/sci/ - Science & Math

[Anonymous No.3296650]

Seeing as /sci/ is one of the few bastions of intelligence on 4chan, I come to you guys with a issue that I want your views on. There are many concepts I can't wrap my mind around, but one concept have always eluded me. How can people just settle down and get married and do the same mundane tasks over and over again and work to live? I look at the people around me and I see that they chase girls 24/7, do drugs, drink, etc. and just waste their life. The whole time I simply study and better myself because that seems, to me, what should be the innate actions of humans. I can't fathom how people can be content without furthering their mind, their knowledge, their capabilities. It simply leaves me flabbergasted to consider the idea of it for any amount of time. What is /sci/'s take on the subject? Could you be happy by simply chasing girls and living a mundane life, or do you, like me, crave knowledge and betterment of one's self?

pic related, this concept is as unfathomable to me as the vastness of space

[Anonymous No.3296701]

bump

[Anonymous No.3296733]

That's what you enjoy in life OP, and that's what you want. Coming from your viewpoint, and given that you are an individual who seeks to further his or her knowledge and/or understanding of the world around you, it's safe to say that you may look down upon the "others' " lifestyles. However, you are also aware of how hedonistic we are as a collective. Entertainment. Sex. Drugs. Activities which stimulate our bodies and senses, not just our minds. It is what some people enjoy, living simple and pleasurable lifestyles. To each their own.

tl;dr - Whatever floats your boat. Whatever floats my boat.

[Anonymous No.3296741]

I come from a similiar but opposite POV.

I think you should push your physical limitations until you cant anymore and then some. It sickens me to see extremely fat people and very sickly thin people. Then I look at Gabe Newell (lardass videogame designer). He is happy and successful while being out of shape. Getting fit would do nothing for him, so he doesnt do it.

EG: man is completly content in raising his kids and nailing his wife for the rest of his life.

[Anonymous No.3296745]

sour grapes, you're ugly so you think you must be better then them

[Anonymous No.3296748]

Monkey instincts are strong. They are what got you ancestors here, after all.

As well, we have it lucky in Western society that we don't have to dig in the fucking ground all day long, and walk eight miles for clean water. Imagine how much studying and self-betterment you can do in such an environment. It was like that for all of us until comparatively recently.

No offense meant, but it's an awfully privileged, effete thing to say. First-world problem, mate. Have you even got one callus on your non-fap hand?

[Anonymous No.3296765]

Because a lot of people find happiness in the simplicities of life. I'm one who also strives to study and do something important with my life in order to find happiness but i have known many people who find just as much happiness doing the same low-paying, mundane job day after day... haven't you ever heard, "Ignorance is Bliss"

[Anonymous No.3296772]

Investigating and exploring and hacking the mind of another human being is not appealing to you, OP?

[Anonymous No.3296807]

> tl:dr OP doesn't understand why opinions differentiate from his.

I do agree with you on the point that humans should always seek to realize their full potential, but how to do this, and also the definition of what "full potential" is, is very debatable, and everyone has their own opinion.

That is why, OP.

[OP No.3296816]

I didn't mean to come off as a person who holds himself above other "underlings". I don't think the people that live simplistic lives are below me. I envy them. I wish I could find enjoyment in the things they do and not always be chasing unattainable goals.

[Anonymous No.3296818]

>>3296748
Who fucking cares?

The only thing that makes humans special or worthwhile is their intelligence. No other culture has allowed intelligence to flourish like ours.

I dont give a fuck about third world problems because solving first world problems advances the cause of science and humanity

not even OP

[Anonymous No.3296845]

>>3296650
some people just aren't into expanding their mind man. not everyone is born with the same level of imagination or intelligence.

doesn't mean your better than them, though

[Anonymous No.3296850]

>>3296818
solving third world problems could lead to more first worlds to solve first world problems lol.

[Anonymous No.3296851]

>>3296650
From an early age children are commended on certain attributes. When you do well in a test, the teacher and perhaps your parents praise you for it. So, this reinforces your behaviour or study habits.
Someone who is good at socialising or making friends is commended when they are funny or interesting.
Someone who is successful at hitting on women is commended/their behaviour reinforced everytime they succeed.

There is only so much time in a day and usually we like to spend it doing what we know we are good at or that we get satisfaction from. You spend your time studying, you will get good at studying. You spend it socialising, you will make lots of friends and enjoy it that way. You spend it hitting on women, you will most likely get laid a lot.
You are good at studying and furthering your knowledge because this has been reinforced into you from an early age; not so for others.

