Modern Stresses

[semihibernation]

Hey guys, just wondering what your thoughts are on the multitude of stresses we deal with in our lives these days that have been nonexistent for most of this planet's life-supporting existence.

I've just been thinking lately how bizarre it is that my day is most often full of worrying about deadlines and work that I have to do for various classes. We've obviously surpassed the need to spend all our time finding food and things like that, so I suppose it is a definite improvement.

I somehow feel that it is not how we are meant to live, however. How many men spend their entire lives working in a cubicle, trapped in their life situation by so many things out of their control? I find myself recently losing my motivation to do exceptional in my classes because I am not sure I will even be content with where they will get me... so why would I try as hard as I truly can? How can we beat this?

[scovegner]

Originally Posted by semihibernation

Hey guys, just wondering what your thoughts are on the multitude of stresses we deal with in our lives these days that have been nonexistent for most of this planet's life-supporting existence.

I've just been thinking lately how bizarre it is that my day is most often full of worrying about deadlines and work that I have to do for various classes. We've obviously surpassed the need to spend all our time finding food and things like that, so I suppose it is a definite improvement.

I somehow feel that it is not how we are meant to live, however. How many men spend their entire lives working in a cubicle, trapped in their life situation by so many things out of their control? I find myself recently losing my motivation to do exceptional in my classes because I am not sure I will even be content with where they will get me... so why would I try as hard as I truly can? How can we beat this?

My feelings exactly.

[Turning About]

Originally Posted by semihibernation

I suppose it is a definite improvement.

This

Originally Posted by semihibernation

I find myself recently losing my motivation to do exceptional in my classes because I am not sure I will even be content with where they will get me... so why would I try as hard as I truly can? How can we beat this?

You should try as hard as you can because if you don't get "where you wanted to go" then your goals were too high anyway. Not all of us can save the world or whatever it is you want to do. There is no beating this; the world is at it is. You just have to accept that some people will be cubicle workers, CEOs, janitors, teachers, scientists, bums, doctors, matadors, smoke jumpers, etc.

My advice, set your goals low, and just work as hard as you can, and everything will work out for the best.

[KikoSanchez]

Originally Posted by semihibernation

Hey guys, just wondering what your thoughts are on the multitude of stresses we deal with in our lives these days that have been nonexistent for most of this planet's life-supporting existence.

I've just been thinking lately how bizarre it is that my day is most often full of worrying about deadlines and work that I have to do for various classes. We've obviously surpassed the need to spend all our time finding food and things like that, so I suppose it is a definite improvement.

I somehow feel that it is not how we are meant to live, however. How many men spend their entire lives working in a cubicle, trapped in their life situation by so many things out of their control? I find myself recently losing my motivation to do exceptional in my classes because I am not sure I will even be content with where they will get me... so why would I try as hard as I truly can? How can we beat this?

This brings 2 thoughts to my mind. First is Maslow's hierarchy of needs. We are pretty lucky that we get to "stress" over money or relationships and not for pure survival, so praise be for that. I don't think we can ever really overcome all desires, so you must learn to be content with what you can gain in life and not some materialistic freak that lives life to get that next, new product.

Second, Ishmael the book. If you haven't read it, I think you would love it. He makes a really good argument for how we have sold away our lives to work, in order to have a few conveniences, and along the way we have stifled the rest of our environment around us. Though going out and hunting for a few hours a day and having the rest of the day off sounds pretty good, I just hate all the damn bugs and insects outside. Call me weird, but they are GODDAMN annoying when I'm mowing.

[HARDMAN]

There are a couple of misconceptions that modern people seem to often have-

1. Primitive people were/are always struggling to survive. This is not true. There are many examples of hunter/gatherer societies that survive on the land quite easily.

2. More luxury will create more happiness.

This is a bit subjective but I think people need more sunlight, more exercise, and more social contact/openness with others these days. More money isn't all that's important. We tend to overlook the simple things that the ancients took for granted.

Economic independence can be nice but economic interdependence can create stronger relationships. In old times people depended on each other a lot more. But this can also create alot of stress on its own, which is why it's subjective.

[ChickenOfDoom]

The stress is how it gets done. The solution is to find something you enjoy doing more and manage your time better.

[somerlost]

I'm alot less stressed out since I quit watching tv. I alway's watched 4-6 hrs of tv a day in the past. up untill Feb. 2007. I thought I had to watch all the shows I liked and got stressed if I missed an episode. 2 tvs and 2 vcr's going to catch 'em all. Now I just catch what I can online, The office and Life, basically and that's it. Sometimes I jones for the shield but meh... as my son would say.

[Rocko]

Modern life is more stressful because there are 7 billion other people on the planet fighting over the same dwindling resources as you. It's simple as that. Life would be far better if half the population suddenly dissapeared.