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My understanding and thoughts of things
Social conformity, social rules, my thoughts on what makes us happy and how to live the best life.
Social Conformity and Social Rules:
From birth, we absorb rules to help us survive. We arrive on Earth as blank slates, knowing nothing, so we mimic the behaviors of our species to navigate and endure. However, at some point, we begin to realize that this way of life doesn’t always align with our desires. Why can’t we do more? We start to feel like cogs in a vast, impersonal machine. It feels as though there’s only one way to live. Personally, I often feel trapped, like I can’t breathe — except when I’m alone and engaged in what I truly love.
We become ensnared in a rat race toward success, all while never pausing to define what success means to us. Conformity becomes second nature, yet it stifles individuality, killing authenticity and replacing us with someone we no longer recognize. From birth, we are conditioned to adopt a particular worldview: we must earn money, secure a job, fall in love, and be agreeable — lest we be labeled as rude or defiant. The burden then falls upon us to unlearn these inherited rules.
What Do We Do?
Here, I turn to Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Be instinctually yourself.” This sentiment aligns seamlessly with the Daoist principle of wu-wei — acting only when the action flows naturally from within. Build trust in your instincts. Life is a process of trial and error; make gut decisions and allow your intuition to grow stronger by learning from its mistakes. In doing so, you sharpen your decision-making abilities like a finely honed blade.
Reject conformity, but not for rebellion’s sake alone. Question everything. Take the answers that resonate with you, the ones you like, and discard the rest. Remember, the greats didn’t achieve greatness through conformity. They spoke their truths, and in time, the world followed. Consider Galileo, who was tried and confined to house arrest for life for his groundbreaking idea of the solar system. History has shown that people can be short-sighted. Don’t take life — or their judgments — too personally. Trust your instincts.
My Thoughts on What Makes Us Happy and How to Live the Best Life
Happiness, in my view, should be understood through two lenses: the physical state and the mental state.
The physical state forms the baseline for happiness. It starts with fixing the fundamentals: eating healthy, getting sufficient sleep and rest, and engaging in daily exercise. Mastering these elements alone will carry you 60 percent of the way toward a good life.
The mental state is more complex and requires time and effort. While I am not a therapist, I believe tracking your thoughts and questioning yourself can make a significant difference. In my opinion, happiness is rooted in our day-to-day lives, not in distant, lofty goals set for the next 20 or 30 years. Goals and achievements serve as tools to give us direction, but the achievement itself doesn’t matter as much as the process. Yes, the journey is more important than the destination.
Achievements bring fleeting happiness, particularly when we rely on societal validation. True fulfillment stems from the decisions we make daily — choosing the right path instead of the easy one, listening to our instincts, and prioritizing our growth.
How to Achieve Happiness, According to Me
The first step is observing your behavior. Ask yourself: How free am I really?
The next step is initiating change — shifting away from a lifestyle of stagnation or self-loathing. It’s important to recognize that this is a lifestyle, one we’ve been unconsciously living for a long time. Change will not happen overnight; it’s a habit that must be broken.
To overcome resistance, start small. Make changes that are extremely convenient. Drastic changes often create internal resistance, but incremental adjustments can gradually shift the flow of your routine. Once these small changes take hold and alter the rhythm of your day, you can build on them to make transformation easier and more sustainable.
Focus on creating days that bring satisfaction. Incorporate physically healthy habits — eat well, rest, and move your body. Find hobbies or dedicate time to existing ones. Hobbies allow you to reconnect with your authentic self and add richness to life.
Everyone faces their own time constraints and challenges, but meaningful change begins with a willingness to try. Remember: progress is built one small step at a time.
PS: don’t take all this too seriously I'm a just a kid sharing the way I'm figuring out to live.
Morality: Absolutism vs. Relativism
Absolutism is the belief that morality is fixed, universal, and unchanging. It operates as a set of rules that apply to all individuals regardless of culture, context, or personal beliefs. Absolutists argue that certain actions, like murder, are intrinsically wrong, irrespective of the circumstances.
Relativism, on the other hand, views morality as flexible, shaped by cultural norms, personal beliefs, and specific situations. It adapts to context, often asking questions like: What were the intentions? What are the consequences? Relativism explores the gray areas of moral judgment rather than adhering to rigid rules.
Both frameworks can serve as useful guides for determining moral behavior, but each comes with inherent contradictions and flaws.
Absolutism vs. Relativism: A Moral Dilemma
Consider the classic moral problem: Killing one person to save a million.
