Kind of a shame though. In heroic tales such as Lord of the Rings, you basically defeat darkness by giving it substance, by acknowledging it, and giving it value. Essentially, to become a hero, you must engulf and justify evil and the villain. It is not easy. This is the very concept that makes life not worth it for me.
I think there's a good and bad side of this. If it makes it easier for you to emotionally accept your current situation then that's probably a good thing. But I think it becomes damaging when people just give up completely, blame external circumstances and shut down anyone that tries to be positive (in other words, the black pill community). Maybe I'm stating the obvious now, but still needs to be said.
Read the tao te king. That philosopht resssembles this a lot. Daoism abd emil cioran are my faves. They made me realize i dobt have to overexploit myself to validate myself❤️. We dont have to suffer to be worthy
If we confront the utter meaninglessness of life, and face the utmost ugliness and disorientation of the universe, how then will it make us affirmed of life? I don't really have much knowledge about philosophy but these nihilist schools of thought baffles me. Even if life is meaningless, that too shouldn't concern us at all. We'll keep doing whatever we're doing, we'll always try to minimise our suffering and pain, in whatever way we can. The necessity is to recognise ourselves as one united species, and try to reduce the disorientation by sort of coherence. That's all that matters. Life meaningful or not, there's nothing we can do much, except developing ourselves, individually and as a race.
@@abraxas_x You're confusing cause and effect. Nihilism did not grow in a vacuum. It's not like it's a proposed solution to all of life's problems. It's a mere reaction to human's constant striving for meaning, for purpose, for truth. This is as fundamental as breathing in oxygen. If it's as simple as telling humans "life meaningful or not, keep developing yourselves" that would be a wonderful, almost perfect world. But you realize that's not how human minds work, that's not how life works, so nihilism (and all philosophy) is borne as a result.
@abraxas_x The beautiful thing about life having no inherent meaning is that we each of us can give it mean. We decide to meaning to our live. To me that is better than predestined life. It is more freeing.
I felt understood. Everyone thinks I am a very optimistic and positive person, but in reality I am depressed, anxious and thinking about the meaning of life. You got it when you assumed that sad people tend to appreciate life’s joyful moments more: nature, animals, friends and humour are my solace here on Earth.
I really believe there's even more reasons to be happy for you guys! Books, games, just walking, maybe family, we all will die anyway, and this moment while we here so amazing!!! Wish you the best, and glad you have reasons to breathe and be alive! 💙❤️
Just live your life do what you love nobody know the meaning of life that's like living on the earth and wondering about mars has life or not.If people knew the meaning of their life they'd be disinterested or even scared these things kept a mystery for your own sake.
That's great but still not meaningful turn to Allah, being lond to animals is great but being kind to fellow humans who are in need will give you the real meaming of life trust me @ChickpeatheTortie
Depends on the level of depression Low grade depression: emotionally connected Clinical major depression: I don't feel human anymore, I don't feel anything. I wouldn't wish the second kind on my worst enemy, and I'm grateful to have finally found antidepressants that work
It helps when you start to realize the people who don’t acknowledge this aspect of existence are often the singularly most annoying people to be around.
They tell you that you’re too negative, too pessimistic and don’t believe in God., because if you believe in God some say , then all your needs will be taken care of, God will provide., except God does not provide for the billions of people at least 2 billion people around the globe who live in poverty, hunger and war., because whoever God is has given humanity enough resources to make life on earth good for all, but as long as we have humans who hoard billions of dollars in wealth then you will have people who live in poverty and hunger and misery. But that doesn’t seem to be something a lot of people want for acknowledge. They start to tell you these new age stories of how you need to change your vibration and how you can then “ attract” people and money to your life, which seldomly works. Religions people tell you to pray to God and that God will provide but again they don’t say anything about where would that money and resources come from? Then if you tell them that life is suffering and that you are not guaranteed anything but suffering in many cases they again tell you that you are too negative and that you need to change your thinking and place your trust in a God because can fix it all., except for some reason God has not.
Thank you for putting something I've thought for a while so succinctly. I find these people so draining. I also find their reluctance to discuss or even acknowledge the darker sides of life as quite cowardly.
@@BlueskyDenver Doesn't matter if you're negative or pessimistic if you can't fathom the fact God has evil tendencies. Stop reading what fairy tale believers spout. God created man in His image, and look what some men are capable of. In Orthodox religions suffering is usually seen as grace from God and a good thing because it releases the shackles of your corporal being as you reach for something beyond in agony. Humans play God once they have children, they have total dominion over the innocent and vulnerable beings and look what some people choose to do to their children. Get over yourself.,
@@somerled5513True, it's funny knowing how some comments on this video straight up disregard Cioran's philosophy and invoke their religion, blind optimism or stoicism. Did they even try to engage with the subject?
THANK YOU! for saying boldly what we all know. Just an hour ago, I was opening up to a friend on how I have surrounded myself with people I am not in the samr place with. And the response I got is 'I am a negative person' something I have heard countless times from people close to me.
I am sick, I am sick for as long as I can remember. My sickness results into a state of depression. Because of this state of depression, I am homebound, I lock myself in my room and hide from the outside world. I have rich fantasies and dreams about a life where I would be able to live. I punish myself each and everyday for not being able to live the life I’ve imagined for myself. This and other video’s of your channel have given me great insight and relief from my suffering. Thank you.
At least you have that imagination to see what it would look like. At least you can bask in that fantasy, even if only in an immaterial world. Me I really don't even know what that would be. It's behind an immovable iron door that's welded shut.
@@LuisFlores-mc2tcman at least you have a door even if it’s made out of metal. I’ve been locked up in a cage captive without having ever seen the sunlight and the only friend I know is a rat I trained to stay still for longs periods of time, it has not moved for nearly 3 months now and it’s starting to stink but I know it’s acting he wouldn’t leave me alone
"The fact he didn't shy away from life's darkest aspects is the very reason he had a deep appreciation for life". Appreciation is defined as a full understanding of a situation. To feel life undiluted is the way. Like my wife's Granny used to say. You have to take the bitter with the sweet.
i think that he shy away like anyone, our battle with struggle of life is part of it and Cioran is not different, he taked advantage of his accademical life for escape the work force ad example
@@glowiever ye an absolute neet, he taked an university office that never attended, just chilling around at the university taking advantage of free meals and accommodation ahaha that's no doubt that he had time to think, also because he suffered from insomnia
you can't let things go, they will always be a part of you, you just have to be okay with having such a part and your focus will no longer be stuck on it.
But the point wasn’t to end suffering but to embrace it since you’re never gonna have perfect days everyday. If you find out how to have a perfect day everyday 24/7, please let me know. Until then, suffering ain’t going no where.
@@rongikeI think what he meant was to let things go in the exact sense as you just explained. Being okay with suffering IS letting it go. Not the physical aspects of suffering but mentally you let go so YOU are not suffering despite the physical things that make you suffer STILL being there. I think that’s what letting go means and you just explained his point.
A psychtherapist once told me, in a very desperate and dark period of my life, that the heightend intensity of suffering will ultimately lead to a heightend sensitivity for joy and happiness. She was right, as i tell my clients today myself. Thanks for this wonderful relieving Video. I am personally leaning more to and learn from existentialism. With taking on the freedom and responsibility in it, there is more peace, pride and joy to gain in life 🎉
I have no idea how you do this Einz, but whenever I'm having a bit of a crisis, one of your videos pop up with a topic that just... Helps. This one again. This one helps me remember where I'm going. So thank you so very much.
Schopenhauer is my favorite. He wasn't a Pessimist ~ he was a Realist. People hate the truth, and are consequently unable to face truth and be assisted by the growth it provides. Thank you!
