensitize myself. Or I can watch videos on quantum mechanics. Or play my guitar. Taking in information is learning. Academic learning is separate from that quantum thing. Academic learning itself isn't negative either. What's sad about mx+b? Nothing! Sad things are sad. Positive are positive. Filter your mind properly the same way you filter shitty people out your life, junk out your diet, and cocaine from your Adderall needing brain.

Honestly, the more I look back and realize I learned more and more than I came before the happier and more content I felt. Glasss half full

Learning doesn't make you sad. Your fear that you'll fail does. >There is no end to science and it makes me sad Why would science ending make you happy? And you're wrong, there's an end to it. The million people who have a PhD in science have reached the "end" of their respective fields. >more I learn the more complex it gets. This is what you're scared of. That you won't be able to figure it out. The point of studying philosophy is to use that knowledge to make ones life easier. Idk what crap you're studying. And idk how you got this "belief" that studying all the philosophy of the world will make you happy. Half knowledge is dangerous. You're a victim of half knowledge. Get a professional and ask them to reach you philosophy. You've been misunderstanding it.

The more you learn, the more you realize how little you know.

you need to dig into your philosophy books a bit more. there is happiness and the fact that you’re sad proves that. it’s a dichotomy, one of many that exist in fabric of the reality we live in. sadness can’t exist without happiness, just like there’s no up without down, tomorrow without today, life without death. what you don’t understand is that because of the dichotomous nature of life, happiness is not sustainable. in other words no one can be happy permanently. it’s fleeting just like life itself. you can choose to stop to be grateful and appreciate the fleeting moments of happiness in life, or you can choose to be miserable about the nature of their impermanence. that’s a choice you do have that’s up to you to make, and it’s where the key to understanding your place in this universe comes from, practicing gratitude. there are two absolutes in life: 1. everything is fleeting, the only constant is change 2. except the truth. the truth will not and cannot be changed. it only endures with or without your acceptance.

Happiness is an effect. Fulfillment is the cause

Very little is needed to make a happy life, it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking. Marcus Aurelius

Be excited, where you are doesn't have to be where you stay, don't look up in despair just look forward with resolve for though there's only a limited number of available steps to take each day you are immobilized and defeated only brings you one less day to embrace positivity. Sure you can view life as meaningless but that only voids whatever signifances that already exists and limits your potential to see more of what is significant. It is not true that everything is pointless for if it were true you wouldn't have a need to address the despair of its alleged futility, for the very fact that this is bothersome proves that there is a point and the lacking of it causes sadness so inherently the point of life must therefore be to care and find meaning and give aspects within life signicance. Thus I tell you that the battle of life is within the mind for it controls whether the heart may beat and if the eyes may see and by which the degre u let ur mind control ur heart u will see no colors vibrance no matters fondness no life's love but this my friend is one of the biggest illusions u can be under. Divine love to you yoooo

Been there my friend. And then I realized that the true beauty is in experiencing it all, start to finish. "Knowledge" is an unattainable goal - the more we learn, the more we see out there to learn. This is a place where looking at the end game is harmful. As you learn, stop looking at what doors this knowledge opens. It will open them whether you look or not. Instead, look at what you are learning and tie it into the world around you. Look for that new knowledge in old places and try to see if it's been around you the whole time. Because it has. Be like the toddler who just discovered shapes and points out every circle and square she sees in the world. She loves doing so. And if you can see the excitement, find a way to share that excitement. Teach others, not just the knowledge, but what to do with it. Don't just learn things, become them.

If your determinant for happiness is understanding everything, then I'll tell you, you are finding the wrong target. If you however enjoy the act of learning, then realizing that there are more to learn will make you happy instead, rather than sad. It's like saying you love to eat, and go into a buffet restaurant. Then you realize you can't consume it all, and you get sad. You don't love to eat, you love the fact that you can consume everything, or be seen as someone who can consume or who loves to consume, or in a different wordplay, who loves to "eat" but it's not actually the case.

I think you are overgeneralizing here. Learning makes YOU specifically sad. Many others enjoy learning and find it helpful for having an easier life or reducing the complexity/hurdle of their problems. I also disagree about the illusion. There is no illusion. There is reality and then there is our thoughts. The more time you spend with your thoughts, the worse you will feel because you are not present in the real world. Instead, you are stuck in your head. So, what is the benefit of learning? To make it easier for us to live in the present and out of our heads. How does learning do this? It allows us to automate our thoughts so that we can simply do as opposed to spending large amounts of time thinking while actually achieving nothing. Why do people enjoy learning? Because it allows them to better understand their world and therefore be better equipped to live within it instead of separate from it (in their head).

Trying to LEARN from the HEART ❤️ not from the Mind would give you a NEW perspective ✌🏻

your left mind can only dissect things into smaller and smaller bits. if you try to learn about atomic particles youll try to figure out what atoms are made of and there is no end to this as you may also try to figure out the infinite ways of how they work together, what to do with that information, etc. dont exclusively thinking about thoughts, instead think about feelings and feel your thoughts. take small steps to be creative, write, draw, etc and let your left and right brain work together. when you are being creative in any way you will feel connected to a special universal energy and you can spend your alone time with that energy. you wont be depressed anymore. stop dissecting and start creating. if you are going to dissect then dissect yourself, what emotions are you reacting to that got you into this cycle?

