Boredom/ Existential crisis/ 26

[zep73]

59 minutes ago, papageorge1 said:

this is all One Universal Consciousness at play

Okay, I'll take the bait.

I am also a part of this consciousness, but my intuition and knowledge tells me it's invalid. Why is it in conflict with itself?

[papageorge1]

49 minutes ago, sci-nerd said:

Okay, I'll take the bait.

I am also a part of this consciousness, but my intuition and knowledge tells me it's invalid. Why is it in conflict with itself?

Because full identification with the individual form is normal at the human level. Thinking that way is best for success and survival on the physical plane.

[papageorge1]

30 minutes ago, iridescence said:

Then why do you think that you will live in a spiritual realm? Don't you see that its your ego thinking that way?

 

I see it as my rational intellect seeing it that way, my ego be damned!

I have studied the paranormal/psychic/spiritual long enough to not accept the materialist view as possibly correct. Evidence and argumentation is the basis for my beliefs.

34 minutes ago, iridescence said:

There are many atheist-materialist types who embrace the idea that we are nothing more than a physical body and that our lives will come to an end someday. This appears to be our true nature. We aren't spiritual beings experiencing matter. We are matter experiencing matter. Can you be humble enough to accept that?

If one intellectually believes materialism to be true then it is natural for one to find a way to embrace it as the desire for happiness is part of our core nature (in my view).

[Jujo-jo]

On 1/24/2020 at 11:47 AM, spartan max2 said:

Good day, 

I decided to post this here because it's the only social media I have that no one I know in person will see it.

Basically I've had this feeling growing for the late year - boredom.

I graduated grad school about a year ago. My job has been good and steady. My GF is going steady (3 years now). I no longer really feel stressed about time or money. Able to play video games as much as I want a good group of freinds. No crazy health programs yet. 

Everything is comfortable. But I find myself feeling bored and having an existential crisis. The feeling has been growing in the last year.

It might be compounding because my 26 birthday is in a week. 

I know this sounds stupid to alot of people, but like, how do you deal with this?

I can't help but just feel dread that this is kind of it. Just going to work consistently. Everything being comfortable but no longer really anything big to do.

I hope I explained this well enough. 

Things have become too simple, growth sometimes leaves us feeling like we're stuck in a gap.

I think you might be feeling this way because you may have routinely designed your life the way it is, everything falling neatly in to place, day after day, keeping things simple which may have suited you too well at this point.

As we age and grow we all, grow out of the old norm.

Usually events in life just happen and change is continual for a lot of people, but in your case natural change has not happened, could be a good thing, could be a bad thing.

Times like these are when you see others taking on career changes, having babies, getting married, going back to school, taking up a new hobby, changing jobs, etc. They do these things because some of them have felt exactly how you do now, they mix things up, add some spice to their life by making changes. 

I can relate by thinking back when I was younger, you do start to wonder at times is this it or ask, what now or you kind of feel like your in a gap in between here nor there.

Sometimes you just have to step out of your comfort zone just a little to break that every day, same ole' same old, cycle role and if you did, this feeling would dissipate.

[Brian K]

Take it from somebody who was playing so much poker years ago that it led to daily recurring nightmares with every scenario turning into a poker hand analogy no matter whether it was a deck of cards or a row of people.  Don't wait for the sense of boredom to become self torture for which there is no pharmaceutical remedy.  You already know that the video games aren't satisfying your desire for leisure.  Channel the effort into something dealing in greater possibility.  Hiking or biking on a dirt path, for example, have tangible influence.  Video games do not.  I don't touch cards anymore, or video games, and have no inclination.  

[darkmoonlady]

17 hours ago, spartan max2 said:

Thanks. That's a thought I didn't consider. I do have no creative outlet now that I think about it.

I'm disabled, spend a LOT of time at home and if I didn't have creative outlets, I'd be insane. There is no way to say what or how you could want to express yourself creatively because it's highly personal and subjective to either your talents or interests, but I'd love for anyone to find something that really makes them happy. I really hope you find something and it sparks your interest and while there is no guarantee that it would lift you out of your boredom I think it's a valid thing to try. 

[Habitat]

On 1/25/2020 at 7:46 PM, iridescence said:

If a certain idea doesn't fit into my inner values and understanding, I simply reject it.

Good idea. One must feel a quickening. That which agrees with your intuitions, is most apt to be that which can be depended upon. 

[Crikey]

On ‎1‎/‎24‎/‎2020 at 4:47 PM, spartan max2 said:

Basically I've had this feeling growing for the late year - boredom.

 

Bear Grylls has got a good philosophy, we saw it when he was doing Foreign Legion simulated training with other people in a TV show a few years ago.

