Philosophical burnout

Philosophaster · Post by **Philosophaster** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 1:42 pm

Lately I have felt kind of burnt out, as though I have already discussed everything important about philosophy and have nothing left to say. I know that this is not even close to being the case, but it is how I have felt. One part may be physical exhaustion, which I have been feeling lately for reasons I have not figured out.

I just feel stale. Dried up.

Have any of you felt this way before? I have no plans to abandon philosophy, probably because I realize at a deeper level that if I keep going I will gain more insights and I think that it may all be "worth it." I probably could not give myself up to thoughtlessness altogether even if I tried, and I still think that is a good thing.

hsandman · Post by **hsandman** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:03 pm

Didn't you make similar post on another board while ago that you linked from it to this board? You seem to also run out /dried out of topics to post. give it a rest and post someting interesting so i can comment on it :P

Philosophaster · Post by **Philosophaster** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:08 pm

Nah, that previous post was about modern philosophy as a whole. This one is about my personal situation.

You are not required to comment, of course.

hsandman · Post by **hsandman** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:31 pm

Philosophaster wrote:Nah, that previous post was about modern philosophy as a whole. This one is about my personal situation.

You are not required to comment, of course.

I know :)

LooF · Post by **LooF** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 6:53 pm

if you are feeling so exhausted, do you meditate?

it may help you

Diebert van Rhijn · Post by **Diebert van Rhijn** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 12:24 am

Philosophaster wrote:Lately I have felt kind of burnt out, as though I have already discussed everything important about philosophy and have nothing left to say. I know that this is not even close to being the case, but it is how I have felt. One part may be physical exhaustion, which I have been feeling lately for reasons I have not figured out.

I just feel stale. Dried up.

When you see yourself as being philosophy, then when you feel stale and dried up, it's also your philosophy with has become stale, or at least you current grasp on it. But it also works the other way around. Philosophy changes us and brings up situations where change is required to move on. Including physical states.

Unidian · Post by **Unidian** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 3:03 am

This topic is also being discussed elsewhere, and those GF members who I'd be interested in discussing it with will know how to find it.

Unlike hsandman, however, I think it's one of the most interesting topics I've discussed recently.

Dan Rowden · Post by **Dan Rowden** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:48 am

I haven't suffered this kind of philosophical burnout, though my overall motivational levels have waxed and waned over time. The key reason for either thing is the degree to which we are actually engaging philosophy egotistically. Because we do this, we get bored because we're looking for egotistical benefit from it.

You're way too attached to discussing philosophy, Philo - that essentially your problem. When this dynamic doesn't provide you with new things to think about or various forms of stimulation (egotistical in nature) philosophy loses it spark for you. You need to stop for a while and consider the nature of your engagement with it. Why are you into philosophy in the first place?

Dan Rowden

Philosophaster · Post by **Philosophaster** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 3:08 pm

That was a very insightful response, Dan. Thank you. I need to think a while about what you said. I have become much too attached to the "debate" dynamic, but I never suspected that this might have caused my burnout.

Unidian · Post by **Unidian** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 4:27 pm

I don't think it's causing mine, because I don't debate much anymore.

I think I just need to go in the direction my mind is telling me to go. Back to ontology and philosophy of mind, etc. If I do so, I'll be saying the kind of things that will get me drummed out of the "serious people" club forever, but I'm not sure I care anymore. I'm not going to sit around burned out over it.

Lennyrizzo · Post by **Lennyrizzo** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 9:26 pm

If your stuck you need a good push. Try a new drug (just once or twice), or spend an hour singing at a KTV, if you're celibate go get laid (just once, or twice).

Dan Rowden · Post by **Dan Rowden** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:01 pm

Naturyl wrote:I don't think it's causing mine, because I don't debate much anymore.

I think I just need to go in the direction my mind is telling me to go. Back to ontology and philosophy of mind, etc. If I do so, I'll be saying the kind of things that will get me drummed out of the "serious people" club forever, but I'm not sure I care anymore. I'm not going to sit around burned out over it.

Well, if you don't mind me saying so, this is the least of what will make for real philosophy. I can't think of much that is more constraining than any attachment to being taken "seriously" by anybody.

The true philosopher has no peers.

Dan Rowden

Unidian · Post by **Unidian** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 4:16 am

Yep, I recognize the attachment and it's something I need to work on. I think I'm making progress already.

Lennyrizzo · Post by **Lennyrizzo** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:55 am

There's an attitude in some philosopical circles that the way to overcome unhealthy/destructive attachments is by paying particular attention to oneself and some specific addiction, to sort of catch yourself before you become too emotional, to otherwise tackle each problem behavior head-on.
We all know that focusing on, say, a smoking or eating problem, can be an effective way to conquer it-- people have done precisely this with varying success. Of course it's essential to be determined, to be finally fed-up with it, and to have the tools to do the job. But the matter of overcoming attachment itself requires a different approach.
Philosophers who lack attachment to things are regarded enlightened, but they didn't get that way by identifying and working on attachments one at a time. No, they got there by applying their reason to the great questions of life, what is Life, and who are they. In so doing all attachments bar none are seen as mistakes of logic, and the logical person quite naturally and with relative ease commits himself to the task of becoming perfect. It is not an over-night process however, as a deluded brain will stubbornly try to remain so. Yet a fatal blow has been delivered to it, and hope becomes plentiful.

Spinwiz@Spindoc · Post by **Spinwiz@Spindoc** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 11:53 pm

Maybe we have to start looking, to stop looking, to find...
I feel we need to start looking to learn recognition of objects. Its education, but searching can be subjective, we have already created the object of our search, and make it be.
Stop looking, allow yourself to see what is there already, rather than that which is in your mind. You may recognise
something new, and use your reason, and education to call
it a find. :-)

GENIUS FORUMS

Philosophical burnout

Philosophical burnout

Re: Philosophical burnout