"As a philosophy, pessimism hardly needs a defense. If anything needs a defense, it is life itself. And there is no shortage of defenders; it is enough to take a walk around any bookstore to see that there are entire sections dedicated to positivism and self-help. Thousands of books and millions of words that seek to convince us that happiness is possible, that success and well-being are in our hands. That we have power. That we can achieve what we want. That we can succeed and we can win at life, because life is good and worth living. Look closely at what they tell us: life can be won. It seems to me that, without realizing it, these optimists do nothing more than confirm what every pessimist already knows: that life requires effort and that it is a constant struggle and sacrifice; that it is a contest, a confrontation, something that must be 'won', whatever that may entail. On this point, Schopenhauer's sentence is overwhelming: if life was designed for our happiness, then it was poorly designed, because everything in life seems to shout loudly: death, pain, illness, sacrifice and endless struggle." Ignacio Moya Arriagada
You have no idea how much I needed this video right now. These ideas have been on my mind for quite a while now, and I have found it difficult to put into words that yes, pain is an important experience for us to have.
This thought that life is meaningless can feel comforting. When I have this thought, I peacefully wash the dishes, do the laundry…. If there’s no meaning, why not just relax? Of course, this is a moment and I find meaning in life other days. I think a blend of meaningless and meaning is the perfect way to go through life.
Simple idea of that is that everything can’t be equally meaningful. Else you would end up staring at a glass of water with a stoned look on your face and never move. For why would you want to move? A glass of water is just as meaningful as your lover, family, goals, etc It’s precisely that some things are more meaningful than others that gives life meaning. You have to have meaninglessness to have meaning. Silence to have sound. Up to have down etc
My father died recently. It was a harsh experience and forced me to face many layers of trauma that had been covered by time. Still I must see that my living is a victory until it is my turn to live on in another form.
@@paulschell2712 thanks for your kind words, sending kind blessings to you too! Life requires a lot of processing, peeling infinite layers of our onion of knowledge, transmuting all ash into something fertile. Let our minds be fertile with the wisdom of our self-knowing. Thanks for helping, that's what we are here to do.
Once in one of my deepest throws of chronic depression, whilst dwelling on the most tragic of human experience, my sadness suddenly became awe, it all just seemed so beautiful and I teared up at the raw beauty of it all - Humans, emotions, trials and tribulations. A mother losing a child or a soldier dying in a war became beautiful to me, because it's beautiful that we can feel anything at all, that sadness is itself an expression of appreciation for something lost, that it is the human experience. The word 'beauty' is often mistaken for a positive feeling. It's neutral, off the spectrum of happy or sad, it's somewhere else.
Thank you for taking the time to make this video 🙏🏻 I'm at a point in my life where I no longer seek happiness, knowing it is fleeting. Instead, I choose to accept things as they are, without assigning them meaning, and simply experience the present moment.
To me, the most powerful thing about this is how incredibly validating it is. Society attempts to enforce false positivity on us, yet fails to address many of our injustices. It gives me clarity, as I know my depression isn’t a flaw or a bug, but it’s a feature of existence. It also helps me appreciate the beauty outside of suffering because instead of seeking it to mask the suffering of life, it is part of the human experience
I work in mental health hospitals with people of all sorts most are institutionalised and never had a single day of independance in their lives. We don't realise how lucky we are to be able to contemplate these things. There is a fine line between all of us and a life institutionalised or free if you have the capacity to choose and keep your dark side in check count yourself very fortunate. I believe light beats dark every time but both are necessary.
This is what bugs me about academic philosophy, is that in the main it has been done and continues to be consumed by affluent and comfortable men. It's easy to wax lyrical in such a position, playing word games, but so much of it rings hollow to me. Words should be used to convey that which has been found, not what one expects to find, and I'm not convinced many have found much substance at all. It's too surface level to me. It fails to encompass the depth of experience that some of the poor souls within institutions have, or those lucky enough to have found sanctuary in mystical schools first.
Going to the doctors or going somewhere else, when you are suffering, is the only difference; there is no fine line. Psychiatry is brutal, narrow and unforgiving; people never recover, only get worse, as medications only damage their health and don’t address the underlying reasons for the suffering. Diagnoses mean absolutely nothing and only serve to make people feel worse, truly like there was always something ‘wrong’ with them. These chaps in white coats have absolutely no idea about how to really help someone regain health, naturally; they only know how to deal drugs. That’s easy!
True. Glad you acknowledged that when people stop giving a care about meaningless things people who are clinging to hope, order, religion and conventional happiness are afraid and lock you up in an asylum. As paradoxical as it is, i find peace and happiness in accepting that there is no inherent happiness, no good, no evil, nor God in the universe. It is liberating.
Mental illness is the worst. As Pink Floyd put it. "And all you create And all you destroy And all that you do And all that you say And all that you eat And everyone you meet (everyone you meet) And all that you slight And everyone you fight And all that is now And all that is gone And all that's to come And everything under the sun is in tune But the sun is eclipsed by the moon" It hits you everywhere, robs from you in every single area.
@@goldendiamonsuffering isn’t beautiful per se. What can be beautiful is our response to it. Do we give up and embrace darkness, or do we fight against it and strive for a better world? Fighting against suffering is a losing battle and yet it’s still worth fighting, and therein lies beauty.
Cioran has a point, that we should not shy away from the negative aspects of life. Stoicism also has its merits despite of it creating a "barrier" on both side of the axis (between Suffering/Sadness to Pleasure/Happiness). The problem is not everyone has this coping mechanism (defense/resist factor) in which Cioran mentions as lyricism (people become poets due to love or misery). If one experience extreme pleasure, they might become addicted and reject any inferior experience as suffering. On the other hand, experiencing extreme sadness may prevent the person to even recover for the rest of their life (i.e. PTSD, self-harming behavior, survivor's guilt). What i think is that we should "swing" between the negative and positive aspects of life. Not seeking the extremes, not stagnating in the center (stoics), not too fast that our body can't handle. Just a decent swing, until the pendulum settled right at the end of one's life.
Hey man this really challenged me more than your other videos. I started screaming at the screen when he and you started discussing the flaws of stoicism which is something I build my whole life on and it was at the same time a good thing to see the flaws in trying to escape reality by putting virtue there and like replacing it with reality and it's raw form. Nice video bro
Embracing the despair in life can be crushing and seeking happiness is a never-ending race, as it is fleeting. Stoicism teaches to accept the life as it is, not to let your mind control your emotions. Only contentment is real, if we find it, the despair and happiness will lose its power over us, we will be free.
This is exactly what this video tells us. Just embrace despair so you may appreciate life more and fully. It liberates us from seeking happiness and pleasure, which ultimately makes us exhausted and unhappy ( or discontented )
@@graceface2.0 it absolutely is... But realisticly, everything is a coping mechanism. Whatever you do in life, you do it to distract yourself from existencial dread. 😜
Hey Einzelganger, never stop. Every intelligent conversation I've had with people I know or in passing in recent years will often culminate in me telling them Einzelganger is the best TH-cam channel and they should follow and subscribe. No one ever comes back to me disappointed or with negative reviews. Thought you should know.
Your experiences are mine, and it is finally at age 63, after the past few years spent in a dark night of the soul, ego death and kundalini rising, that I can appreciate my place in this universe and myself. Decades of studies, practices, meditations, visualizations and techniques were not worth one day in the depths you described so much was -and still s - lost, what was discovered has no words 15:08
This account is the only account keeping me alive. When my head hits the bed at nigh and I watch one of your videos I slowly doze off like a baby comforted by her guardian. Never stop making these videos. ❤️
One should always embrace the suffering of life but try to live life at the fullest at the same time with peace of mind. There's no need to make life more complicated than it already is, just do whatever makes you the most happy (and no, you're not going to be happy all the time but that's not the point) and keep doing it. In other words, just stay true to yourself - always.
If you accept that life is based around suffering, then you just get on with it, and you realize that life; along with all of it's suffering; is quite magnificent.
Human to human suffering which is entirely avoidable is my problem. Excuse me for not sitting back and thinking life is “magnificent” when I’m watching hospitals being flatlined in war zones every other day. I truly believe you have to be psychotic to enjoy life knowing what a cesspit we live in and to wander about like nothing is going on.
