A new philosophy: Ophelism

reply to post by arpgme
Ophelia where have you gone? This word really jumped at me as i have been watching The Band dvd and love that song. Wonder what the history is on that word? Great idea if you can retrain the brain to become aware to act instead of react .Is that the general idea? cheers 1% That is The Last Waltz.

reply to post by arpgme



You never cease to amaze with your threads,

In my opinion you are one of the real seekers of understanding on this site,



Thank you for sharing

Google Ophelism and your thread comes up Just out of interest I? wanted to see if this had been discussed like it has here, and it hasn't.

Thank you OP. I had this outlook on life anyhow, but now I have a word to put to that drive. Thank you

The problem with this philosophy is it promotes stagnation.

Why do anything at all when the situation you're in has such great benefits?

I'm living with my parents. Great, free rent!
I'm a virgin. Great, I'm pure!
I don't have a job. So much free time to browse the internet and learn!
There is a burglar in my house. Awesome, I love meeting new people, and I have a lot of extra stuff I don't need anyway!
There is a rapist in my house. I'm finally going to lose my virginity!

I can see some issues with this approach to life. It's hardship that creates progress, not rose-tinted glasses. Every great advancement has come about from some guy saying "This sucks, there has to be a better way", not finding the benefit from whatever struggle they are currently in.

I prefer "screwthisism".

It's a philosphy where you find all the ways things currently suck and then get off your ass to make them better for everyone. I'm not very good at it though, because "lazyism", my second philosophy, always wins out.

It reminds me a little of game theory.

thank you, i found out what philosophy i believe in. just yesterday a lady was mad at us workers for having to work one a saturday night at the next door chic fil a. she didnt understand that saturday night was the only night we can, being closed on sunday and all.(tearing up tile floors and replacing the grout.) anyways, that sunday morning she came around the fence and gave us good what for about it. most of the men got upset and defensive. i did initially, but then i thought. this lady is oblivious to the situation and just because she doesnt ask the right questions doesnt mean i can chastise her for her point of view.so then i realized how irrelevant it all was as having an affect on my mood. so i smiled, quietly said i hope her day goes better, and went on with mine. Its simle, but you can learn with the right approach. i support ophelism, and i believe myself to have come across it before i found this thread, It validates and now i have a name for it. I am also very happy and motivated to know others are finding this too. see, optimistic view....ophelism, lol. thank you flag.

...so

Optimism..?

How about no more philosophical labels..

Fig. 1
"Oh my god, I didn't know this is what it meant to be happy or to think.
I'll call this philosophy."

Originally posted by arpgme
Ophelism is a word a came up with to describe this philosophy. The root "ophel-" comes from Greek meaning "advantage". Ophelism is the perspective of seeing things through its benefit.

I have one called Awfulism, and it's almost exactly the opposite of yours. They sound really similar though. Odd, isn't it?

reply to post by arpgme

Sounds practical enough. But somewhere there are Ophelist slaves thinking: "Hey, at least we're getting better at withstanding the lash!"

To only see the bright-side of things is wagering on half-truths. One can only avoid pessimism and common-sense for so long.

A beautiful and constructive attitude and philosophical approach to life's challenges. I agree with it in principle and theory.

However, it occurs to me that much of one's capacity to maintain this philosophy will depend on the individual capacity for suffering. There are things that are uncomfortable and painful in which benefit can be found despite that discomfort or pain. And then there are things which are outright torturous or devastating, which due to whatever limits one might find placed upon them psychologically with regard to their capacity for suffering, cannot be seen by the individual to produce positive benefit to them or anyone else. Or which they cannot endure without simply "breaking."

Then there are larger scale things, such as mass atrocities. Are we to focus on whatever arguable positive benefits such events might theoretically have, at the expense of the ethical and humanitarian implications? Or merely in concert with them? (Arguably a less biased, more holistic view, but one many might have ethical conflicts concerning... likely including myself.)

I'm just playing the devil's advocate, though. If you can maintain this philosophy, you will likely find yourself far more contended and fulfilled in life. I know that for myself personally, thinking in this way helps me through some things, but becomes untenable for others despite my best efforts.

Peace.

reply to post by arpgme


sorry my mistake... carry on

outstanding, immediately made me want to use this knowledge in my everyday life, thank u

reply to post by tridentblue

Originally posted by tridentblue

Seeing advantage seems really powerful. The issue I've seen with overly optimistic individuals is that they discard negative information. You've got to take it all in, and then identify the advantage in it, so no denial.

Yes, the "negative" information has benefits as well. For example, pain hurts and weakens the body, but it also gives it a chance to grow stronger (exercise).

reply to post by WiseThinker

Originally posted by WiseThinker
I love the way you describe it, much more down to earth and easy to sell to the un enlightened.

I usually end up with a rant about Ying Yang, balance, not knowing good if you do not know evil, the NEED for contrast...

Personally i believe "the reason i have been able to find such a bright flame flame to guide me now, is the same reason i was able to find such a big and dark shadow" (if that made sense, its cyclical)

Being in dark brings much contrast when seeing light. Even the smallest flame seems to glow brilliantly when in the dark.

reply to post by my1percent

Originally posted by my1percent
Ophelia where have you gone? This word really jumped at me as i have been watching The Band dvd and love that song. Wonder what the history is on that word?

Ophel comes from The Greek Root Word meaning "Advantage".

reply to post by n00bUK

Originally posted by n00bUK
Google Ophelism and your thread comes up

Just out of interest I? wanted to see if this had been discussed like it has here, and it hasn't.

No problem. I love to come up with words. I may discuss this later at another place(s).

reply to post by humphreysjim

Originally posted by humphreysjim
The problem with this philosophy is it promotes stagnation.

