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Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

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Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#181

Post by whybroke »

AndrewKemendo wrote: post #54
whybroke wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

'Realize' is a strong claim, experiences may indeed be meaningless or they may not be. How could anyone ever prove one way or another? But if one could be convinced they were indeed meaningful, it might provide an avenue for happiness. May I ask is it possible you desire something to desire?

is it possible you desire something to desire? That's an interesting philosophical ouroboros.

Yes but it's also a practical psychological question. A person can come to a mental state where nothing in life interests them yet they wish there was something they enjoyed.

So, although possibly mundane, there is a point of view where the question "does anything in life have meaning" is less interesting than the question "is everything ok".

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#182

Post by triangleman »

gwilkes wrote: post #108
AndrewKemendo wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would experiment with the hypothesis that perceiving value and experiencing it as such are skills you lack but others possess No experimentation necessary, it's blatantly clear that's the case. that may be improved through deliberate practice Perhaps. Or maybe it's just trying to distract yourself from reality through what are commonly accepted "values." Hard to know. I read all those studies about "happiness" comi…

Andrew, you're fine. I'm going to guess that you're American as America is the most happy-obsessed culture in the world in my experience. Happiness as virtue is not universal, maybe you need some more time abroad. I know you said you visited 100 countries but visiting 100 countries and living in another country for many years is quite a different thing. Or maybe you just need different friends or perhaps a meditation…

Chesterton wrote about the folly of globe-trotting:

"The globe-trotter lives in a smaller world than the peasant. He is always breathing, an air of locality. London is a place, to be compared to Chicago; Chicago is a place, to be compared to Timbuctoo. But Timbuctoo is not a place, since there, at least, live men who regard it as the universe, and breathe, not an air of locality, but the winds of the world. The man in the saloon steamer has seen all the races of men, and he is thinking of the things that divide men — diet, dress, decorum, rings in the nose as in Africa, or in the ears as in Europe, blue paint among the ancients, or red paint among the modern Britons. The man in the cabbage field has seen nothing at all; but he is thinking of the things that unite men — hunger and babies, and the beauty of women, and the promise or menace of the sky."

- http://www.ccel.org/ccel/chesterton/heretics.iii.html

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#183

Post by neverknowsbest »

AndrewKemendo wrote: post #48
noobermin wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

terryf has a fantastic comment, but what end are you talking about, death? A good way of figuring out what you value is considering if you die tomorrow, why wouldn't you (assuming you aren't suicidal). If you really don't matter either way then why not just do the thing that feels good?

Well that's essentially what I do - with an over current of dread. I think if I could afford it I would probably be a habitual heroin user. From what I read, it seems to push all of the same biochemical "happiness" and "fulfillment" buttons as all of the other relationship/activity/experience things that people like to do, albeit with some side effects.

Other replies were a little salty, and I can only say from personal experience------- but the awareness that you're out of it takes away some of the sanctuary of being high... especially if you're even moderately comfortable (in life, in mind, etc). Feels like you didn't come by it honest, and ruins it some.

On the other hand, if you're stuck in a shithole with a metric tonne of inner demons, it's pretty much tops.

Contentment, opiates. Happiness... like that innocent 'AHHHHH TOMORROW'S CHRISTMAS!' joy, I'd say MDMA instead

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#184

Post by alanwatts »

AstralStorm wrote: post #172
alanwatts wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's an old Zen saying that goes: "Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water." And another which reads: "Miraculous power, marvelous activity. Drawing water, chopping wood."

Worthless but happy is not a worthy goal. Verify any approach to life by generalisation: what would happen if everyone followed it? The Buddhist approach leads to stagnation.

>Worthless but happy is not a worthy goal.

How should one measure self worth?

>Verify any approach to life by generalisation: what would happen if everyone followed it? The Buddhist approach leads to stagnation.

Who said everyone should follow any given approach? If everyone followed any particular approach to life it would lead to stagnation, extinction.

On the contrary, Buddhism emphasizes change, as opposed to stagnation.

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#185

Post by basisword »

size12font wrote: post #160

Be happy is having something to look forward to. People always complicated this topic.

