Liking your Truth

[bennyboy]

I wonder if people put on a happier face on an atheist forum (although that's not the case in this thread, or maybe I just get an inaccurate sample based on the threads I open), because of the Us vs. Them attitude with the Theists.  Things like being scared of dying, or that evil people prosper is kind of shoved in the closet as Atheists tout how great not believing in God is?

I think anyone, religious or not, will get the heebie-jeebies if they think about their own mortality too much.  It's one thing to imagine sliding down candy-canes or whatever in a dreamy heaven, but then there's the thought of your body on a concrete slab.

But most people have found a pretty effective way of dealing with it-- live your life and stop thinking about it for no reason.

[drfuzzy]

Basic human trait.  We don't like change.

[MTL]

but I'm not going to deceive myself with sugary daydreams, either.

In my world, The Truth Hurts.

I know you probably can't, but if you could would you deceive yourself?  Is happiness based on delusion less valid?  Again, that would require you to be able to fully delude yourself, and it's tough to put the reason train in reverse.

Well, I've struggled with depression for my entire adult life, and have never availed myself of antidepressants
because I'd rather be authentically miserable than artificially happy.

Damn, I don't mean that to sound as judgmental as it does...perhaps I'm a fool for not taking medication,
and lots of people have benefited from it;

but I think it illustrates that I'm a put-my-hand-on-a-hot-stove-burner-to-make-sure-I'm-really-awake type of girl.

[drfuzzy]

I know you probably can't, but if you could would you deceive yourself?  Is happiness based on delusion less valid?  Again, that would require you to be able to fully delude yourself, and it's tough to put the reason train in reverse.

Well, I've struggled with depression for my entire adult life, and have never availed myself of antidepressants
because I'd rather be authentically miserable than artificially happy.

Damn, I don't mean that to sound as judgmental as it does...perhaps I'm a fool for not taking medication,
and lots of people have benefited from it;

but I think it illustrates that I'm a put-my-hand-on-a-hot-stove-burner-to-make-sure-I'm-really-awake type of girl.

I get you, MTL.  They put me on Prozac for a bit and I felt foggy.  (or was that fuzzy?)  I begged my therapist to help me come up with natural things to fight depression.   Diet, exercise, gardening, sunlight, volunteer work, etc.   Volunteer work does wonders for me.  It gives perspective.  It's not the easy road and sometimes it's amazingly hard to drag yourself up and about, but I just didn't like the drugs.

[MTL]

I wonder if people put on a happier face on an atheist forum (although that's not the case in this thread, or maybe I just get an inaccurate sample based on the threads I open), because of the Us vs. Them attitude with the Theists.  Things like being scared of dying, or that evil people prosper is kind of shoved in the closet as Atheists tout how great not believing in God is?

There are pros and cons to being a Theist,

and there are pros and cons to be being non-Theist.

I miss aspects of attending church, for example, even though I loathe religion.

I'm not scared of death.

What scared me more was the prospect of tragedy
...the idea that the one life we have might end up wasted or tragic, in some way, rather than full and happy.

But, in any event, you face it and make the best of it.

[MTL]

Well, I've struggled with depression for my entire adult life, and have never availed myself of antidepressants
because I'd rather be authentically miserable than artificially happy.

Damn, I don't mean that to sound as judgmental as it does...perhaps I'm a fool for not taking medication,
and lots of people have benefited from it;

but I think it illustrates that I'm a put-my-hand-on-a-hot-stove-burner-to-make-sure-I'm-really-awake type of girl.

I get you, MTL.  They put me on Prozac for a bit and I felt foggy.  (or was that fuzzy?)  I begged my therapist to help me come up with natural things to fight depression.   Diet, exercise, gardening, sunlight, volunteer work, etc.   Volunteer work does wonders for me.  It gives perspective.  It's not the easy road and sometimes it's amazingly hard to drag yourself up and about, but I just didn't like the drugs.

