The Older I Become, the Less LIFE, as we know it, Makes Sense to Me. Do you feel the same as I? Like Vonnegut, do you yearn for life on Saturn, someday?

[thaibeachlovers]

11 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I don't think I ever managed to find work I liked.

Even tried working as a Scuba instructor (UK/Malta/Israel/Jorden), completely destroyed all enjoyment I got from diving. In the end I just settled on the job that paid me the most money and pension, in the shortest time ........ now that was satisfying, not the job, but retiring at age 45.

I was lucky enough to work in the Antarctic for a year. Best year of my life.

Unfortunately such pleasurable jobs are rare.

 

I've often thought about what job I'd have liked to do before I went to Antarctica, and working on a big sheep station would have come close ( that was my dream job in school ), but I joined the military instead and the rest is history.

[55Jay]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

While I agree with what you say about us living too long, I don't agree about "no purpose". IMO only lower animals live without purpose. IMO humans were given the blessing ( or curse ) of needing to have meaning in life. IMO that's why we become religious or follow religious like movements like the climate change believers, or join criminal gangs.

Thanks.  IMO, lower animals do have a purpose.  It's the same as ours, at least in our unpolluted, natural state.  Everything else we think and worry about beyond the basics, may well be the result of idle time, because the basics of life are more plentiful and assured, and we have a reduced threat of being eaten by a predator as we go about obtaining them.  

 

Interesting to watch how quickly the veneer is stripped away once our fragile systems are disrupted.  Observed in my early 30s before, during and in the aftermath of a devastating super typhoon.  Once the power went out, bulk fuel depot on fire, water system damaged, cell/internet gone...... all the extraneous BS evaporated, and everybody huddled around candles taking stock.  Back to Basics.  It was a relief to finally get our little corner of the world back on line a month or so later, but a part of me enjoyed the simplicity of our species during a crisis dynamic.

 

Fun contrast I just thought of is the divide between "modern" westerners with the time and resources to contemplate the meaning of life -v- the simplicity of a farm girl from a hard scrabble village in deep Issan, concerned with daily life on her family's patch of dirt.   As he lays in the hammock contemplating lofty ideas and asking for her thoughts on it, she may avert her eyes in embarrassment and/or annoyance, and say,

"You tink too mutt".

 

[Salerno]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

working on a big sheep station would have come close ( that was my dream job in school )

So it's true what they say about Kiwis (hope the Welsh don't get jealous). ????

Edited July 29, 2021 by Salerno

[BangkokReady]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

No thanks. As a mere male I'm more likely to be accused of some nefarious reason for wanting to be around kids than thanked for helping them.

Not going to disagree.  I was just answering the question as to meaning on life when you are old.

[Caldera]

I've long come to the conclusion that you can either try to make sense of life (as we know it) or simply enjoy life (whileyou can).

 

I've chosen the latter, which in a nutshell is why I moved to Thailand. People who are looking for purpose or meaning invariably seem to end up disappointed. It is what it is, end of.

[sanooki]

9 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Reaching age 62 and still needing to work isn't all that successful IMHO.

Laugh all you want. I was making over 100k per year, but I said I walked away. I don't need your approval.

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, sanooki said:

Laugh all you want. I was making over 100k per year, but I said I walked away. I don't need your approval.

Almost everyone on the forum walked away ........ with a lot more.

While there's a few members trying to scrape a living, most are fully financed.

The art of boasting is to claim MORE than everyone else, or a LOT less.

Edited July 29, 2021 by BritManToo

[Salerno]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Almost everyone on the forum walked away ........ with a lot more.

Is that why the internet is nearly broken when the price of a beer goes up or a taxi levy of 10 Bht is imposed?

[BritManToo]

15 minutes ago, Salerno said:

Is that why the internet is nearly broken when the price of a beer goes up or a taxi levy of 10 Bht is imposed?

I haven't managed to avoid working for the past 20 years by spending more than necessary. And because I don't work I have a lot of spare time, shopping around for the best prices helps fill that time.

 

Most poor people not only have problems earning money, but they also seem to waste a lot of what they do earn, which I've always found a little odd.

 

As for the taxi, I prefer to walk, it saves me 10bht and the exercise is good for me.

Edited July 29, 2021 by BritManToo

[sanooki]

9 hours ago, 1FinickyOne said:

so, you have reformed your ways? repented?  or believe you have... 