The others were grunting and complaining under the pressure of the tasks so he gave them this friendly advice with a smile- "JUST DO IT WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT IT!"

The same could apply to us in our daily lives, namely just make our mind a blank on get on with doing whatever we're doing.

In fact Jesus said much the same thing and used birds as an example, they just flit around doing their thing without a care in the world..

PS- I've just remembered that aviation pioneer Wiley Post used the same "blank mind" approach during long flights to keep his mind uncluttered and fresh, somebody asked him what he thought about during hours at the controls and he replied "Nothing".

Edited January 27, 2020 by Crikey

[qunaquna]

On 1/24/2020 at 5:47 PM, spartan max2 said:

Good day, 

I decided to post this here because it's the only social media I have that no one I know in person will see it.

Basically I've had this feeling growing for the late year - boredom.

I graduated grad school about a year ago. My job has been good and steady. My GF is going steady (3 years now). I no longer really feel stressed about time or money. Able to play video games as much as I want a good group of freinds. No crazy health programs yet. 

Everything is comfortable. But I find myself feeling bored and having an existential crisis. The feeling has been growing in the last year.

It might be compounding because my 26 birthday is in a week. 

I know this sounds stupid to alot of people, but like, how do you deal with this?

I can't help but just feel dread that this is kind of it. Just going to work consistently. Everything being comfortable but no longer really anything big to do.

I hope I explained this well enough. 

The most straightforward solution is to give yourself a challenge of some sort which will be as fun as gaming but will give you much more in return. I don't know anything about you so this are going to be examples: start a band, produce music, go on adventure, camping in remote areas, learn 3D design, get into photography or filmmaking, start a small business, get into paragliding, start a project car, go racing, get on a bicycle and see how far you can go etc, you get the point. You need to challenge yourself to create or experience something out of your comfort zone, if you stay home and play games you are not getting any new experience in return no matter how fun it might seem and eventually it leads nowhere but into more boredrom. 

Hope it helps, go get it!

[Farmer77]

@spartan max2   

 

 

Come on over bro!

Edited January 27, 2020 by Farmer77

[spartan max2]

7 hours ago, Farmer77 said:

@spartan max2   

 

 

Come on over bro!

Haha, I don't even quite understand what the difference between fishing and fly fishing is. 

[qunaquna]

12 hours ago, Farmer77 said:

@spartan max2   

 

 

Come on over bro!

My best friend swears by fly fishing and I envy him for how much nice nature places he visited and terrains he crossed. Also he is the walking GPS, know all the roads to everywhere.

Not too mention how much fun they have in the process, fishing might be just an excuse for them to fool around.

[CloudSix]

On 1/25/2020 at 11:24 PM, papageorge1 said:

I see it as my rational intellect seeing it that way, my ego be damned!

I have studied the paranormal/psychic/spiritual long enough to not accept the materialist view as possibly correct. Evidence and argumentation is the basis for my beliefs.

If one intellectually believes materialism to be true then it is natural for one to find a way to embrace it as the desire for happiness is part of our core nature (in my view).

The comments on this thread are wonderful, some are discussing the nature of reality and consciousness and some are laying out their life stories and advice. 

I would agree with papageorge, if one believes something is true, then one will find a way for it to seem real. And thats all that matters, we affirm what we think is real, thus it becomes real. Then, there's really no difference in whats real and whats not, since our individual beliefs create it. 

On 1/27/2020 at 4:14 PM, spartan max2 said:

Haha, I don't even quite understand what the difference between fishing and fly fishing is. 

As for the OP, I would agree with most of the people's suggestions. You should stop thinking about what to do, and just do it! 

I've found that my sense of wonder and the enthusiasm for "doing nothing' has well improved when I started reading and learning about taoism. 

Give it a try, and if it seems weird, you should also try reading a book called "The Taoism of Pooh", which explains the principles of taoism via Winnie the Pooh, which is brilliant!

Also, taking a hobby, sport, anything new and something which you suck at first, should do wonders for you!

[openozy]

Work is boring,retirement more so,no reason at all for living,shows we are just bored little creatures running around in circles on a rock.Get over it,you're not special.To be honest I found my 20's pretty hard.

[darkninja]

Let's agree that from a scientific view, there is no absolute point to life or consciousness. 

 

OK, so what then?

 

We can dwell on that fact and go down the nihilistic rabbit hole or we can chase what has meaning to us, personally. That might be a hobby, that might be a particular charity, or a million other things that might have personal meaning. 

 

What do you find makes you the happiest in life? Chase that, improve it, introduce it to others and help them to chase it as well. 

[+Desertrat56]

On 1/24/2020 at 9:47 AM, spartan max2 said:

Good day, 

I decided to post this here because it's the only social media I have that no one I know in person will see it.

