Submitted by _Cautious_Memory t3_zmr06c in GetMotivated
Comments
Potatowrath t1_j0d31gv wrote
Say that to neglected children, rape victims ect... Nothing worse for healing then not facing the bad things that has happened to you! Toxic positivity and gaslighting never fixed anything! People need to talk about their problems and see them for what they are not put their head in the sand!
RamDasshole t1_j0d9vio wrote
This doesn't imply that suffering is all mental, but rather that we spend more time worrying about potential problems than dealing with actual problems.
SeriousTricepHang t1_j0daad1 wrote
Seneca doesn't say that suffering doesn't exist. "We suffer more often in our imagination than in reality." Seneca has also suffered throughout his life due to illness.
Potatowrath t1_j0ddz4v wrote
Being anxious and having anxiety is real, but dealing with that is though comforting why you feel that way, not telling yourself that it's just in your head! And having anxiety is a "real" problem!
cheesemilkbread t1_j0dhkvg wrote
RunBlitzenRun t1_j0did9j wrote
I’m struggling to see how this post implies toxic positivity, gaslighting, or not facing negative things.
To me, acknowledging that suffering is internal is really hopeful and liberating: it means if I face the bad things (with the help of a therapist of course), I can reduce suffering and it doesn’t depend on anyone else. Hope is very different from toxic positivity.
This reminds me of this quote from Harry Potter: “Of course it’s happening inside your head, Harry, but why should that mean it’s not real?”
thewaveishere25 t1_j0dtrd0 wrote
Someone else who gets it! it’s like they expect every little detail of any circumstance ever to be accounted and accommodated for in 1-2 sentence image macros. Sad that r/GetMotivated is one of the most defeatist subreddits
pinkestblues t1_j0dul9c wrote
Same thought here. Also, people love to take the posts 100% literally and if it doesn't apply to every single life situation of every person on earth ever it's a terrible post. Think a bit outside the box, people. Or just keep scrolling, idk. The negativity feels quite toxic.
SkittlesAreYum t1_j0dwx7j wrote
This sub is used by so many to cope, and they cope by complaining and bitching that nothing will help them, or this certain post doesn't apply to them and is therefore terrible for everyone. It's exhausting and they need to go somewhere else for their cope.
U_wind_sprint t1_j0e1m4c wrote
Unless you can convince yourself that you are, in fact, having fun. Then you'll be having fun in reality.
saevon t1_j0e2v3x wrote
because if you like it,,, you enjoy it and move on, give an upvote.
If you think its shit, and possibly toxic, you want to comment and get rid of it.
​
Something like that
Bland-fantasie t1_j0e3esp wrote
I like to think it’s a little of both.
FuckYouThrowaway99 t1_j0e4g5j wrote
It's "etc" as in et cetera. Well done with your inane comment that sidesteps the point of the original post with a bizarre strawman argument.
"What about the guy who got his arm chopped off?!?!?!?" Yeah because that's exactly who Seneca is talking about /s lol
Greentaboo t1_j0e4yww wrote
Its weird how people are taking this as an invalidation of their personal struggles. Its not.
palegunslinger t1_j0e69c7 wrote
A lot of these motivational quotes can be interpreted in multiple ways due to your mental state. I feel like if all one sees from them is the bad, then that’s an issue with one’s attitude..
[deleted] t1_j0e7b2d wrote
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OminOus_PancakeS t1_j0ed4gg wrote
I just want to know how my man here got so built
DeanBlacc t1_j0ede7v wrote
This is basically a description of most people on the internet
Dtoodlez t1_j0edrfg wrote
Just came here for this, I can go now
FilteringAccount123 t1_j0edry5 wrote
Seriously. I glance in here every once in a while, and while I get that sometime it can have a cloying 'everyone is special' vibe, it really seems like people go out of their way to be contrarian.
I have a pretty significant event coming up that I was anticipating a lot, and I actually found this a helpful reminder to take a deep breath and put everything in perspective. So thanks OP!
sneaky_squirrel t1_j0eewy1 wrote
Yep.