We all have our baggage, but yes, I saw that things were really not right in those places. It's taken a while, and observation from afar while putting together puzzle pieces. I can see what's going on, and it is pure, out of control, evil. I live like a monk. My thoughts might not be pure, but my life is simple, and I consider, more Buddhist in principle than most Thai people. Whatever it's worth. 

9 hours ago, 1FinickyOne said:

I hate to say it, and I am older than you and out of the business world much longer, but the world has changed so much, and exponentially so over the last decade, that it might be arrogant if I thought I could help young people... people used to come to me regularly for business advice, which I can no longer offer...

 

And so my purpose remains restricted to helping those around me, family and friends, to enjoy each day..

 

eat well, enjoy each miserable day [as they say] don't live too long and... [fill in the blank according to your individual taste ] 

 

good luck w/your future endeavors and barking up the right tree... 

 

 

Thanks, and you too.

[sanooki]

26 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Almost everyone on the forum walked away ........ with a lot more.

While there's a few members trying to scrape a living, most are fully financed.

The art of boasting is to claim MORE than everyone else, or a LOT less.

I wasn't boasting. Stating a relevant fact. I don't care how much I have or how that measures up to others, as long as I'm living life consistent with my values, and I can survive.

Edited July 29, 2021 by sanooki
Added

[BritManToo]

Just now, sanooki said:

I wasn't boasting. Stating a relevant fact. I don't care how much I have, as long as I'm living life consistent with my values, and I can survive.

I think Thailand cured me of most of my values.

In my previous life I was a very moral and righteous person.

All gone now.

Edited July 29, 2021 by BritManToo

[sanooki]

32 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I think Thailand cured me of most of my values.

In my previous life I was a very moral and righteous person.

All gone now.

Everyone has values. But, they don't necessarily equate to the stock ideas of morality and righteousness. Mine sure don't. ????

[swissie]

19 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Does posting about burritos count?

Naahhh...... JT has been exploring Central and South American Countries for a long time with regard to "relocation". In the meantime, he must have realised that basically all Countries south of the Rio Grande are "failed-states". And the populace of those "failed-states" want to live north of the Rio Grande.

So, JT must have abandoned plans of relocating to "failed-states". But yes, an original "Burrito" can only be had south of the Rio Grande.

[zzaa09]

Perhaps I'll give all these things some thought in the next life. 

 

 

[swissie]

Back on topic: Give back something to society.

I did. With no wife or children, I am free to give what I have to whomever I want to. It took me a lot of effort to find the Thai-People that have been good to me during my 5 year stay in Thailend. All "poor-suckers", devastated by "life in Thailand" before and now by Corona. Mostly already impoverished Farmers in the Ratchabury province.

They will be surprised, what "windfall" profit will end up on their Bank-Accouts upon my demise. My distant relatives, that can't wait for me dying will also be surprised: They will get absolutely nothing.
As said, back on topic.

 

[nobodysfriend]

2 hours ago, Caldera said:

People who are looking for purpose or meaning invariably seem to end up disappointed. It is what it is, end of.

It is what you make it , at least for you personally ?

I am disappointed by a lot of things happening now , but it might all be necessary , depends on what the final aim is ...

 

The problem is , that in the meantime some things happen on a much larger scale ( climate , pollution etc ) , that will take away a lot of ' quality of life ' from future generations . That is a process that cannot be stopped anymore .

 

So , even if the world's population comes down to a healthy level , the environment will be much more hostile .

 

But , before that happens , a lot of sh-t does .

 

it's starting already now .

[BigStar]

21 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

As we age, the tougher it gets, simply because we rarely engage in the things that we once loved to do, such has humping and flirting, and combing our hair, which is not so easy to comb when you might not have any hair.

I guess if that's all we once loved to do, which I can quite believe, then it's probably harder to find something else to do.

 

Still, I think most can find something to occupy themselves other than writing cynical and solipsistic posts on TVF IF they really wanted to. Exercise, read Thoreau, garden, find hobbies, join a support group, volunteer, take up yoga, join a class, talk to a therapist, enjoy local scenery, play video games, find friends, learn any new skills, study Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, study a foreign language, get into art appreciation, go around doing good deeds, write a blog, whatever. Million things out there.

