Enthusiasm for Life

platypus

platypus

platypus

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I've been told that I have no enthusiasm. This is probably true, but I was wondering; how many people do have a genuine enthusiasm for life? If so, how do you go about obtaining it?

Do you think that one requires enthusiasm in order to be happy?
 
I find it all cringe worthy too platypus, and no it doesn't mean im suicidal :) just hate over optimistic, perma happy, fake smile people.

deadpan and dry sarcastic humour helps.
 
Efour said:
I find it all cringe worthy too platypus, and no it doesn't mean im suicidal :) just hate over optimistic, perma happy, fake smile people.

deadpan and dry sarcastic humour helps.
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Yes indeed, I just wonder if I'm missing something.
 
I wouldn't say enthusiasm for life makes you happy nor over optimistic. It just comes down to appreciating life and the how good the small things in this world can be eg just watching the sun come up, tranquility, etc and then using that to give you the drive to enjoy all aspects. For me enthusiasm came from the stunning realisation when it almost all came to an end and I realised how much you don't appreciate life and all those little things until you think oh dear I may never see them again.
 
Life is a train journey from A to B & it's up to you how you fill your time during the trip.
 
I think it always helps to have some kind of goal / purposes in mind, rather than just trudging through. Since my son arrived, my main goal in life is to be able to provide him with a good upbringing, be that through concentrating on my career to provide a good income, ensuring plenty of family time etc.

That certainly gives me the enthusiasm to get up in the morning :)
 
very hard to be enthusiastic all the time, but you do need it
i think it's more important to have a purpose if that's different
doesn't really matter if you are mad keen on that prupose as long as you are doing something
also


 
I love a good bit of melancholy to be honest. Flip side of that though is that I find myself the happiest when I'm helping other people and just generally being busy. The saying ''the devil makes work for idle thumbs'' is very true (as a metaphor).
 
platypus said:
I've been told that I have no enthusiasm. This is probably true, but I was wondering; how many people do have a genuine enthusiasm for life? If so, how do you go about obtaining it?

Do you think that one requires enthusiasm in order to be happy?
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I can relate, most of the people I know seem to be on an emotional roller-coaster of misery/happiness flinging from one extreme to the other constantly - living life with a child like enthusiasm (which has some benefits & some flaws).

Myself,

I'm a misanthropic humanist - but the below quote seems pretty apt for me & I'm sure many others who share some of my point of view.

Inside every pessimist is a disappointed optimist.

On a side note (not to sound arrogant) but studies have found a correlation between intelligence & depression/misery - as to learn is to lack ignorance & ignorance is indeed bliss (or so it seems).

It's pretty easy to be happy if you are a vapid airhead with no consideration of the pretty extreme amounts of human suffering in the world & live in a fantasy where you are special & important (when in reality our species is completely insignificant).
 
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I don't think you need to be one of those overly-chipper people to be enthusiastic about life or happy.

I'm a happy person, positive and optimistic, but I still have a dry and sarcastic sense of humour. Such things aren't mutually exclusive.

Perhaps enthusiasm for life means those real go-getter types, always wanting to make the most of their time and achieving things? Fair enough if that rocks your boat, but some people are also happier "wasting" their lives playing video games or watching tv. As long as it makes you happy and doesn't harm anyone else, why does it matter what you do with your life?
 
LOAM said:
I love a good bit of melancholy to be honest.
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Trouble is I seem to be mired in it at present, don't get me wrong its not self pity it is just a complete dirth of enthusiasm. And there has been for a fair while. Also sullenness.
 
elmarko said:
On a side note (not to sound arrogant) but studies have found a correlation between intelligence & depression/misery - as to learn is to lack ignorance & ignorance is indeed bliss (or so it seems).

It's pretty easy to be happy if you are a vapid airhead with no consideration of the pretty extreme amounts of human suffering in the world & live in a fantasy where you are special & important (when in reality our species is completely insignificant).
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There is nothing stopping an intelligent person from shutting out things that are depressing though. It's being both intelligent and compassionate that makes for the worst for that sort of thing.

So be either a clever narcissist or a dumb lover-of-all if you want to be happy in life I guess.
 
krooton said:
There is nothing stopping an intelligent person from shutting out things that are depressing though. It's being both intelligent and compassionate that makes for the worst for that sort of thing.

So be either a clever narcissist or a dumb lover-of-all if you want to be happy in life I guess.
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Very true, I guess it's easier to be happy if you are unaware of the problems of the world or simply don't care.

I do think it's healthier to be a little negative, as pretending everything is fine (when it isn't) is deluded - one thing which has been proven is people who are "slightly depressed" have the most accurate view of themselves & reality.

As they don't view life through the stained glass windows of positive cognitive biases but also don't suffer from viewing the world in unrealistic misery via depression (which is also a delusion) - people in this group had the most accurate self assessment results on a range of tests (on their intelligence, looks & a whole range of other self-image views).

It seems by default, we are wired to think we are better than we are (which is why about 70% of people think they are above average intelligence, similar for looks & about 80% of drivers think they are above average).
 
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