I kind of wish we lived in a world like that of the "community" in the giver. A world with no feelings and no "love" --> means no disappointment, depression or heart break. It means no complication. No anxiety A world with no love, no choice and no regret. How could that possibly be bad? And no, I don't think the good time are worth it. In general, if we surveyed the people of the world, the good times...REAL JOY would be far and few between. We experience some happiness, but those moments are usually short lasting. In a community such as that outlined in the giver, we may never have those fleeting moments of HAPPINESS.... but we would be content, ALWAYS.
I think I would still rather live in this place. Reading The Giver made me sad. I want to be able to love and feel. Such things make life interesting.
That is one harsh way to look at life. I dont agree with you on your view point, but I dont dismiss that you and some others do believe in that. But I can say that ether way a future like that is not going to be any time soon. So trying to find more joy in life is not a bad idea. That is what I would say at least, I do hope that you have a better day.
I can see where you are coming from. Heartbreak and unrequited love are hard to deal with. it is hard to live in hope and be in despair. I spent a large part of my life(about 15 years of it) feeling little to nothing at all. I walked through the world in tones of emotional grey, muted and isolated. I didn't believe in love and I was a pretty cantankerous, miserable person. Eventually, after accepting myself those emotions came back with a vengeance. I experienced being in love for the first time and it changed my worldview completely. Because of that, I have to disagree with you on this one. With one caveat. There is a difference between loving someone else and finding love from inside yourself. I have found that the joyful times are pretty plentiful since I found that inner self. The heartbreak is still incredibly painful. It is painful, but I weather the storm now. I don't really know what I am trying to say exactly, other than I couldn't be who I am without that love first.
Umm, yikes. That "community" is the quintessential dystopia, meaning it seems alright, but is actually messed up to the core. Those highs and lows are the essence of life; why would you want to suppress it all down to apathy?
Plenty of times have I been the grip of a barely-controlled emotional breakdown and yet felt a tiny amount of satisfaction at the fact that I was experiencing it at all, instead of nothing. My emotions used to just numb out all the time and I didn't give a s***.
This was my initial reaction while reading the book. Then I realized, that if you really get down to it. Our society...our world is pretty "messed up to the core". It really is. Not necessarily your life or mine. Yes, for the most part I am content, or even happy (well, sometimes). The systems governing our societies are messed up, and just as the community dwellers in the book, we feel that it's the only way to be... yet there is so MUCH suffering (again, not you and me....but there is TONS out there) Anyway, my post sort of got off on a bit of a tangent. All I really meant to say with this thread is: emotions suck sometimes. And I'm tired of them. That's all :icon_wink ---------- Post added 19th Aug 2014 at 10:27 PM ---------- Well, I hope I get there eventually. And I'm sincerely glad that you were able to find that balance/wake up from your fog.
I sometimes look at the world in that impersonal, logical way and kind of agree that there would be more happiness in the world if we lived in a world like that. However, this would go against my personal philosophy, as my free will is much more I portent to me than ,y happiness or even my life.
The darkness of my life is no less apart of my life than the brightness. The battles I've fought hurt, and they leave invisible scars. But from these battles, I've learned. I appreciate life more. I perceive the world in a different light. The happiness I feel burst from the very depths of me, and it's so breathtakingly beautiful. If I felt nothing, or if I was only happy, that would not happen. Happiness would either be a terrifyingly alien concept, or it will feel dull and boring. I don't want that. I want this.
this is how i would think in peak depression too, op also shit would still suck if you had to kill and gut your own food by hand and worry about getting dead all the time there just wouldnt be much reason to live ---------- Post added 19th Aug 2014 at 07:52 PM ---------- like without love and government and money there was and still is suffering so it isnt like a solvable thing