@@TC8787-yq7og Schopenhauer did write in a 15-page PDF you can find: "the world is hell -- a penitentiary!" The scale of genocidal annihilation everywhere is beyond comprehension but it is the political will on a smaller scale that reinforces the cesspit and ensures this total catastrophe.
Seeking suffering is more successful because suffering is real while happiness is fantasy, delusional. From suffering we evolve, with happiness we stagnate. That's what I've absorbed from this video.
Why is suffering real but happiness is not? We know just from simple neurochemistry that feeling good is the primary reason we do anything, if eating food didnt make you feel good or alienate the pain of an empty stomach you wouldnt do it. Is eating food stagnation? breathing? sex? socializing? But getting hit by a bus isn't?
@@nateb4485 I mean, suffering comes from things that happens in the objective reality, like hungry from the lack of food in your stomach and it will motivate you to eat, but happiness is just a state of spirit that comes after you get rid of suffering. I mean, generally the happiness we pursue is kind of like a dream, with value in itself and for that reason, not so useful in the process of mental evolving maybe. This is just an interpretation, I think I'm more like making poetry here than philosophy, or even less science hahaha. Have a good day!
@@_Akhilleus_Suffering doesn’t only come from objective reality; I’d argue that the most painful and constant human suffering comes from our internal model of reality, especially our synthetic vision of the future which is the source of despair and anxiety. There is a reason ‘mindfulness’ is taught to treat depression; the present moment is almost never as unpleasant to experience as the imagined future. Right now I am in a warm house with a full stomach, a sleeping cat at my feet and I am still suffering because I struggle to prevent myself from simultaneously experiencing the humiliation and deprivation of an imaginary future as well as experiencing the regret and embarrassment of a remembered past.
@@GillfigGarstang yeah, that's also the interpretation of the stoics, right? That suffering is optional, they teach us to avoid emotional feelings while trying to be always rational about every experience and decisions we make. They were the philosophers of rationality, they put reason as the most important thing for the path of a wise person.
@@_Akhilleus_ I wouldn’t say that the stoics taught that suffering was optional; physical pain, many forms of reflexive emotional reactions and even our core motivating drives are ultimately part of ‘that which we cannot control”. That does not mean we can’t use the parts of our minds which we do have conscious control over to change how we react to those things in a way that doesn’t compound our suffering or create unnecessary suffering. For example, let’s say you feel a sudden flood of anger, but instead of acting on it you choose to simply observe the emotion the way you might observe any other sensation until the irrational and counterproductive feeling passes. The idea isn’t to avoid emotions but to act in ways that are more likely to give a person more pleasure over their entire life; a glutton might feel more pleasure in the moment but ruin their health and appearance in a way that causes untold suffering down the line.
Many few people are conscious to understand suffering is present in every moment of human life. Your only goal in life should be to reduce it as much as you can, but remember that you will never be able to end your suffering no matter how hard you try.
When a pessimist goes through a disaster in their life - they don't see anything unusual in it. But when an optimist goes through a disaster, they hide away from it or try to make it seem good. But anyhow, both optimism and pessimism are anti-realism
I've been fortunate enough to experience true spiritual bliss in this lifetime, although it was fleeting, I still remember it fondly, I was overjoyed to the point of tears to simply be alive, even though my physical circumstances weren't any different, it really felt like heaven, but most of my life has been misery, and now again my life has become miserable. I struggle a lot to make sense of this contradiction of experiencing both heaven and hell in such a short period of time, I can't relate at all to that bliss now. I suspect the truth as always lies somewhere inbetween, this kind of philosophy helps so much, thank you as always
Thank you for this video. The last two minutes in particular had a lot of meaning for me. This statement - “it's not the pleasure of these moments, but the profound depth, the intensity of the heightened experience of the despair, that left such a mark in my memory” - touches on something that has always puzzled me, which is that I am drawn to music that reminds me of some of the most painful moments in my life. Perhaps there is something with which I want to connect that goes beyond the painful experience - the memory of the experience itself (made more bearable by the music) is a doorway that can lead to something more important.
I lost my job after my company declared bankruptcy last week. I've been in a semi-catatonic state since then applying for jobs like a rat desperate to get out of a garbage can half filled with water. I needed to watch this video, thank you.
Last week? My friend you have an amazing opportunity now to explore new companies. My advice, as a recruiter, have an extremely optimistic outlook on your future employment. I talk to people all day long looking for a job. The ones that are positive about it. I want to help. Be positive, be optimistic. You will find a job that satisfies you more than your previous. No one has a one company career any more these days. Best of luck
Buddhism is said to skirt between Eternalism and Nihilism. Glad to hear from a Nihilist perspective. From a psychotherapeutic perspective, it is not so much avoiding the painful aspects of life. Life has its own ups and downs. And expressing, feeling, reflecting what accurately, what is genuinely one's experience, has a therapeutic function. And with this, an increasing "capacity to hold", both the highs and lows, the full panorama of human experience, which becomes one part of the meaning.
This is a punch in the gut as a person who follows the Stoics, but I'm so glad you posted it. Not five minutes in, and I'm already making a note in my head to buy this man's work. I try to follow the Stoics. I think they were wise and had it figured out... ("It" being how to most comfortably endure life) but i must say, aside from Seneca, i don't relate to them much. Thank you for your brilliant content, Einzelgänger. 🖤
If stoicism enables a person to get through life than it is justified. If I choose stoicism and as a result I don't suicide than it is valid. Life is nothing but suffering and absurd, the alternatives are to end it or endure it through what mechanisms work for you.
I'm dealing with this: Time is nothing, but I feel it passing and taste the end. I don't want a legacy, but a fulfilling time while I'm here, which is running out.
Don’t worry, you’ve been dead before. Remember how it was before you were born? That’s what it will be like after we’re done here, no memories will be left.
@@forzaazzurri1471 Well said! Amnesia of being dead before is built into reincarnation. I have a lot of deja vu and sense I've been here before and then the Mandela Effects kick in confirming that.
I felt sad and lonely today and then started to play guitar and sings some nice old songs that I like. I put all my emotions into it and enjoyed it so much. without the negativity it wouldnt feel so good I think :) thank you for the video
I don't get why knowing we have no meaning or better, that life doesn't have any meaning, makes me feel at ease, calm and actually happy. There is nothing to be worried about, we just need to laid back and enjoy life as it is!
I don't know who you are, but I'd like to thank you for the impact your book has had on my life. I read your book "Loose: On Letting Stuff Go", and it has helped me overcome anxiety and my long-term depression. I am immensely thankful to you to help me understand the true and trivial nature of what I felt as overwhelming and empowering. Thank you for your selfless efforts to share your wisdom and others'.
coming in clutch with another video about embracing all sides of yourself, even the suppressed side of you darkness is just the absence of light, which is how it can be transmuted into light
12:36 hits hard. When despair is darkest, loses the heaviest, and defeat consummated, there is beauty when we manage to survive amid all the pain without giving up on ourselves.
Some people may argue that your position of optimism is ignorant of the world, but I think, if it truly fulfills you and gives you peace, it is right for you.
So the non-seeking of a goal then becomes the goal and the meaning and sharing this worldview with others, as much as possible, then is a meaningful goal for you, otherwise you would choose an alternative path, it seems your worldview is based on a contradiction, but if it makes you happy, cheers.
@@DogeGaming55 absolutely. I innately do not settle for despair…it’s the kindling for addiction and destruction for me. My faith is a faith that works. But that’s for me. I wish it for everyone to find. I’m not expecting people to understand or agree. But certainly nothing ever worth fighting over
Saw your content four years ago the first time. Now since three days your videos are returning to my horrizont. Its kind of a blessing. You do good work!
I'm different from everyone around me because of my keen interest in philosophy and the will to debate anything with realistic (and slightly pessimistic) thinking, but the only reason it's hard to accept the situation I'm in is because humans didn't evolve to be alone. It's nothing new, but if you see the world differently from others, you're gonna start feeling alone regardless of physically being around other people, and that's quite upsetting to the majority of people, to some extent.