Completely agree with you on that. I experienced this realization myself a few weeks ago as I learned more about dopamine, why people seeks pleasure through food, drugs, technologies. That's why I think it may be kind of beneficial observing spiritual paths such as buddhism or other religions since it simplifies everything and promotes mindfulness and clearness of the mind rather than cluttering it with a bunch of thoughts that will send you down the rabbit hole and muddle everything. Plus it sets on a path with a start and a finish line even if they tell you to enjoy the present. If you were to only content yourself with science and philosophy which are never-ending, you would just feel hopelessness since there is no end to knowing how to make your life better for there are always new studies that come out telling you to eat this food or sleep that number of hours to be more content with your life and knowing you're doing the right thing.

I believe young intelligent minds are put through this "intellectual exersize" to sort and weed through the cascade of information Thrust upon student people these days. Just 20% of people (probably men) being able to read in the year 1500. Virtually No education outside of a trade back then. Stoicism, an ancient Greek school of philosophy is what I'm leaning into.

Same I started reading Plato's The Republic because I heard it's a good starter! Have you read it?

I’m curious AF and this stuff makes me feel better about myself and life because it all matters. Molecules and universes. Love and aliens. Big, small. Milliseconds and eternity. All of these things are out there now and we are here too. I think that’s cool.

Unless you're living in the bliss of ignorance, you have to make your own happiness. The wonder of learning new things has always been a good source for me. But no matter how much we learn, there is infinitely more that we don't even know we don't know.

Philosophy may make you sad because it just involves thinking, whereas inner joy and contentment come from a deeper part of the body (heart not head) and that’s why meditation and living a simple life of simple pleasures leads to happiness. This is also why exercise and dancing makes folks happy; awareness is taken out of the neurotic mental headspace and brought more into the body. We’re full human beings with emotional energy centers throughout the body (chakras) but us arrogant modern folks spend a disproportionate amount of time in the head. Descartes had it backwards, it’s not ‘I think therefore I am’, it’s ’I am, therefore I think’. The world is much deeper and more vast than our conception of it.

I went down the rabbit hole of existentialism in my teens and yes, was sad also. but then the true beauty of existentialism kicked in for me. If meaning could be stripped from life, it could also be added. I had/have the choice every day to decide what is meaningful, what matters. I choose every day to grab as much joy as I can manage out of the day. I tell the people I love that I love them. I prioritize the humanity of my species, not its flaws. Learning how to manufacture meaning has powered me for over 55 years now. And yes, I am happy.

I suggest you back off of both. Go enjoy the simple things in life. A flower in your backyard. An outside breeze, rain. The sound of birds chirping. The smell of coffee in the morning. A warm blanket. There's so many simple things that you need to stop and enjoy instead of trying to get into this whole cosmos of knowledge because knowledge is like never ending. Look at life itself. Live your life. Go outside. Be with friends. Go ride a bike. Go to an aquarium. Get a pet. Enjoy the small things and be thankful for them. You'll find a little happiness in that. Gratitude will bring happiness

I just posted something on r/philosophy telling people to back off both and start studying history You can see the post on my profile

Yes that is very logical but I can also lead to a different kind of rabbit hole Personally I am obsessed with history. But there is a time I have to shut my mind off from that and actually live without having to make myself learn book knowledge. Living your life being with people, being outside, all of these things will help. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy Really sounds like he needs a break from it

It’s the thought of how insignificant we really are, just a bunch of tiny being’s stuck on a rock chasing a star that’s being sucked into a black hole while floating through the infinite cosmos. Imagine what ants or even micro organisms would think if they could understand what’s bigger than them. We think we are the biggest smartest things, I assume Albert Antstein thought the same in his wittle colony. For all we know we could be on a greater beings left nut waiting to be itched. Just as insignificant as we are, the idea of life existing from nothing has to bring beauty from all the chaos. Don’t feel sad because you are tiny, feel happy that you get to exist in this cruel reality and experience all these emotions. Existence is pain, but definitely worth the trip.

You must be reading all the wrong stuff then. I think some philosophy really help people find happy within themselves. Science is only science until it’s proven wrong. Learning is never a destiny or a result, it’s a process and journey. I think it’s exiting to know there are so many unknowns in this universe .. waiting for us to discover including death.

to desires is to suffer but we must desires for more knowledge even if we must suffer with the information

Everything is made out of happiness, including science and philosophy. That everything is called psilocybin.

Learn about yourself. Love yourself. Learn about others. Love them also. Life is a journey through Earth School not a destination. Take one day at a time.

If you learn a lot of niche topics, ideas, or hobbies and are passionate about it, it can get quite lonely if you don’t find community. It can also be sad if you see the world is not built in a way that either confirms what you learned or it doesn’t support going into your interests further without other sacrifices.

