Achieveing fulfilment -- is it possible?

[Swarfega]

I am at the stage in the life where I have not specialised and am thinking about a career in a scientific field, most likely in biology. However, I have always found thinking about future life choices difficult. I might describe myself as nihlistic, the fact that my lifespan is so short and how the human race will eventually die out is often on my mind. Truth be told, I dislike my existence as a human -- to live for such short a time and to be controlled by so many instincts and requirements is something I'd rather be without. During the course of my existentialist musings, I often think about ways in which I could provide a permanent assistance to mankind -- to me this seems to be the only way of achieving any form of fulfilment, but lately I have been questioning this. Current society is nothing to be proud of. I ask myself, what is the point of contributing to a society where everyone and everything is flawed? Even more important, what is the point of contributing to a society that will eventually be wiped out (as in, after millions of years)?

 

At the moment, I would ideally like a career in genetics or neuroscience. The first of my problem is that I am worried I will become dissatisfied with this career choice, and will eventually look to activism or writing in order to change people's ways of thinking, if the aforementioned problems stay on my mind. Even then, changing society does nothing to the fact that it will eventually be destroyed. And even seeking knowledge -- what is the point of recording information about a universe, inside a universe that will eventually be destroyed? The second of my problem is that I'm worried about the depression this might cause me in later life if I cannot find a way to fulfill my existence, and it looks at the moment like I never will.

[Phi for All]

Personal opinion here, but I think before you try to figure out your career, you need to resolve this paradox you're in. You want to provide assistance to mankind but mankind sucks. I think you need to ask yourself if there is a way you can both make a positive influence on mankind and also be satisfied that your efforts will help. That needs to be enough for you.

 

No offense, but right now it sounds like you could do a great deal for mankind but you'd always be looking at the parts that still suck and feeling depressed about it. You can do a lot as one person, but you can only do what you do, and that HAS to be enough for you. Could you do that, work towards what you think is going to be positive in terms of mankind's future, and be satisfied that you did what you could?

[Swarfega]

I see what you mean -- in a way you are saying it is futile to relate your singular existence to the entire progression of mankind -- it should be enough for one person to do what they can, and understand that people will build on their work in the future, and in the end this will all add up to something large and significant. That makes a lot of sense. To want to desire to do so much in the lifetime of one human being is overestimation of one's own abilities.

[Phi for All]

I see what you mean -- in a way you are saying it is futile to relate your singular existence to the entire progression of mankind -- it should be enough for one person to do what they can, and understand that people will build on their work in the future, and in the end this will all add up to something large and significant. That makes a lot of sense. To want to desire to do so much in the lifetime of one human being is overestimation of one's own abilities.

It's not really about overestimating yourself. You could donate an hour of your time every day to a worthy cause and thus do more than most people are currently doing. Or you could spend every spare minute and all your resources helping that same cause and be considered its greatest benefactor. In either case, though, if it's not enough for you, if you continue to think that, in the greater scheme of human existence, that it's all futile and just a small drop in a very large bucket, you'll still end up bitter and disillusioned.

 

I think you need to resolve the conflict about how you feel about our existence. Even a nihilist should be able to come to grips with the fact that being pleased with what you're able to do is preferable to being always frustrated by your limitations. The efforts of one person are ultimately only limited by the way they are perceived by that one person.

[tar]

Swarfega,

 

Here is a nice quote. Don't know who wrote it, but it is something to think about.

 

"To the world you may just be someone, but to someone you may be the whole world."

 

 

As the captain on star trek might say.

 

Make it so.

 

 

Regards, TAR2

 

Swarfega,

 

But more directly to your points.

 

There are "improvements" to our situation, that you can imagine. Making something work better that is currently working poorly. (ignoring for the moment the eventual demise of the universe.)

 

This is not the first time that a human has had such notions. We have been doing such for a long long time.

 

Look around you, at what has been established. The science, the law, the universities, the transportation, communication, manufacturing, building, farming and medicine that humans have achieved for and with each other. Each advance building on the life work of those who came before.

 

Consider sitting alone on a desert island. Just you and the plants and animals, the sea and the stars.

What would you do then? What COULD you do then, without the benefits betowed upon you, by those humans of like mind who came before you and established and maintained the society you are a part of?

 

As to the demise of the universe. It is sufficiently far away in time, for that not to be an actual concern. Much can happen in the meantime. People will be born and die, civilizations will rise and fall, species will thrive and decline.

 

It is not impossible that our species will find ways to survive even the death of our Sun. So your efforts will not be in vain.

 

Make the contributions you know you can make. If only in repayment for the efforts of those who came before you, and as a gift to those who will benefit.

 

And do not worry too much about making the wrong choice of careers. Things are a little different now, than in the days a person would be bound to a trade. Things move pretty fast these days. The internet is a powerful tool. Emerse yourself in a field that you love. Become the best you can be. The directions that you can take from there will be more numerous, and will present themselves as you go.

 

Plus, you will find out what has already been tried, and what has already been established, and know better where the impovements can be made. And what you can do about it.

 

That is what I would tell you, if you asked. You did ask?

 

Regards, TAR2

Edited November 7, 2011 by tar

[Appolinaria]

I think it's possible. You just need a different perspective

 

 

 

 

There is one idea that seems to bring me comfort, so I'll share it.... Energy can never be created or destroyed.. only transmuted into other things. Everything is permanent, it's all just being recycled. Maybe this specific manifestation is fleeting, but an aspect of us is eternal. We are simply being purified, like metal, through the furnace of experience.