 

Me, I was never that vacuous, always had plenty of interests to explore and things to do. I don't need any particular reason to enjoy a particular activity other than enjoying for its own sake as long as I wish. Often I like knowing about a subject merely to know about it. It doesn't have to mean anything or lead anywhere or be on anyone's approved list.

 

And I've always been quite independent and self-contained. I can live with a partner or live contentedly alone. I fit in with my surroundings, one reason I get along well with Thais. I don't feel any need to "give back" in some nebulous sense. I help when I can, contribute to charities, but I don't much care if I help or not. Other people's problems are their problems. I don't worry about things I have absolutely no control over. So you don't find me ranting about politics and global this and that. What a waste of time.

 

So I guess I can't much relate to the "lost soul" mentality. Maybe could have related more as a freshman uni student, but those late-night dorm discussions were quite some time ago. ????

[1FinickyOne]

7 hours ago, sanooki said:

My thoughts might not be pure, but my life is simple, and I consider, more Buddhist in principle than most Thai people. Whatever it's worth. 

Though simplicity is relative, the 2nd part of this sentence shows quite a bit of competitiveness... as is apparent in your OP as well... I am not judging that, just mentioning it... I don't think it is part of Buddhism to boast of being more Buddhist... but I understand, you are feeling down at the moment... hope things get better for you.

[thaibeachlovers]

8 hours ago, swissie said:

Back on topic: Give back something to society.

I did. With no wife or children, I am free to give what I have to whomever I want to. It took me a lot of effort to find the Thai-People that have been good to me during my 5 year stay in Thailend. All "poor-suckers", devastated by "life in Thailand" before and now by Corona. Mostly already impoverished Farmers in the Ratchabury province.

They will be surprised, what "windfall" profit will end up on their Bank-Accouts upon my demise. My distant relatives, that can't wait for me dying will also be surprised: They will get absolutely nothing.
As said, back on topic.

 

You might want to check the legal situation on giving nothing to those that think they are entitled. I saw a doco that said giving nothing is grounds for a court appeal. Apparently, if you give something they don't have a case. Doesn't have to be much, and I'm pretty sure only applies in woke countries. I doubt Thailand would be part of that.

Up to you.

[thaibeachlovers]

8 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

It is what you make it , at least for you personally ?

I am disappointed by a lot of things happening now , but it might all be necessary , depends on what the final aim is ...

 

The problem is , that in the meantime some things happen on a much larger scale ( climate , pollution etc ) , that will take away a lot of ' quality of life ' from future generations . That is a process that cannot be stopped anymore .

 

So , even if the world's population comes down to a healthy level , the environment will be much more hostile .

 

But , before that happens , a lot of sh-t does .

 

it's starting already now .

Climate change might result in perpetual summer where I live, which I would enjoy.

IMO, the real problem for humans is overpopulation, leading to pollution, toxic cities, jammed roads, destruction of environment on a massive scale and wars over water and resources.

All the emphasis on climate change, gender identity, CRT and other such are distractions from the above problem, and it is a problem.

IMO, unless humanity solves the population bomb, everything else is just delaying the inevitable end of humanity on planet earth.

[BritManToo]

On 7/29/2021 at 1:10 AM, GammaGlobulin said:

As we age, the tougher it gets, simply because we rarely engage in the things that we once loved to do, such has humping and flirting, and combing our hair, which is not so easy to comb when you might not have any hair.

As I aged and came to Thailand (52 up) humping and flirting went through the roof. I'm not sure if I'm losing interest now (65 up) because I'm old or I've done it too much.

Edited July 29, 2021 by BritManToo

[thaibeachlovers]

36 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

As I aged and came to Thailand (52 up) humping and flirting went through the roof. I'm not sure if I'm losing interest now (65 up) because I'm old or I've done it too much.

I don't know that I have an answer that makes sense, but IMO humans tend to lose interest in things they once enjoyed. I don't know why that is, but seems to be true.

I must be different because I still want to do the things I used to enjoy, but given no one else I know does, it's not possible.

Eg, a group of us used to go to a certain beach at Christmas time every year for many years, but eventually the rest decided they didn't want to anymore. I could go by myself, but the attraction was mainly the group.

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I don't know that I have an answer that makes sense, but IMO humans tend to lose interest in things they once enjoyed. I don't know why that is, but seems to be true.