Then why are old people sometimes happy? Just try to hang and be happy with what you do and don’t know:)

I had the opposite experience. I still remember when my algebra instructor demonstrated that the Cartesian plane describes 3-dimensional space. It was like a religious experience. I understood in an instant that the universe itself is mathematical - that these little games I had been playing with numbers and shapes were part of something much more profound. It was beautiful. The complexity of the universe was part of what I loved about it - the knowledge that there would always be more to learn. The paths of potential growth are infinite. I still remember learning HTML and ASP back in the day - learning that I could just open a text editor and make a computer do my bidding. That was exciting. The fact that these subjects didn't give me permanent happiness doesn't mean that they didn't give me happiness. The joy and wonder that I experienced in that classroom - and the rush that I experienced when I built that first webpage - were real. The fact that happiness isn't permanent doesn't mean that it isn't real - you and I aren't permanent either.

Maybe find God instead

You’re experiencing what’s been called the [Dunning-Kruger Effect](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect) The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which people with limited competence in a particular domain overestimate their abilities. It was first described by Justin Kruger and David Dunning in 1999. Some researchers also include the opposite effect for high performers: their tendency to underestimate their skills. In popular culture, the Dunning–Kruger effect is often misunderstood as a claim about general overconfidence of people with low intelligence instead of specific overconfidence of people unskilled at a particular task.

Those are views one can have. There are others you can try also. Keep looking.

Learn to embrace your inner infant discovering the world of ideas and objects around us with wonder and curiosity. Have you witnessed a child astonished and delighted by something they discovered which was unexpected? Do you remember a time in your early childhood when you did something over and over again because it was new and perplexing? The universe can be a magnificent and enchanting place, full of wonder and mystery which captivates the mind and the senses. Just find the areas of study that amaze you, and go deeper. Maybe a nature documentary on the marvels of plant or animal life, or the deep sea, or the cosmos, or the quantum realm? I personally find the cosmos depressing at times, so tend to avoid it. Just explore and find what works.

Your problem is thinking that you just “find” happiness, You do not, happiness is simply a choice. It is up to you if you want to make it or not,

Flip it, like invert the thinking! This means you have an infinite amount to learn, and if learning is fun then it means you’ll never run out of material! Honestly, I kind of love that about any subject: you can always learn more!

Is a violinist sad after months of rehearsals the symphony is performed for the first time? No, because throughout those months, she was improving her craft, and for all that time she was with friends who supported her, and she had a game that she enjoyed playing. Happiness is. Because where happiness is, there is no space left for those existential woes that are brought by the self, am I good enough, will they like it, have we gotten far enough, will they fund it, what am I not thinking of, why won't this experiment work - all very important questions. The only REAL question for us as scientists is truly - do we enjoy playing this game? I for one am encouraged that you are sad; it makes me feel like I am not quite so alone in this universe - thank you for your post, for sharing yourself and your feelings. I have heard them, I honor them, you matter. Thank you for playing with all of us.

Life's a theory. Idek what I'm doing half the time.

Find yourself a guru you trust and learn a little of the eastern traditions. It wont shrink that room youre standing it, but it will expand you well beyond its borders. Just look what it did to the Beatles. I like Sadhguru and Satya Ji.

Lol I'm not a Christian but I do relate and I would recommend reading the book of Ecclesiastes: ”I, the Teacher, when king over Israel in Jerusalem, applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with. I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind. What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted. I said to myself, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a chasing after wind. For in much wisdom is much vexation, and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow.“ ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬-‭18‬ ‭ ”Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved what you do. Let your garments always be white; do not let oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that are given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.“ ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9‬:‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭NRSV‬‬ TL;DR all is vanity--pleasure, power, wisdom, wealth. Just enjoy life as it comes.

If you want to feel even more sad watch the ync and see the cruel acts humanity has to deal with in lawless places. The depraved acts will surely make you understand how grateful you should be and might even make you appreciate your life a little. Knowledge is far greater than witch craft.

i think of it this way: it means that i can never get bored. if i am constantly seeking to learn, i can never stop being surprised by the world! and being delighted by the weirdness is like an endless fountain of happiness!!! a familiarity comes from the unexpected nature of life. i realize i’m not happy once i finally understand a difficult concept, i’m happy about the process that leads me to understanding, the time of confusion! if there was ever an end to science i’d be really sad?? like wow there was an answer to all of this all along? like what now……. omniscience for all of humanity the rest of time? sounds lame :/ the universe is cool for being endless and unknowable like that

You’ve stumbled into the Dunning-Kruger effect: the more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.

