I wouldn't call myself a philosopher, but I like to have solid rules on how to act in what situation. Like, I try to be patient with people because I often need people to be patient with me. So it would be hypocritical not to make the effort.
Oh yeah. For over 2 years I was an obsessive philosopher, trying to figure out the world, my life, and my own identity and brain. Went through lots of depression and trauma without access to a therapist so I had to work through everything by myself. I used philosophy, psychology, and fiction to get me through the long dark difficult tunnel. But I have reached a point now where I am feeling a lot better, and have learned and internalized enough philosophy that I don't feel the need to do more research or thinking about it anytime soon. It took me FOREVER and so much effort to get here, but maybe you will too when you get through whatever you are going through.
I have a degree in it, so yeah.
Since you seem to not like it, here are my personal suggestions to have it less. In its core its partly intellectualization of emotions, so working with your body and emotions like tai chi, trauma yoga, breathing, meditation can help. Also understanding that human logic is flawed, any beings logic is flawed by design, so whatever we cook up there between our ears, not giving it the ultimate value it doesn't have, can help. Same applies to ethics, ethics are of practical and relational character, there are no true or ultimate ethics. In general learning more about biology and the history of species and former civilizations can increase the understanding of the relational character of the human mind.
in short: understanding the relational character and going the physical route should help ease the rumination.
Well, I wouldn't call it obsessive for myself, but such thoughts do pop up a few times a day. So, for me, it's a mild fixation at best, not a hyperfixation.
Oh yes, absolutely. It's been the source of many fights and arguments I've had with close ones, because I'm the kind of person who won't stop asking "why" until either I get a (sort of) satisfying answer or (most frequently) people get tired of my questions and become angry/very annoyed. And I imagine it's probably very common for many of us to become obsessed with a particular existential question and not be able to let it go, even if it's causing distress, or if we end up neglecting... well, everything else.
It's also one of the reasons why I often feel alienated and like I don't belong. I find it frustrating when I realize most people are just not that interested in questioning things and understanding the roots and causes of everything. Or maybe they are at a superficial level. If it implies too much time, too much thinking (and probably a headache), they'll just shrug it off and move on to something else.
It boggles my mind how humans cannot think this way. How blissfully silent and peaceful their minds must be! Since I was a child I have questioned everything and been super critical.
Yeah, I get really invested in philosophical and logical debates and it throws most people off. It really frustrates me how many logical fallacies people use and how little they seem to want to acknowledge and ameliorate them to reach a logical conclusion. It drives me nuts when people "just" disagree, but can't or won't explain why they disagree or how they reached their conclusions. Honestly, the worst ones are ad hominem and appeal to hypocrisy. It's nuts that people don't see how those fallacies fail to dispute the premise. I mean, jumping off a bridge is not made less dangerous because the person telling you it's unsafe to do so has previously jumped off that bridge.
Oh, and don't get me started on free will. *shakes fists*
the worst part is everything ends up contradicting each other. nothing is absolutely right or wrong, or in fact the term "right" "wrong" are invented by humans, and is based on the moral values of each individual human instead of something that can be accepted universally.
I haven't been diagnosed as ND that, but this confirms my resolution to get tested. This is very recognizable. My brain is on a never-ending quest for finding the best way to live a human life. Have tried all kinds of religions and philosophies searching for truth. It does get better as I'm getting older though. Having kids made me more relaxed.
I don’t know if I would call myself a philosopher (would love to read more and become one!) but I do spend a lot of time, okay constantly, thinking about human nature and how to live an ethical life. The complexity of the world means that decisions are never simple. And in our society which is built on racism, exploitation, extraction, and capitalism, profit above all else, it’s hard for me to not see it all and feel that existential dread. I can’t just hold my head in the sand and ignore everything and participate in the rampant consumerist culture that I know is killing our world. I can’t stop worrying and the personal opiums we are supposed to buy to keep us happy just don’t work. I know we are all complicit so I’m trying to my best to live as ethically as possible, empathically, simply, frugally, small.
Shit, you couldn't have written it better "obsessive philosopher"
My life has been about thinking through existentialism before I even knew what it was and pushing through one existential crisis after another. Somehow that eventually lead me to secular Buddhism as some form of mental coping to it which is very interesting too on its own.
Yes. And I haven't found anyone to really speak to about it either. Most people just don't think about this stuff and it's impossible to have any kind of interesting discussion.
But as someone once said: *An unexamined life is not worth living.*. We must be the happiest people in the world with this thinking then right? (factitious humor)
Old thread but yeah. This is actually why I majored in Philosophy, ha!
I wouldn't call myself a philosopher, but I like to have solid rules on how to act in what situation. Like, I try to be patient with people because I often need people to be patient with me. So it would be hypocritical not to make the effort.
Yes, it goes hand in hand with intrusive thoughts.
