Do you suffer INTELLECTUAL STARVATION?

Terry

Symptoms of intellectual starvation:

1.Purposelessness, time-wasting, apathy, cynical desuetude.

2.Aimless hobbies that run out the clock

3.Fluff reading

4.Gossip, celebrity worship, fashion, pop culture

5.Trivia

6.Religious rituals

7.Failure to launch (never achieving the passion central to your life) by postponement.

You wouldn't live off waxed fruit, would you? It looks like real food, but; it has no nutrition. So too with intellectual pursuits that look "smart" or stimulating but contain empty "calories" that make you torpid and slow.

I'd like to see a discussion of intellectual pursuits which actually add something tangible to the quality of one's life-of-the-mind.

Why? Is the purpose of this thread to mock others? No. Is the purpose of this thread to nitpick? No.

I want to address the symptoms of a malady I see everyday. VERY SMART PEOPLE GOING NOWHERE in life because they waste their intelligence!

Imagine being born into a rich family and being able to use your assets to live a wonderful life which, instead, is spent on hellraising, drugs, alcohol, debauchery and endless partying.

Something similar is possible if you are born with the capacity for INTELLIGENCE which you squander on crossword puzzles, Romance novels, People magazine articles, Fanzines, needlepoint, trivia, sports spectatorship, etc.

I KNOW A HUGE ARGUMENT could come from this. However, I don't mean to start one.

I just want to see an intelligent discussion of we as individuals can exercise our mental equipment in a way that optimizes our capacity with as little waste as possible.

IS SUCH a discussion possible without hurt feelings, complaints, indignation??

The above premise is mine and is my opinion only.

eclipse

I admit to having some of those symptoms.

I am not offended by this topic at all. I think it is worthwhile to discuss.

Perhaps instead of starvation, INTELLECTUAL SPENDTHRIFT might be a more applicable term?

like taking our cash and spending them on candy and junk food, lol.

2.Aimless hobbies that run out the clock - JWD ? lol
3.Fluff reading
5.Trivia -
7.Failure to launch (never achieving the passion central to your life) by postponement.

Those are the 'sins' that I am guilty of.

lawrence

I'm in the process of memorizing the 119th Psalm. Last month I memorized Seutonius' 12 Caesars, just in case I'm invited onto the Dancing with Dummies show. Isn't that good?

Mum

Terry, I know you're really a cuddle bunny under all of that intellectual striving.

Personally, when I was younger, I longed to live the intellectual, academic sort of life. Then I became a JW, so my brain went dormant for most of 17 years. Then I left and had to earn a living, usually working two jobs. But I did manage to get my college degree after I married my second husband, and the struggle to survive was not my entire existence.

Even though I am not entirely happy about the way some things have worked out, I must say that living in the "real world" has helped me in ways that I could not have anticipated. I had to overcome my Asperger syndrome and PTSD (abusive family) because I had to hustle to get any job I could, thus learned to talk to people in a down-to-earth way and even to connect with them in a way I never had before, with empathy and mutual respect. By doing the everyday things, such as knitting and pursuing thrift store bargains, I became less reality challenged. There's something to be said for being able to deal with the everyday, practical matters of life.

Yes, I consider myself an underachiever. But life is not over yet. I'm still working on achieving something that will be personally, intellectually, and spiritually fulfilling. In my spare time, I watch movies in other languages at which I wish to become proficient. I try to learn some math concepts each day because I am mathematically challenged (which I think is because of moving around a lot as a child and falling behind). I read a lot of pop psychology to help me feel worthy of the life I know I should have.

Regards,

SandraC

bikerchic

Something similar is possible if you are born with the capacity for INTELLIGENCE which you squander on crossword puzzles, Romance novels, People magazine articles, Fanzines, needlepoint, trivia, sports spectatorship, etc.

Since we're all going to die Terry why die smart, over achieved, properly primed and cultured? I just do what I do when I feel like doing it and as long as I'm enjoying my life in the moment, keeping it simple works for me.

compound complex

No, Terry:

I hope all's well with you.
I responded to freeme's post on the Oscar Wilde quotation, as did you. I just checked on it now and was disappointed to see no further replies. My comment was in reference to childhood cultural and intellectual stimulation [which I may have mentioned in some of your earlier threads on like matters].
Despite my inability to turn some of my artistic endeavors to any financial benefit, I am satisfied that, as a teacher, I can pass on what I have accumulated cranially over the last fifty years to my students. Past the disruptive emotions of youth, I freely tell my gifted students that they must surpass me. I give them all I've got and cannot wait to see how it turns out for them.
I have no time for TV, but spend all my free time in research and reading useful and stimulating books, such as those of Dava Sobel and P.D. James.
As for JWD, which I have frequently extolled to the skies as the best education available, especially in the humanities, I continue, too, to devote myself to learning ways to help others in the manner of Randy Watters and Steve Hassan.
So, I think you have raised a very good question; I cannot see it as provocative but, as most of your themes, intended to help us see where we're at. I have no intention of wasting my life - whatever is left of it.

Thanks again,

CoCo

Open mind

I saw "The Simpson's Movie".

Can I add that as an entry in my "Life of the Mind" diary?

My tongue is only half-way in my cheek, Terry. The Simpson's often tries getting the generally TV-addicted US population to think about pretty important issues, IMHO.

I agree with your thread on the whole. Everyone needs to strike a balance that is healthy for them as individuals though. I have a feeling that your personal "balance" would probably make a lot of folks want to blow their brains out though. Too much "meat" and not enough "Twinkies" to use a food analogy.

But thanks for the good reminders. I need to hit the "gym", both physical and mental, more often.

Open Mind

Sad emo

I'm just going to sit out and watch this one - as long as that doesn't come under 'gossip' or 'fluffy' category lol!

I've been studying part time for a degree over the last 5 years - final year coming up :-) as well as working full-time.

I see occasionally doing some of the things you mention - such as crosswords, as mental relaxation rather than starvation/stagnation. It's a shift of focus to refresh the mind. Going to your analogy of nutrition - any food is good as long as it's taken in moderation - water, which is good for you, can still kill you if you drink too much - similarly with intellectual pursuits!

Just as the physical body benefits from some rest and relaxation, so does the brain imho. This is close to home at the moment - I've been doing too much reading/studying/work just lately, the result being my mind just won't 'switch off' - so I can't sleep ... or eat ... or function properly - my efficiency and intellectual capacity is actually decreasing, so I've left the studies and reading for a few days until I can regain balance.

onacruse

Yes, and No.

Life is a continual attempt to achieve equilibrium, however it may strike that balance.

Intellectualism is its own bane.

eclipse

I see occasionally doing some of the things you mention - such as crosswords, as mental relaxation rather than starvation/stagnation. It's a shift of focus to refresh the mind. Going to your analogy of nutrition - any food is good as long as it's taken in moderation - water, which is good for you, can still kill you if you drink too much - similarly with intellectual pursuits!
Just as the physical body benefits from some rest and relaxation, so does the brain imho. This is close to home at the moment - I've been doing too much reading/studying/work just lately, the result being my mind just won't 'switch off' - so I can't sleep ... or eat ... or function properly - my efficiency and intellectual capacity is actually decreasing, so I've left the studies and reading for a few days until I can regain balance.

I agree Sad Emo!

I think all of those things are benficial to help our minds relax and rejuvenate.

I hope Terry, that you did not imply that these things are only done by the mentally lazy...as many mental giants, etc, have hobbies and fluff activies that they enjoy doing.

Do you suffer INTELLECTUAL STARVATION?

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