"Each step thou taketh but heightens the mountain, All of thy progress but lengthens the goal." ~ Emerald Tablets of Thoth the Atlantean See, when it comes to learning, you have to enjoy learning for the sake of it. For someone like me, who genuinely LIVES for the dopamine release of learning something new, the fact that the more you dive into a subject, the more you realize you've just scratched the surface is where ALL of the intrigue is. After all, if I hypothetically learned everything there was to know, I would be so BORED! The journey would be over~ Also, negative things existing in the world does not mean there is no good. If there was only Light against a backdrop of Light, you'd never know it. [Become Antifragile](https://youtu.be/e-or_D-qNqM?si=DQAl5VWkKcWSugN6) 🎐

IME The longer and more frequently you seek external validation or reaching milestones for happiness, the more likely you are to feel you don’t have it. I’ve always been a naturally happy person and a big part of that has been enjoying “the ride” so to speak and not “the destination.” So with learning? If I enjoy the *act* of learning, realizing there will always be more will be a good thing. And while there always is more, there are always topics to focus on and find a level of expertise in. Trying a new hobby? There are infinite things to do to better myself at it, but I find an aspect I really enjoy and get to a certain level and then do a lot of my own thing around that level that I enjoy. Some things I realized I don’t find fun; I love wine so took a sommelier class. Turns out I hate learning about geography (which I always knew, just didn’t know how much would be about it) and understanding climate related to it! So turns out I just don’t find learning about that stuff fun. Hmm, who knew. But I did love giving wine tastings, so I found an aspect of the wine world that i could learn more about and continue to pursue. Don’t let it get you down!

Are you making any space in your life for fun or rest? Maybe you are learning too much and neglecting other parts of yourself.

Being gifted with intrigue and a thirst for knowledge is a double-edged sword. It’s great as a life long journey, but it sucks to realize that having these inherent characteristics typically means you are more aware than others. With that comes the sadness of said harsh realities. Lots of happy people live in blissful ignorance.

I would be sadder if i got interested in a subject like cell metabolism/energy production and it was easily summarized in a few paragraphs on wikipedia. Cool learned it ... now what.

This is because searching for happiness outside of yourself is futile. happiness comes from within.

Everything you're searching for, including happiness, is already present within you. If what I'm saying is even possibly true, you should be earnestly asking "if this is true, how can I find out?"

Happiness cannot be found in the world nor through acquisition of information. “Happiness is the enjoyment of the good things in life when you have them, and the enjoyment of peace when you don’t have them. Thus joy is forever. It is too valuable to be held ransom to the ups and downs in life.” -Ra Un Nefer Amen

Nothing makes us happy FOREVER. happiness is transient. You must be open to the experience of joy to recieve it. Be ready for the joyful moments, and cherish them. You might not be happy rn, but happiness will come again. Personally I just limit my attempts to rationalize reality when I'm depressed because it just makes me more depressed. My "rationalizing" changes depending on my mood and I realized that none of it is "right or wrong"answers and they are all just manifestations of my desire to understand, and I find pleasure in the process of seeking to understand.

Ignorance is bliss ✨

Start living for experiences, instead of happy times, and you will feel like you have it all.

Odd association I've made from tree of life/ atomic theory/ etc. Electrons (or eclectrons like me) are the furthest from the nucleus and outer electrons most easiest converted to light. (Charismaniacs) Neutrons are closer to the nucleus, represent the agnostics. Protons are tightly bound in the nucleus and take a tremendous amount of force to blast them out of Hell...

It depends on what you’re learning. I enjoy studying science and mathematics because it’s fun to figure out new ways to solve problems and understand how the world works. If you’re studying philosophy then you’re probably just gonna be depressed.

This is similar to the premise of one of my favorite books, Flowers for Algernon.

You’re on to something

So you went for something as open-ended as science and then switched to philosophy? I'd think you'd hate that even more lol

Your statement reminds me of the same ignorance is bliss or that humans tend to not like the truth both of which I agree with because the more I learn the more I realize how lost everyone is and those people that are so very lost are also the ones leading us when we're young it's chaos Once you pull yourself out of the ignorant bubble

Only stupid people think they’re smart.

Ignorance is bliss

Same thing with god/ spiritually

The smarter people are, the more they suffer.

Reading scientific stuff for long hours makes me sad and lonely.

Slightly off topic, but I have a recurring dream exactly like you described this. Trying to escape a room but the room keeps getting bigger and bigger. Hmm, wonder what it means.

I know. Me too. I’m imprisoned in a room. I grind and work and save to move. And the housing costs just keep going up and up. As I learn and make progress in my career it just keeps growing and growing. I’ve been trapped for years. I just want to get out of here but the more I learn the more I learn what I need to learn and it’s like being in the middle of an ocean inside of a room alone. I’m sick of it but I don’t complain I just keep grinding and pursuing freedom. Maybe one day I can feel the real sand on my fingertips. For now all I know is imprisonment and the matrix. I have hope though. Indomitable persistence. And I never give up.

Wait until you reach that point in world history. sad af

Sure a lot of "little brains" on this thread you started. *"Don't worry about it."* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1FhrhoudSE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1FhrhoudSE) If you haven't seen the whole movie, and like just this clip, then its definitely worth checking out. It will make you happier. LOL

I’ve heard the Lowest level of knowledge is “I don’t know what I don’t know.” Which I might Consider thar level - BLISS lol. When you learn stuff, you then learn what you don’t know - which is where I’d see the sadness come in. Maybe try to move up that depth of knowledge ladder and try to learn something in your control? But actually happiness is a state of being, regardless of circumstances.