I must be different because I still want to do the things I used to enjoy, but given no one else I know does, it's not possible.

Eg, a group of us used to go to a certain beach at Christmas time every year for many years, but eventually the rest decided they didn't want to anymore. I could go by myself, but the attraction was mainly the group.

If you went to the beach every day for a year, you'd probably lose that interest.

You still have an interest in women because you're living where none are available.

Edited July 30, 2021 by BritManToo

[nobodysfriend]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Climate change might result in perpetual summer where I live, which I would enjoy.

People like to think that global warming just leads to higher temperatures ... but that is not the case .

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24021772

 

" As the world warms, more water evaporates, leading to more moisture in the air. This means many areas will experience more intense rainfall - and in some places snowfall. But the risk of drought in inland areas during hot summers will increase. More flooding is expected from storms and rising sea levels. But there are likely to be very strong regional variations in these patterns. "

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57867773

 

BtW , Climate change affects the Gulf stream  ,( weakens it ) , That might lead to cooler temperatures where you live .

 

Edited July 30, 2021 by nobodysfriend

[BritManToo]

4 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

People like to think that global warming just leads to higher temperatures ... but that is not the case .

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24021772

 

" As the world warms, more water evaporates, leading to more moisture in the air. This means many areas will experience more intense rainfall - and in some places snowfall. But the risk of drought in inland areas during hot summers will increase. More flooding is expected from storms and rising sea levels. But there are likely to be very strong regional variations in these patterns. "

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57867773

 

BtW , Climate change affects the Gulf stream  ,( weakens it ) , That might lead to cooler temperatures where you live .

 

All BS based of fraud.

Mann started this with his faked Hockey Stick ........ he should be in jail for the rest of his life for the damage he's caused with his fake climate alarmism.

[inThailand]

Your like TV, dying a slow death, that should be excelerated?

[nobodysfriend]

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

All BS based of fraud.

Mann started this with his faked Hockey Stick ........ he should be in jail for the rest of his life for the damage he's caused with his fake climate alarmism.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57788118

 

http://spaceref.com/earth/earths-vital-signs-worsen-amid-business-as-usual-mindset-on-climate-change.html

 

https://theconversation.com/the-north-american-heatwave-shows-we-need-to-know-how-climate-change-will-change-our-weather-163802?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest from The Conversation for July 2 2021 - 1992119572&utm_content=Latest from The Conversation for July 2 2021 - 1992119572+CID_22b376673499252f8c19e3996cb14496&utm_source=campaign_monitor_uk&utm_term=The North American heatwave shows we need to know how climate change will change our weather

 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2102027/world-running-out-of-time-to-tackle-climate-crisis-un?utm_campaign=enewsletter regular&utm_source=enewsletter_alert&utm_medium=World&_extid=subscriber379887

 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2097495/biodiversity-hot-spots-devastated-in-warming-world?utm_campaign=enewsletter regular&utm_source=enewsletter_alert&utm_medium=World&_extid=subscriber379887

 

https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/2/2/nature-is-our-home-new-uk-report-urges-big-economic-rethink

 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2001327/climate-change-spurs-doubling-of-disasters-since-2000-un?utm_campaign=enewsletter regular&utm_source=enewsletter_alert&utm_medium=World&_extid=subscriber379887

 

You still do not believe in what is happening now ?

Come on , wake up , man ...

[BritManToo]

10 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

You still do not believe in what is happening now ?

Come on , wake up , man ...

Personal experience, in the past 60 years the climate hasn't changed in any way I can see.

I have no reason to believe it will change in the next 60 years .....

But have little personal interest in changes happening after the next 10 years (or less).

 

There are sudden floods ........ as there have always been.

The are forest fires ........ as there have always been.

The sea level hasn't changed in any way I can measure.

It doesn't seem any hotter or colder or wetter or drier in any of the places I've lived.

People I've known don't appear to be dying with greater (or lessor) frequency.

Diseases don't appear to be more or less frequent/severe than they ever were in my lifetime.

 

The world is suddenly full of fearmongering BS, which I just ignore as much as possible.

Edited July 30, 2021 by BritManToo

[Henryford]

Got to feel sorry for the youngsters today. Financial systems in chaos, house prices too high for them ever to own their home, cancel culture, a certain war with China soon, retirement at 70 etc. Glad i am coming to the end.