The thrill is gone.

[Melmoth]

Fortunately you have to consort with violent undesirables to acquire the stuff, and bad company is just the pits.

But my question is, do you ever have a difficult time holding onto the hugeness of it? I mean everyone on this forum probably understands that within a comparatively nonexistent length of time our entire civilization will be extinct, that when you die it will be as if you were never born, and yet I find myself worrying more about whether I left a napkin in one of my pockets while I'm doing the wash, or whether I accidentally came off as sarcastic when I was trying to fake enthusiasm during small talk with people I don't want to insult. How is it that we are all just living normal lives? I don't understand how we are capable of even prying our eyes from the big picture, yet as of late I hardly ever even glance at it.

Weird, isn't it. We live in a world where someone can sell class A drugs to fourteen year olds, break the legs of people who owe them money, commit rape, arson and murder on a regular basis, either directly or indirectly... yet still worry about the phone bill, or whether they've left the oven on at home, or whether they've unintentionally insulted a complete stranger in a pub, or what haircut would suit them, or how badly they need a piss, or what kind of TV package to get, or the strange lump growing on their foot, or the pain in their tooth, or what present they should buy for their mother, or whether their computer has a virus, or what they've done with their keys. With that in mind, I don't know what you expect armchair philosophy to do for you. Welcome to being human! That is to say, welcome to being banal.

[original_gender]

I don't know what you expect armchair philosophy to do for you. Welcome to being human! That is to say, welcome to being banal.

Mmm, I can't help but think that your italicizing "armchair philosophy" indicates that you have a low opinion of it. You mentioned that you subscribed to nihilism – does nihilism not fit beneath the umbrella of armchair philosophy (this is not a rhetorical question, I'm genuinely curious)?

[Whitney]

I don't know what you expect armchair philosophy to do for you. Welcome to being human! That is to say, welcome to being banal.

Mmm, I can't help but think that your italicizing "armchair philosophy" indicates that you have a low opinion of it. You mentioned that you subscribed to nihilism – does nihilism not fit beneath the umbrella of armchair philosophy (this is not a rhetorical question, I'm genuinely curious)?

armchair philosophy is when someone who hasn't formally studied philosophy in depth explores a few philosophical ideas.

[original_gender]

armchair philosophy is when someone who hasn't formally studied philosophy in depth explores a few philosophical ideas.

Oh, well that makes me feel a little stupid. I thought the term was coined for my benefit. Eek, ignore my last question Melmoth. Yeah, I have a high-school diploma (that is the extent of my formal education), so that term describes me very well. I have to admit though, a discussion board called Laid Back Lounge does seem like a good place for armchairs.

[Melmoth]

@Original_gender: what Whitney said. I'd call a lot of philosophy 'armchair', even among the formally educated, since it doesn't always culminate in any action. There's plenty to think about but not a lot you can actually do, except sit around in armchairs talking.

And I don't have a low opinion of this at all, by the way. You misunderstood me drastically there. I think a bit of armchair philosophising is very important for the brain, and that people who are able to do it, formally educated or not, are one in a dozen. Call me pessimistic, but I don't think most people are capable of wrapping their heads around anything more complex than a shopping list.

All I'm saying is, it's not going to make you transcend the banality of being a person somehow. You seem to want to embody the profundity of nature itself in your every waking thought, but you and I can no more do that than a pair of slugs who have no understanding at all. You could be walking through your living room, thinking about the hugeness of it all, but when you stub your toe on the coffee table it's always going to bring you crashing back down to Earth. You're just a big ape, ultimately.

And yes, to satisfy your curiosity, I would include my own nihilism under the umbrella of 'armchair philosophy'.

I have to admit though, a discussion board called Laid Back Lounge does seem like a good place for armchairs.

Well said!

[Whitney]

I prescribe not fewer than quarterly trips to places like the ocean, planetariums, pretty parks etc in order to kick your brain into awe mode again.

[xSilverPhinx]

I prescribe not fewer than quarterly trips to places like the ocean, planetariums, pretty parks etc in order to kick your brain into awe mode again.

Watch "Cosmos".

[xSilverPhinx]

armchair philosophy is when someone who hasn't formally studied philosophy in depth explores a few philosophical ideas.