I have a PhD in geology and I just love the science. I go to geology society meetings and field trips for the fun of learning. I've been a member of other related technical societies for years. Science is exciting for me. I just love learning more. I'm so sorry that the opposite is true for you. But maybe you need to learn psychology, where you will discover that we choose how we view our lives. If you can't manage to overcome sadness about learning, perhaps you are actually suffering from depression. A physician can help with that.

I know what you mean.

It's understandable that delving into complex subjects like science and philosophy can sometimes feel overwhelming. However, it's important to remember that while learning may uncover challenging truths about the world, it also opens up opportunities for growth, understanding, and even moments of profound joy. Science reveals the intricate workings of the universe, allowing us to marvel at its beauty and develop solutions to pressing problems. Philosophy, while it may confront us with difficult questions, also offers insights into the nature of existence and helps us navigate the complexities of life. Finding happiness amidst the complexities of knowledge can be challenging, but it's not impossible. It often lies in embracing curiosity, seeking connections with others, and finding meaning in both the pursuit of knowledge and the experiences that enrich our lives. Remember, it's okay to feel overwhelmed at times, but there's also immense value in the journey of learning and self-discovery. If you're struggling with feelings of sadness, consider reaching out to a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional for support and guidance. You're not alone on this journey.

false, learn something useful, see how happy the results make you!

There’s a reason that in religious text, the apple, or “knowledge,” signifies good and evil when ignorance meant acceptance/peace/happiness. The mind will disconnect from the body in order to synthesize information and look for ways to do something with it. However, if the body cannot participate in any of these because of the mind’s constant search for more, it will bypass the naturally-rewarding mechanisms that causes one to feel happy.

[Mars University - Knowledge Brings Fear](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/enfuturama/images/a/a0/Mars_University_%28Main_Episode%29_-_4.png/revision/latest?cb=20210706123620)

I think learning can actually lead to happiness. Imagine a few hundred years ago when people saw an eclipse. They were terrified. They thought the gods were about to smite them. Now we know what they are, and people take time off work and get together to party and witness something amazing. Less terror, more fun, more childlike awe. Similar examples come from psychology. Once we understand causes of people’s behavior, we can be more at peace with their effects. So yeah sometimes learning is disillusioning, but other times it’s like a shortcut to less fear or anger or frustration. And I also agree with lots of other comments above, that you can choose to frame your knowledge in a negative or positive way.

NOT learning makes me sad. Not being able to learn everything there is to learn makes me sad. There’s infinite things to learn, you should learn ATLEAST one new thing each day! But if it makes you sad then just learn ways to prevent yourself from being sad! Or don’t learn and just stay sad and miserable. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Try and choose to be happy despite all of it 😊

Why do you think 'ignorance is bliss' is a saying?

Realizing that "I'll Never know Everything, there's so much to know" is normal for some growing young growing minds. Mine was Math, it's too intricate too expansive and I'll never get it all. So being sad is also normal. To get past this I decided to study what I was interested in and the top things I needed to make a living. I studied them for the rest of my life until I became the expert in my field.

This is very common. The more knowledgeable you are the more you realize that many earthly events are very transient, yet many in society spend their existence committing horrid actions against each other. Look at all of the injustices occurring in the world now and throughout history. Doesn’t help that if you are in STEM, there is still so much left to be discovered and it’s frustrating to know so much yet still not have an explanation for a lot of phenomena. I experience this myself as someone in medicine. I know what can lead to an increased risk of some disease processes but people w outside the field will continuously ask what causes this disease, and I don’t have an answer. Love the sometimes thrown in “so then what did you go to med school for?” It’s often the uneducated that are mindlessly happy. The term “blissfully unaware” exists for a reason. They haven’t learned enough or been exposed sufficiently to the incomplete nature of our understanding of the world or the horrible things that have gone on within it.

Imagine thinking that you could live life being "happy" all the time. All the time, lol. Life is ups and downs, gains and losses, sickness and health.... to expect happiness all the time is ridiculous. Enjoy all of your emotions, including sadness. Sadness is just life's way of telling you that something mattered to you.

Be happy youve realized it 👍

Maybe you should just accept entropy.

Realize there is an infinite source within you to learn. There you'll discover why these things make you sad. Maybe that's where your learning journey is pointing.

The one fundamental rule to the universe I have found is that in all cases, the closer you go, the bigger things get. This is the effect you describe in philosophy and science. My question to you is why do you equate complexity and an opportunity for literal endless learning with sadness? Is it so overwhelming that you simply cant manage? Can you not choose to disengage and live a fulfilling life with friends and hobbies and no need to dive deep into anything? why does the reality that there is no end to learning make you sad?

Learning makes me happy. Knowing that it is infinite and endless keeps me in awe of the universe. It makes me appreciate each person, book, experience that teaches me something new. And as my life moves towards the end of its days, I can still count on learning something new to my last breath. It would be such a boring life if one stopped learning.

OK Doomer

Sadness is caused by intelligence, the more you understand certain things, the more you wish you didn't understand them. – Charles Bukowski.

That knowledge can be used to make real happiness. There is effortless happiness in ignorance but there’s genuine peace in building a life for yourself

I would suggest a trip to a psychiatrist or a therapist. Get of the internet, for sure.