I never heard of the writer before, but it touches me so deeply... In periodes of dispair in my life, my writings also got deeper than periodes when i wrote in my lighter days. I think that humanbeings live's got lost along the evolutionary path; that we've become too complex and somewhere along the way, we got more and more disconnected from our natural identity. At the other hand, our evolution may be way overdone, but i can see the recollection in the state of being, 'in the now'. If it is in the need of purpose in this life, i'd say: in the way of these reflections with ourselves, and one another, we are still making an effort to scale the balances, for the future of mankind in this world. So here's for suffering! 😭🥳 Thank you so much for sharing! 🙏🏻❤️🔥
Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.
Can you help with the reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about mushrooms and psychedelics but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable source here in Australia. Really need!
Ally Yes, dr.porassss. I have the same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction and Mushrooms definitely made a huge huge difference to why am clean today.
I wish they were readily available in my place. Microdosing was my next plan of care for my husband. He is 59 & has so many mental health issues plus probable CTE & a TBI that left him in a coma 8 days. It's too late now I had to get a TPO as he's 6'6 300+ pound homicidal maniac. He's constantly talking about killing someone. He's violent. Anyone reading this Familiar w/ BPD know if it is common for an obsession with violence.
I think the reason suffering feels so profound is that it's in those moments that people are not delusional about their lives and the world and truth feels aligned, but if you can reach a level where you can acknowledge and accept suffering while in a state joy, that joy will also feel profound.
This video is not only a brilliant piece of art, it made me think. Especially the part about the universe being silent because there is no answer to meaning, and that religions may simply be man made fabrications to give to those seeking meaning something to follow. This also made me think about using work as a meaning, and my still going search for answers that will never come instead of living life as it is. Thankyou
Thank you for the profound essay. What a heartbreaking and visceral story. An intellectual depressive mind may draw validation and comfort from entertaining nialistic or self-destructive thoughts as an addictive form of coping. My heart goes out to anyone having a similar experience.
Although many others have had it far worse than me, i have gone through some very dark times in my life and the best solution ive found is to sit alone for however long it takes and embrace it. I thought this was fairly unique but this video has just popped up. I was recently suicidal and urged my girlfriend to give me alone time but she couldnt understand it
I think people who are unaware -- purposefully ignorant -- of the dark elements of life and in themselves are dangerous and more likely to cause harm to self abd others -- and to engage in evil.
thank you, that was amazing! I used to think that I hate Cioran but now I think I get it, I wasn not ready 32 years ago for that read. I have to revisit him. Thank you once again!
I've never read any of Cioran's work, but I feel this deeply. I have felt such things for a very long time, even going back to childhood. I definitely need to read his works.
thank you, what a beautiful introduction to Cioran's thoughts, I only learnt about him today from a friend. After watching your video I definitely think I'm closer to Albert Camus line of thought, there is no "meaning" to life, but that should not stop us from embracing it and experiencing it to the fullest.
I had not yet heard of Cioran. I've read a lot of Nietszche, Camus, and love the poetry of Khalil Gibran (I recommend his works Pain, and, Defeat, especially). Also, Dostoyevsky's, Notes From Underground, work had a great line: "Which is better, cheap happiness or noble suffering?" Thanks for the video.
as a Romanian, thank you so much for bringing Cioran into a bit of light into this darkish world. we have a few greats,Cioran being one of them.. for anyone who wants to try Romanian poetry, there is our greatest poet called Mihai Eminescu. he was''just'' a poet, but because of his genius, his poetry transcedes immense beauty and immense darkness, if you read and you go under the surface of what you are reading.. note.... it is quite hard to translate the exact meaning because there are a few romanian language words he uses that by some.. cannot be translated into any other language exactlyas they mean in romanian.. one such ''famous'' word is DOR which in english would translate longing for, but it misses a lot from original meaning once it became translated, thank you for taking the time to read this comment
Check out my novel - The Urge: Fall of a Stoic: einzelganger.co/urge
I don't know why but dark philosophy just makes me calm knowing that you can't really do anything other than just embrace the dark side of "Life"
Yeah i feel it makes me contemplate reality as a whole
Kind of a shame though. In heroic tales such as Lord of the Rings, you basically defeat darkness by giving it substance, by acknowledging it, and giving it value.
Essentially, to become a hero, you must engulf and justify evil and the villain. It is not easy. This is the very concept that makes life not worth it for me.
I think there's a good and bad side of this. If it makes it easier for you to emotionally accept your current situation then that's probably a good thing.
But I think it becomes damaging when people just give up completely, blame external circumstances and shut down anyone that tries to be positive (in other words, the black pill community).
Maybe I'm stating the obvious now, but still needs to be said.
Read the tao te king. That philosopht resssembles this a lot. Daoism abd emil cioran are my faves. They made me realize i dobt have to overexploit myself to validate myself❤️. We dont have to suffer to be worthy
Darth vader
If suffering is beauty I don’t know how much more beauty I can stand.
😊
If we confront the utter meaninglessness of life, and face the utmost ugliness and disorientation of the universe, how then will it make us affirmed of life? I don't really have much knowledge about philosophy but these nihilist schools of thought baffles me. Even if life is meaningless, that too shouldn't concern us at all. We'll keep doing whatever we're doing, we'll always try to minimise our suffering and pain, in whatever way we can. The necessity is to recognise ourselves as one united species, and try to reduce the disorientation by sort of coherence. That's all that matters.
Life meaningful or not, there's nothing we can do much, except developing ourselves, individually and as a race.
@@abraxas_x You're confusing cause and effect. Nihilism did not grow in a vacuum. It's not like it's a proposed solution to all of life's problems. It's a mere reaction to human's constant striving for meaning, for purpose, for truth. This is as fundamental as breathing in oxygen. If it's as simple as telling humans "life meaningful or not, keep developing yourselves" that would be a wonderful, almost perfect world. But you realize that's not how human minds work, that's not how life works, so nihilism (and all philosophy) is borne as a result.
@abraxas_x The beautiful thing about life having no inherent meaning is that we each of us can give it mean. We decide to meaning to our live. To me that is better than predestined life. It is more freeing.
Suffering is beauty but for those who, after suffering, have a girlfriend, a group of friends, 50,000 followers on Instagram, a pretty face and money.
I felt understood. Everyone thinks I am a very optimistic and positive person, but in reality I am depressed, anxious and thinking about the meaning of life. You got it when you assumed that sad people tend to appreciate life’s joyful moments more: nature, animals, friends and humour are my solace here on Earth.
Yes the love I have for my cats and pot plants are the only things that are keeping me alive - have to get up to feed and water them all - its true
I really believe there's even more reasons to be happy for you guys! Books, games, just walking, maybe family, we all will die anyway, and this moment while we here so amazing!!! Wish you the best, and glad you have reasons to breathe and be alive! 💙❤️
Yeah man it looks like my life❤
Just live your life do what you love nobody know the meaning of life that's like living on the earth and wondering about mars has life or not.If people knew the meaning of their life they'd be disinterested or even scared these things kept a mystery for your own sake.
That's great but still not meaningful turn to Allah, being lond to animals is great but being kind to fellow humans who are in need will give you the real meaming of life trust me @ChickpeatheTortie
I have always felt closer to myself when depressed
me too brother.well said
Depends on the level of depression
Low grade depression: emotionally connected
Clinical major depression: I don't feel human anymore, I don't feel anything. I wouldn't wish the second kind on my worst enemy, and I'm grateful to have finally found antidepressants that work
@TheLovelyEnigma pristiq/desvenlafaxine. Its an SNRI. None of the SSRI's worked for me
Depression and gloom seem so much more authentic than the silly smiles and forced optimism of the herd.
Same here… it’s more real and I find it relaxing
It helps when you start to realize the people who don’t acknowledge this aspect of existence are often the singularly most annoying people to be around.
