No it does not at all. I mean it does to some people. But based on my experience, it fades away too quickly. I don't mean to share personal but I was very depressed kid and all ways thinking to end me. We came from the immoral generation all the way since beginning and we are still sinful in nature. Where then contentment present within our lost souls? The true contentment comes from this very God (not gods which I served earlier) who paid heavily for a little sheep like it's His own. Once we died with flesh (not physical), we are made new and there, contentment comes everywhere because of Him, even suffering. I just shared summary about my life. I'm not even religious. Let me complete your last sentence. Life very tough temporarily.
So much guilt, so little time. Have you seen the latest in self-flagellation wear? It's really all the rage: Perish the thought.
slart is probably the most well adjusted guy here. you tell him to get religion???LOL he taught himself trading From the hospital bed!!
I wish I could believe, but I don't any more, was born with multitude of physical and mental difficulties. Been in/out of hospitals and doctor offices my entire life, all the males going back four generations on fathers side have committed suicide and from early age abusive childhood I wake up this way. Not a day goes by where I don't contemplate ending it. Don't want to hear I should get professional help, done too much of that and medicates you are a zombie. And to boot, did God awful acts when I was in military and after working in government for the sake of America's bullshit beliefs of either you with us or we going to bury a bullet in some Dinosaur country people. I can't sleep but two hours and very light at that, don't drink, smoke, illegal drugs and sex be a miracle. Friends are few as I have problems of lack of trust, I see and hear what is not there. But my principles have always remain true, I will promise seldom and when I do, I will not quit till I have completed. I don't understand most of what people discuss, my brain "thinks" in terms of like Spock character on Star Trek, I think in logical terms-the correct way to repair, and really don't understand most humor, what I find funny I post or have trained my self based on probabilities of what masses consider funny. One of the few things am good at is trading, and except for Xela and very few others, people don't like me much as I am different. But that is fine as I don't like 99.9% of people on Earth. All of my life I have acted based on probabilities, so one could say my entire life is a lie, but I don't know how to live except on probabilities, I often take someone's word to a degree, but have had to make defined rules to safeguard myself. I am very much a trained chameleon, I can blend in with all types of people and being a high function Autistic, very few people can notice how fucked up I am, most people have said I am very humous man and yet I don't have a flipping clue why, but I rather be in my bedroom working on stealing more money. There is no out for me, nothing is going to change!!! I do believe in "time", and our time on this planet of overall time might be short, but my life is way too long and most likely live over 100 as males on other side of family. And I have several chats a day with God, and He does respond, but not in the way people want Him, no response is a response is what people do not understand. Adios. Time for coffee.
Time I am, destroyer of the worlds, and I have come to engage all people......... Bhagavad Gita 11.32
Been moving home the past week. A great thing about Colombia is the mover guys we got are older and a lot brighter than average, good brains but little education resulting in a job well done for me if it seems unfair. Similar in South Africa and when the Eastern Europeans came to the UK and Ireland too clever guys doing simple jobs but very well. So no stress with this move. Sitting with my laptop outside on the terrace with a view of the city's lights that at night looks like the Milky Way is below you. Nice. "But my principles have always remain true, I will promise seldom and when I do, I will not quit till I have completed." A well trained sense of duty is all that keep us going, I very much get that. I often think I must be autistic however it seems like it switches on and off so it is not a true condition. I was certain for years my dad as he was such and old-school machine of a man but my aunt assures me he was a very social and normal kid. But still.. I can switch into a Mr. Spock mode and get insanely focused or cold, I think perhaps it is just a normal ability and quite useful really. I have my motivational delusions as I sometimes call the charity/other projects I do. I find this keeps me sane and a great solution for PTSD (besides say Ketamine & a black and white movie like Pi ) is to be so exhausted with something and hit the pillow and gone. I've had the months of brain looping from living/seeing things anyone's mind would reject. Stereotypical I know but some events make it hard to believe in a god that is aware of us as individuals. I did think about ending it a lot when younger, years of reckless behavior really but once you know you can break the mental loop life is tolerable. Plus the body wants to live, a few times I thought hey, maybe if I do a little less than my best here whatever bad guy I was facing down (lots as anti-poaching ranger) would end if for me.. but as the mortal threat becomes imminent the body just says F this shit and reacts. Fear of mental suffering is as debilitating as the temporary mental fritz itself. There is always a way to get back to the surface. I quote this one Tao tale a lot but it really informs me how to trade and how to live. That and Epicurus' general views, "Pleasure as absence of suffering" etc http://www.taoism.net/living/2007/200702.htm
Perhaps a philosophy degree would interest you ? Do you practice what you learn ? As someone said we are building on the shoulders of previous giants. And maybe discard it all for the next fix ? Maybe making a personal template of ideas ?
I'm not bright enough anymore to handle much academia, I have studied parts of many philosophies however lately not as interesting as say making shelves and designing things for the new apartment. I may start a business designing home innovation products with a fabricator guy around the corner of the new place, he has the tools and space just does not know what would sell to Colombia's expanding middle class. Charity work and starting little companies seems to be a happiness sweet spot. I got my Confucius and Epicurus and that works for me for practical purposes Trading really did a great job of rejuvenating my brain the past while however I hit a brick wall with Spanish three years ago, I must tackle this as I only have enough to function, not conversational. I'm happy enough again now compared to months ago, time passes and things change, usually for the better!
Well perhaps, I seem happy enough right now Humpy, got my projects. Problem is I am in Colombia so while a lot of courses are taught in English, whole sections are not. I have moved to a truly gringo-free location in the city so this may force me to learn more Spanish. My issue when I started this thread was physical, a chronic potassium deficiency. It is interesting to see now Colombia is advancing rapidly into par with other developed countries, they have discovered stress There are vitamin stores and people offering various lifestyle/relationship counseling popping up everywhere. Many religious and pseudo religious scams of course going around now but a thing I like here is most people remember when it was bad and appreciate life the more for it. Great while it lasts.