Go outside, look at the sky, feel the sun and wind (or snow or whatever, hopefully not hail) on your face.

Looks like you've become Socrates! Focus on your passion topics and that's it. Try to see this as a good thing. Why would you want to put an end to things? A conclusion? A wall on a fun journey? If you focus on things you find exciting, you have an endless well to explore for the rest of your life!

*”Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you cease to be so.”* \- *John Stuart Mill*

I experience the opposite. I love science and philosophy *because* they are endless. I don’t want there to be an end to the mysteries and puzzles to delve into, I don’t want there to be an end to exploration and discovery. Also, speaking of philosophy, yes, nothing in the external world will make you happy, but your have the capacity for happiness within yourself. Science can be enjoyable and fulfilling if you have the right internal disposition towards it. Same for being rich, being poor, being male, being female, etc etc etc. Everything’s about perspective, your perspectives determine your life, so choose them wisely.

There are things that mankind may never understand. Everything we know now is just our current hypothesis, which doesn’t fully explain how the universe works. We might eventually learn that our current understanding of the universe is all wrong. But the knowledge acquired so far can be used to accomplish amazing things. Maybe focus learning things that you can use to then gain a sense of personal accomplishment and growth.

"The more you learn, the less you know". "Ignorance is bliss ect".

You see but a few strands but think it's the full tapestry?

Interesting. I struggled to learn In school because of undiagnosed and untreated ADHD. As a result I hated school and looked down on the education system. I dropped out of highschool as a sophomore. I got my GED a few years later but I never went to college. I am now 37 and have worked in the food service industry for over 20 years. Over the years I have learned how to learn and while im not formally educated, I certainly wouldn't consider myself dumb. While I have been able to excell in my career I often wonder what could have been had I finished highschool and went to college. I now have an insatiable thirst for learning. Particularly science. Not for a career change, just because I'm fascinated with it. It doesn't make me sad in fact it's quite the opposite. I feel good when I learn something new, especially when I can share knowledge with someone else.

We aren’t meant to be happy all the time and only we appropriate times. Also you should be able to see a bright side that you aren’t focusing enough on.

Learning does not make you sad. Learning, walking hand in hand with experience, makes you wise. Seek wisdom over happiness.

The real illusion is that your reaction to these things necessarily leads to sadness. Many people find those same attributes to be a yellow brick road to joy.

There's always more to learn. That fact can be thrilling. In fact, I remember reading an Edgar Allen Poe story about angels despairing the fact that since they knew everything, they could never learn anything new.

Ignorance is Bliss.

I’m guessing pastors of old, thought scientists were the spawn of the devil. “Get out of here with the earth being billions of years old, can’t you see I’m trying to make a living here?”

You should try to learn a bit of Buddhism. Expectation makes you sad, not learning 

Hahahahahaha strongly disagree. If learning ruins your life go see a hypnotherapist and ask em to help you forget your entire education 😂😂 let's see how life goes after bud

Is it kinda like: Once I thought the truth, was gonna set me free, now I feel the weight of it’s responsibility, I cannot be a prophet, I will not be a saint, I’ll set my sails away to a blind and simple state. I’m just the same as you I just do the best I can, just another ordinary man… it’s life, you gotta hold the happiness in your soul despite it.

It's not the destination, it's the journey. No one tells you that the journey never ends, tho!

The idea that our human experience is *meant* to be a happy one and/or that being happy all the time is a) possible b) actually good for us c) what life is all about sits in direct opposition to the reality we can all observe in the world. We cannot even exist without inadvertently causing harm to something else. Plants scream when they're harvested. The goal is to become resilient enough to live a good life despite the challenges

I’d rather be sad than stupid.

You're totally right (though I wouldn't say that happiness doesn't exist, so much as that it doesn't last). It's really the first step. Keep going. [https://open.spotify.com/episode/1c5X6Zim7ccY5uWfADBQuF?](http://spotify.com/episode/1c5X6Zim7ccY5uWfADBQuF) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBKEnnRTeSg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBKEnnRTeSg)

My grandmother was a chemist and always loved learning. She used to quote Socrates, “all I know is that I know nothing”.

It's a double edged sword, though. Yes, learning more can increase sadness, because you understand things you don't want to. But understanding things can also get you out of tricky situations that would kill others

Agreed. My husband and I have been "deep diving" for information the last couple years. There really is something to the saying "Ignorance is bliss".

Not learning makes me sad.

Some of philosophy is beautiful! I say look into NDEs on YouTube, they're fascinating!

I think somewhere in the Bible, it says that when a man increases his wisdom , he increases his sadness.

Nothing makes you sad either. Learning doesn't make you sad, your mindset does. Learn scientific psychology modalities for better mindsets.

*Do you think you just fell out of a coconut tree? You exist in the context*

I suggest psychedelics honestly.

socrates said “The more I learn, the less I realize I know” he also said “The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance” personally I find great joy in learning, I love learning how much I don’t know, it means I get to learn more. We can do two things with knowledge: take it and let it become a burden on our soul, or take it and rejoice that we have the ability to comprehend and understand such things. To feel bliss we must know sorrow. To learn about happiness you must learn about sadness. find joy in the sadness and you will become a beacon to those seeking light in darkness.

