How do you feel about actually doing things?

[youvebeenthunderstruck]

Yeah, stupid me. I can't make short thread titles.

So, you're sitting in a chair (most likely). You're on a computer. Barring any immediate emergencies, everything seems well...

But do you ever think "I should really do something", that just sitting around is too pointless?

Work ethic is a term that's been much overused and much abused, but there are times where I think that I'm being way too much of a sloth and slap myself and tell myself to stop, well, lazing around like a sloth.

[dreamer...]

youvebeenthunderstruck Wrote:But do you ever think "I should really do something", that just sitting around is too pointless?

Oh yes. Right now, for instance. I should be working on the "goal" thing I said I would and doing the huge project assigned in my summer class and typing up some stuff I was supposed to type up yesterday...But no, I'm posting here instead. Oh yes, I'm lazy.

School sucked away all my work ethic, even when it comes to non-school-related tasks. Now I laze around not achieving the things I want to achieve. It doesn't bother me too much until I run out of free time- then I look back and kick myself for being such a lazybutt.

[Michio-kun]

To answer your question. I'd have to say when the industrial revolution happened in Western society, the population at large began to value production over everything else. This includes tertiary "things" which aren't directly related to production but nonetheless benefit it. A liberal arts major in college isn't going to be making as much money as a mechanical engineer. Remember those old Greek virtues about living a contemplative life and pursuing truth and all that feel good stuff...of course not, because nobody cares about those things. It won't help you produce things for the economy.

Every individual has to strike a balance between the inner and outer life. The former is most important, but the least valued because you can't measure your progress with it in any tangible way.

You will hear nothing about the inner life in school.

[Happy Camper]

Um...I'm a capricorn. So if I'm not doing something productive, I start to feel useless and get really depressed. Plus I thrive on adrenaline. If I'm not doing anything, I don't have the adrenaline. Which also contributes to depression and feelings of low self-worth.

I like to chill and relax. Provided that I'm doing something (usually in theatre) some days of the week, I enjoy my time off a hundred times more. Because I'm grateful for just being able to sit on the couch for a few hours doing nothing in particular.

Yeah, doing something wins.

[random_name]

nope, i can quite happily sit in front of this computer screen, even if no-one is posting- for a whole day. i am a very lazy git at most times, it took me a month to clean my room.

[youvebeenthunderstruck]

I kind of stopped reading after "I'm a capricorn"...

[cryptevah72]

wow im glad someone finally posted something like this. truthfully, aside from the fact that my parents always complain about me always being on the computer all the time, i guess i feel the same way. i love posting here for instance, but i always have a feeling of wasting my time, and thats with barely posting here anyway. even taking the time to write this post makes me feel like there are thousands of other more important things to be doing. if fact i've been writing this post for quite a while because i was having an AIM conversation at the same time, and though it was certainly entertaining, if it had never happened i dont think i would be impaired in any way. aside from the fact that sitting in one place is unbearable for me due to the fact that the only way i find to ease my pain is to be physically active and stretching (im actually talking about my physical pain, but i suppose it helps with my emotional pain a bit too), i also feel like im actually doing something, because i would be doing karate, gymnastics, or contortion, all three of which i need to improve on and get better at alot. and i need to build muscle, so getting up and doing something would actually be quite productive for me, which is why right after im done with this post, im going to try to make myself get up and do something useful with my time.

ok i can probably take up 3 pages with this topic, but i wont at the moment, i may elaborate later though...

[youvebeenthunderstruck]

How do you feel about elaborating on things?

[Happy Camper]

youvebeenthunderstruck Wrote:I kind of stopped reading after "I'm a capricorn"...

Glad to know I bore you.

[youvebeenthunderstruck]

You don't, and I was joking.

[the forgotten]

I o lots of stuff, mostly hang with friends, and fool around at the mall/ woods. Direct Action which I hope counts is also something I like doing.

[youvebeenthunderstruck]

Happy Camper: What I meant was that I stopped reading after "I'm a Capricorn" because it now deals with astrology. That was what I meant, not that it was a boring post. I think astrology is a bit silly, but I wasn't insulting it either, just saying that was the sort of half joking insinuation.

[Cosbydaf]

I thought about doing things....



...But then I decided not to.

Doings things is overrated anyway.

[Sunbourn]

Cosbydaf Wrote:I thought about doing things....



...But then I decided not to.

Doings things is overrated anyway.

This.

[SoulRiser]

Well, most of the important things I can do, I do while sitting in front of a computer. But I do get the feeling of wasting my time while I'm playing games instead of working on my sites or emailing people or whatever else I'm supposed to do.

[liq3]

And now for a long post that might deserve it's own thread...

youvebeenthunderstruck Wrote:But do you ever think "I should really do something", that just sitting around is too pointless?

Fuck no. I don't like the small amount of progress I make in programming, but I never feel guilty for playing games instead. I feel a tiny bit guilty sometimes for making so little progress in programming, but I'm making huge progress in other areas, so I live.

Also, I am programming while I play games . You see, lets say your programming (or any other myriad of things) and you get stuck. Now, you could sit there trying to figure it out. Sure that works. Or, you could do something completely unrelated. Now, doing the completely unrelated thing is actually useful. It lets your subconscious focus on it, and figure it out, without you interfering. It's why when I play a new game for a few hours, then stop. The next day my skill has basically doubled. My mind was working on making me better all night while I slept. Refining my ability.

I really think school or society has basically said "Doing nothing is bad, you should be ashamed". They are completely wrong. Doing nothing is healthy (yes, boredom is good for you) and you'd probably go insane if you couldn't stop for a while every now and again.