Why do anything at all when the situation you're in has such great benefits?

Because different situations brings different benefits/opportunities. It is up to you to decide which you desire, but if you cannot achieve the desire, instead of feeling pain you can remember the benefits of this situation.

reply to post by streetfightingman

Originally posted by streetfightingman
...so

Optimism..?

Different, as explained in the original post.

Originally posted by streetfightingman
How about no more philosophical labels..

Fig. 1
"Oh my god, I didn't know this is what it meant to be happy or to think.
I'll call this philosophy."

edit on 14-1-2013 by streetfightingman because: (no reason given)

Philosophy is a way of looking at things, and different people see things in different ways. The point of language is to communicate such ideas.

reply to post by LesMisanthrope

Originally posted by LesMisanthrope
Sounds practical enough. But somewhere there are Ophelist slaves thinking: "Hey, at least we're getting better at withstanding the lash!"

Ophelism is seeing the benefits, you can use that to help yourself enjoy the current situation or as motivation towards another, either way, you'll be a bit more happy.

reply to post by AceWombat04

Originally posted by AceWombat04

Then there are larger scale things, such as mass atrocities. Are we to focus on whatever arguable positive benefits such events might theoretically have, at the expense of the ethical and humanitarian implications? Or merely in concert with them? (Arguably a less biased, more holistic view, but one many might have ethical conflicts concerning... likely including myself.)

It is an experience that can be used to the benefit of all. A mass atrocity that happened can be learned from to prevent it from happening in the future. I am not saying to approve of anything, only inviting you to see the benefit of how the things that you do not desire are serving you.


When you suffered pain, you can just call it pain, or you can lean more to the positive side of seeing how that experience has made you stronger, and when you do so, and others hear your story, you may empower others...

reply to post by arpgme


Perhaps in retrospect, but I'm thinking about in the moment. When you are suffering so much pain or psychologically overwhelming trauma, stress, etc. that you can feel and think of nothing else. Or when such experiences damage the psyche such that it cannot necessarily ever recover. I.e. not everything we suffer makes us stronger, necessarily. Some things only inflict damage so great that any learning we might have derived from it is obliterated by the very damage it inflicts.

Even then there is benefit in communicating the experience to others, I agree. But I'm talking about when you're in the moment and experiencing it in the first place.

Peace.

reply to post by AceWombat04


If you give a more specific situation, maybe I can go into more detail.

Something small like, I dropped a can of my foot - I can see the benefit of it as that brought to my awareness to be more careful.

Something as huge as a war, I can see the benefit of evaluating my moral standards to make sure it does not become so extreme.

Something huge such as a tornado or earthquake, I benefit me by helping me become aware of my survival skills and to see the value of family, friends, and community as we care for each other.

What is new about it?

The New Testament encouraged this attitude 2000 years ago.

reply to post by pacifier2012


From my perspective, The New Testament, focused more on basic social rules such as treating others as you want to be treated and not keeping the mind aligned with the actions. Also, more into spiritual/faithful matter such as Heaven and God.

This philosophy is focusing on a specific area, and helping to change the mind from a "life happens TO me" to a "life happens FOR me" mentality. Seeing the benefits of each situation.

reply to post by arpgme


I agree, at least objectively, with each of those examples.

Take this one for instance, though. Suppose someone gets assaulted. In the moment that they're being assaulted, assume that their psychological state is such that they are literally incapable of finding any modicum of objectivity or peace of mind, and can only experience terror or the physical pain of the assault. Assume that as the result of physical injury incurred in the assault, the person then goes into a deep coma with no level of awareness, and has no further consciousness of which they are aware beyond that point.

Of course, externally people can learn from that experience and benefit from those lessons. But what about the individual person during the event itself, and thereafter where they no longer possess meaningful consciousness?

That's an extreme example, of course. For a slightly more mundane one, suppose someone witnesses a loved one die and spirals into a deep depressive state. They can learn from their sorrow in many ways, as well as from the loss, objectively. But suppose the subjective state of their psychology prohibits the learning of those lessons because their thinking and judgment are impaired, and they cannot through will, medication, or other treatment avenues, escape from these limitations to their ability to cope with their pain.

Assume furthermore that they never recover for whatever reason and, at no point during their decline following that death, become objective and capable of deriving those lessons from the tragedy. Then, not thinking rationally and having impaired judgment, they commit suicide without ever having learned those lessons. Again, others can learn from this, but what of the individual experiencing it first hand subjectively and in the moment, who is trapped by impaired judgment and loss of reason to the extent that they cannot exercise or even fathom this philosophical application to their situation?

Those are just two scenarios off the top of my head where I would argue that the experience did not make them stronger, and that the failure of it to do so was not a result of conscious choice on their part necessarily. To say otherwise assumes that there will always, in every instance, be the option for non-impaired, cogent, rational judgment, and thus the ability to apply this philosophy. In my opinion that assumption is not always consistent with reality.

I can also envision scenarios where lessons learned, while positive, might be overwhelmed by suffering or dysfunction to the extent that for all practical intents and purposes, said lessons become essentially moot. That doesn't mean they aren't learned necessarily though, of course

(Again, just playing the devil's advocate. I really do think this is a beautiful philosophy people can potentially improve their level of contentment and fulfillment in life by successfully employing if they are so inclined and capable of maintaining it.)

Peace.

Excellent thread. Ophelism is the very definition of what I mean in that negative and positive are forever intertwined. The candle and the shadow will always be brothers, even though they stand at opposite ends. We fail to realize how much control we have over the light and dark in our souls.