Simulated suffering has saved me countless times from actual suffering.
I am so happy that I can feel dread to anticipate bad stuff.
gummybear904 t1_j0eit4j wrote
Well modern cognitive behavioral therapy is heavily influenced by stoicism and the whole idea of stoicism is understanding that you can't control events that happen to you or even your own thoughts to some extent, but you can control your emotional reaction to them.
Whiplash17488 t1_j0ejoe1 wrote
This is just a quote from Seneca but Stoicism is a deep personal virtue ethics on how to live a tranquil life with joy.
Its worth looking into. But its one of those things that requires study as well as practice.
Comrade-Cohaay t1_j0ejuem wrote
It could say “we breath air to live” and you’d still get some dumb shit arguing about fish or something
ballkansamurai t1_j0enlfy wrote
absolutely the type of argument
Cappricola t1_j0equas wrote
He spent more time suffering in the gym than in his imagination.
morecusionforpushen t1_j0eskja wrote
I needed this ,right at this moment I saw it. Gosh dang it really hit the nail on the head. I feel completely lost over a girl but I’m so much better off then I think I am. Thank you internet.
Shower_Handel t1_j0esy8a wrote
Seneca the Younger has never tried a Carolina Reaper
[deleted] t1_j0ew19l wrote
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Destiny-calls t1_j0ezpy0 wrote
True.
Sometimes I've been through this.
I also think that even this suffering can do real growth. If it doesn't completely destroy you first that is.
SubZeroEffort t1_j0f0v03 wrote
Leave the tassle-nips.
minnesotaris t1_j0f2q09 wrote
Christianity in a sentence.
Whitedudebrohug t1_j0f7v0k wrote
New perspective for me, thanks
the_arkham_sandwich t1_j0f8sjn wrote
Reminds of me of the quote (I think by Mark Twain) "I have suffered a great amount of tragedies in life... Most of which have never happened" or something like that lol
Edit: spelling corrections
neddy_seagoon t1_j0f9qpb wrote
as long as you're in control of it and it's working for you. The risk to focusing on risk is that the brain doesn't know it's totally fake, and the stress/automatic associations get built the same way as "being vaguely pissed at your friend because they punched you in a dream you had last week".
You can also anticipate positive outcomes, maybe 3-5 different options, to destress. You have multiple so you don't get attached to any of them. The goal isn't to figure out what's going to happen, but to trick your nervous system into thinking it is happening right now, and building positive associations with the topic.
A_Taste_of_Travel t1_j0f9znp wrote
I prefer epicureanism
Bicdut t1_j0ffb2n wrote
Probably because the posts are karma farms. A little weird an account with a 2 month post history has 12,000 post and 12,000 comment karma. Same with those ask reddit posts that end up getting read in robot voice on tiktok or YouTube shorts paired with a mobile game to keep people's attention.
_Cautious_Memory OP t1_j0fix9b wrote
Yes indeed. I love this book. It's a life saver
DeflateGape t1_j0fmjw0 wrote
It’s a good philosophy, much better suited for life than a miserable philosophy like stoicism. I’m laughing here thinking about all these modern “stoics” downvoting you on their computing devices. The stoics thought owning a cup was extravagant, pop philosophy is such garbage.
Edit: such weak ass people, to downvote a serious comment because they can’t defend their own bullshit worthless opinion. Not a single person on Reddit is a stoic, you are all soft, materialistic, pleasure chasers. Go on, pretend to be a stoic. Maybe you can buy a Cowboy Hat and walk around pretending to be John Wayne next. That’s quality motivation, just run around talking like an action hero based on your misinterpreted fake version of an ascetic philosophy you are too weak to actually try to live by.
SwoldierAtArms t1_j0forzq wrote
My self-awareness tells another tale... for when we suffer in imagination, we suffer in reality.
ALMANACC0 t1_j0fpec8 wrote
JuliaLouis-DryFist t1_j0fpes3 wrote
I wanna see him dance and spin those puppies around.
