Losing Interest in Day to Day

[ConnorLWhitehead]

So wrapped up in the wonder of death that everything in life seems silly. I understand the importance of life as it is meant to be a learning experience, though I feel I've hit a wall in my own philosophical breakthroughs. This has affected many things I used to enjoy talking about and discussing. Stimulating topics of conversation that me and a friend of mine could pick apart for hours without a single lull, I find myself now annoyed by these subjects. As I feel that they are only teasing me. Presenting to me every piece of evidence available to make a conclusion, yet still remaining behind the great mysterious veil of death.
Raised Christian, my understanding of death was obviously pretty concrete and so it didn't bother me as much. But ever since I parted ways with any traditional belief my understanding of death seems even worse. The acid didn't help either.

[Sy Borg]

Death comes soon enough. Too soon. Your curiosity will surely one day be quelled. Whatever, it's not unusual to be bored by discussions where the same things keep being said over and over by people with the same old agendas.

What to do in the meantime amongst these maddening apes before abandoning this mortal coil? One option is to study nature, especially the simple plants and insects of your local area (as they are easy to access). Doing this helps me feel grounded within my biology, which was not always the case. Homo sapiens, having killed off and out-competed other hominids, created a mental gap between themselves and other species. As such, we can feel disconnected and estranged to our evolutionary heritage, and end up being ungrounded in the way you described above. While people so often give the impression that human society is the be-all-and-end-all of reality - the only thing that matters - this is BS of the highest order. We benefit greatly from spending quality time with "lesser organisms".

The point of day-to-day living, however, is not interest. Never expect it. Work and drudge is the sacrifice we make today for the sake of a better tomorrow. Most of life is drudge work. The "sparkly bits" are far less prevalent, and all the more welcome for their scarcity. This can lead to a sense of "mourning" for "the buzz", like a middle aged couple long past their youthful passion and now just irritated with each other.

Seeking the thrill of life's magical moments does not bring sustainable life benefits unless one is very lucky, eg. film and pop stars. Rather, it's the slower, more subtle satisfaction of seeing projects through to successful completion, or in-depth delving into topics that will more reliably bring life benefits.

[Eduk]

I find myself now annoyed by these subjects. As I feel that they are only teasing me. Presenting to me every piece of evidence available to make a conclusion, yet still remaining behind the great mysterious veil of death. .

So out of interest what exactly do you feel is hiding behind death?

[Ormond]

Great posts Connor, and Greta too!

Hmm....

The first observation that came to mind was that your post is all about the symbolic realm, ideas, topics, subjects, conversations, philosophical breakthroughs, evidence, conclusions, etc. This is a philosophy forum of course, so the focus on the symbolic is appropriate. But...

Maybe you've gone as far in the symbolic as you can go? Maybe you've not been studying reality, but ideas about reality, and that can take you only so far?

An example to illustrate. Say I wanted to learn about your friends. So I go to your Facebook page and download all their comments and photos and begin analyzing this symbolic data in earnest. Surely I can learn something about your friends in this way, but there's a limit to such an operation. If I wanted to get serious about knowing your friends I'd have to meet them in person. Meeting your friends in the real world would uncover a wealth of understanding not available on the Internet.

My theory for the moment is that you're intelligent enough to have explored the world of philosophy (ie. symbolic realm) far enough to reach the boundaries of it's usefulness, but you perhaps haven't yet figured out how to keep exploring beyond those boundaries.

Consider the caveman who has spent years exploring the landscape by walking, and his long journey finally brings him to the edge of the ocean. He wants to keep walking because that's what he's used to and comfortable with, but he sees he's not going to be able to explore the ocean by walking. So he faces a choice...

1) Retreat from the ocean and keep on walking over the same ground he's already seen, and make peace with the resulting boredom, or...

2) Learn to swim.

Which is more important? The inquiry, or our preferred methodology?

There isn't a right or wrong answer here, as each of us decides this for ourselves. But it is perhaps helpful to know what the question is.

[Felix]

So wrapped up in the wonder of death that everything in life seems silly.

You can't get wrapped up in the wonder of death without actually dying (Yama doesn't gift wrap), only the mystique of it. To be or not to be, that is the question....

And perhaps life is silly, one big cosmic joke, and we are the punchline.

[Leon]

Fullfillment in life is difficult for thinkers.
If thinking is no fullfillment in itself (for you), try something else (doing/dreaming).

[Ormond]

Fullfillment in life is difficult for thinkers.

Aha! Yes. Wise words.

Because thinking divides us from life.

[Leon]

Fullfillment in life is difficult for thinkers.

Aha! Yes. Wise words.

Because thinking divides us from life.

Thanks. i was wondering if it's possible to speak of "social movement" towards "splendid isolation" in the need to prove one's own right, while the social movement to "general connectivity" is more in giving in.

So many people who want general connectivity are trained in "winning" the debate.

[IntroSpectral]

If you are like me then you seek to find truths about life through philosophical discussion, and even though you may have stumbled upon the truth you have no real way of realizing it.
Life does not require discussion, at a certain point you try to forget everything you have 'learned' and just experience your environment in the most ignorant way possible.
That's where I am anyways.

Maybe try psychology.