100% with you, there.

Diet, exercise, gardening, sunlight, volunteering...I would add study and learning, travel, contact with animals....yep.

This was a lean holiday, and a sad one, too, for my family;
but I got a lot of joy out of sending cards to some kids I've never met,
kids whose tragic stories went viral on the internet
and whose guardians invited the public to send cards.

it's amazing how doing something little for someone else can lift you.

By contrast, I'm always struck by the contrast between this year's shiny new presents under the tree,
vs. the forgotten, scuffed, lost, or ruined gifts from last christmas.

Same with cars.  Everyone wants the newest, shiniest, latest cars and gadgets,
but look through an old magazine from the 80s.  Look at the ads from Chevrolet and Buick.
those cars look like dated old junkers, now.  In another 30 years, the slick crossovers and SUV's of today
will look just as dull, clunky and dated.

but you can remember a good moment 30 years later and it's still a good memory.

[Alex K]

I for one am far from pleased that death is the end. I'd rather take an afterlife of some sort and absolutely hate the idea of having to die. So no, I am not all entirely happy about the world that reason has revealed to me, though I have learned to live with it and appreciate its enormity.

[henryp]

I wonder if people put on a happier face on an atheist forum (although that's not the case in this thread, or maybe I just get an inaccurate sample based on the threads I open), because of the Us vs. Them attitude with the Theists.  Things like being scared of dying, or that evil people prosper is kind of shoved in the closet as Atheists tout how great not believing in God is?

What scared me more was the prospect of tragedy
...the idea that the one life we have might end up wasted or tragic, in some way, rather than full and happy.

But, in any event, you face it and make the best of it.

When thinking on depression, or maybe just discontent, I wonder how much of that is about the story we're told.  Life is hyped up something fierce when we're growing up.  Do anything, be anything.  Make something of yourself.  Make a difference.  Etc...  The implication being that if you don't, you've wasted something.

And then after that, they're like "But you know, just do what makes you happy."  I think if we take our lives a little less seriously, it's easier to find happiness.  Alas, anytime you swim upstream against the socially accepted position, you've got your work cut out for you believing it.

[MTL]

What scared me more was the prospect of tragedy
...the idea that the one life we have might end up wasted or tragic, in some way, rather than full and happy.

But, in any event, you face it and make the best of it.

When thinking on depression, or maybe just discontent, I wonder how much of that is about the story we're told.  Life is hyped up something fierce when we're growing up.  Do anything, be anything.  Make something of yourself.  Make a difference.  Etc...  The implication being that if you don't, you've wasted something.

And then after that, they're like "But you know, just do what makes you happy."  I think if we take our lives a little less seriously, it's easier to find happiness.  Alas, anytime you swim upstream against the socially accepted position, you've got your work cut out for you believing it.

well said.

tragedy for me isn't just when something sad happens.

It's when the sadness is needless, or was entirely avoidable.

but you remind me of a good quote:

[LadyForCamus]

Well, I've struggled with depression for my entire adult life, and have never availed myself of antidepressants
because I'd rather be authentically miserable than artificially happy.

Damn, I don't mean that to sound as judgmental as it does...perhaps I'm a fool for not taking medication,
and lots of people have benefited from it;

but I think it illustrates that I'm a put-my-hand-on-a-hot-stove-burner-to-make-sure-I'm-really-awake type of girl.

I get you, MTL.  They put me on Prozac for a bit and I felt foggy.  (or was that fuzzy?)  I begged my therapist to help me come up with natural things to fight depression.   Diet, exercise, gardening, sunlight, volunteer work, etc.   Volunteer work does wonders for me.  It gives perspective.  It's not the easy road and sometimes it's amazingly hard to drag yourself up and about, but I just didn't like the drugs.

Fuzzy,

Have you ever tried cymbalta? Works like a charm for me. The best way I can describe it is, I feel like a NORMAL PERSON. Not drugged up or numbed. Just evened out.