Theory of Relativity of FML

[KazeCraven]

Thread title is self explanatory. No matter how well off you are, you'll almost certainly have something to complain about, and no matter how much others would hate to be in your shoes, you probably don't notice until you are able to compare your plate with others.

So... how many people here practice stoicism? *looks out and writes down number of raised hands on chalk board*

Zero. I thought so. Okay, so you probably are all fully aware of the fact that stoicism is one of the earlier schools of thought that suggests we focus on all the bad things that could happen so that we can be grateful for what doesn't happen. Seems like counting your blessings is one of the ways to avoid having something to complain about. So obviously if you don't want to complain about life, you can look at it that way.

...Okay, I'll admit. I only made this thread because I came up with the cool title, but how about we open for discussion on the fact that some people's lives suck more than others, yet we make a big deal about some little minor issues. Sure, we have it "better off" than our ancestors objectively speaking, but has anything changed? Has technology made our lives more rewarding from a subjective standpoint?

 

[Gaze]

sounds like we're dealing with should you be an optimist or pessimist kinda thing? are we?

It's clear that many have much more difficult lives than we may have, but i see no need to diminish what i'm going through because of it. However minor they may seem, we each have a right to our own struggles. This doesn't mean we shouldn't be appreciative that things are better than they are compared to what someone else may be struggling with, but we are individuals. It wouldn't really be appropriate to always compare our struggles and describe them as more or less compared to anyone else's because we are different, will handle things differently, and are affected by things differently. What's difficult for me may be easy for you, what's difficult for you may be easy for me.

that's my 2 cents

 

[kucala]

Personally, I think what is a "little thing" is only defined as such from your perception. What is a big thing to you may not be to others, and vice versa. I don't think any person is "better off" than another, it's all how you view it.

 

[KazeCraven]

sounds like we're dealing with should you be an optimist or pessimist kinda thing? are we?

It's clear that many have much more difficult lives than we may have, but i see no need to diminish what i'm going through because of it. However minor they may seem, we each have a right to our own struggles. This doesn't mean we shouldn't be appreciative that things are better than they are compared to what someone else may be struggling with, but we are individuals. It wouldn't really be appropriate to always compare our struggles and describe them as more or less compared to anyone else's because we are different, will handle things differently, and are affected by things differently. What's difficult for me may be easy for you, what's difficult for you may be easy for me.

that's my 2 cents

Well said.

 

[NeverAmI]

...Okay, I'll admit. I only made this thread because I came up with the cool title,

LOL

Has technology made our lives more rewarding from a subjective standpoint?

I think the opinion of reward is subjective, although some things are objectively more rewarding. Viewing the effects of technology on a universal level would suggest objective influence on subjective values, which I don't think is easy to determine.

Technology has made things MUCH easier to take for granted: safety, physical labor (not always), comfort, entertainment.

The question is what scope are we focusing on for rewards, and what is truly rewarding (objectively) for an individual?

I could say over gorging myself on food or alcohol is quite rewarding for a short period of time, but avoiding that and exercising is more rewarding in the long term.

I think technology has made it harder, to an extent, for the average person to slow down and enjoy life from the standpoint of simple beauty. Our measurements of time get more and more precise, demanding stricter management. Management of time at such a granular level is something that is not natural to our biologically subjective sense of time. Those effects can't help but spill over into everyday life, usually in the form of stress/anxiety.

 

[Faye]

I sometimes practice stoicism but am by no means a stoic.

 

[Trifoilum]

Just because there are others with more (or less) painful lives, that doesn't make our pain any less true than it is.

If any, that fact serves as a medicine or a poison, depending on each person's view of life.

 

[Melkor]

Thread title is self explanatory. No matter how well off you are, you'll almost certainly have something to complain about, and no matter how much others would hate to be in your shoes, you probably don't notice until you are able to compare your plate with others.

So... how many people here practice stoicism? *looks out and writes down number of raised hands on chalk board*

Zero. I thought so. Okay, so you probably are all fully aware of the fact that stoicism is one of the earlier schools of thought that suggests we focus on all the bad things that could happen so that we can be grateful for what doesn't happen. Seems like counting your blessings is one of the ways to avoid having something to complain about. So obviously if you don't want to complain about life, you can look at it that way.

...Okay, I'll admit. I only made this thread because I came up with the cool title, but how about we open for discussion on the fact that some people's lives suck more than others, yet we make a big deal about some little minor issues. Sure, we have it "better off" than our ancestors objectively speaking, but has anything changed? Has technology made our lives more rewarding from a subjective standpoint?

So, the presumption is that we sit and think of all the ways by which we could maimed, savaged, raped, robbed, imploded, exploded, stabbed, beat, bullied, sullied, wronged, degraded and insulted, in comparison to what is occuring now...

And this...

Is supposed to make us feel *better*?

 

[Trifoilum]

So, the presumption is that we sit and think of all the ways by which we could maimed, savaged, raped, robbed, imploded, exploded, stabbed, beat, bullied, sullied, wronged, degraded and insulted, in comparison to what is occuring now...

And this...

Is supposed to make us feel *better*?

Yes, Melkor.
And in fact, this isn't something I haven't seen in my life.

"Thank God [something] still [insert a good adjective here]" said after someone experiencing inconveniences is something I've heard both from my mouth or others.

At least I'm still able to talk.

 

[KazeCraven]

I sometimes practice stoicism but am by no means a stoic.

*erases zero*

*draws a vertical line*

So, the presumption is that we sit and think of all the ways by which we could maimed, savaged, raped, robbed, imploded, exploded, stabbed, beat, bullied, sullied, wronged, degraded and insulted, in comparison to what is occuring now...

And this...

Is supposed to make us feel *better*?

Yep. Just like thinking about all the awesome things we could have, then realizing we don't have them, makes us feel worse.

 

[TinyBubbles]

So, the presumption is that we sit and think of all the ways by which we could maimed, savaged, raped, robbed, imploded, exploded, stabbed, beat, bullied, sullied, wronged, degraded and insulted, in comparison to what is occuring now...

And this...

Is supposed to make us feel *better*?

How sad it is that these things are happening or have happened to anyone, I think maybe focusing on how they're not happening to you could lead to unintended guilt.

 

[Melkor]

*erases zero*

*draws a vertical line*



Yep. Just like thinking about all the awesome things we could have, then realizing we don't have them, makes us feel worse.

Yes, but thinking of all those hyper depressing things couldn't possibly makes us feel any better, not to mention the sickening guilt!

 

[Majesty]

I don't really like when people say "FML".
Just move on and try to make your life better instead of crying about how horrible is your life.

Idk if that's the point of the thread, but whatever.

 

[Melkor]

I don't really like when people say "FML".
Just move on and try to make your life better instead of crying about how horrible is your life.

Idk if that's the point of the thread, but whatever.

Heh.
I know a girl like you. Terrible to talk of problems with. You can't even make a negative comment about yourself around her.

It irritates her so much.
In her happy, mad world, all things should be happy with all aspects of life, confident to a fault and emotionally aggressive.

*Shrugs*

I envy her malice.

 

[Majesty]

That actually is a big problem >.>
Sometimes people come to me and say that they are a failure and I don't know what to do. I generally stay positive and I'm dumb enough to believe everyone is. I just feel like shaking their head screaming to them "YOU'RE NOT!!! STOP SAYING THAT!!" but I just go "uhh no you're not..." and they go "Yes!" and I stay there with a face like this
I don't really live in a happy world, I just try to "destroy" the negative and try to make everything as positive possible. Apparently that's an enneagram 7 thing o_o

 

[Melkor]

Thats incredibly scary...

 

[Majesty]

Why?