Oh, well that makes me feel a little stupid. I thought the term was coined for my benefit. Eek, ignore my last question Melmoth. Yeah, I have a high-school diploma (that is the extent of my formal education), so that term describes me very well. I have to admit though, a discussion board called Laid Back Lounge does seem like a good place for armchairs.

Why does it make you feel stupid? I know people with years of formal education and are complete morons. Awe is certainly not something that's born in a classroom...well very rarely.

[Tank]

armchair philosophy is when someone who hasn't formally studied philosophy in depth explores a few philosophical ideas.

Oh, well that makes me feel a little stupid. I thought the term was coined for my benefit. Eek, ignore my last question Melmoth. Yeah, I have a high-school diploma (that is the extent of my formal education), so that term describes me very well. I have to admit though, a discussion board called Laid Back Lounge does seem like a good place for armchairs.

Why does it make you feel stupid? I know people with years of formal education and are complete morons. Awe is certainly not something that's born in a classroom...well very rarely.

And yet the classroom is the place that should inspire!! Sad that it's become a place where kids are processed to squeeze as much originality out of them as possible.

[The Magic Pudding]

David Hume has been the subject of a few episodes of the Philosophers' zone lately.
There are pod casts available, you can listen to them in your arm chair.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/philosopherszone/

[xSilverPhinx]

armchair philosophy is when someone who hasn't formally studied philosophy in depth explores a few philosophical ideas.

Oh, well that makes me feel a little stupid. I thought the term was coined for my benefit. Eek, ignore my last question Melmoth. Yeah, I have a high-school diploma (that is the extent of my formal education), so that term describes me very well. I have to admit though, a discussion board called Laid Back Lounge does seem like a good place for armchairs.

Why does it make you feel stupid? I know people with years of formal education and are complete morons. Awe is certainly not something that's born in a classroom...well very rarely.

And yet the classroom is the place that should inspire!! Sad that it's become a place where kids are processed to squeeze as much originality out of them as possible.

Was it always so?

[The Magic Pudding]

Was it always so?

No it wasn't, the past was a golden age where all children were gently guided to reach their full potential.
All those coloured canes hanging on the wall were there to keep windows open when sash cords failed.
Seriously, I don't get the impression my two children have been stifled and my education was OK but not idyllic. 

[xSilverPhinx]

Was it always so?

No it wasn't, the past was a golden age where all children were gently guided to reach their full potential.
All those coloured canes hanging on the wall were there to keep windows open when sash cords failed.
Seriously, I don't get the impression my two children have been stifled and my education was OK but not idyllic. 

I try not to get too unrealistically idyllic, I was just wondering if it was better then, in the vaguest sense I guess.

Maybe it was not as less practical as it can be today, one thing that's changed is we're living in the post internet era whereas education doesn't look like it's evolved that much to accompany it. Just look at all those creationists out there...

Where you had more or less guided sheep before, you have less guided sheep today, who can't even begin to differentiate between what's crap and what isn't.

[original_gender]

I prescribe not fewer than quarterly trips to places like the ocean, planetariums, pretty parks etc in order to kick your brain into awe mode again.

Watch "Cosmos".

David Hume has been the subject of a few episodes of the Philosophers' zone lately.
There are pod casts available, you can listen to them in your arm chair.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/philosopherszone/

These are all welcome suggestions and fortunately, I have the next two days off.

Why does it make you feel stupid? I know people with years of formal education and are complete morons. Awe is certainly not something that's born in a classroom...well very rarely.

Because my reply made it obvious that I mistook a dismissive comment for a conversational segue, exposing me as a philosophical newbie, lol.

[thedport]

I guesse for me once I doned the robe of non beleif, I still did not feel as though I live in a world without consequence. All of our actions have dirrect personal consequences, good and bad. Even animals without higher cognitive fuction understand the need to work together somewhat and that thier actions have consequences. Even scavangers like Heyena's use secrative methods to get there food because they realize if they just didn't care the lions would eat their faces off. Honestly I am not entirely sure where I was going with this only that we can not shed our humanity in loue of self sastifaction because then al we are is a virus, or parasite take your pick.