They 'complicate' it because your simplified version is inaccurate. If the only good thing in my life is a party I'm looking forward to in 6 months time I can assure you I will be unhappy for the vast majority of those 6 months. If it was as easy as you say we would all be happy and that is far from the case.

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#186

Post by sundarurfriend »

pimeys wrote: post #37
e15ctr0n wrote: post #23

For those not familiar with Hunter S. Thompson and looking to get an understanding of his outsize personality and cult following, I highly recommend watching the 2 movies in which Johnny Depp played his character: * Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120669/ * The Rum Diary (2011) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0376136/ If you are not already a fan of Johnny Depp, these movies should do i…

Yeah, nice movies. But damn, read the books! Adding to those two, I'd definitely read: * Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 (1973) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_and_Loathing_on_the_Campa... * Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (1967) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell%27s_Angels:_The_Strange_a... His ability to just push himself into the situations and into what…

> But damn, read the books!

I tried reading it after seeing a lot of recommendations, but gave it up quickly; my sentiments are echoed by this[1] Goodreads reviewer (2nd most 'like'd review there, 1st most liked gives the book 5-stars though):

> I honestly don’t remember the last time I was so bored and annoyed by a book. Barring a massive conspiracy, maybe I just didn’t get this book? This is what I got from the book. Please help me if missed something. We drove more than 100 miles an hour while drunk and high. WAHAHAHA! We ran up a huge bill and fled the hotel without paying it. WAHAHAHA! We picked up a teenage girl and gave her drugs and then left her alone, all scared and paranoid. WAHAHAHA! We nearly strangled the poor cleaning lady. WAHAHAHA!

> [...] This book must have been really cool and hip when it was published in 1971. If anyone writes a book like this these days, the only thing that I have to say is: grow the fuck up.

[1] http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/102994163?book_show_act...

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#187

Post by k-mcgrady »

hsur8192 wrote: post #114
blubb-fish wrote: post #103

I'd be sceptical of life advice from somebody who committed suicide.

For the record, he did so at the age of 67, facing both failing health and the loss of that which he seemed value most (his ability to write). While you can argue (with no small amount of validity) that his life choices contributed to this decline, his decision to take leave of life seems consistent with his views expressed herein on being true to oneself and one's calling, and he does seem to have fit plenty of life…

This quotation seems pretty apt and in my view makes his suicide seem reasonable and consistent with his views:

"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!" - Hunter S. Thompson

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#188

Post by sundarurfriend »

Tadlos wrote: post #24

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. -- Steve Jobs

Just to balance it out: http://www.fastcompany.com/3001441/do-steve-jobs-did-dont-fo... ('Do what Steve Jobs did, not what he said')

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#189

Post by triangleman »

tasuki wrote: post #152
genegc2 wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's certainly equally valid. But my brief comment was meant to also be a humble suggestion of another place to look - another thing worth trying. It's a viewpoint that definitely seems to be in the minority in this forum, but it's an important one to consider. A couple more ideas worth considering: - Coming to a place of faith starts like everything; it begins with the desire to have faith. - Consider the possibil…

A faith in what? One definition of faith found on the internet: "Belief not supported by evidence or reason, but assumption alone." I have seen many people finding happiness and/or purpose in believing various things not supported by evidence or reason, and have always wondered: how to choose which of these I should believe?

Start small. I am going to refer you to some scripture but I am not asking you to accept it a priori as truth, only to investigate whether there may be any truth in it. Hebrews 11:6 says that he who comes to God "must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him".

Essentially what I am asking you to believe is the truth of "seek and ye shall find"... that it is possible to find, provided that you seek.

I am not telling you what you will find, how you will find it, what it will look like or sound like, etc., but only that there is something waiting to be found.

Then if you take some steps towards God, you will be rewarded and you will learn a little bit about faith Again I am not going to presume I know exactly what those steps are for you but I will tell you I believe with all my heart that there ARE steps you can take, and even if you take the wrong steps, as long as you are seeking God I believe that he will reward you for your efforts, if only by correcting you from your misguided path.

I hope this has been helpful. God bless.

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