It's all about what people have grown accustomed to enjoy or get the most satisfaction from.

Different strokes for different folks etc. etc.

[Anonymous No.3296862]

>>3296650

Learn sociology and biology

People are predisposition ed and conditioned to act in such ways. You might've been brought up X ways while they Y ways. In the end, you're still looking for the second side of the same coin.

Their pleasures are your' disconsolate

Their Discontempts are your' pleasures

Note I am not trying to stereotype; they are probably living a fuller life than you. I'd rather gain knowledge when I'm older and stimulate myself with living to my physical capabilities as available in the youth.

Everyone's different with a baseline.

Your' an asspie.

JK JK

[Anonymous No.3296878]

Different strokes for different folks OP... That stuff makes you happy, all the power to you. Other stuff does it for other people, whatever...

[Anonymous No.3296916]

>>3296816
>I wish I could find enjoyment in the things they do

try some cocaine, OP.
trust me on this one

[Anonymous No.3296925]

>unattainable goals

You mean like proving String Theory? Or dark matter? Or any other abstract theoretical idea that are more or less religions until proven? From what I understand, I don't think human beings will EVER understand the universe completely because there might be several more dimensions or separate universes.

So before you go around saying that everyone else lives a pipe dream, science isn't exactly the end all of end all's either.

[Anonymous No.3296941]

>/sci/
>bastion of intelligence on 4chan

[Inurdaes !V1sPhobos. No.3296948]

>>3296941
Go on /soc/ for a minute. He's more or less correct.

[Anonymous No.3296956]

>>3296650
>waste their life
>implying doing what a person find's to be pleasurable is a "waste"

[Anonymous No.3296959]

>>3296948
>Inurdaes
>13-year-old who jerks it to delusional Kurzweil science-fiction
You're not helping your case.

[Anonymous No.3296964]

>>3296748
For the record, I was born and live for awhile in a small village in a poor country. I was lucky enough to come to America, though.

[Anonymous No.3297018]

>>3296650

>...what should be the innate actions of humans...

...and this is why you are a dumb fuck.

[Anonymous No.3297053]

Just be glad you feel motivated to care one way or the other. Think what life would be like if you didn't want to further your 'intelligence' OR cared about others' furthering theirs.

[Anonymous No.3297079]

>>3296959
Did someone say transhumanist?

[Anonymous No.3297120]

>>3296650
OP you sound like you just came here for an ass pat. You sound incredibly insecure, lonely, left out, etc. I can tell because you overcompensate for this insecurity by opening an OP post with what amounts to "lol I'm doing the right thing in life and everyone else is a lazy fucking idiot, right guys? Only my path to happiness is the correct one. Don't you agree? Come on guys pat my ass, please guys!" If none of that's true, you're still an asshole for judging others' lives by the standards you set for yourself and what makes you happy.

[Anonymous No.3297162]

>>3297120
I didn't come here for anything of the likes. I came here to get other people opinions on the matter. For some reason, I'm absolutely incapable of understanding the other side of the argument. I hoped, by coming here, others would input insight as to why people find the lure of it so appealing. To me, all I can see is to the future. All I can see is what needs to be done to further human existence and knowledge. It's just unthinkable to me that others wouldn't want to do the same. I really don't mean to come off as arrogant, cocky, or attentionwhorey. It's simply the way I'm wired and my demeanor, I was just hoping to see others' thoughts.

[Inurdaes !steambrowser No.3297191]

>>3296959
Come at me bro.

Also, why haven't mods banned me yet? Not enough science vs religion posting?

[Anonymous No.3297201]

>>3297162
How do you know others aren't working toward that goal in their own ways? There is more than one job to do for the betterment of man kind. Sometimes we need a janitor as much as a scientist as much as a police man as much as a farmer. Live and let live, stop casting judgement on others because they don't think in exactly the same ways as you. They are out having fun, doing what they want to do. They will find their way to contribute to society when the time comes. And if they can't, there's are two wonderful places for them called "prison" and "the morgue" where they will naturally end up. Our differences help the advancement of the species, so stop being so arrogant about what sets you apart. We need those other people too. Sometimes it takes a personable and social person (someone you might refer to as "simple") to sell an idea to the masses, or to convince the government to fund your science project, or to do whatever. Point being, there is no way to objectively identify which behaviors and interests are "best", so you shouldn't act like you act in the definitively best way.

