š
I feel you so much. I used to have extreme existential anxiety so much so that sometimes I couldnāt sleep. Lately this has changed I canāt exactly pin point why but thereās a couple of thoughts that calm me down. Firstly we as humans always think we have it all figured out and we know what happens after but even if you are atheist you donāt know whatās going to happen and probably never will. For me the fear that thereās just nothing after death just lights out was scary but how would we actually know this is going to happen, we see ourselves as omniscient although there are so many things that we will probably never discover or understand.
You have to learn how to live with the uncontrollability and uncertainty of it. Secondly time passes anyways and death is inevitable no matter what you do. If I worry or if I donāt worry Iām going to die, might as well enjoy my time. Life is absurd. I think my existential dread calmed down a bit when I started reading Camus. Maybe life doesnāt have to have a meaning. If youāre interested in philosophy i definitely recommend reading Camus or thereās also youtube videos that summarise his Philosophy. I really liked āthe fallā and āthe strangerā and am currently reading āthe myth of Sisyphusā. Maybe some of these things resonate with you :))
Oct 29, 2024
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šŖ
absurdism is the idea that life has no inherent meaning, and humans struggle because we keep searching for meaning in a meaningless universe.
Albert Camusā paradox called
āthe absurdā: we crave meaning but the universe gives us none. the desire for purpose and the silent indifferent world.
the illusion of control is about believing we have power over things we dont. its comforting to think our choices shape everything.
both ideas challenge the notion that we can impose order on life.
criticisms:
1. it contradicts itself
absurdism claims life has no inherent meaning, yet cramus argues we should embrace the absurd in order to live fully. But isnt choosing to embrace life a kind of meaning? if rejecting meaning is itself a meaningful choice doesn't that contradict the core idea?
2. it underestimates human nature
humans naturally seek meaning, pattern, and purpose. absurdism suggests that ignoring or resisting this drive isnt realistic. if meaning is something we need, can we truly live without it, or is absurdism just an intellectual stance that doesn't hold up in everyday life
questions i have:
1. is accepting the absurd truly freeing, or just another way of coping?
- Camus says we should embrace the absurd and live anyway, but is that just another āmeaningā we create to make existence tolerable?
2. If control is an illusion, how do we explain personal responsibility?
-if we dont really have control, dose that mean weāre not responsible for our actions? or is there still some level of agency within chaos?
3. whats the difference between embracing absurdism and nihilism?
-nihilism says ānothing mattersā while absurdism says ānothing mattersā¦ so live anyway.ā but is that really enough of a distinction? or is absurdism just a more optimistic version of nihilism?
4. dose meaning exist outside of human perception?
-if we, as humans, disappeared, would āmeaningā cease to exist? or is meaning something bigger than us, even if we canāt understand it?
Feb 20, 2025
These are my boys. For a good time read āThe Trouble With Being Bornā by Cioran and anything related to Schopenhauer. I really enjoy the brief moment where they make me feel like an optimist. Warning: do not read while pregnant. If you donāt want to read, which I understand, then I guess Iām just recommending pessimism in general?
Dec 10, 2024
š³
I think I spent most of my life thinking I had a specific lack, i.e. that I was less "real" than the people around me. Only in the last few years did I realize that our general conditions produce what feels like a personal failing... we are awash in information but not meaning; the conditions of our lives feel disconnected from a shared history or struggle; the tools or vocabulary by which we can bring "ourselves" into being keeps getting thinner and more trivial. If you feel like you're waiting for yourself to arrive, waiting to be alive to yourself in a way that makes you aware that you are free, I recommend Kierkegaard. He's lowkey a funny troll, also.
Nov 5, 2023
Top Recs from @lilli2000
Donāt become numb. Nothing is cringe. Be less ironic. Caring is the coolest thing you can do. Turn soft and lovely whenever you can. Individualism is dumb. Depending on people is beautiful. We are all one. Talk to somebody on the train or in the store. Smile at people walking past you. Free yourself.
Nov 4, 2024
š
Itās probably my favourite song ever. For me itās packed with all different emotions. It makes me feel alive and I think it might be a perfect song.
Jan 8, 2025
Taking a 10 minute walk in the morning right after waking up is uncomfortable but completely changes my day! Try it! i feel like it makes my Adhd better and me more productive but also happy because I enjoy the sun in the morning. Listening to feel good song find a spot in the sun close your eyes and feel your body warm up. Very stone age just woke up leaving the cave now vibes.
Oct 24, 2024