Cinaedus_Perversus t1_j0fqont wrote
>deep personal virtue ethics
The only deep thing about stoicism is the layer of metaphysical bullshit it's based on.
Astilaroth t1_j0fqr0p wrote
Haha I had a guybI sorta dated call me at work all upset because he had a dream where I had belittled him for his lack of education. He was very upset. Mind you, I was highet educated but he was this awesome game designer and I felt very out of his league. Also, it was a dream. I do not control the dreams of others.
Astilaroth t1_j0fqvib wrote
When I was pregnant I had a panic attack ... what if it was twins? Or triplets? What if it had Down syndrom? WHAT IF IT'S A TRIPLET WITH DOWN SYNDROM?
It's ridiculous
CarrionComfort t1_j0ften3 wrote
The popularity of stoicism is unfortunate. At its worst, it’s just more “money can’t buy you happiness” bullshit and used to justify not giving a shit.
Aliiredli t1_j0fw2zw wrote
So where does fear of god and the day of judgment lie in of those two philosophies?
_Cautious_Memory OP t1_j0fwepq wrote
Will help you live in reality rather than living in the past or future.
RETVRN_II_SENDER t1_j0fwim7 wrote
lmao is this a serious question?
[deleted] t1_j0fwoe1 wrote
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The_Celtic_Chemist t1_j0fy33h wrote
"I've lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened."
— Mark Twain
Whiplash17488 t1_j0fyw0s wrote
I think a lot of folks are more Epicurean in their philosophy of life without knowing it. The Stoics themselves borrowed a lot from what their rival school had to offer as well.
I am still in the phase myself on studying the differences between the two more thoroughly.
Seneca himself often quotes Epicurus positively. By way of example:
> “Quite possibly you’ll be demanding to know why I’m quoting so many fine sayings from Epicurus rather than ones belonging to our own school. But why should you think of them as belonging to Epicurus and not as common property?” - Seneca’s Letters
Whiplash17488 t1_j0g0heq wrote
> The stoics thought owning a cup was extravagant
Can you tell me more on how you’ve come to think that? I understood that sentiment to be the school of cynicism instead.
> pop philosophy
When a real crisis comes and all the one liners and motivational memes fall through the cracks, some people do make it down to the source material because they need more.
> pretend to be a stoic
Even in the ancient writings they acknowledge the “sage” as more of an untenable ideal rather than a real person. Socrates’ name comes up in that context of someone worth looking up to but even he was not a sage. When does a person become the label I wonder.
Oysterclam t1_j0g0l8n wrote
Fröhlicher Kuchentag!
Lauchzelott t1_j0g1221 wrote
Even if its imagination it is real for one self. Wish i could change ways.
Aliiredli t1_j0g14uq wrote
Whiplash17488 t1_j0g1jp6 wrote
With deep I mostly meant there is a richness in material to the philosophy from the original ancients that has survived. And then a richness in material that has been written about it since. Including criticism.
> Metaphysical bullshit
Its a wild ride that part. Its also interesting to read how people try to reconcile that part as Christians, atheists, bhuddists and so on.
The creator of modern cognitive behavioural therapy, Aaron Temkin Beck, directly attributes the therapy to the Stoic disciplines of passion, action and assent. And CBT is objectively helping tens of thousands every day. CBT in essence proves that there are parts of Stoicism that hold true even if their metaphysical ideas didn’t stand the test of science.
Oysterclam t1_j0g44sh wrote
No it's not.
Oysterclam t1_j0g4d2j wrote
That's why I needed therapy.
AcctJustSoICanBitch t1_j0g5o88 wrote
>Kids these days. They think they know everything.
-- Seneca the Older
Stokkolm t1_j0g6hyc wrote
Isn't being stoic more about not consuming your energy being angry about things you can't have or bad things that happen outside of your control?
Giving up easily available resources like computers and internet just to make life harder for no reason sounds more like masochism.
Glum-Natural5825 t1_j0g7hmx wrote
Now to find the key to self awareness...
wombatthing t1_j0g7z7y wrote
r/wowthanksimcured
Janet0217 t1_j0g8gor wrote
It's a subtle adjunct/organ and part of the subtle world.