They tell you that you’re too negative, too pessimistic and don’t believe in God., because if you believe in God some say , then all your needs will be taken care of, God will provide., except God does not provide for the billions of people at least 2 billion people around the globe who live in poverty, hunger and war., because whoever God is has given humanity enough resources to make life on earth good for all, but as long as we have humans who hoard billions of dollars in wealth then you will have people who live in poverty and hunger and misery. But that doesn’t seem to be something a lot of people want for acknowledge. They start to tell you these new age stories of how you need to change your vibration and how you can then “ attract” people and money to your life, which seldomly works. Religions people tell you to pray to God and that God will provide but again they don’t say anything about where would that money and resources come from? Then if you tell them that life is suffering and that you are not guaranteed anything but suffering in many cases they again tell you that you are too negative and that you need to change your thinking and place your trust in a God because can fix it all., except for some reason God has not.
Thank you for putting something I've thought for a while so succinctly. I find these people so draining. I also find their reluctance to discuss or even acknowledge the darker sides of life as quite cowardly.
@@BlueskyDenver Doesn't matter if you're negative or pessimistic if you can't fathom the fact God has evil tendencies. Stop reading what fairy tale believers spout. God created man in His image, and look what some men are capable of. In Orthodox religions suffering is usually seen as grace from God and a good thing because it releases the shackles of your corporal being as you reach for something beyond in agony.
Humans play God once they have children, they have total dominion over the innocent and vulnerable beings and look what some people choose to do to their children. Get over yourself.,
@@somerled5513True, it's funny knowing how some comments on this video straight up disregard Cioran's philosophy and invoke their religion, blind optimism or stoicism. Did they even try to engage with the subject?
THANK YOU! for saying boldly what we all know. Just an hour ago, I was opening up to a friend on how I have surrounded myself with people I am not in the samr place with. And the response I got is 'I am a negative person' something I have heard countless times from people close to me.
"At a certain point of suffering or injustice, no one can help another. Pain is a solitary experience."
- Albert Camus
I am sick, I am sick for as long as I can remember. My sickness results into a state of depression.
Because of this state of depression, I am homebound, I lock myself in my room and hide from the outside world.
I have rich fantasies and dreams about a life where I would be able to live.
I punish myself each and everyday for not being able to live the life I’ve imagined for myself.
This and other video’s of your channel have given me great insight and relief from my suffering.
Thank you.
May you find peace 🙏🏻
At least you have that imagination to see what it would look like. At least you can bask in that fantasy, even if only in an immaterial world. Me I really don't even know what that would be. It's behind an immovable iron door that's welded shut.
Always remember to be kind to yourself ,you are all you've got .
Go outside, quit sperging
@@LuisFlores-mc2tcman at least you have a door even if it’s made out of metal. I’ve been locked up in a cage captive without having ever seen the sunlight and the only friend I know is a rat I trained to stay still for longs periods of time, it has not moved for nearly 3 months now and it’s starting to stink but I know it’s acting he wouldn’t leave me alone
As Monty Python said “you come from nothing, you go back to nothing. What have you lost? Nothing “😀
But then, what have you gained?
@@earendel1559 There is nothing to be gained.
Maybe the “gaining” is the friends we made along the way
@@beastybacon199 it is
@@earendel1559what you gained you lost anyways. You emit light as you move around but you can t preserve it, once you stop you go into darkness again.
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” - Khalil Gibran
❤
Beautiful
Just watch Gore bro, you need the trauma
It's not about suffering, it's about overcoming. To become a stronger soul you have to overcome obstacles. If you have scars it means you didn't die.
@@lednevnik Whats Gore?
Life is mainly suffering and misery sprinkled with moments of joy and happiness
For the lucky ones.
@@Pet-rf6rhExactly!
Someone recently said to me that I can't feel pleasure.
I replied "imagine how rewarding life is for me..."
exactly why i roll my eyes when people talk about life being a gift.
@@thispersonrighthere9024It's still a gift but it's hardship is real
@@coleyod it's not a gift nor a curse. it just is.
"The fact he didn't shy away from life's darkest aspects is the very reason he had a deep appreciation for life". Appreciation is defined as a full understanding of a situation. To feel life undiluted is the way. Like my wife's Granny used to say. You have to take the bitter with the sweet.
i think that he shy away like anyone, our battle with struggle of life is part of it and Cioran is not different, he taked advantage of his accademical life for escape the work force ad example
So beautifully written!
@@andreag.6691he was a neet? based
@@glowiever ye an absolute neet, he taked an university office that never attended, just chilling around at the university taking advantage of free meals and accommodation ahaha that's no doubt that he had time to think, also because he suffered from insomnia
@@andreag.6691 I remember he had a female friend attending to his needs to. quite a lovely lady too at that
If you keep holding on to things, you will end up suffering.
BUT if you let things go, you will end suffering.
Stoicism in a nutshell?
Taoism!
Stoicism!
Buddhism!
you can't let things go, they will always be a part of you, you just have to be okay with having such a part and your focus will no longer be stuck on it.
But the point wasn’t to end suffering but to embrace it since you’re never gonna have perfect days everyday. If you find out how to have a perfect day everyday 24/7, please let me know. Until then, suffering ain’t going no where.
@@rongikeI think what he meant was to let things go in the exact sense as you just explained. Being okay with suffering IS letting it go. Not the physical aspects of suffering but mentally you let go so YOU are not suffering despite the physical things that make you suffer STILL being there. I think that’s what letting go means and you just explained his point.
A psychtherapist once told me, in a very desperate and dark period of my life, that the heightend intensity of suffering will ultimately lead to a heightend sensitivity for joy and happiness. She was right, as i tell my clients today myself. Thanks for this wonderful relieving Video. I am personally leaning more to and learn from existentialism. With taking on the freedom and responsibility in it, there is more peace, pride and joy to gain in life 🎉
Pride can be dangerous.
I have no idea how you do this Einz, but whenever I'm having a bit of a crisis, one of your videos pop up with a topic that just... Helps. This one again. This one helps me remember where I'm going. So thank you so very much.
Schopenhauer is my favorite.
He wasn't a Pessimist ~ he was a Realist.
People hate the truth, and are consequently unable to face truth and be assisted by the growth it provides.
Thank you!
Realism for the win 🎉
You should try Nietzsche or Diogenes instead of Schopenhauer.
@@tongobong1 Nietzsche and Schopenhauer complement each other pretty well and show different perspectives 👍
@@MRFLOPPYmr What are you talking about? Nietzsche totally rejected Schopi.
"As a philosophy, pessimism hardly needs a defense. If anything needs a defense, it is life itself. And there is no shortage of defenders; it is enough to take a walk around any bookstore to see that there are entire sections dedicated to positivism and self-help. Thousands of books and millions of words that seek to convince us that happiness is possible, that success and well-being are in our hands. That we have power. That we can achieve what we want. That we can succeed and we can win at life, because life is good and worth living. Look closely at what they tell us: life can be won. It seems to me that, without realizing it, these optimists do nothing more than confirm what every pessimist already knows: that life requires effort and that it is a constant struggle and sacrifice; that it is a contest, a confrontation, something that must be 'won', whatever that may entail. On this point, Schopenhauer's sentence is overwhelming: if life was designed for our happiness, then it was poorly designed, because everything in life seems to shout loudly: death, pain, illness, sacrifice and endless struggle."
Ignacio Moya Arriagada
You have no idea how much I needed this video right now.
These ideas have been on my mind for quite a while now, and I have found it difficult to put into words that yes, pain is an important experience for us to have.
Stole the words from me. Take care of yourself
This thought that life is meaningless can feel comforting. When I have this thought, I peacefully wash the dishes, do the laundry…. If there’s no meaning, why not just relax?
Of course, this is a moment and I find meaning in life other days. I think a blend of meaningless and meaning is the perfect way to go through life.
Simple idea of that is that everything can’t be equally meaningful.
Else you would end up staring at a glass of water with a stoned look on your face and never move. For why would you want to move? A glass of water is just as meaningful as your lover, family, goals, etc
It’s precisely that some things are more meaningful than others that gives life meaning.
You have to have meaninglessness to have meaning. Silence to have sound. Up to have down etc
My father died recently. It was a harsh experience and forced me to face many layers of trauma that had been covered by time. Still I must see that my living is a victory until it is my turn to live on in another form.
