Nothing Really Matters

Sounds like you need a good dose of Buddhism. It really is the only religion of enlightenment, and the only one that really makes any proper sense.

It's also the only TRUE religion of PEACE, although ALL the others claim to be.

I'm an atheist of spiritual background, but if I were to ever have to choose a religion, I think it would be Buddhism.

originally posted by: Dark Ghost
a reply to: Kandinsky

I have indeed basked in apathy.

But when you consider life, and I mean REALLY consider it, the insignificance of your own life in the grand scheme of existence automatically leads one to be apathetic.

You make some really valuable points, but they don't change the grim nature of reality.

It is too bad you have not tried a route other than what is presented to you.

Do you never feel creative and forceful enough to just start doing things until a better reality comes clear ??

If not, I am sure that life will continue to smack down all around until you have actually had enough.

Most times, those that feel the way you do need to actually ask YOURSELF what you are doing here.

Trouble is, most often, you do not even understand what that means.... so just START DOING IT.

Please consider the theory of the butterfly effect. Edward Lorenz was the guy to stumble upon this branch of chaos theory. Basically what it boils down to is that a very small, seemingly insignificant action can cause wide reaching consequences. It is possible that the flapping of the wings of a butterfly could cause a hurricane in another location many miles away.

Then there is the theory of quantum entanglement, which has been proved experimentally. Basically by observing a particle and measuring it, there are effects on other particles, not that there is communication, but it is what Einstein described as "spooky action at a distance."

We can imagine the universe and consider that we are smaller than specks of dust are to us on that scale. Either nothing matters and we are just a blip in the universe, or maybe we are that speck of dust, that lands on the wing of the butterfly, that makes it flap just a bit differently...

Me? I am just here to see what it is all about. I don't know what's going to happen and that's part of the fun.

a reply to: Dark Ghost


Someone asked about medication but apparently cant tell the difference between illness and real human reflection about our condition. Cant reflect on this without sounding depressed to some.

a reply to: Dark Ghost

You can choose your focus.
You can choose your perspective.

If you appreciate what you have, in those moments you'll be happy unless you keep saying "but...but..." getting distracted focusing on what you do not have.

Practice makes perfect. If you can't keep focus meditate or do affirmations.

Hell focusing to much on what you do have leads to this condition.

I mean think about the logic? Why would anyone that puts "focus" on what they do have not be lead on to whats outside the door? Don't look at what we have so much in a relative way. Thats hard to do friend. You cant give your brother "your cloak also" if your to very thankful for your cloak.

a reply to: Dark Ghost

I felt exactly the way you feel now until I started taking an anti-depressant 6 months ago.

Since then, I've started my own business (something I always dreamed of doing) and found a place locally to take cheap welding and blacksmithing classes so I can work on some projects I've been daydreaming about.

Life is only hopeless if you let it feel that way. Anti-depressants are not "happy pills" and they don't make you suddenly love life but they help with the feeling of apathy that keeps you from pursuing everything that you enjoy. I would wake up every morning thinking "what's the point in getting out of bed?" Now I wake up thinking "what do I want to work on today?"

People who bash anti-depressants always focus on the cases where there were adverse effects and ignore the millions of people with positive outcomes. You can do that with any medication but it's foolish.

originally posted by: Logarock
a reply to: Dark Ghost


Someone asked about medication but apparently cant tell the difference between illness and real human reflection about our condition. Cant reflect on this without sounding depressed to some.

That's exactly how someone with depression justifies it.

"I'm not depressed, I just see through the bullsh!t better than everyone else. Ignorance is bliss. Blah blah blah..."

I used to say the same thing and all it did was annoy my friends and help me rationalize my thoughts.

DarkGhost:

But when you consider life, and I mean REALLY consider it, the insignificance of your own life in the grand scheme of existence automatically leads one to be apathetic.

What you have absent in your life is a sense of purpose that is meaningful to you, that will encourage you to engage with it. This I know, because I am in a similar situational perspective as yourself. It's a void that is perceived in one's own world view.

Life itself is indeed...purposeless, but at the same time, you have to understand the criteria by which you contextualise your own life within the parameters of other lives. Let's rid you of the assumption and label people will put upon you, and that is, you are not apathetic, but unconsciously seeking an affirmation, and cannot perceive it any where...that is your problem.

Suppose you had a goal you wanted to achieve? After years of hard work you achieve it...then what? Set another goal? It is often said that it is not the 'arriving' that is the best part of a journey, but the 'journey' itself. While you remain on a journey, the purpose of arriving remains and sustains the impetus to keep going, to stay engaged. Once you 'arrive' the impetus to keep going and to stay engaged dissipates, and a void grows where engagement was.