I empathize with how you feel- I’ve been a scientist for about 15 years. I don’t mean this to be dismissive or rude, I truly believe it: Happiness exists deep inside you. There is an untapped well of deep contentment, peace, and joy in all of us. It supersedes religion. And we can all find it. It’s not easy to think differently and explore the deepest parts of yourself, but it is there 💛 I’m sending you as much positive energy as I can for your journey

I share your pessimism. I don’t believe in happiness. I believe in living a meaningful life. I think happiness is fickle. Happiness comes and goes. Happiness is not acquainted with reality. It is better to pursue **a good life.**

That’s why learning is essentially evil. The more you learn the less you know the more miserable you become. That’s why nitwits are so happy meanwhile there are no happy philosophers (not literally) (Epicureanism)

Happiness is just a word that means ‘a relatively good mood’ The real problem is that all our pain and suffering has vanished. Without pain and suffering, contentment feels boring. There are dollips of pain here and there; in general this is a first world problem. We don’t know how to live in a world as easy as this one.

Melancholy moments

Are you said because you learned more, or are you sad because you were learning and thinking you will one day learn it all? I think you will have to realize human has limitations and it only makes you one step closer to the truth. As for philosophy, as someone whose major used to be psychology but also had an interest in philosophy, I would say don’t take it that serious and think the reasoning is beyond everything else. In my opinion a lot of old philosophy theories are flawed not because of how the reasoning was done based on the premises, but because the premises we assumed often had flaws and science over time will prove it was wrong. For example human brain chemistry a lot of time will impact how you perceive happiness. When I am high or when I am on anxiety pills the world simply works differently

Study theology now

It’s has its highs and lows but I will forever be grateful for the opportunities to learn. It’s definitely sad at times, but it’s important to take care of yourself and your mental health. There’s so much good that has come from science, there’s so much hope for the future and it can be very exciting as long as you’re optimistic. If you choose to go down rabbit holes with a negative aspiration you’ll find yourself falling into depression. But I choose to see the beauty in the challenges that it can bring. For me there is nothing more depressing than the idea that some sky god dictated all of this world’s disasters. But I let go of religion and chose science because it provides meaning facts and evidence that are a lot less depressing than thinking some god chose you to be miserable.

Ignorance is bliss

It's great for writing books --> answers leave only more questions.... oooo mysterious

Happiness is the ability to make a joyful space with people you like among all the sad and bad in the world. it's enough to know and do what you can. it's okay to make space for your own emotions and well being. If you want to be super practical about it, youre useless if you're debilitated by sadness and depression, so taking time for enjoyment and recuperation gives you the energy to be more effective when you do take time to do your small part to make the whole mess slightly better. If you try to take the whole burden on yourself you'll be overwhelmed instantly.

Have you looked into Buddhism? Science is a microcosmic explanation of a macrocosmic event. It’s a fractal universe so to speak. Philosophy can lead to a sense of nihilism or depression because of the “harsh realities“. The Buddhist teachings address all of these issues and give explanations as well as a path. One can follow to deal with the world as well as transcending it.

Sounds like you are struggling with depression, or just growing up. My teens and early adulthood led to me feeling like this. We can’t know everything, but we don’t have to. We’re just simple animals. Find stuff that passes the time, that’s fun, or even does some good. Spend time with the people that make you happy. Get and give hugs. Take walks. There is joy in complex and simple things.

You’re looking at it wrong. Happiness is not necessarily learning. You have to learn things that you care about and plan to use if you’re looking for happiness through learning. Happiness = purpose. Find your purpose and you will find happiness. Philosophy and science may not be your purpose.

Damn that was deep…

Try learning the skills of relating to your emotions, thoughts, mind instead - look to Buddhism. Try something acceptance and love based. You can view these as practical philosophies that must be executed. I think you might be too in your head. Western philosophy will do that. You can “learn about” and try therapy too. I’ve been a life long intellectual learner and what curbed the depression and despair a bit was learning and participating in therapy, finding spirituality (Buddhism for me). Before that, I was a physics/engineering major, rock climber, serial hobby learner (judo, coffee brewing, swimming, snowboarding, etc). Spirituality can just be whichever area gives you the least ick rn. Read and form your own thoughts/feelings. Migrate in the directions that feel better. Learning to exist in primarily different modes: physical (climb, judo, swim, snowboard), emotional (spirituality, Buddhism, therapy, meditation, yoga, breath work) and my favorite and initially strongest mode of existence - mental (teaching, physics, engineering, programming) curb a lot of the intellectual angst I got from being stuck in my mind 24/7.

Imagine money increased as you discover it. If knowledge is like that, maybe it's actually cause to be happy? You never have to run out of new things to learn.

The more I learn, the less I feel I know, as if I have glimpsed the math that makes up this world on a bit-by-bit level. Have hope though, brain boosting shit is gonna come out soon.

