/lit/ - Literature

>character

this is why we can't have nice things

Does suffering?

Does?

Yes once I was a suffering and sufferings make good characters like um Raskol buddy dooh dah yes

Does character build suffering

suffering does build character

>>3234071
If suffering builds character, this thread made me a saint.

Read a pop-sci medical book about stress.

>>3234071
As my father always said, the development of a good character can never be stressed enough.

>>3234071
I'm counting on it, OP. Every day I eat a bowl of chicken soup that hasn't cooled down completely (according to my mom anyway) and it burns my mouth a bit so that I have to drink at least 3 cups of water to stop the pain.

If I can continue this daily regimen of suffering, I should become Jesus Christ in about two and half weeks

i would say "Man cannot live without suffering (...) etc" because man is always making/building himself throught existence

>>3234087
6/10 got me to chuckle

Also some of the worst living conditions on the planet are found in Africa and the niggers there are some of the worst "people" on the planet.

I would say that lack of character is needed for suffering to flourish.

>>3234117
>the niggers there are some of the worst "people" on the planet.
In the west people jump at the chance to dispense mob justice, whereas in Africa they have things like the truth and reconciliation commission.

>implying South Africa is anywhere near the "worst living conditions on the planet.

Try moving a little north, where the tyrants are in charge. That shit just would not fly in the west no matter how bad things got. We maintained our society at a higher level since medieval times, wars and economic depressions included.

>>3234127
>In the west people jump at the chance to dispense mob justice, whereas in Africa they have things like the truth and reconciliation commission.


...and Congolese rape squads.

>>3234140
Even if you go north you still have things like truth and reconcilliation. And a lot of those problems are ultimately caused by being resource rich, leading to western society taking advantage. If we look at earlier periods of industrialisation, you tend to see a lot of the same or similar issues in the west as there, because the west have moved a large part of the industrial machine out to Africa.

>>3234106
>>3234106
I like turkey guy, and goatlife guy, and monsieur guy. I think there are some pretty funny guys on /lit/, and none of them have trips.

I don't get it. What was grammatically wrong with OP's post, apart from the lack of question mark which I don't think is what you guys are talking about?

He asked whether suffering builds character, did he not?

>>3234149
>white guilt

>>3234169
>stating historical facts = white guilt

Can anyone answer this >>3234167? I know you guys know.

I suppose if you thought the cause for your suffering was valuable enough.

>>3234071
If by character you mean "being able to deal with suffering" then often yes. Practice makes perfect.

Captcha: patricians ownrco

>>3234178
>biased interpretation of history = facts

>>3234197

why does it fascinate seemingly intelligent people that captcha has words in it?

there's no question mark here guys, op is just stating a fact

>>3234071
Read John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi and find out. The Duchess occupied an interesting social position in her time: she was a widow with land. Unlike most women in her patriarchal society she had sexual and economic freedom, so she decided instead of serving death she would remarry. Of course, problems arise when she marries below her class because of her two brothers.

There was nothing wrong with her actions within the context of the play and her society. However, her brothers, who also hold political power, want to control her sex life. Ferdinand has a weird sexual obsession that puts Laertes and Ophelia to shame, and he becomes bestial by the end of the play as he puts her through an immense amount of suffering.

Despite all that the Duchess endures, she simply says, "I am the Duchess still." She retains her identity and doesn't lose herself the way that Ferdinand does. Therefore, I think her suffering does build character for two reasons:

1) She loses her first husband prior to the play's action and instead of letting her life pass her by in mourning she remarries.
2) Her brothers lose themselves in their horrendous treatment of her but she retains her identity throughout.

She's one strong character.

>>3234207
The positive relationship between schizophrenia and creativity/abstract-thinking, is why.

Sometimes

>>3234262
Boswald loses himself too by selling out.

It is possible that it builds character. It has to be asked whether the value of this "character" is greater in value than the life and/or quality of life lost while building or after building this "character".

Wtf does character mean, what does it mean to build it, ridiculous. Does it mean a humbling, a modesty, a diminishing of sensitivity? Why are those good things.

>>3234071
in moderation, maybe. seems to make some people grow and some bitter

When suffering becomes unbearable, it makes you change your attitude. When you've had enough suffering you must do something to make it stop. Sometimes, to stop the suffering you simply get stronger (which is difficult and requires effort).

Suffering is a good incentive to build a strong character which, without some kind of incentive, you never would have built. But there's always people who never learn, no matter how suffering they get, though.

>>3234224
Well, there is neither any kind of punctuation mark at the end of his sentence.

>>3234106
You've chosen a legit way to overcome yourself imo, bro. It's never too hot: don't let you evil mother ruin your bright future.

No. Only the reaction to suffering. Resistance, betrayal, sacrifice, and especially a loss of any trait that was established before for that character.

When we see a young girl being raped, we feel sorry for it, but that doesn't build character.
If wee see her keeping a straight face, it does.
If we see her being able to turn her rapists knife against him and than murder him with unnecessary brutality, it does.
If we see her enjoying it, it does.

Suffering is just a common tool for getting characters in situation that uncovers/endangers their principles.

>>3234814
>Well, there is neither any kind of punctuation mark at the end of his sentence.
Right. This is my first time on this board and I'm not used to people pointing out such a thing.

>>3234863
Basically, the more character someone needs, the less suffering will build it, because any character built was only reinforcement of character that existed already. If someone was weak, he will not have the character to triumph in that situation.

Character-building is just a buzzword that bullies and other nasty people like to use.

My life has been... well nevermind ofcourse suffering builds character. It can make you evil, resentful, compassionate, empathetic, or any number of combinations of these things that make you who you are. Especially suffering as more of a constant, or long term experience that eventually (hopefully) ends. A prison sentence, for example, can turn a young rebellious child into a man, not that this always, or even often, is the case. That's my take on this.

Man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor.

>>3234925
Point being: enviromental factors that generate certain emotional states, generate, concurrently, certain programs through which people will relate to their surroundings.

>>3234945
If by certain programs, you mean specific sorts of responses, then yeah, case in point.

>>3234869
Welcome to /lit/. We're all pretentious autistic dicks here. Get used to people pointing out ridiculous insignificant things like punctuation.

I suppose you're discussing St Irenaeus here. If that is the case, it depends on whether you believe man can obtain more of the likeness of God; and if your answer is yes, experience and trials (i.e., suffering) do allow the character of men to grow to be more like God.

If you want a secular answer, character would develop regardless of suffering. In place of pain the individual would likely either devote themselves to hedonism or scholarship; either would "build" a character.