[Anonymous No.3297215]

>>3297201
And I thank you for that answer. I need to better temper my knowledge with wisdom, obviously. At least you gave a constructive criticism.

[Anonymous No.3297212]

>>3297162
If you really can't even conceive of how others could think differently then you do then I would call you an aspie cunt.

Values are arbitrary. You've chosen to value the progress of humanity and that is actually a good thing if anything actually comes of it (let's face it, you're sitting here wasting whatever potential you might have with the rest of us).

That doesn't somehow mean that someone who just wakes up and has fun everyday without any such concerns is lesser than you. Your time here is limited and if someone finds a way to enjoy it then it is logical for them to do so. What you find enjoyable is, again, arbitrary. It's like having a favorite flavor of ice-cream or a favorite movie. Some people like deeply intellectual psychological thrillers, others like the random mind-numbing spam that Hollywood churns out like chum.

What you like will depend on many things, such as what you've been exposed to, when and how. Your intellect and other traits influence your dispositions and what you consider.

While you sit there pondering this, someone else is having a great time having insanely carnal sex with a very attractive female. Maybe one day you'll make some contribution to mankind and feel good about yourself, but by then that guy will have had experiences that you can't even truly imagine, and you can't know who will have had the most pleasure overall.

So fuck you, you judgemental cunt.

[Anonymous No.3297236]

ITT: relativist retards everywhere.

>Could you be happy by simply chasing girls and living a mundane life, or do you, like me, crave knowledge and betterment of one's self?

No. Though IMO betterment should also involve physical training and developing musical skills, and also having contact with nature (oudoor sports). Having a girlfriend is also desireable, provided she shares some essential values with me, in order for the relationship to have virtuous effects on both (instead of some void sexual pathological dependency). I have experienced both.

A "mudane" or hedonist way chasing girls, doing drugs, etc. is not compatible with such goals. That is plain decadence, not just "a different view". In the end, any honest observer will see the results talk for themselves about which way is the right one, it doesn't matter wether you decide to be a sportsman, a scientist, a lawyer, or a janitor.

[Anonymous No.3297250]

>>3297236
*If you think a lifetime is not enough for a man to fulfill all those goals, stop watching tv, restrict your internet use, and you'll see.

[Anonymous No.3297263]

>>3296916
no, no, no! LSD!

[Anonymous No.3297308]

>>3297263
this

[Anonymous No.3297369]

As someone who has done everything you listed in moderation, you know drinking and drugs all of that as well as studying. I don't know too many people who just 'waste their life' like that, most don't boast about bettering themselves either, sure people are dumb and caught up in routine, but give them a break. So many people just don't have the time and energy after they get dedicated to something, like when you're no longer a kid living at home and you're raising a family, working, just overall maintining your life you just don't have the time and energy to study physics on the side, you just want to watch some Simpsons and have some sex with the wife after the kid is finally asleep etc.. Also just getting stuck in routine is just what people do, usually the older they get the more routined their life gets, it's just how we're wired. Getting older sort of takes the edge off of things, you just happy to keep up with everything that's going on

[Anonymous No.3297394]

i used to feel this way

than i realized i wasnt really happy just learning all the shit i could. i realized i wasnt any smarter than anyone else and in fact i was the stupid one

at the end when we're old we'll probably just forget it all anyway. talking to people and just fooling around is way more stimulating to me and makes me feel good. i guess we really are social animals...talking to people gives me a rush. getting drunk is fun too because you feel like really easy going and care free

note im not looking down on you. i enjoy learning things to and i still do but to me its not my prime focus in life

[Anonymous No.3297552]

>>3296733
But some people actually have a problem.

I know that everyone goes through the "AH THEY'RE ALL SHEEP, I AM THE ONLY PERSON WHO ACTUALLY THINKS" phase. And then there's the "Dude, chill. People just have different tastes" phase but I think they both only get part of the truth.

In some sense it is personal preference e.g. arts vs. sciences. And in some sense it is a case of sheeple e.g. modern politics. And then there are the people who are just sad. They have a job they hate, no satisfaction in relationships, and spend every moment of free time trying to keep their mind off of it with self-abasing hedonism.

It feels weird to say this, but some people deserve to be looked down upon. Not that they should be hated or neglected by society, but there is an objective sense of value here.

[Anonymous No.3297751]

>>3297236
>stoplikingwhatidontlike^20.jpg

[Anonymous No.3297763]

>>3297552
>there is an objective sense of value here.
>an objective sense of value
>value
>objective
Cool story, bro.