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Obituary for a quiet life (2023)

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Re: Obituary for a quiet life (2023)

#211

Post by alt227 »

GeoAtreides wrote: post #38
ttiurani wrote: post #16

> All around us are these lives — heads down and arms open — that ignore the siren call of flashy American individualism, of bright lights and center stage. I’m fine right here is the response from the edge of the room, and that contentment is downright subversive. How could you want only that? the world demands. There’s more to have, always more. Beautiful writing, and I feel this part especially elevates it. Going…

> the world demands. There’s more to have, always more. is it really the world? or is it the ad industry? the social media algorithms? bet if we shutdown the ad industry and accept only sorted by date for social media the world will quiet down tremendously

Ads and social media are not the reason that humans have climbed mountains or sailed unmapped seas for centuries. They are not the reason captain Scott died on a polar expedition.

Seeking fame and fortune is baked into the human condition, all the way back to hierarchy in tribes.

Re: Obituary for a quiet life (2023)

#213

Post by wrycoder »

beryilma wrote: post #193
blackSnake wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've noticed that too. Its an unnatural thing for the body to do, interacting with a computer or other digital device for that length of time. I've never walked away from using the computer feeling charged and rejuvenated, even when working on something I enjoy. Not mentally, I am referring to a whole body feeling. I believe the vibrations emanating from digital devices is partly incompatible with human biology, so t…

This is absolute nonsense. Plants, nature, etc. will for sure make people feel better compared to sitting in front of a computer. They will not make you instantly stronger or weaker... I guarantee that no double-blind experiment will ever show such effects.

Well, not entirely. What you hold subtly affects your response to a push, and the effect can be dramatic. The pusher, with eyes closed, will notice the difference.

Re: Obituary for a quiet life (2023)

#214

Post by treflop »

heresie-dabord wrote: post #210
treflop wrote: post #205

I’ve met and seen a lot of people in life and while it’s nearly impossible for a life to be stress-free, the content and successful people I’ve seen — poor, rich, whatever — seem to share one commonality: they found their passions in life, whether be it running a successful company, working with charity, hanging with neighborhood inline skate friends or raising cattle in the country side, and they get to do it nearly…

> the content and successful people I’ve seen — poor, rich, whatever — seem to share one commonality: they found their passions in life > Everyone else is just packing for [...] an endless journey without a chance of satisfaction. With no offence to you and all the fine people whom you know/have known, I think it's clear that there is no regret in living a good, kind, caring life without seeking a "passion" or consum…

Living a good, kind, caring life is a passion to me. You have to discover it.

Re: Obituary for a quiet life (2023)

#216

Post by akomtu »

accrual wrote: post #201
akomtu wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The word "mindfully" at the end carries too much meaning that can't be unpacked without reading a bunch of books. This story looks identical to many stories told in the dzogchen branch of buddhism. The basic idea is that normal life is full of earthly activities: chopping woods and carrying water. An average mind gets distracted by those activities and is dragged passively from one distraction to another. An enlighte…

This was a very approachable explanation, thank you. Do you have any particular resources you'd recommend for learning more about this?

"The Essence of Dzogchen in the Native Bon Tradition of Tibet"

Re: Obituary for a quiet life (2023)

#217

Post by consf »

zorrolovsky wrote: post #23

Beautiful writing. It comes at an interesting time for me. I'm in a full blown mid-life crisis where my state of mind fluctuates between full contentment and wishing I was doing more with life. This article made me think. On the one hand, I'm content because I come from an unprivileged background. My family was abusive. Me and my brothers struggled with mental health. We ran away from home as soon as we could. Where…

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Re: Obituary for a quiet life (2023)

#218

Post by consf »

JackMorgan wrote: post #110
eggdaft wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve achieved everything I set out to in life, at least everything I have control over and set out to do when I was in my 20s. I’ve added a new ambition after some thought, not sure if I’ll manage to squeeze it in. But I see the second half of my life now as predominantly about “service”. I think it’s important for everyone to have a life, to do the things they love, to follow some ambition or passion and take care o…

I feel the same. I spent the first 15 years of my career climbing out of poverty. Now, I've got stability, so the last few years I'm focusing on service towards others. I've been volunteering for the last two years as a firefighter, and yesterday just finished the required ride alongs to complete my EMT. It feels good to deeply integrate with my local community, caring for neighbors when they need help. Between emerg…

> I spent the first 15 years of my career climbing out of poverty.

I am at this stage of life's journey where I understand that just a little bit more and I will be able to enjoy my existence...

Re: Obituary for a quiet life (2023)

#219

Post by consf »

ip26 wrote: post #138
zorrolovsky wrote: post #23

Beautiful writing. It comes at an interesting time for me. I'm in a full blown mid-life crisis where my state of mind fluctuates between full contentment and wishing I was doing more with life. This article made me think. On the one hand, I'm content because I come from an unprivileged background. My family was abusive. Me and my brothers struggled with mental health. We ran away from home as soon as we could. Where…

What is the reason you want to do more? For me, struggling and learning is what I enjoy. Within that framework, it’s not about payout or fame, only the worthy challenge. As I begin to realize this about myself, I have become less worried about measuring achievement, which removes a good deal of the pressure.

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Re: Obituary for a quiet life (2023)

#220

Post by consf »

waihtis wrote: post #133
zorrolovsky wrote: post #23

Beautiful writing. It comes at an interesting time for me. I'm in a full blown mid-life crisis where my state of mind fluctuates between full contentment and wishing I was doing more with life. This article made me think. On the one hand, I'm content because I come from an unprivileged background. My family was abusive. Me and my brothers struggled with mental health. We ran away from home as soon as we could. Where…

I took me a long time to realize it, but the "right" answer here is to focus on living one day at a time, regardless how far or close you're currently setting your aim towards.

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