[Happy Camper]

liq3 Wrote:Doing nothing is healthy (yes, boredom is good for you) and you'd probably go insane if you couldn't stop for a while every now and again.

Cabin fever. This is all I have to say.

Doing nothing in moderation is healthy. But I'm not sure many people could live in front of a computer screen doing "nothing".

But then again...define "doing something".

[liq3]

Better idea. I'll define 'nothing'.

Nothing, at least on the modern world, would be contemplating. Sitting down, doing NOTHING but thinking. Pretty much sitting completely still, absorbed in deep thought. Not working towards any of your goals. Doing nothing, to simply do nothing. Your hands should be still...

Doing something...I'll define this too...basically anything that involves physical movement. Typing, writing down ideas. Playing sport. Eating an orange. Daydreaming. Listening to music. Just to name a few.

So, maybe nothing is "spending some time with no aim". Don't aim for anything. Including "not aiming for something". No one can do that anymore (ok maybe not NO one...but 99.99% can't).

Man this is hard to describe, because I can't do it . I'm currently trying to learn how...I might try soon.

I guess what I'm getting at, is forgetting all your worries, all pressure, all desire. In this world, that is the hardest thing to do.

[Happy Camper]

Working on that definition, we seem to have strayed from the original topic then. We should talk about how we feel doing nothing rather than we feel about doing things.

I was working kind of on the standard of getting out of the house. Thus the cabin fever reference.

But like many things in life, it's about finding balance. I tend to err on the side of overworking myself. I'm trying to train myself to do differently without overcompensating and getting nothing done.

But on to nothing...a truly passive state of being. I'm not sure this is possible by anyones standards on here. Even in my set periods of time of meditation and "chill time", I'm usually letting thoughts drift in and out of my head. Or that time in the morning when I wake up but lay in bed for hours between sleep and being completely awake, letting my mind just wander to wherever it wants to. These are all the more meaningful in contrast to those days when you have to rush rush rush.

[liq3]

Happy Camper Wrote:Or that time in the morning when I wake up but lay in bed for hours between sleep and being completely awake, letting my mind just wander to wherever it wants to. These are all the more meaningful in contrast to those days when you have to rush rush rush.

Yah that's what I mean.

I was more getting at the fact that people are stuck in a "do do do" mindset, and never slow down. Back when we we're still hunting, you'd get people kneeling in the one spot for hours, watching the deer, just waiting for the right time to attack.

[The Apathy]

I actually think it has to do more with your mentality and how you piercieve the act of doing nothing.

Your brain's core beliefs are what you live with and act on, which affect your influences and end by engaging your emotions, which is your brain.

Its like a three way coversation between your brain, the world ,and your emotions.

Truth is everything you do! starts and ends with your brain. Thats why its healthy to read other ideas, opinions, and better ways of seeing life. So to serve the purpose of increasing the quality of your thoughts.

Thinking is what gives meaning to Life.

As for doing nothing. Its the same as the question "does a plant grow when your not watering it".

[Gobinu]

Did you ever think that you are actually doing too much? People produce more food they can eat, more good than they need, they work on unnessesery things and so on.

Quote:The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world. Through this I know the advantage of taking no action.

Personally, I love to lay on the grass stare at sky, maybe doze off a bit or read a book but recently I've stoped doing this... not good.

Quote:But do you ever think "I should really do something", that just sitting around is too pointless?

a) do what? b) name one not pointless action.
Be happy and try not to do eveil instead of doing good, that will be enough.

[SoulRiser]

Quote:Be happy and try not to do eveil instead of doing good, that will be enough.

That will already be a massive improvement for most people on the planet.

But I wanna do more, so... I will. But I just do whatever's on my mind at the moment (usually), which usually results in me getting the most important stuff done anyway, so I don't need to force anything.

[Gobinu]

Yeah, cool if you can. My point is how do you know you are actually doing something "good"? We never know wheter we did't make it worse/ made some disaster. Through not doing things you can be sure you didn't make harm to somebody. I can reamember many actions that were suppose to help and only made it worse.

[SoulRiser]

That's a good point. Doing stuff for other people can be bad because it makes them feel weak, like they couldn't do it for themselves. But sometimes they really need it. So it's hard to be sure. Depends what you're doing though. Just writing stuff that people might find inspirational can't really do any harm... just give 'em suggestions... what they do is up to them.

[Gobinu]

Quote:Doing stuff for other people can be bad because it makes them feel weak, like they couldn't do it for themselves

It more obvious example buy lets say helping a child lying and crying in woods.
What that child will became? Maybe it was meant to die? Maybe humans are bad in generall and saveing one of them can't be "good"? And if you leave it as it is, is it "evil"?

[itisi]

more "evol" than "evil".

[cryptevah72]

evol? like evolution? (cuz then that makes sense, but if not...)

i think its neither good or bad to help the child, because you never know what will happen, or what could have happened. the child could grow up to be a mass murderer 9which in itsself can be decated whether saving it was if fact regretable) or it could grow up to end world hunger.

[SoulRiser]

Or it could end up to do nothing useful whatsoever for humanity, but enjoy life and thank you for saving it. Isn't that good enough?

[the forgotten]

SoulRiser Wrote:Or it could end up to do nothing useful whatsoever for humanity, but enjoy life and thank you for saving it. Isn't that good enough?

Exact;y we always focus on extremes, maybe the child just grows up tp be a damn good trashman, and loves doing that, to me,this is enough reason to save one.