 

 

 

 

And even if this isn't true, while we're here, f*ck it, we should at least try to make life less difficult for others. Help those weaker than you, share knowledge to give them solace, teach the world about the beauty that's hidden behind everything, help our society evolve... Because it matters now. Laugh a little bit and try to enjoy this strange world we are a part of. We are all on this bizarre journey together.

 

 

 

 

[tar]

Even then, changing society does nothing to the fact that it will eventually be destroyed. And even seeking knowledge -- what is the point of recording information about a universe, inside a universe that will eventually be destroyed? The second of my problem is that I'm worried about the depression this might cause me in later life if I cannot find a way to fulfill my existence, and it looks at the moment like I never will.

 

Swarfega,

 

This however is not so easy to answer. I struggle with it myself. Not so much because it might be true of the universe, but that it evidently is true of me. I am 57 and people, even with modern medicine, do not live past 100 very often, and very rarely after 117. Plus I smoke. (brilliant, huh). In any case, chances are, I have done most of my living. Struck me last November that if I was to make any contribution to society, I better start soon. I decided I would investigate the meaning behind language. Find the things we all have in common, that we just use different symbols and sounds to represent. Asked for language CDs for my Birthday and Christmas presents. Have Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Arabic, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, and Hindi. Listen to them a lot. But I am 57, new languages never came easy to me, and I think in English, all the connotations and usages I know are English ones. So I am not progressing very quickly, just getting use to the sounds, and picking up a little vocabulary.

 

Thought struck me, (to your point), why bother. Even if I should learn them all, and be able to converse with a large portion of the world's population in their first or second language, my abilities would end rather abuptly when I died. The whole shooting match would be gone.

 

Not an answer, but my take is this. If I continue to have insights into the "meaning" behind language, and can tie neurology, evolution, philosophy, religion, politics, personality, psychology, art and science into one neat, factual package, I could write it down, and it may be of some use to "society". Even after I die.

All I can do now is read, and think, and learn. To see what is already known, and how and why it all fits together.

 

As Appolinaria suggests, we are of and in something that we belong to, and that belongs to us. We have no other "something" to be in and of. This is it. Whatever that may be. It was before us, and will be after us, but we are solidly attached to it, in both directions. For that matter not only attached in a time sense, but in a space sense. There are tiny things that make us up, and huge things that we are components of.

 

Not an answer perhaps, but a way to look at things. Being a mortal, occupying this particular place and time, we can imagine it all from here and now. If we were not as we are, we could not do that.

 

Regards, TAR2

Edited November 7, 2011 by tar

[JustinW]

To my way of thinking the OP is looking at fulfillment on a scale of 1-10. It's either a 10 or it's a 1 with no inbetween. I've heard it put this way about depression. Most people that are depressed have to be at a 10 on the happiness scale. If they aren't at 10 then they think what's the use. My personal opinion would be to set a goal of about 6. I think overall it will be more satisfactory. To feel like you've accomplished something without the need to affect everything. And the inbetweens? At least you wouldn't beat yourself up about things you couldn't control, and might maintain some balance.

 

 

[Phi for All]

I have a friend whose ex-wife was always looking for happiness in "things". She told my friend she was unhappy because they were throwing away their money on rent, so they bought a house. She was happy for a while but then became depressed and said she wanted kids. They had two boys and she was OK for a while until she started complaining that she missed having horses like she did growing up. They ended up selling their house and buying a horse property. Within a couple of years they were selling their two horses and the property and getting a divorce.

 

My friend's wife was never happy with herself. She was a very nice person, smart and funny, but she always thought happiness was found only in the proper circumstances. I always thought she could have anything she wanted but until she could be happy with nothing, no amount of things or situations or circumstances would ever help.

 

Similarly, if you always look at the injustices and poverty in the world, you'll never see the compassion and prosperity that's all around you. If your nihilist view says the world is a burning house, at least know that you aren't the only person throwing buckets of water on the flames. And each bucket you throw saves a few more important things, and you get to choose which things get saved, that's the best part.

 

If you're a nihilist, do you truly believe that existence is meaningless or do you just reject traditional values and beliefs?

[JustinW]

I completely agree with Phi. No need to think about the glass being half empty. When it gets that way, just get a different size glass. What you do always matters to someone whether you notice that change or not. Some of peoples best intentions can turn the worse for others. Just like the early thinkers on chemistry and physics didn't intend to pave the road for atomic weapons. My point is to do what makes you feel fulfilled, just not to an extent of feeling utter failure and deppresion for not seeing an immediate impact on the world.

 

At the moment, I would ideally like a career in genetics or neuroscience. The first of my problem is that I am worried I will become dissatisfied with this career choice, and will eventually look to activism or writing in order to change people's ways of thinking, if the aforementioned problems stay on my mind. Even then, changing society does nothing to the fact that it will eventually be destroyed. And even seeking knowledge -- what is the point of recording information about a universe, inside a universe that will eventually be destroyed? The second of my problem is that I'm worried about the depression this might cause me in later life if I cannot find a way to fulfill my existence, and it looks at the moment like I never will.

 

Just think of all the cool stuff we'll do in the meantime.