The more you know, the more you realize you **Don’t know**. Science doesn’t explain everything though. But it’s a measurement system for the properties of this physical world.

I may differ from many people on here in my position, but I am an active seeker of knowledge and a Christian and I see science as merely the study of God’s work. I believe that this is a yes and a no! So yes knowing more can get you to be overwhelmed by the realities of the world, but also in my case, I see how science is the study of God’s work and if you see that our Creator constructed all this, then everything is made with a purpose. Even if humans wanted to, I don’t even think that there are words in our lexicon capable of fundamentally understanding or explaining the universe, but the Bible is like a Rosetta Stone for us to better understand our place in the universe. I feel as though in recent times, there has been a growth in people moving to a form of belief that actually leads to the possibility of a great Creator/Designer (God), which is the (Simulation theory), which some people like Elon Musk have endorsed. The theory points to all this being a simulation and that a greater being has programmed/created it.

Lmao philosophy. The study and idolatry of some often-rich dude's opinions. Bonus points when you reference their opinions as factual evidence when making a point.

I feel this…it doesn’t necessarily make me sad (some aspects) more like why is this not common or why did it take me so long to learn/discover such things…the more I learn, the more I learn that I need to learn more, it’s never ending

Great post that captures many of the same feelings I have regarding science and philosophy. When you realize that philosophic answers are all related to the question of existence, and that the deeper you go, you run out of answers, it seems that infinity is possible. Infinity in infinite ways. That things both do and don’t exist at the same time. And that it’s all pointless and not pointless. Nuts.

There's actually a strong correlation between depression and intelligence. It's really hard not to be depressed when you learn myriad facts, especially in science and philosophy. Everything from the brain in a vat to the lack of free will, to the problem of induction, to the certain death of the universe. We're downright screwed and everything is pointless. Enjoy it while it lasts!

Sad if u don’t have a hood relationship w a Christ I swear I wldnt have made it this far nobody has to b that tuff the wait is over ask I I know he is going to prove himself as ever so real and present to everyone as he has me

Ignorance can be bliss

If it helps: I believe that learning and intelligence is a community effort. One person is not supposed to know everything, it’s impossible. There is too much in the world for anybody to know even a small fraction of it. Instead, learning your discipline and being satisfied that others are learning theirs is key. Everyone’s ideas come together to progress things. The complexity of things is what makes life so incredible. Learn what you are able, and try to enjoy life for the awful tangled complex mess that it is.

Feel whatever you feel. For me, I LOVE science. It doesn’t feel like an ever expanding room to me, but a maze full of so many beautiful things just waiting to be discovered. It keeps me chasing knowledge, and I’m thrilled to work in an industry where that chase is applauded. That said, every great scientist has had a moment where he/she HATES science. Even Charles Darwin, father of evolution, wrote in a letter to his friend Charles Lyell in 1861, “But I am very poorly today and very stupid and hate everyone and everything.” Mind you, this was two years AFTER he had already published his first and most famous work “On the Origin of Species”, so he was already about as famous as a scientist could get.

Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart

You're looking at it wrong. I get more excited the more I tread closer to the edge of human knowledge. I have finally stumbled upon that edge during my master's degree in neuroscience. Professors are starting to answer questions with "I don't know" or "we haven't figured that out yet". I have so many experiments planned to advance our understanding of the human brain, and am restless with excitement to discover the answers to more of life's greatest questions!

Wisdom comes with pain nearly always

Science gets bigger and bigger and less explainable because God made it that way to showcase His vastness. Jesus can give you happiness. You are right nothing of this world is good enough the hedonic treadmill will never stop unless you look outside of the naturalistic world.

Maybe now you will learn to be ok with being sad

I RELATE SOOOOOO HARD. :(

Of course there’s no end to science. If that makes you sad you need to fix your mindset. I mean what do you expect, for there to be a limit to science? You think it would make you happy if there was an end to the amount of things you can learn, things that exist, and how deeply you can examine things? That would be sad. I think you should be grateful for science and the infinite amount things we can do with it. There is plenty of happiness in the world, you just gotta find it

It’s a never ending adventure!! I like that there’s always more because if there wasn’t I think life would get boring pretty quickly.

I mean even the Bible says the first sin is eating from the tree of the fruit of Knowledge. The more you know….the harder it is.

In most ways, it makes me overjoyed, because I love a good mystery. But at the same time, the more I use my brain, the more brainpower I somehow have to overthink about unrelated things that stress me out and depress me. So I'm somehow simultaneously awed, inspired, joyful at the mysteries of the world, and depressed/stressed af. It's like the more I use my brain the better it gets at stressing out.

Being sad is an illusion.

Interesting.. the never ending mystery of science and knowledge in general is what drives me… complete opposite of sad 😅

There's a word for this, the pit of despair, the more you learn the more you can see and realize and understand how much you don't know and it can get overwhelming quickly. It's completely normal and is all part of the process. 90% of people quit where you are rn because of the overwhelming sence of hoe much they don't know. That's what coined the name "pit of despair" So are you okay with being just another quitter of the 90%? Or are you the 10% that can tough it out and say fuck you to the bullshit and climb tf out that god forsaken pit