Enough with the trauma, we have all suffered and been through "trauma".
@@fitnesspoint2006 how dare you mock my life experience. If you are so deeply hurt and in need of healing, give altruism a go and help others.
I feel you Lucie. Losing my dad had the same effect on me. I wish you all the best in your life.
@@paulschell2712 thanks for your kind words, sending kind blessings to you too! Life requires a lot of processing, peeling infinite layers of our onion of knowledge, transmuting all ash into something fertile. Let our minds be fertile with the wisdom of our self-knowing. Thanks for helping, that's what we are here to do.
Once in one of my deepest throws of chronic depression, whilst dwelling on the most tragic of human experience, my sadness suddenly became awe, it all just seemed so beautiful and I teared up at the raw beauty of it all - Humans, emotions, trials and tribulations. A mother losing a child or a soldier dying in a war became beautiful to me, because it's beautiful that we can feel anything at all, that sadness is itself an expression of appreciation for something lost, that it is the human experience. The word 'beauty' is often mistaken for a positive feeling. It's neutral, off the spectrum of happy or sad, it's somewhere else.
You're absolutely right!
alright plato
"To deny suffering, is in its own way a form of suffering."
Suffering is unavoidable and inevitable.
That’s fucking stupid
what we resist persists
@@noahlapuz3853i read it "when we rapists persists" 🙂
@@NomadUrpagi
Thank you for taking the time to make this video 🙏🏻
I'm at a point in my life where I no longer seek happiness, knowing it is fleeting. Instead, I choose to accept things as they are, without assigning them meaning, and simply experience the present moment.
This makes me have severe anxiety.
Schoppenour said that the surest way to be miserable is to seek a life of joy and happiness. Instead, seek a life that minimizes suffering.
"Life is pain, highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something" - William Goldman
To me, the most powerful thing about this is how incredibly validating it is. Society attempts to enforce false positivity on us, yet fails to address many of our injustices. It gives me clarity, as I know my depression isn’t a flaw or a bug, but it’s a feature of existence. It also helps me appreciate the beauty outside of suffering because instead of seeking it to mask the suffering of life, it is part of the human experience
I work in mental health hospitals with people of all sorts most are institutionalised and never had a single day of independance in their lives. We don't realise how lucky we are to be able to contemplate these things. There is a fine line between all of us and a life institutionalised or free if you have the capacity to choose and keep your dark side in check count yourself very fortunate. I believe light beats dark every time but both are necessary.
❤
This is what bugs me about academic philosophy, is that in the main it has been done and continues to be consumed by affluent and comfortable men. It's easy to wax lyrical in such a position, playing word games, but so much of it rings hollow to me. Words should be used to convey that which has been found, not what one expects to find, and I'm not convinced many have found much substance at all.
It's too surface level to me. It fails to encompass the depth of experience that some of the poor souls within institutions have, or those lucky enough to have found sanctuary in mystical schools first.
Going to the doctors or going somewhere else, when you are suffering, is the only difference; there is no fine line. Psychiatry is brutal, narrow and unforgiving; people never recover, only get worse, as medications only damage their health and don’t address the underlying reasons for the suffering. Diagnoses mean absolutely nothing and only serve to make people feel worse, truly like there was always something ‘wrong’ with them. These chaps in white coats have absolutely no idea about how to really help someone regain health, naturally; they only know how to deal drugs. That’s easy!
True. Glad you acknowledged that when people stop giving a care about meaningless things people who are clinging to hope, order, religion and conventional happiness are afraid and lock you up in an asylum. As paradoxical as it is, i find peace and happiness in accepting that there is no inherent happiness, no good, no evil, nor God in the universe. It is liberating.
Mental illness is the worst. As Pink Floyd put it.
"And all you create
And all you destroy
And all that you do
And all that you say
And all that you eat
And everyone you meet (everyone you meet)
And all that you slight
And everyone you fight
And all that is now
And all that is gone
And all that's to come
And everything under the sun is in tune
But the sun is eclipsed by the moon"
It hits you everywhere, robs from you in every single area.
At a certain level of suffering or injustice no one can do anything for anyone. Pain is solitary.
- Albert Camus
Exactly
@@TwoDudesPhilosophy I don't know if suffering is beautiful,or I just have Stockholm Syndrome and I don't wanna be delusional to myself
That’s fucking dumb
@@goldendiamonsuffering isn’t beautiful per se. What can be beautiful is our response to it. Do we give up and embrace darkness, or do we fight against it and strive for a better world? Fighting against suffering is a losing battle and yet it’s still worth fighting, and therein lies beauty.
@@criticalcog6363 Is it why we have Stockholm Syndrome because of it?
Once you have been through the stages of grief, three years for me, a new understanding of compassion for oneself and others.
I think your comment is lacking a verb, isn't it?
Arguably among the best content creators on TH-cam. Thank you for posting x
“Life is inherently useless.” So succinct, I adore it,
Cioran has a point, that we should not shy away from the negative aspects of life. Stoicism also has its merits despite of it creating a "barrier" on both side of the axis (between Suffering/Sadness to Pleasure/Happiness).
The problem is not everyone has this coping mechanism (defense/resist factor) in which Cioran mentions as lyricism (people become poets due to love or misery). If one experience extreme pleasure, they might become addicted and reject any inferior experience as suffering. On the other hand, experiencing extreme sadness may prevent the person to even recover for the rest of their life (i.e. PTSD, self-harming behavior, survivor's guilt).
What i think is that we should "swing" between the negative and positive aspects of life. Not seeking the extremes, not stagnating in the center (stoics), not too fast that our body can't handle. Just a decent swing, until the pendulum settled right at the end of one's life.
Hey man this really challenged me more than your other videos. I started screaming at the screen when he and you started discussing the flaws of stoicism which is something I build my whole life on and it was at the same time a good thing to see the flaws in trying to escape reality by putting virtue there and like replacing it with reality and it's raw form. Nice video bro
Embracing the despair in life can be crushing and seeking happiness is a never-ending race, as it is fleeting. Stoicism teaches to accept the life as it is, not to let your mind control your emotions. Only contentment is real, if we find it, the despair and happiness will lose its power over us, we will be free.
This is beautifully said.
This is exactly what this video tells us. Just embrace despair so you may appreciate life more and fully. It liberates us from seeking happiness and pleasure, which ultimately makes us exhausted and unhappy ( or discontented )
It really seems as though stoicism is a coping mechanism.
We can't control our emotions because they depend on external factors (our body included).
@@graceface2.0 it absolutely is...
But realisticly, everything is a coping mechanism. Whatever you do in life, you do it to distract yourself from existencial dread. 😜
Thank you for this video! All the best from Romania! 🇹🇩
Hey Einzelganger, never stop.
Every intelligent conversation I've had with people I know or in passing in recent years will often culminate in me telling them Einzelganger is the best TH-cam channel and they should follow and subscribe. No one ever comes back to me disappointed or with negative reviews. Thought you should know.
Your experiences are mine, and it is finally at age 63, after the past few years spent in a dark night of the soul, ego death and kundalini rising, that I can appreciate my place in this universe and myself. Decades of studies, practices, meditations, visualizations and techniques were not worth one day in the depths you described so much was -and still s - lost, what was discovered has no words 15:08
"Thank you for watching" bro THANK YOU FOR POSTING
This account is the only account keeping me alive. When my head hits the bed at nigh and I watch one of your videos I slowly doze off like a baby comforted by her guardian. Never stop making these videos. ❤️
One should always embrace the suffering of life but try to live life at the fullest at the same time with peace of mind. There's no need to make life more complicated than it already is, just do whatever makes you the most happy (and no, you're not going to be happy all the time but that's not the point) and keep doing it.
In other words, just stay true to yourself - always.
If you accept that life is based around suffering, then you just get on with it, and you realize that life; along with all of it's suffering; is quite magnificent.
Very well said
Don't say "life", say "your life", handsome millionaires never suffer, it's only those of us who don't stand out who suffer.