Absolutism argues that killing is wrong, regardless of the outcome. The act itself is sinful, and no consequence can justify it.
Relativism suggests that the morality of the action depends on the context. If the benefits (saving a million lives) outweigh the harm (killing one person), then the act becomes justifiable.
Now consider a more personal scenario: Someone attacks you with the intent to kill. You defend yourself and, in the struggle, stab the attacker, resulting in their death.
Common sense says this act of self-preservation is justified.
Absolutism, however, sees the act of killing as inherently wrong, regardless of intent or circumstances.
Relativism justifies the killing because the context (self-defense) makes it morally acceptable.
But let’s take a slight twist. Imagine another scenario: Someone has incriminating evidence that will lead to your death sentence, and you kill them to protect yourself. Here, the act is also one of self-preservation, but common sense shifts. Most would say this killing is morally wrong.
Why? Both situations involve survival, yet our moral instincts respond differently depending on the context and intent.
The Flaws of Absolutism and Relativism
Absolutism is unrealistic because it fails to consider the complexities of human life. It judges morality solely on the action, ignoring context, intent, or consequences. In an absolutist framework, self-defense becomes morally wrong, implying that allowing oneself to die would be the “right” thing to do — a conclusion that contradicts reason and survival instincts.
Relativism appears more adaptable but can collapse under its own flexibility. If morality depends on individual or cultural beliefs, then any action can be justified. Relativism risks moral corruption. For example, Nazi Germany’s treatment of Jews and other marginalized groups was considered morally “right” within that culture. A strict relativist would struggle to condemn such atrocities because, under their framework, judging another culture’s moral code is considered bigotry.
Thus, relativism can allow immoral behavior to go unchecked, while absolutism can lead to unreasonable and rigid conclusions.
What I Choose
I choose absolutism, not as an ironclad rule but as a starting point — a first thought. It provides a foundational moral framework that prioritizes universal principles. However, when absolutism reveals its flaws, I believe it is necessary to reason through the situation, analyze the intent, weigh the consequences, and consider the context.
The primary issue with relativism is its denial of an objective truth. When everything becomes relative, morality loses its anchor. For instance, relativists argue that it is wrong to judge the moral rules of other cultures. Yet, without moral judgment, we cannot challenge atrocities like genocide or systemic oppression.
Absolutism, while imperfect, offers a better starting point. It sets universal standards that can be used to evaluate actions fairly and consistently. At the same time, morality is too nuanced to fit neatly into a single framework. Every situation must be examined individually, with intent, context, and consequences studied fully. Only then can a moral decision be made that aligns with reason and justice.
In the end, morality requires a balance. It cannot be reduced to simple rules or endlessly flexible principles. Instead, we must approach moral dilemmas with a foundational sense of right and wrong, tempered by reason, compassion, and thoughtful judgment.
NON-EXISTENCE
you ever get stuck in life so much that it starts feeling like a dream. What you did a few mins ago starts feeling like some distant memory. FsIHlvdSdyZ.3.. Like you are living but are fading at the same time. (46esab)Like a state of nonexistence. You are doing a lot of things but you’re not even aware of them.ZW0gY2hpbGQ.5. It’s not even that you’re doing something you hate or living a life you don’t want.SBhIHByb2Js.4. You are doing what you love everyday of your life but it still happens. Existing itself feels fatiguing but not in a bad way.Just feels unreal.WW91J3JlIG5.1.Everything starts feeling like an illusion like you’re on a show. Being watched constantly, people start feeling like puppets.vdCBzcGVjaW.2.everyone feels the same ,all of them one hive mind repeating the same shit over and over again. Authenticity is lost..Do I exist?
Understanding Deontology
What does it mean:
The word “deon” comes from the Greek word for duty. Deontology asserts that the moral rightness or wrongness of an action is determined by the fulfillment of duty, regardless of virtue or consequence.
One name closely associated with deontology is Immanuel Kant.
Kantian ethics is a deontological ethical theory that posits moral rightness as an obligation inherent to our nature as human beings. It is our duty to act in the morally correct way.
Deontology holds that there are universal moral rules — such as never lying or cheating. These actions are inherently wrong, regardless of the outcomes they produce.
How to know if an action is deontologically right:
One of the core maxims of deontology is to never use a person as a mere means. But what does this truly mean? Is it immoral to use someone to achieve a goal? For example, when visiting a shop to buy goods, you are, in essence, using the shopkeeper to acquire the item. However, this is not morally wrong. The shopkeeper consents to the exchange to earn income, making the action mutually beneficial and morally permissible.
