I don't know what their definition of gifted is, but I know I have above average intelligence and I was surprised how closely the article matches my feelings and experiences. Difficult read.
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Dabrowski’s theory and existential depression (2020)
71–80 of 161 posts
Re: Dabrowski’s theory and existential depression (2020)
#72For me and a friend, we'd joke about our existential despair. "What's wrong?" "The Void" Any philosophy that just asserted that the Universe has meaning was a non-starter, for me. There is nothing that I can see that unambiguously tells me that the Universe ultimately has absolute purpose or meaning. It could, but anyone who tells you they know the fundamental question of why we are here is delusional or a liar. The…
To add to this: I grew up with religion and eventually broke away from it. I went on this hyper-realist streak, looking to break down life and reality into its most fundamental parts. I assumed this would include true meaning. It didn't. What I found is that meaning is like a delicate ecosystem, and I was strip-mining. I thought I was breaking reality down into its most fundamental pieces, harvesting them and learnin…
> Meaning was there; I simply had to stop getting in its way.
You just described the Hero's Journey (Monomyth). The end of the journey is nothing more than the return to the starting point, the world has not changed, the Hero is the one that has changed.
Many people do know this, understand this, and see (their) life as a Journey; what people miss is that not everyone is a Hero.
Welcome home.
Re: Dabrowski’s theory and existential depression (2020)
#73Seems like a problem for folks who try to develop their own understandings -- which probably correlates with "being gifted".
By contrast, folks who don't feel smart enough to question the established-wisdom, and so just believe that it's probably true for reasons beyond them, wouldn't seem to have the same exposure to doubt. Because, surely, someone smarter than them knows the answers; if anything seems off, it's probably just a misunderstanding of the experts' wisdom.
But if you lose your faith in the experts' wisdom, and then struggle in trying to find your own solid answers to big questions -- what do you believe in? How can you feel safe and secure in the world when you're not even sure what the world really is?
---
[Obligatory xkcd](https://xkcd.com/2221/ ):
> I feel weird using old software that doesn't know it's being emulated.
The existentialist-concern from the alt-text:
> I laugh at the software as if I'm 100% confident that it's 2019.
Re: Dabrowski’s theory and existential depression (2020)
#74For me and a friend, we'd joke about our existential despair. "What's wrong?" "The Void" Any philosophy that just asserted that the Universe has meaning was a non-starter, for me. There is nothing that I can see that unambiguously tells me that the Universe ultimately has absolute purpose or meaning. It could, but anyone who tells you they know the fundamental question of why we are here is delusional or a liar. The…
What you’ve described is pretty close to Optimistic Nihilism, eg “The universe has no intrinsic meaning, so I’ll make my own.”
Re: Dabrowski’s theory and existential depression (2020)
#75Is there a mistake in this logic: "If you can't figure out how to stop suffering (to no end), you are not actually so smart." ? In anticipation of objection that the question of one's own suffering is somehow outside the realm of analysis: I am not a Buddhist but having tasted the freedom from emotional suffering that was the result of his (the buddha's) analysis of the situation of being alive and his logical deriva…
Avoiding personal suffering is not necessarily anyone's #1 priority in life. I don't think it's a reflection on one's intelligence whether or not they suffer, as suffering could be a cost paid for a higher purpose they've prioritized. Of course, it could be a cost of stupidity as well.
Re: Dabrowski’s theory and existential depression (2020)
#76My ex-wife (who was with me for decades) tagged me as an existentialist early on, and I guess it was true. I don't really understand how we can see the universe another way, without lying to ourselves: bad things happen, and nothing is done about it. What Christian theologians have called "The Problem of Evil" leads me to see the universe as uncaring, indifferent. The only way out of it that has worked for me is to c…
> I don't really understand how we can see the universe another way
It has been eye opening to me to view the universe as a dualism. It will certainty strike you down without a second thought, but at the same time we are provided a space in this time to flourish. If we act good, then good gets multiplied. This is the Egyptian idea of holding a whip in one hand and shepherd's crook in the other. The universe is both a punisher and a Sheppard king.
Which is very apt considering your solution to take care of others.
Re: Dabrowski’s theory and existential depression (2020)
#77For me and a friend, we'd joke about our existential despair. "What's wrong?" "The Void" Any philosophy that just asserted that the Universe has meaning was a non-starter, for me. There is nothing that I can see that unambiguously tells me that the Universe ultimately has absolute purpose or meaning. It could, but anyone who tells you they know the fundamental question of why we are here is delusional or a liar. The…
Is it even meaningful to say that the universe - everything - has an entropy? Isn't it not even meaningful to talk about the entropy of something that is in a non-equilibriated state? People point to experiments about gas particles bouncing off the walls of closed boxes to prove how entropy is always increasing, but it really makes no sense to transfer that to the whole universe. I have been much more convinced that…
How can there be greater than maximal structure?
Re: Dabrowski’s theory and existential depression (2020)
#78I have recently (in the past couple of years) overcome depression that had been with me practically my entire adult life, and now I have my anxiety somewhat under control. Depression is such a big problem, mostly unaddressed, and the "tools and processes" out there don't have a high success ratio. Sounds a great business school case: Huge demand Inadequate supply And yet the problem persists. This is the Unicorn of U…
Do you mind sharing how you managed to overcome your depression? I would be interested in reading that.
Re: Dabrowski’s theory and existential depression (2020)
#79For me and a friend, we'd joke about our existential despair. "What's wrong?" "The Void" Any philosophy that just asserted that the Universe has meaning was a non-starter, for me. There is nothing that I can see that unambiguously tells me that the Universe ultimately has absolute purpose or meaning. It could, but anyone who tells you they know the fundamental question of why we are here is delusional or a liar. The…
Faith: patience with mystery
You and I are not much different.
The difference I chose to believe because I know we humans are story machines. I prefer being part of a story, as co-author than author of my own pointless story. That is all. What allows me to say "Jesus is my Lord and Savior" is my patience, my faith. I do not know more than you. But I like the story that Jesus started and am willing to be part of it at a personal cost. It is better than nothing.
Re: Dabrowski’s theory and existential depression (2020)
#80My ex-wife (who was with me for decades) tagged me as an existentialist early on, and I guess it was true. I don't really understand how we can see the universe another way, without lying to ourselves: bad things happen, and nothing is done about it. What Christian theologians have called "The Problem of Evil" leads me to see the universe as uncaring, indifferent. The only way out of it that has worked for me is to c…
It's interesting that many atheists seem to argue that the only two choices are either a Christian god, or a basically meaningless universe, and a keystone for Christianity to be the wrong option is the problem of evil. But there are so many other philosophies that have resolved this.
For example, some Hindu schools explain that god is the only one that experiences anything. The paradox of its infinite nature means the only way it can experience its own goodness is to play hide and seek with itself in a land of illusion that appears evil.
In Buddhism, it's a beginningless tangled web of karma. The meaning is to untangle and extinguish it.
In Hawaiian mythology, you have Kane, Lono, and Ku. There is no concept of an infinitely good infinitely loving god.
This isn't to say atheism/nihilism is necessarily wrong, but the problem of evil always seems like the weakest argument in its defense.