Human to human suffering which is entirely avoidable is my problem. Excuse me for not sitting back and thinking life is “magnificent” when I’m watching hospitals being flatlined in war zones every other day. I truly believe you have to be psychotic to enjoy life knowing what a cesspit we live in and to wander about like nothing is going on.
@@TC8787-yq7og Schopenhauer did write in a 15-page PDF you can find: "the world is hell -- a penitentiary!" The scale of genocidal annihilation everywhere is beyond comprehension but it is the political will on a smaller scale that reinforces the cesspit and ensures this total catastrophe.
@@Alex-on8yuYou couldn’t be more wrong
I've been following your channel for years and am delighted to see Cioran make an appearance! Thanks for everything that you do. ❤
Seeking suffering is more successful because suffering is real while happiness is fantasy, delusional. From suffering we evolve, with happiness we stagnate. That's what I've absorbed from this video.
Why is suffering real but happiness is not? We know just from simple neurochemistry that feeling good is the primary reason we do anything, if eating food didnt make you feel good or alienate the pain of an empty stomach you wouldnt do it. Is eating food stagnation? breathing? sex? socializing? But getting hit by a bus isn't?
@@nateb4485 I mean, suffering comes from things that happens in the objective reality, like hungry from the lack of food in your stomach and it will motivate you to eat, but happiness is just a state of spirit that comes after you get rid of suffering. I mean, generally the happiness we pursue is kind of like a dream, with value in itself and for that reason, not so useful in the process of mental evolving maybe. This is just an interpretation, I think I'm more like making poetry here than philosophy, or even less science hahaha. Have a good day!
@@_Akhilleus_Suffering doesn’t only come from objective reality; I’d argue that the most painful and constant human suffering comes from our internal model of reality, especially our synthetic vision of the future which is the source of despair and anxiety. There is a reason ‘mindfulness’ is taught to treat depression; the present moment is almost never as unpleasant to experience as the imagined future.
Right now I am in a warm house with a full stomach, a sleeping cat at my feet and I am still suffering because I struggle to prevent myself from simultaneously experiencing the humiliation and deprivation of an imaginary future as well as experiencing the regret and embarrassment of a remembered past.
@@GillfigGarstang yeah, that's also the interpretation of the stoics, right? That suffering is optional, they teach us to avoid emotional feelings while trying to be always rational about every experience and decisions we make. They were the philosophers of rationality, they put reason as the most important thing for the path of a wise person.
@@_Akhilleus_ I wouldn’t say that the stoics taught that suffering was optional; physical pain, many forms of reflexive emotional reactions and even our core motivating drives are ultimately part of ‘that which we cannot control”. That does not mean we can’t use the parts of our minds which we do have conscious control over to change how we react to those things in a way that doesn’t compound our suffering or create unnecessary suffering.
For example, let’s say you feel a sudden flood of anger, but instead of acting on it you choose to simply observe the emotion the way you might observe any other sensation until the irrational and counterproductive feeling passes.
The idea isn’t to avoid emotions but to act in ways that are more likely to give a person more pleasure over their entire life; a glutton might feel more pleasure in the moment but ruin their health and appearance in a way that causes untold suffering down the line.
Many few people are conscious to understand suffering is present in every moment of human life. Your only goal in life should be to reduce it as much as you can, but remember that you will never be able to end your suffering no matter how hard you try.
"Suffering is grace." - Ram Dass
And he worked with dying people..
Suffering is not grace. Suffering is pain.
He was an excellent speaker and provides a lot of gems through his writing and talks.
@@Quarce1u dont say...
@@RTGPrince nah I’m just blowing smoke
"Only optimists kill themselves!" - Emil Cioran
That's pretty stupid. Mainländer killed himself and two US antinatalists killed themselves in December last year.
😀So profound but makes me smile.
When a pessimist goes through a disaster in their life - they don't see anything unusual in it.
But when an optimist goes through a disaster, they hide away from it or try to make it seem good.
But anyhow, both optimism and pessimism are anti-realism
What about Kurt Cobain?
@@SpiritusMundi4EVERHe had too much teen spirit.
I've been fortunate enough to experience true spiritual bliss in this lifetime, although it was fleeting, I still remember it fondly, I was overjoyed to the point of tears to simply be alive, even though my physical circumstances weren't any different, it really felt like heaven, but most of my life has been misery, and now again my life has become miserable. I struggle a lot to make sense of this contradiction of experiencing both heaven and hell in such a short period of time, I can't relate at all to that bliss now. I suspect the truth as always lies somewhere inbetween, this kind of philosophy helps so much, thank you as always
Thank you for this video. The last two minutes in particular had a lot of meaning for me. This statement - “it's not the pleasure of these moments, but the profound depth, the intensity of the heightened experience of the despair, that left such a mark in my memory” - touches on something that has always puzzled me, which is that I am drawn to music that reminds me of some of the most painful moments in my life. Perhaps there is something with which I want to connect that goes beyond the painful experience - the memory of the experience itself (made more bearable by the music) is a doorway that can lead to something more important.
I lost my job after my company declared bankruptcy last week. I've been in a semi-catatonic state since then applying for jobs like a rat desperate to get out of a garbage can half filled with water. I needed to watch this video, thank you.
Best of luck to you! In a few months you will look back to now and laugh!
Last week? My friend you have an amazing opportunity now to explore new companies. My advice, as a recruiter, have an extremely optimistic outlook on your future employment.
I talk to people all day long looking for a job. The ones that are positive about it. I want to help. Be positive, be optimistic. You will find a job that satisfies you more than your previous. No one has a one company career any more these days. Best of luck
Buddhism is said to skirt between Eternalism and Nihilism. Glad to hear from a Nihilist perspective.
From a psychotherapeutic perspective, it is not so much avoiding the painful aspects of life. Life has its own ups and downs. And expressing, feeling, reflecting what accurately, what is genuinely one's experience, has a therapeutic function. And with this, an increasing "capacity to hold", both the highs and lows, the full panorama of human experience, which becomes one part of the meaning.
He is my favorite philosopher. On the heights of despair changed my life.
This is a punch in the gut as a person who follows the Stoics, but I'm so glad you posted it. Not five minutes in, and I'm already making a note in my head to buy this man's work. I try to follow the Stoics. I think they were wise and had it figured out... ("It" being how to most comfortably endure life) but i must say, aside from Seneca, i don't relate to them much. Thank you for your brilliant content, Einzelgänger. 🖤
If stoicism enables a person to get through life than it is justified. If I choose stoicism and as a result I don't suicide than it is valid. Life is nothing but suffering and absurd, the alternatives are to end it or endure it through what mechanisms work for you.
@@Pet-rf6rh yes, I agree ultimately. Later in the video, he highlights this, too. I need to keep my tools sharp.
If failure is beautiful, then I'm a vogue model
I'm dealing with this: Time is nothing, but I feel it passing and taste the end. I don't want a legacy, but a fulfilling time while I'm here, which is running out.
Don’t worry, you’ve been dead before. Remember how it was before you were born? That’s what it will be like after we’re done here, no memories will be left.
@@forzaazzurri1471Well it depends on what you believe here, I believe there will be an afterlife.
@forzaazzurri1471 extremely depressing but very very real
@@forzaazzurri1471 Well said! Amnesia of being dead before is built into reincarnation. I have a lot of deja vu and sense I've been here before and then the Mandela Effects kick in confirming that.
I felt sad and lonely today and then started to play guitar and sings some nice old songs that I like. I put all my emotions into it and enjoyed it so much. without the negativity it wouldnt feel so good I think :) thank you for the video
WOW that was a good one, I love your videos so much. Your intelligence really shows which is becoming rare these days
Finally, a person who delved into philosophy that GETS IT. This video was so validating and cathartic. Thank you, Einzelganger 🙏
I don't get why knowing we have no meaning or better, that life doesn't have any meaning, makes me feel at ease, calm and actually happy.
There is nothing to be worried about, we just need to laid back and enjoy life as it is!
I don't know who you are, but I'd like to thank you for the impact your book has had on my life. I read your book "Loose: On Letting Stuff Go", and it has helped me overcome anxiety and my long-term depression.
