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Can a disinterest in life be rational or justified?
- Thread starter Aquitaine
- Start date
The Baha'i faith says that one who truly understands the nature of things longs for death. I can't find any good quotes on my phone at the moment but its pretty deep stuff.
"“The Mysteries of man’s physical death and of his return have not been divulged, and still remain unread… Were they to be revealed, they would evoke such fear and sorrow that some would perish, while others would be so filled with gladness as to wish for death, and beseech, with unceasing longing, the one true God – exalted be His Glory – to hasten their end.”
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Well since your here, it never hurts to meander around a bit.
Aquitaine
Well-Known Member
Interesting perspective, thanks for providing that quote. Though what does this say about the desired errr "outlook" or "perspective" of the Bahai faith?
We believe that the next life is more favourable than this life but we also believe that we are called to serve humanity. We are promised a day very soon that the world will know true peace and it is our calling to strive to bring about this day. So while we do long for death, we also are happy helping humanity towards its divine goal before we die.
Deathbydefault
Apistevist Asexual Atheist
There are certainly many rational arguments one could give for not wanting to be alive.
Anything can be rationalized or justified, but that doesn't mean it's completely logical. It's mostly a matter of perspective. I was one who hated the world and even the Cosmos itself for a long time, but I am snapping out of that. It was a product of my depression and it's really not all that healthy a mindset to stay in. Plus, it is a rather harsh dualism, which is not a holistic view of life. It misses the forest for the trees.
It's called depression, and only some are willing to call it mental illness, mostly those who don't have it.
All depression is what the op described. But what the op described could be something other than depression. Only an actual doctor can make that call.
Or an actual depressed person.
Sounds like apatheist philosophy.
I would not want to loose my enthusiasm for life. ALL life.
I'm having fun, life is more interesting now than any time in my life. ( I'm 69 now.)
I'm in recovery from alcoholism (horrid, demeaning, dehumanizing, painful disease).
If you ever loose your zeal for life I suggest you hang around some A.A. meetings
and listen to the miracles that have happened in the lives of the most miserable,
ex convicts, prostitutes, poor, rich, businessmen, educated, illiterate, people
you are ever likely to meet.
They (we) are ALL THE SAME sharing recovery from a deadly addiction.
Miracles do happen. I have seen them for years and years.
Life is good.
As a side note EVERY person that abuses themselves with alcohol or drugs IS
mentally ill, some worse than others.
Yet we all recover in spite of these handicaps and lead "normal" lives.
(Whatever "normal" is?)
Fact is people in recovery from the living hell of addiction appreciate the most simple
gifts of life, much more than "earth people". Earth people are those poor souls that
haven't a clue about how good, and precious life really is.
I would not want to loose my enthusiasm for life. ALL life.
I'm having fun, life is more interesting now than any time in my life. ( I'm 69 now.)
I'm in recovery from alcoholism (horrid, demeaning, dehumanizing, painful disease).
If you ever loose your zeal for life I suggest you hang around some A.A. meetings
and listen to the miracles that have happened in the lives of the most miserable,
ex convicts, prostitutes, poor, rich, businessmen, educated, illiterate, people
you are ever likely to meet.
They (we) are ALL THE SAME sharing recovery from a deadly addiction.
Miracles do happen. I have seen them for years and years.
Life is good.
As a side note EVERY person that abuses themselves with alcohol or drugs IS
mentally ill, some worse than others.
Yet we all recover in spite of these handicaps and lead "normal" lives.
(Whatever "normal" is?)
Fact is people in recovery from the living hell of addiction appreciate the most simple
gifts of life, much more than "earth people". Earth people are those poor souls that
haven't a clue about how good, and precious life really is.
I am skeptical of a mentally ill persons ability to diagnose mental illness based solely on their credentials as someone possessing that mental illness.
My brother goes to AA and has been sober for 3 years now. I used to have an alcohol problem but I found religion and that seemed to work for me.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
It depends. If one is genually not interested in life and can still live a healthy lifestyle, than it is fine and of itself.
Most of the time disinterest in life is linked to mental illness because 1. The person may want to harm himself 2. harm others and/or 3 cant function on an everyday basis.
Just being disinterested isnt a medical issue (from what I know), but it could be a moral one depending on the person.
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Embrace whatever works for you and cherish it.
Aquitaine
Well-Known Member
Do you believe it is a mental illness?
The DSM calls it one. http://dsm.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.dsm04
Which is what the court uses for locking people up for mental illness (my wife works for the county as a civil commitment investigator and has depression so I think I know what I'm talking about)