How do you guys believe anything?

[NaturalBornNEET]

How do you guys maintain consistent opinions and worldviews and beliefs in life? This is an assumption but observing most people they seem to be able to do this which is what must make them so functional. I've never been able to do this, everything crumbles under doubt and I'm constantly vacillating between even my fundamental values and guiding principles. I can't say I know anything, except that there is an experience happening.

 

[Kurwenal]

I don't. I can't. My personal opinion is that humans are by default hypocrites. Human society is so nuanced and so complex, that to have a concrete view on any one thing is nigh impossible. There will always be an exception to your rule. I just don't think most people consider that. I think a lot of people have their own moral code, or political views, be they formed of their own self-reflection or purely a by-product of their upbringing. But I don't think most people question themselves on these things. I have my own code that I aim to live by, while I am still here, but I know that I fail it constantly, because black and white just doesn't exist in a human society. People try to make it exist. Laws are put into place, but they are a "one size fits all" approach that doesn't encompass the nebulous nature of humanity.

This is my perception, of course, and there's no reason to say it's not twisted and not realistic. It's quite possible that the vast majority of people are purely consistent with their own views, attitudes and beliefs, from the moment they form them to the time when they die. If that's the case, what I'd give to do that. A lot of my own internal struggles stem from my own hypocritical nature. But I sincerely do believe that humans just can't be consistent in all things. There are too many bloody variables.

I feel your experience so deeply. I hope this post, if nothing else, makes you feel a bit less alone.

 

[NaturalBornNEET]

I don't. I can't. My personal opinion is that humans are by default hypocrites. Human society is so nuanced and so complex, that to have a concrete view on any one thing is nigh impossible. There will always be an exception to your rule. I just don't think most people consider that. I think a lot of people have their own moral code, or political views, be they formed of their own self-reflection or purely a by-product of their upbringing. But I don't think most people question themselves on these things. I have my own code that I aim to live by, while I am still here, but I know that I fail it constantly, because black and white just doesn't exist in a human society. People try to make it exist. Laws are put into place, but they are a "one size fits all" approach that doesn't encompass the nebulous nature of humanity.

This is my perception, of course, and there's no reason to say it's not twisted and not realistic. It's quite possible that the vast majority of people are purely consistent with their own views, attitudes and beliefs, from the moment they form them to the time when they die. If that's the case, what I'd give to do that. A lot of my own internal struggles stem from my own hypocritical nature. But I sincerely do believe that humans just can't be consistent in all things. There are too many bloody variables.

I feel your experience so deeply. I hope this post, if nothing else, makes you feel a bit less alone.

It's all so convoluted. Most of the time I just wanna sit on a rock somewhere and fast to death.

There's nothing wrong with being hypocritical imo, it's just a consequence of the diversity of expression existence can take on, there has to naturally arise things that, at least appear, contradictory to one another. To say hypocrisy is bad is like saying the rapid descent that a roller coaster takes after the apex is bad because it was just previously ascending. So it's good you're aware of hypocrisy, imo the only bad thing about hypocrisy is not being aware of it.

Of course I'm stretching the meaning of hypocrisy a bit (I just have such little experience with other people the social domain is mostly alien to me), in its literal definition it's to do with people holding conflicting values and putting on facades and manipulating to get these values met. Such an existence must be so terrifying, how precarious your whole identity is. I always want to be as transparent as possible so there's nothing I have to build up and then consequently defend. Tho I'm not perfect and I'll be spending the rest of my life defending my own untenable constructs until I return to the void with them.

 

[Mr. Snrub]

There's a few positions I don't waver on such as "life is suffering and it would be preferable to never come into existence" but I waver on a lot of things. That's not an altogether bad thing I don't think. Those with consistent and opinions and worldviews might be a bit less open to new information than those without.

 

[Kurwenal]

It's all so convoluted. Most of the time I just wanna sit on a rock somewhere and fast to death.

There's nothing wrong with being hypocritical imo, it's just a consequence of the diversity of expression existence can take on, there has to naturally arise things that, at least appear, contradictory to one another. To say hypocrisy is bad is like saying the rapid descent that a roller coaster takes after the apex is bad because it was just previously ascending. So it's good you're aware of hypocrisy, imo the only bad thing about hypocrisy is not being aware of it.

Of course I'm stretching the meaning of hypocrisy a bit (I just have such little experience with other people the social domain is mostly alien to me), in its literal definition it's to do with people holding conflicting values and putting on facades and manipulating to get these values met. Such an existence must be so terrifying, how precarious your whole identity is. I always want to be as transparent as possible so there's nothing I have to build up and then consequently defend. Tho I'm not perfect and I'll be spending the rest of my life defending my own untenable constructs until I return to the void with them.