I am immensely thankful to you to help me understand the true and trivial nature of what I felt as overwhelming and empowering.
Thank you for your selfless efforts to share your wisdom and others'.
0:32 Eren, what are you doing here?
Finding this video in my feed was one of the really rare occasions when a video hits the note of your inner self. Thank you so much
coming in clutch with another video about embracing all sides of yourself, even the suppressed side of you
darkness is just the absence of light, which is how it can be transmuted into light
12:36 hits hard. When despair is darkest, loses the heaviest, and defeat consummated, there is beauty when we manage to survive amid all the pain without giving up on ourselves.
I’m an optimist who never achieves nor ever seeks meaning or a goal. It makes me infinitely happy. I give this to others as much as possible
Some people may argue that your position of optimism is ignorant of the world, but I think, if it truly fulfills you and gives you peace, it is right for you.
So the non-seeking of a goal then becomes the goal and the meaning and sharing this worldview with others, as much as possible, then is a meaningful goal for you, otherwise you would choose an alternative path, it seems your worldview is based on a contradiction, but if it makes you happy, cheers.
@@maurices5954 no contradiction at all. It’s way more simple. To accept despair is to have no faith or belief in God.
@@DogeGaming55 absolutely. I innately do not settle for despair…it’s the kindling for addiction and destruction for me. My faith is a faith that works. But that’s for me. I wish it for everyone to find. I’m not expecting people to understand or agree. But certainly nothing ever worth fighting over
Saw your content four years ago the first time. Now since three days your videos are returning to my horrizont. Its kind of a blessing. You do good work!
I'm different from everyone around me because of my keen interest in philosophy and the will to debate anything with realistic (and slightly pessimistic) thinking, but the only reason it's hard to accept the situation I'm in is because humans didn't evolve to be alone. It's nothing new, but if you see the world differently from others, you're gonna start feeling alone regardless of physically being around other people, and that's quite upsetting to the majority of people, to some extent.
I like your comment.. I relate to your comment.. Solitude makes me strong.. Humans drain me.. Humans make me feel week.. 🙏
I never heard of the writer before, but it touches me so deeply...
In periodes of dispair in my life, my writings also got deeper than periodes when i wrote in my lighter days.
I think that humanbeings live's got lost along the evolutionary path; that we've become too complex and somewhere along the way, we got more and more disconnected from our natural identity.
At the other hand, our evolution may be way overdone, but i can see the recollection in the state of being, 'in the now'. If it is in the need of purpose in this life, i'd say: in the way of these reflections with ourselves, and one another, we are still making an effort to scale the balances, for the future of mankind in this world. So here's for suffering! 😭🥳
Thank you so much for sharing! 🙏🏻❤️🔥
Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.
Can you help with the reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about mushrooms and psychedelics but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable source here in Australia. Really need!
Ally Yes, dr.porassss. I have the same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction and Mushrooms definitely made a huge huge difference to why am clean today.
I wish they were readily available in my place.
Microdosing was my next plan of care for my husband. He is 59 & has so many mental health issues plus probable CTE & a TBI that left him in a coma 8 days. It's too late now I had to get a TPO as he's 6'6 300+ pound homicidal maniac.
He's constantly talking about killing someone.
He's violent. Anyone reading this
Familiar w/ BPD know if it is common for an obsession with violence.
Is he on instagram?
Yes he is dr.porassss.
I think the reason suffering feels so profound is that it's in those moments that people are not delusional about their lives and the world and truth feels aligned, but if you can reach a level where you can acknowledge and accept suffering while in a state joy, that joy will also feel profound.
These thoughts are comforting, for some reason.
This video is not only a brilliant piece of art, it made me think. Especially the part about the universe being silent because there is no answer to meaning, and that religions may simply be man made fabrications to give to those seeking meaning something to follow. This also made me think about using work as a meaning, and my still going search for answers that will never come instead of living life as it is. Thankyou
When you realize that life sucks, I believe you will have a happier life.
Embrace both good times and bad times.
Exactly
I feel more calm hanging out with people who say things as it is, instead of people who are overly sweet and happy.
Hey @einzelganger, this is by far the best video I watched from your channel. Thank you for this short but enlightening ( somehow liberating ) thought
Life is a contrast of good moments and bad moments and that’s beautiful.
If suffering is a beauty, iam a supermodel
Thank you for the profound essay. What a heartbreaking and visceral story. An intellectual depressive mind may draw validation and comfort from entertaining nialistic or self-destructive thoughts as an addictive form of coping. My heart goes out to anyone having a similar experience.
Even the Darkness can be really helpful in our lives, being afraid is okay, but we cannot avoid being afraid of the darkness of life
Although many others have had it far worse than me, i have gone through some very dark times in my life and the best solution ive found is to sit alone for however long it takes and embrace it. I thought this was fairly unique but this video has just popped up.
I was recently suicidal and urged my girlfriend to give me alone time but she couldnt understand it
I think people who are unaware -- purposefully ignorant -- of the dark elements of life and in themselves are dangerous and more likely to cause harm to self abd others -- and to engage in evil.
So true.
thank you, that was amazing! I used to think that I hate Cioran but now I think I get it, I wasn not ready 32 years ago for that read. I have to revisit him. Thank you once again!
"Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way..." - Pink Floyd
I kind of stole that from them... love that song 😅
I never get tired of your videos that have so much nature's scenes...
Desperation > feeling happiness? Lol.
The reason we feel desperation is because we want (what brings us) happiness.
I've never read any of Cioran's work, but I feel this deeply. I have felt such things for a very long time, even going back to childhood. I definitely need to read his works.
“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. "
If you have enough relentless pain, you can’t escape suffering.
Both are inevitable.
@@PaulaHawk99Not really, if you feel like youre NOT suffering, you’re not suffering.
Makes sense as to why real genuine rap music, the songs that are effort filled are really and truly beautiful
The meaninglessness of life gives me great comfort and calm
As a philosophy professor, A short history of decay has been a childhood love for me.
Cioran is amazing, I am glad he existed
thank you, what a beautiful introduction to Cioran's thoughts, I only learnt about him today from a friend. After watching your video I definitely think I'm closer to Albert Camus line of thought, there is no "meaning" to life, but that should not stop us from embracing it and experiencing it to the fullest.
Wow...according to Emil Cioran's Dark Philosophy...I'm BEAUTIFUL!!!
'To live is to suffer, the survive is to find meaning in the suffering" - Netizsche.
Dude I got a notification for this video while I was reading an article about the lonely road to authenticity, couldn't have been an coincidence 😅.
It's worth it. Better to be authenticity you than trapped in relationships with people because you can't handle the truth
Love your modesty despite creating truly exceptional content.
Thank you 🙏
Sitting and waiting for something like enlightenment will never reach the goal. Action is the only path. You MUST go out and seek your goal.
I had not yet heard of Cioran. I've read a lot of Nietszche, Camus, and love the poetry of Khalil Gibran (I recommend his works Pain, and, Defeat, especially). Also, Dostoyevsky's, Notes From Underground, work had a great line: "Which is better, cheap happiness or noble suffering?"
Thanks for the video.
Pleasure is soooo much better and vital after you’ve struggled and deprived yourself before hand
I was searching a philodophy that define my way of thinking for a long time . Thanks to your great work !
Accept misery as part of life! Best life lesson.
as a Romanian, thank you so much for bringing Cioran into a bit of light into this darkish world. we have a few greats,Cioran being one of them.. for anyone who wants to try Romanian poetry, there is our greatest poet called Mihai Eminescu. he was''just'' a poet, but because of his genius, his poetry transcedes immense beauty and immense darkness, if you read and you go under the surface of what you are reading.. note.... it is quite hard to translate the exact meaning because there are a few romanian language words he uses that by some.. cannot be translated into any other language exactlyas they mean in romanian.. one such ''famous'' word is DOR which in english would translate longing for, but it misses a lot from original meaning once it became translated, thank you for taking the time to read this comment
I needed to hear this today.