Who gives a damn if one is the best looking, the most athletic, the most intelligent, the most wealthy, the most every other superlative...it doesn't matter except to those that need such trite and trivial affirmations of empowerment from others. It is all irrelevant in the great scheme of things...and that is the 'get out' clause. We should never ever empower others above our own self-esteem. Death sends us all into oblivion, nor matter how high or low we achieve, it's the one denominator that equalises us all.

Try to engage your mind with some distraction, something that will have you extending yourself beyond your known capability. It doesn't matter if you achieve an end result, it is the journey that makes life interesting and filled with purpose.

I agree that you should not resort to medication. And i know what you mean by "find a hobby?"

A quick video about "wanting" and "happiness" if you're interested.

All those things don't really help at times like these I'm afraid.

a reply to: Dark Ghost
I can tell you why nothing helps, because you don't want them to help. Simple. If you wanted to think in more positive terms, you would. For some reason, those thoughts supply you with some unknown need. Find out what that need is and get rid of it.

When you are faced with negativity, simply turn towards positivity, even the tiniest amount, and you immediately start a new timeline with new possibilities.

a reply to: Answer

I'm already on anti-depressants and have been for almost 10 years...

They have helped me manage my illness tremendously.

I was just having a "dark day" the day I wrote this thread.

In hindsight I probably should have refrained from making it, but at least I can see now that some people related to the feelings I was having on the day, so that made it worthwhile.

originally posted by: donktheclown
I can tell you why nothing helps, because you don't want them to help. Simple. If you wanted to think in more positive terms, you would. For some reason, those thoughts supply you with some unknown need. Find out what that need is and get rid of it.

Interesting perspective. It's not that I don't want anything to help, and it's not that I refuse to think in positive terms, it's more that the mindset that kicks in on those dark days is so overwhelming that I cannot cope effectively.

When you are faced with negativity, simply turn towards positivity, even the tiniest amount, and you immediately start a new timeline with new possibilities.

Far easier said than done. Maybe I don't have the mental fortitude to achieve such a feat?

a reply to: Dark Ghost

I have created this thread after reading yours
www.abovetopsecret.com...

originally posted by: Dark Ghost

When you are faced with negativity, simply turn towards positivity, even the tiniest amount, and you immediately start a new timeline with new possibilities.

Far easier said than done. Maybe I don't have the mental fortitude to achieve such a feat?

Mental fortitude. I know what you mean, you realize how insignificant we are. The big picture, nothing matters. So now what? Just try to spread happiness and love....? Like you say, easier said than done. For me personally, i think getting off the computers and TV's. Read a book and meditate. Again, easier said than done.

I feel, and I know i'm regurgitating words and ideas that have been preached many times before, and not only here at ATS, even in this very thread. Oh well. I just felt a strong connection to this thread.

Maybe I don't have the mental fortitude to achieve such a feat?

a reply to: Dark Ghost

You have the fortitude, it's just that you're stating that you don't. Your mind says, ok, the Boss doesn't have the necessary "fortitude," so be it. Boom, done deal. This will be your attitude, so add any negativity to your life and that Universe building mind of yours will make it so. It's what it does !!

Moving on to "easier said than done."...IT IS EASY !! When you're down in the dumps and you can't get out of it, find a cat, a kitten, a comedy on tv, naked porcupine calendars, you name it. Anything that is more positive than what you've been ruminating on is in the right direction, see? Then keep moving in that direction. I know you can do it because you are ME and I (WE) can do anything. Remember, (everyone sing) If you try, really try, you can almost touch the sky...LOVE man, LOVE

I know what you mean, you realize how insignificant we are. The big picture, nothing matters.

a reply to: southernplayalistic

Oh man. Nothing matters EXCEPT YOU !!!!!!! Nothing !!!!!

a reply to: Dark Ghost

I think when you are thinking this strongly about life, you have to test the validity of your assertions. I am SURE you have talents and skills, for one thing your writing is very articulate. And feeling hopeless is something we all feel as human beings at one time or another in our life. Whenever I have felt this way, I think of the analog of turbulence. It comes on suddenly sometimes, its scary and uncomfortable, but it ALWAYS ends given time. Life is variability, it NEVER stays too pleasant or unpleasant forever. IF you have nothing else to sustain you, rest assured time will carry you through to better days. Good luck.

a reply to: Dark Ghost

Happiness & self worth are defined by materialism.

What about the cycle of Birth School Job Family Death appeals to you?

a reply to: Dark Ghost

You know what, i used to hate feeling bad.Every time i felt bad, i used to try very hard to stop it, i used to try all the tricks in the book, think positive, don't depend on external factors etc etc.

The problem was that i couldn't handle hard times, i wasn't strong enough.

Everything changed when i started to endure it.

So my advice to you is: Be man enough to live it. There is black and white in life, if you cant live the black, you don't deserve the white (you don't really know joy, without passing through sadness.

You just cant achieve virtue, without passing through vices.

Hang in there, weakness always gives way to strength, but you have to hold on and take it.