It's almost certainly the case that my use of the word 'hypocrite' is incorrect. I don't really know the right word to describe what I was trying to get across. Hypocrisy carries in itself a negative connotation, I suppose, but what I was trying to say was something a bit more neutral, in that in my belief, such 'hypocrisy' (I'll continue to use the word for lack of knowledge of the appropriate one, with apologies) is inevitable at some point for everyone. I do think that in the more literal definition, of people claiming one value but consciously acting out another with malicious intent, it is certainly something to be held accountable for. But I really just don't think it's possible to maintain a very concrete line on any one point, based on my lived experience, a belief that you are so absolute on, that nothing can shake it, and that there are no exceptions. That's how I experience things; quite likely there are people out there who have a moral code that they manage to follow at all times, in every instance, with no self-doubt or regret.

I aim, too, to be transparent. I think that's the best we can do, for now. I aim always to be honest and sincere in the moment, at least, to those who deserve it. If I were sent back to a psychiatrist and asked if I wanted to die, I'd twist the truth to avoid being involuntary admitted once more. But at least in my interactions with my family and other people (I've come not to regard the psychiatrists I've encountered as 'people', really) in real life, as well as on this forum, if I say or write something, I do my best to make it adhere with my individual perspective, beliefs, opinions and feelings at that snapshot in time. A week later, a month later, a year later, my feelings on the matter may be different, and if possible, I will try to rectify any potential misunderstanding where I can. But I think all we can do is try to be honest at any moment, and aim for sincerity with that.

 

[samarah988]

How do you guys maintain consistent opinions and worldviews and beliefs in life? This is an assumption but observing most people they seem to be able to do this which is what must make them so functional. I've never been able to do this, everything crumbles under doubt and I'm constantly vacillating between even my fundamental values and guiding principles. I can't say I know anything, except that there is an experience happening.

wow im glad im not the only one. apathy has completely shaped my life. i often find myself feeling envious of those able to believe in religion or let alone the concept of a god. to best explain my way of thinking, anything even the tiniest but interesting or cool most likely isnt real, and is too good to be true. ghosts? not real. soulmates? not real either. heaven? nope. hell? also no. snow? probbably not.

idk if this is what u mean... maybe u also agree

 

[uchuunekoko]

I reject the premise that consistency in belief (or having any at all) is some sort of virtue that helps to make a person "functional." I think instability is the evidence of a sort of awakening / more authentic experiential knowledge. Maybe your doubt is actually a form of awareness that everything (primarily opinions, beliefs, etc.) is temporary. We're all shifting underneath, so our perspectives shift too (in large and small amounts).

I won't go as far as to say that convictions are a sort of coping mechanism, but I will say that instability is better seen as a kind of perceptual honesty as opposed to dysfunction.

The closest I can get to being "consistent" with what I believe in is largely attributed to my extreme malcontentedness and neuroticism, which make me feel like I'm committing some kind of assassination on my self if I deviate from what I "am" in the present moment.

 

[vitbar]

I just try and be pragmatic. Doubt comes in degrees and you can only try your best. I like to get to know the grey areas.

 

[FoxSauce]

Hmmm I believe that himanity is doomed

 

[679chocolates]

I reject the premise that consistency in belief (or having any at all) is some sort of virtue that helps to make a person "functional." I think instability is the evidence of a sort of awakening / more authentic experiential knowledge. Maybe your doubt is actually a form of awareness that everything (primarily opinions, beliefs, etc.) is temporary. We're all shifting underneath, so our perspectives shift too (in large and small amounts).

I won't go as far as to say that convictions are a sort of coping mechanism, but I will say that instability is better seen as a kind of perceptual honesty as opposed to dysfunction.

The closest I can get to being "consistent" with what I believe in is largely attributed to my extreme malcontentedness and neuroticism, which make me feel like I'm committing some kind of assassination on my self if I deviate from what I "am" in the present moment.

off topic but i love pitcher56
humans honestly just choose something and go with it, most people don't know what they believe in or what morals they actually value. you could point out lapses and make all the relevant arguments and you could change or not change their perspective on anything. personally i like to learn as much as i can about as much as i can, i dont form my own opinions as much as i piggyback off of one that i can understand and share a pov with and then it's just a matter of dying on that hill or well not.

 

[NaturalBornNEET]

wow im glad im not the only one. apathy has completely shaped my life. i often find myself feeling envious of those able to believe in religion or let alone the concept of a god. to best explain my way of thinking, anything even the tiniest but interesting or cool most likely isnt real, and is too good to be true. ghosts? not real. soulmates? not real either. heaven? nope. hell? also no. snow? probbably not.

idk if this is what u mean... maybe u also agree

Yeah I'm basically the "nothing ever happens" chudjak except mostly for anything good happening to me or existence in general. Though doing psychedelics a few months ago has sort of alleviated it. Homeostasis is slowly doing its job tho to make sure I don't get too carried away into optimism.