MeMyselfandsadlyI t1_j0gajrk wrote
No this is bullshit self awareness leads only to the realization that you've been suffering for smth that is not even real making it much more harder to cope with the reality that it is a self condition that you suffer from and that constant awareness on it only leads to more conditioning and that the right step after is to find ways to work against this conditioning or totally interrupt those thought processes instead of being aware that you again were thinking/suffering from smth that is not real or from the past..
RETVRN_II_SENDER t1_j0gctis wrote
God is beneath us, so why fear something beneath us
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Altona20041 t1_j0gg9oi wrote
So true
peter_vienna t1_j0ggbt6 wrote
Said the guy who later cut his wrists to escape political opportunism 😅
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twobearshumping t1_j0gsasr wrote
Yeah this sounds like you can just “motivate” yourself to get rid of your anxiety. Don’t be depressed just be happy!
HORSELOCKSPACEPIRATE t1_j0gsfvs wrote
Exactly how I wield it. Gonna be paranoid about money until I make so much that I can't justify being paranoid anymore.
phuzzy1deep t1_j0gu5j5 wrote
Tough as hell. To not have desires or aversions, just the same.
TheW0lvDoctr t1_j0gur47 wrote
Just because it's in our imagination, does that make it any less real?
roxasmustdie t1_j0gur8o wrote
me, every night, crying while thinking about my own mortality
Phobac07 t1_j0h0lpr wrote
I think your making a comment in bad faith and being disingenuous, one of the famous ancient stoics was Marcus Aurelius.
A Roman Emperor.
Aliiredli t1_j0hnu7o wrote
God's definition doesn't say that though. Your description contradicts it.
obiwanmoloney t1_j0hozbg wrote
Highly recommend reading Happy by Derren Brown, it’s practically a study on stoicism and Derren’s done a lot of the heavy lifting
RETVRN_II_SENDER t1_j0hpc5r wrote
Yes, I disagree with most religious descriptions of god
thisismyaccount3125 t1_j0hwgri wrote
Seneca knew what was up
Whiplash17488 t1_j0iv1pw wrote
The ancient Stoics agree with you, I think.
Stoics do have desires and aversions. Its just that they rationalize its healthier to try to divert them to things they can fully control.
Lets take a tennis match. What don’t you control? How good your opponent is, wether you’re on top of your game on the day of the match and wether you win.
Placing your desire in winning and your aversion in losing would not be ideal.
Instead you can try to be consciously intentional about placing your desire in putting in training a couple of times a week, eating healthy, and intentionally trying to play the best possible game ever.
“I lost and this is the worst thing ever” becomes “I lost but I’m proud of the effort I put in and losing to a better opponent is a reasonable way to lose”.
phuzzy1deep t1_j0jajzu wrote
I interpret it as: “I’m horny. I should stop being horny.” Type of aversion. Even with my wife. Like I say: “No. I must avoid desires. Like a damn trial by fire.
thisismyaccount3125 t1_j0jc4ts wrote
I may be wrong, but I don’t interpret it that way. I still need to look into it further, but my interpretation is that it’s a certain level of detachment from the external world. You assume it’s the literal detachment to things that make you feel good, but I disagree. I think it’s a detachment from what you think it means and recognize things for what they are. A pair of Jordans mean a lot of things - status, a particular taste, money. But at the end of the day, it’s still just a pair of shoes that will either be worn and used like other shoes or displayed as decor. That kind of detachment.
You can still appreciate things when detached this way. You’ll appreciate different things for different reasons than before; life doesn’t just suddenly start sucking if you’re a stoic in the Senecan sense.
I think. Like I said, I need to look into it further.
update: I looked into it a little bit further and holy hell dude, stoicism is lit af
[deleted] t1_j0jdgqk wrote
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Forlovepunandglory t1_j0jp21w wrote
My self awareness leads to anxiety...
OriginalPaperSock t1_j0d2f5k wrote
Awareness of comma-nips is equally important.