The problem arises when someone is used as a “mere” means, disregarding their will and existence. If an action cannot, in principle, be consented to by all parties involved, it becomes morally wrong. The moral evaluation of an action thus hinges on whether individuals, in their right mind, could possibly consent to being subjected to it.
Its flaws:
Deontology’s primary flaw lies in its rigidity, while life is inherently dynamic.
Consider the question of stealing. Stealing is universally deemed wrong. Yet, imagine a thief who steals bread to feed his starving family. When faced with the reality that saving a life necessitates breaking a moral rule, which duty prevails? Does the duty to uphold moral law surpass the duty to preserve life? Or does the imperative to prevent suffering take precedence over the strict prohibition against theft?
These dilemmas highlight the complexities of applying deontological principles to the fluid and often morally ambiguous nature of human existence.
What is Love?
The Hollywood Notion:
I refer to it as the Hollywood notion, though it extends beyond Hollywood to media as a whole. Through no fault of their own, the media often portrays love as something ethereal and enlightened — more than an emotion, something almost alive. This exaggerated depiction blinds many to the reality of love. In truth, love is but another state of happiness, no different in essence from other fleeting human experiences.
Ayn Rand on Love:
Ayn Rand asserts that love, at its core, must be approached selfishly. (Mwpsziasvxlpswmrkmx)($)This is not to suggest disregard for the desires or needs of another — on the contrary, love is about caring. Yet, the essence of this love lies in the selfish pleasure derived from cherishing another. According to Rand, we alone are responsible for our own happiness, and it is incumbent upon us to act in ways that fulfill it. No individual holds the right to demand sacrifice from another in pursuit of their own joy. Love, Rand argues, cannot exist without reason. We love because another offers something we value, just as we, in turn, provide something they cherish. To love without reason is both immoral and impossible. Were we to be asked to love indiscriminately — without regard for the virtues or worth of another — it would strip love of meaning. To love all is to love none. Such love, detached from personal interest and stripped of reason, becomes hollow — a mere obligation for another’s sake, devoid of substance. The true currency of love, she proclaims, is value and virtue.
My Perspective:
In many respects, I find myself aligned with Rand’s philosophy. Love, in its truest form, must be deserved. It is an intricate exchange of value, virtue, ideas, and intellect. Love manifests in that profound state where one intimately understands another and takes selfish delight in the bond they share. It is the recognition of someone who offers joy, comfort, and unwavering care — a refuge where one can exist unreservedly. And when this sentiment is reciprocated, love is born.
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The Gray Line.
So… been quite a while since I've written anything. Nothing really happened in my life. I've just focused my efforts on college and my studies a bit. I do feel as though I have improved in many ways though.
Since I last wrote, I’ve joined a boxing camp — partly for fitness, but also as something for myself. I haven’t been going for the last two months though; college has gotten in the way, and there were a few internship opportunities I didn’t follow up on.
I wanted to come back to writing not only to have fun but also to learn more things to write about. I feel as though I’ve grown a lot these past few months.
One theme overwhelms my existence: isolation and friendships.
I do enjoy my own company, but as any person does, I start feeling the dread of loneliness. But it’s this duality that causes me suffering. I like who I am when I’m alone — I don’t feel judged or even looked at… or rather, stared at. I am able to think clearer and make my views clearer.
Creating a fake isolation gives me a certain disconnect, which lets me build my own views about the world — even if flawed, they’re based in authenticity and, hopefully, compassion.
I do find it hard to relate to other people — almost all social events and practices feel very absurd to me. I’m not particularly a fan of meeting new people either and rather enjoy spending time in deeper conversation with friends I already have. And recently, it has been that: almost all of my socializing has been me talking to my friends about ideologies and testing each other’s views on things.
Isolating makes me more authentic. And isolation breeds creativity — or rather, boredom breeds creativity. So, me being in a more creative field, this has helped me create ideas that I’m quite fond of.
At the same time, the disconnect makes me feel like an alien. A lot of my being goes misunderstood or discarded. I find a lot of things about people… absurd. I find companionship and camaraderie almost trivial, but a necessity.
So in turn I ask myself: since I find almost everyone absurd, does that make the real absurd one… me?
This duality has been haunting me for quite some time. But maybe now, as I’m growing and understanding the world a bit better — maybe I will find the gray line.
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