♦ Last Updated on July 29, 2024 ♦
Well, life may become burdensome after youth, that is, after a person leaves the providing environment of parents and home. At the same time, most folks do not consider adult life arduous until perhaps an older age when health or wealth begins to fail.
I know. For most of life, the human psyche ensures that people feel empowered to master the challenges of being alive in an increasingly complex world. “We can do it, and we will!”
What is increasingly complex about the world?
Our social conventions have become rather complex. That is, the rules or codes of conduct that people fight over and eventually must agree to. I am speaking about rights and obligations, the dos and don’ts of society, etc. All sorts of new restrictions bear down on us since more and more people live in this finite world. New opportunities are of the abstract type only. And then there are people who break the rules and get away with it. People insisting on their rights may hurt others by doing so. People neglecting their obligations do so for sure. There is less news and more divisive opinion. Change seems to move too fast for me. Must I say more?
Nope.
So, what do you all think the most significant burdens are for a person?
From what I can tell, the greatest personal burdens that people may experience are:
- dealing with loneliness or isolation,
- being stuck in unhelpful behaviors,
- figuring what to do with the time one is given in his or her life.
It seems that many smart people have written books about these issues.
Ah, name some of these people and their books, please. I want to know.
Hi, Eric Berne here. I developed a theory called ‘Transactional Analysis‘ (TA) as a way of explaining human behavior. Are you stuck in unhelpful behavior?
In Berne’s TA line of relational psychology, Claude Steiner’s book Scripts People Live is a highly recommended read. It describes how people choose a ‘life script‘ at an early age, and how we can change its course for the better.
HAHA. NO NEED TO BOTHER. Life is not only arduous but also futile. As my philosopher and writer friend Jean-Paul Sartre said, existence is absurd.
So what? Objectively speaking, you may be right, Hades. Fascinatingly enough, all humans are born with a promising and undeterred psyche. We need not pay much attention to the abstract notions of futility or absurdness.
Here is how life differentiates itself from existence: as humans, we do not only exist, we are alive and kicking!
Yep. And in my opinion, while Hades may exist, he or she or it is fairly dead.
Shadow, you should know that we do not pay much attention to small talk. Is there a shortcut to satisfaction and fulfillment you can tell us about?
Perhaps not. But there are shortcuts to misery, for sure. And you know them. Avoid these shortcuts at all costs and you’ll be victorious one day.
Hello!
In the meantime, can I share with you all some experiences and decisions that made a huge difference in my life?