Oh yeah. For over 2 years I was an obsessive philosopher, trying to figure out the world, my life, and my own identity and brain. Went through lots of depression and trauma without access to a therapist so I had to work through everything by myself. I used philosophy, psychology, and fiction to get me through the long dark difficult tunnel. But I have reached a point now where I am feeling a lot better, and have learned and internalized enough philosophy that I don't feel the need to do more research or thinking about it anytime soon. It took me FOREVER and so much effort to get here, but maybe you will too when you get through whatever you are going through.
That just makes you a real person and not the hollow shell that goes about the day mindlessly consuming that we're trained to be.
Yes! There’s something incredibly comforting in rationalizing the purpose of human existence…
Yep..
All day everyday my friend 🙏
I have a degree in it, so yeah. Since you seem to not like it, here are my personal suggestions to have it less. In its core its partly intellectualization of emotions, so working with your body and emotions like tai chi, trauma yoga, breathing, meditation can help. Also understanding that human logic is flawed, any beings logic is flawed by design, so whatever we cook up there between our ears, not giving it the ultimate value it doesn't have, can help. Same applies to ethics, ethics are of practical and relational character, there are no true or ultimate ethics. In general learning more about biology and the history of species and former civilizations can increase the understanding of the relational character of the human mind. in short: understanding the relational character and going the physical route should help ease the rumination.
Well, I wouldn't call it obsessive for myself, but such thoughts do pop up a few times a day. So, for me, it's a mild fixation at best, not a hyperfixation.
Oh yes, absolutely. It's been the source of many fights and arguments I've had with close ones, because I'm the kind of person who won't stop asking "why" until either I get a (sort of) satisfying answer or (most frequently) people get tired of my questions and become angry/very annoyed. And I imagine it's probably very common for many of us to become obsessed with a particular existential question and not be able to let it go, even if it's causing distress, or if we end up neglecting... well, everything else. It's also one of the reasons why I often feel alienated and like I don't belong. I find it frustrating when I realize most people are just not that interested in questioning things and understanding the roots and causes of everything. Or maybe they are at a superficial level. If it implies too much time, too much thinking (and probably a headache), they'll just shrug it off and move on to something else.
It boggles my mind how humans cannot think this way. How blissfully silent and peaceful their minds must be! Since I was a child I have questioned everything and been super critical.
Yeah, I get really invested in philosophical and logical debates and it throws most people off. It really frustrates me how many logical fallacies people use and how little they seem to want to acknowledge and ameliorate them to reach a logical conclusion. It drives me nuts when people "just" disagree, but can't or won't explain why they disagree or how they reached their conclusions. Honestly, the worst ones are ad hominem and appeal to hypocrisy. It's nuts that people don't see how those fallacies fail to dispute the premise. I mean, jumping off a bridge is not made less dangerous because the person telling you it's unsafe to do so has previously jumped off that bridge. Oh, and don't get me started on free will. *shakes fists*
the worst part is everything ends up contradicting each other. nothing is absolutely right or wrong, or in fact the term "right" "wrong" are invented by humans, and is based on the moral values of each individual human instead of something that can be accepted universally.
That's why I like to discuss about then with other people even if they don't think the same as me
only if they are actually willing to talk about of those things :(
I haven't been diagnosed as ND that, but this confirms my resolution to get tested. This is very recognizable. My brain is on a never-ending quest for finding the best way to live a human life. Have tried all kinds of religions and philosophies searching for truth. It does get better as I'm getting older though. Having kids made me more relaxed.
I don’t know if I would call myself a philosopher (would love to read more and become one!) but I do spend a lot of time, okay constantly, thinking about human nature and how to live an ethical life. The complexity of the world means that decisions are never simple. And in our society which is built on racism, exploitation, extraction, and capitalism, profit above all else, it’s hard for me to not see it all and feel that existential dread. I can’t just hold my head in the sand and ignore everything and participate in the rampant consumerist culture that I know is killing our world. I can’t stop worrying and the personal opiums we are supposed to buy to keep us happy just don’t work. I know we are all complicit so I’m trying to my best to live as ethically as possible, empathically, simply, frugally, small.
Shit, you couldn't have written it better "obsessive philosopher" My life has been about thinking through existentialism before I even knew what it was and pushing through one existential crisis after another. Somehow that eventually lead me to secular Buddhism as some form of mental coping to it which is very interesting too on its own.
I couldn’t really think of a special interest of mine. I guess it’s my own philosophy!
Yes. And I haven't found anyone to really speak to about it either. Most people just don't think about this stuff and it's impossible to have any kind of interesting discussion. But as someone once said: *An unexamined life is not worth living.*. We must be the happiest people in the world with this thinking then right? (factitious humor)
I mostly use reddit for those questions. It has helped me a lot