You write such thought provoking, essays; intellectually resonating. I enjoy reading them all.
The proposition that there’s no hope seems to me only conditionally true. It might be so assuming a certain set of metrics, such as you describe applies to (I suppose you mean) most of Europe, and the Anglosphere? I suppose different attitudes a…
You write such thought provoking, essays; intellectually resonating. I enjoy reading them all.
The proposition that there’s no hope seems to me only conditionally true. It might be so assuming a certain set of metrics, such as you describe applies to (I suppose you mean) most of Europe, and the Anglosphere? I suppose different attitudes about the self, and the suffering we must endure prevail in different cultures. I remember a Buddhist teacher I met would say that sometimes “you have to give your “self” a break”.
Certainly, the sort of (I think mostly western) fear, insecurity amidst epochal change, and consequent anger morphing to emotional exhaustion, then existential ennui doesn’t apply everywhere. There are places where life is much more difficult by comparison, especially so if using the sorts of things by which westerners measure “the good life”. Nevertheless, life goes on, and simpler things provide texture, and comforts.
So, I think your remarks, while not untrue, seem directed to the western episteme. Perhaps you recognize it (the west) as the zone of hopelessness, and potential despair because that’s where difficult changes are being felt so strongly. Or, it’s your readership base. You’re hoping to comfort. I note you give pep talks. This is compassion and care.
There are places that the feeling of hopelessness you described simply doesn’t register much because the most important thing in the world is not the emotional well-being of the “suffering” populations of places that seem to be a dream of ease and delight by comparison. Populations in even moderately developed Asian countries would be confused…if western emotional “dis-ease” was something that registered seriously in their daily lives.
Hope is another word for desire, and frustrated desire is anger, but these don’t necessarily occur together. No one feels good to have their sense of security undercut. This is normal. Humans are emotional beings, but much of what we be emotional about are things we’ve conditioned ourselves, or have been conditioned to desire. What is “the good life” is therefore a conditioned idea.
You noted a prescription for what can be done other than descent into depression and despair. 1) To discover what you can do, and then 2) to do it. This is a good suggestion. There are endless things to do, and go well beyond the realm of political/social activity. Anarchy, resistance, rebellion, resignation, or random shooting sprees don’t exhaust the practical pantry. I don’t mean that was all you were speaking about, but the premise of this essay’s assessment of frustrated desire is essentially about political and social anger; blunted wishes.
Along the same lines of determining what can be done and doing so, here’s some simple suggestions I’ve offered depressed friends. I also follow my own advice.
-Read about something you know nothing about, and learn. It’s surprising what there is in the world. If it’s something theoretical such as understanding how the solar path changes during the course of the year, you can rise before the sun every day, and watch it (if possible), or just learn why it does. If it’s a practical study such as how to make real bread, then be a student of bread science, and a bread maker. Bread making is a fundamentally hopeful thing, and it takes practice. You’ll stay busy. Your neighbors will be happy. People will love you more if you share. Try gifting those you disagree with, and feel good. I am The Unabaker, sending unsolicited packages to unsuspecting recipients. They do not surprisingly explode, they simply surprise. A boule is better than a spat. Substitute bread making for thinking about your personal condition.
-Music is a magical, and an endlessly varied balm. It’s good to remember that humans are extraordinary in many ways. Music is method for mood shifting. It can be administered inexpensively, easily, and daily. It should be done as a prophylactic measure, even if not presently depressed; you never know about tomorrow.
-As mentioned, there are places where this gripping feeling of angst and dashed desire simply isn’t shared. Asia is a wonderful antidote to where you are, Africa too, but these are just examples. What can you do? I met a woman from Mongolia. It sounds like adventure, and it’s a less expensive place to be. What can you do? Get out! It’s a big wide world out there.
As I routinely tell my kids, come here! I hope it doesn’t take them as long as it took me.
Oh indeed. I was describing a problem which in the first instance exists in the West. I can think of societies where the daily struggle for existence is more than enough to be getting on with.
You write such thought provoking, essays; intellectually resonating. I enjoy reading them all.
The proposition that there’s no hope seems to me only conditionally true. It might be so assuming a certain set of metrics, such as you describe applies to (I suppose you mean) most of Europe, and the Anglosphere? I suppose different attitudes about the self, and the suffering we must endure prevail in different cultures. I remember a Buddhist teacher I met would say that sometimes “you have to give your “self” a break”.
Certainly, the sort of (I think mostly western) fear, insecurity amidst epochal change, and consequent anger morphing to emotional exhaustion, then existential ennui doesn’t apply everywhere. There are places where life is much more difficult by comparison, especially so if using the sorts of things by which westerners measure “the good life”. Nevertheless, life goes on, and simpler things provide texture, and comforts.
So, I think your remarks, while not untrue, seem directed to the western episteme. Perhaps you recognize it (the west) as the zone of hopelessness, and potential despair because that’s where difficult changes are being felt so strongly. Or, it’s your readership base. You’re hoping to comfort. I note you give pep talks. This is compassion and care.
There are places that the feeling of hopelessness you described simply doesn’t register much because the most important thing in the world is not the emotional well-being of the “suffering” populations of places that seem to be a dream of ease and delight by comparison. Populations in even moderately developed Asian countries would be confused…if western emotional “dis-ease” was something that registered seriously in their daily lives.
Hope is another word for desire, and frustrated desire is anger, but these don’t necessarily occur together. No one feels good to have their sense of security undercut. This is normal. Humans are emotional beings, but much of what we be emotional about are things we’ve conditioned ourselves, or have been conditioned to desire. What is “the good life” is therefore a conditioned idea.
You noted a prescription for what can be done other than descent into depression and despair. 1) To discover what you can do, and then 2) to do it. This is a good suggestion. There are endless things to do, and go well beyond the realm of political/social activity. Anarchy, resistance, rebellion, resignation, or random shooting sprees don’t exhaust the practical pantry. I don’t mean that was all you were speaking about, but the premise of this essay’s assessment of frustrated desire is essentially about political and social anger; blunted wishes.
Along the same lines of determining what can be done and doing so, here’s some simple suggestions I’ve offered depressed friends. I also follow my own advice.
-Read about something you know nothing about, and learn. It’s surprising what there is in the world. If it’s something theoretical such as understanding how the solar path changes during the course of the year, you can rise before the sun every day, and watch it (if possible), or just learn why it does. If it’s a practical study such as how to make real bread, then be a student of bread science, and a bread maker. Bread making is a fundamentally hopeful thing, and it takes practice. You’ll stay busy. Your neighbors will be happy. People will love you more if you share. Try gifting those you disagree with, and feel good. I am The Unabaker, sending unsolicited packages to unsuspecting recipients. They do not surprisingly explode, they simply surprise. A boule is better than a spat. Substitute bread making for thinking about your personal condition.
-Music is a magical, and an endlessly varied balm. It’s good to remember that humans are extraordinary in many ways. Music is method for mood shifting. It can be administered inexpensively, easily, and daily. It should be done as a prophylactic measure, even if not presently depressed; you never know about tomorrow.
-As mentioned, there are places where this gripping feeling of angst and dashed desire simply isn’t shared. Asia is a wonderful antidote to where you are, Africa too, but these are just examples. What can you do? I met a woman from Mongolia. It sounds like adventure, and it’s a less expensive place to be. What can you do? Get out! It’s a big wide world out there.
As I routinely tell my kids, come here! I hope it doesn’t take them as long as it took me.
Oh indeed. I was describing a problem which in the first instance exists in the West. I can think of societies where the daily struggle for existence is more than enough to be getting on with.