Not so. Stoicism teaches us to avoid extremes of emotion, not to completely shut-off normal human feelings. Of course, Stoic love might seem like indifference to a drama-queen Romantic. Likewise, to be aware & concerned about Death & Disaster is necessary for the continuation of life. But, anxiety and dread and self-flagellation are counterproductive, and useless, and as Mr. Spock would say "illogical" . :smile:To live without anxiety or dread is, seems to me, to no longer be capable of falling in love or of experiencing spiritual/intellectual revolutions. — jellyfish
Of course, Stoic love might seem like indifference to a drama-queen Romantic. Likewise, to be aware & concerned about Death & Disaster is necessary for the continuation of life. But, anxiety and dread and self-flagellation are counterproductive, and useless, and as Mr. Spock would say "illogical" . — Gnomon
Put jelly on your shoulder
Let's do what you fear most
That from which you recoil
But still makes your eyes moist
Put jelly, baby, on your shoulder
Lies down, now baby, on the carpet
...
Well some kinds of love
They're mistaken for vision
...
And for me to miss one
Would seem to be groundless
— Lou Reed
Again, with the political correctness! Sorry, but "Drama King" just wouldn't convey the same imagery. :grin:The 'drama queen' line is funny, but note the subtle casting of a female for that role. — jellyfish
The "adversary" of Stoicism is extremism, whether of proud Optimism or of abject Cynicism. There is no need to slog in the slough of meaninglessness, or to climb to the dangerous pinnacle of identifying with God. It merely requires a recognition that such absolutes are no solution for the ups & downs of life. Better to face into the oncoming waves than to turn away and be swamped. :cool:One must one ask what exactly we are resisting. The problem with stoic account is it assumes an adversary. In the context of nihlism, it needs us to already be nihlists to mean anything. — TheWillowOfDarkness
What alternatives are available that we've been deprived of?
— Ciceronianus the White
This is actually part of what's sometimes made the existential dread I've been suffering from this past year so horrible. — Pfhorrest
But it's a start.Nah you understood right, and I know it's unreasonable, but feeling existential dread in the first place is unreasonable, and just knowing that doesn't make it stop. — Pfhorrest
The only meaning to modern life I can see is to have fun and the people who have the most fun do less thinking. We are all meaningless sacks of meat and bits. Might as well party. — Razorback kitten
If you have enough time to sit about and think you end up depressed and want to kill yourself. If you haven't got enough time you're busy trying to make more time so you can afford time to just relax and think. — Razorback kitten
The only meaning to modern life I can see is to have fun and the people who have the most fun do less thinking. We are all meaningless sacks of meat and bits. Might as well party. — Razorback kitten
Whilst everyone seems to find it draining to even try and question anything interesting to me. — Razorback kitten
my worst nightmare, someone who believes in ghosts and believes they saw the ghost of a loved one after they died. — Razorback kitten
I think all this misery I feel is a result of knowing enough to believe that all we see can be completely explained materially and that there is no real meaning, to anything, in a world where I see everyone running about enjoying themselves blissfully unaware, making me feel stupid for taking the time to learn what's going on. Like I'm no longer part of the group.
If you have enough time to sit about and think you end up depressed and want to kill yourself. If you haven't got enough time you're busy trying to make more time so you can afford time to just relax and think.
The only meaning to modern life I can see is to have fun and the people who have the most fun do less thinking. We are all meaningless sacks of meat and bits. Might as well party. — Razorback kitten
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