Basically I've had this feeling growing for the late year - boredom.

I graduated grad school about a year ago. My job has been good and steady. My GF is going steady (3 years now). I no longer really feel stressed about time or money. Able to play video games as much as I want a good group of freinds. No crazy health programs yet. 

Everything is comfortable. But I find myself feeling bored and having an existential crisis. The feeling has been growing in the last year.

It might be compounding because my 26 birthday is in a week. 

I know this sounds stupid to alot of people, but like, how do you deal with this?

I can't help but just feel dread that this is kind of it. Just going to work consistently. Everything being comfortable but no longer really anything big to do.

I hope I explained this well enough. 

I don't understand boredom, I never have.  But then, I have a very active mind and can keep myself entertained if I am waiting, or stuck somewhere with no one to talk to.  I have noticed lately that I get annoyed at seeing the same thing over and over, something I encountered 30 years ago, some 20 year old just found it and thinks it is new.  Maybe that is a type of boredom. 

Anyway, my opinion is that you are too comfortable.  When I am comfortable I do tend to start feeling like I need to find something new to do.  My suggestion is to take a class after work learning something you have never thought about.  It will get you interacting with a new group of people and your mind will be challenged.  That is my opinion of boredom, lack of  mental challenge. 

Another option would be to marry your girlfriend of 3 years and embark on a whole new type of relationship and all the baggage that goes with that.  No way to be bored in that for at least a year.  Just planning a wedding will give you new things to think about your family, your girlfriend, her family etc.  Drama at the worst, getting to know more people better at the best.

I like Pottery, it is difficult and uses different muscles and thinking than other crafts, if you are tense you get messes, so you relax and get beautiful things.  But there are maker groups all over and you could join one of those groups and learn how to do a lot of different things.   (making mead, bee keeping, using 3d printers, building something etc).  You have to be the one who keeps your mind active, no one can do that for you and that is all boredom is, too much repetitive thinking and doing.

[+Desertrat56]

On 1/24/2020 at 10:29 AM, sci-nerd said:

I'm atheist and never bored. But I suppose having kids to suck the life outta you has that effect...

Are you hating on your kids or people who have kids?

[+Desertrat56]

On 1/24/2020 at 10:28 AM, papageorge1 said:

Sounds like someone with a put-down attitude. And it's more than 'imaginary friends' but also a realization that we are more than the physical body with limitless growth ahead.

But then what was your point of asking the question???? It seemed like a lead in to something judgemental.

[+Desertrat56]

On 1/24/2020 at 10:31 AM, papageorge1 said:

I can believe that. But I was speaking in general that atheism-materialism is a more depressing life-sucking philosophy than its counterparts.

I disagree with that.  I am not a follower of any religion and I don't believe any deity is controlling anything so I am classified as an atheist, though I do agree with you that there is more to life and being human than just the physical.  Your assumptions are the same as the bible thumpers and just as incorrect.

[+Desertrat56]

On 1/24/2020 at 10:38 AM, papageorge1 said:

Again my discussion is 'in general'. sci-nerd may be non-general.

That is your problem, "in general" is never correct because there are too many variables.  I

Edited February 17, 2020 by Desertrat56

[zep73]

4 minutes ago, Desertrat56 said:

Are you hating on your kids or people who have kids?

I'm making fun of my own 

[+Desertrat56]

On 1/24/2020 at 10:55 AM, spartan max2 said:

I'm an atheist. I used to be spiritual until it stopped making sense to me.

I personally don't think the atheism really helps my happiness, no.

I think when you find the atheism is not helping your happiness you need to examine why your philosophy is expected to "help your happiness".  Happiness has Nothing to do with Belief and everything to do with how well you feel and think of yourself as a person, irrelevant to your interactions with anyone or anything else.

[+Desertrat56]

On 1/27/2020 at 11:20 AM, qunaquna said:

My best friend swears by fly fishing and I envy him for how much nice nature places he visited and terrains he crossed. Also he is the walking GPS, know all the roads to everywhere.

Not too mention how much fun they have in the process, fishing might be just an excuse for them to fool around.

Several of my relatives take at least one fly fishing trip a year, and often it is to somplace in Chile or another south american country.  They have amazing photos of the areas they fish and they spend the rest of the year making new flys to use.

[+Desertrat56]

On 2/12/2020 at 3:04 AM, openozy said:

Work is boring,retirement more so,no reason at all for living,shows we are just bored little creatures running around in circles on a rock.Get over it,you're not special.To be honest I found my 20's pretty hard.

Oh, my.  I am expecting to have a less boring life when I retire.  Lots of projects and travel planned.

[XenoFish]

What's retiring.....