Ignorance *Was* Bliss

I have been contemplating how I am actually less happy than when I started my journey down the rabbit hole. I was never a relaxed, happy go lucky person, but these days I find myself more cynical and grumpy than I want to be in during the course of my daily life. I don't believe anything I hear or read anymore. I see right through to a persons real agenda. Commercials make me angry because I see how they are manipulative ways of getting the weak minded to buy crap they don't need. If I hear one more advertisement about how a product makes you 'feel' my head will explode. I don't give a crap about a product making me feel...just give me the damn specs. Don't even get my started on DTC drug advertisements.

I digress, but my basic point is that now that I see most things for what they really are it is harder to be happy in life. Knowing everyone and everything has an agenda. Shades of gray everywhere. I am not necessarily better off. Have we all taken a bite of THE apple here on ATS and now there is no going back? Some days I wish I could just put the damn genie back in the bottle.

What do you all think? Is it better to be ignorant and happy of informed and unhappy?

I am not sure, but I know there is no going back.

The secret to a man's happiness is a woman. If you've got one already, use that penetrating vision of your to 'see' the child she once was. Nourish that.

For you women who happen across this thread ... find a man. Gently shape him into the figure you want him to be. Enable him to succeed. 'Prepare' to enjoy life.

These things take years ... if not decades ... to cultivate. So, be patient.

Cheers,
-Snarl

I would always prefer the ugly truth to a pretty lie.

The key is not to become so cynical and jaded that life loses it's meaning and you lose all your joy. There has to be a balance I think. Some things can consume you if you let them.

The world is full of awful, evil people doing awful, evil things, but it also filled with a ton of good. Sometimes you might have to look a bit harder for it, but it is still there IMO.

Knowing the truth about some things may make you more cynical, but it can also make you more appreciative of the more simple things in life that bring you happiness.

You can't fight or stand up against something if you have no clue it exists. It is always better to know the truth. About anything.

a reply to: Snarl

For you women who happen across this thread ... find a man. Gently shape him into the figure you want him to be. Enable him to succeed.

Are you serious....As much as I love my woman, I don't need to be "shaped" any more than I need to manipulate her.

We are to strong individuals. Our love is based on mutual respect.....and hot monkey sex....

a reply to: Metallicus

…but my basic point is that now that I see most things for what they really are it is harder to be happy in life.

Morpheus to Neo: "…but if you could go back (into the Matrix) would you want to?"

"Being a little more aware is a certain kind of Hell." --Chris Rock

(both paraphrased)

a reply to: Metallicus

Disillusionment is difficult. And you do feel angry. At least for awhile.

It can get better. But you have to take care of you, and who you are, first. Im not here to spew religious crap, as I despise religious crap. But I am here to tell you that you don't have to be angry at someone with an agenda. You can see through it, and then pity them for their machinations. Or maybe not, as you eventually get to a point where you see that your pity is merely a way to further your agenda of self importance.

What im getting at here is: people will be people. Your emotional state is not tied to them. Or what you know, or think you know about them. Its all you. Spend some time studying that, and battling that demon. You might find the rabbit hole is perfectly comfortable in the long run

a reply to: olaru12

im a pretty strong person myself. But my woman shaped the everloving hell out of me. If she hadn't, I shudder to think of the man i'd be.

The good part is: i've shaped her, too. And had I not, she would be literally insufferable.

If i am being completely honest....its not that she shaped me. Its more that I melted into her. And her me.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

im a pretty strong person myself. But my woman shaped the everloving hell out of me. If she hadn't, I shudder to think of the man i'd be.

Well, this is my 3rd marriage. My first two showed me the ropes when it came to relationships. Tough love so to speak forged in the crucible of a rock and roll lifestyle and all that went with it. Long strange trip....and enough pain to gain perspective and just enjoy the ride.

a reply to: olaru12

We are to strong individuals. Our love is based on mutual respect.....and hot monkey sex....

I think the molding is needed when there is a lack of hot monkey sex

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

I would always prefer the ugly truth to a pretty lie.

I agree.

I was just thinking back to a time when everything made sense. Now that I know what is really out there the wanton ignorance and insanity can be depressing at times.

a reply to: Metallicus

The dude abides.

It's a Taoist koan, figure it out and you'll still be disillusioned but you'll understand more.

a reply to: Metallicus

Been there....done that! Took me ten years to get a handle on this issue!

You are fed up with "the system"..... you are ready to fight back..... GOOD! You are NOT part of the problem on this rock.

Had that problem all through my 40's (sometimes it still flares up)

Now I approach the problem/issues differently ...... let me show an example..... It took forever but for the life of me I could not figure out how children think when making some of their crazy decisions ...... ( I do now) and I am much better now because I found the proper approach to reach out by asking questions so they can figure it out for themselves and when they do they remember.... Today I use this same approach on (unlightend / uniformed) adults slowing them down to re-evaluate their decision....... it take paitence .......

You are a truth seeker and possibly a watcher of the times...... You were given a gift....... (some call it a "burden) and this is what it is...... not everyone can see what you see........

So fine tune this "burden" into an advantage!

S&F brother!

EDIT LATER: You are VERY spiritual (maybe you know this.... maybe you don't) .... you would be a great exorcist........

originally posted by: olaru12
a reply to: Snarl

For you women who happen across this thread ... find a man. Gently shape him into the figure you want him to be. Enable him to succeed.

Are you serious....As much as I love my woman, I don't need to be "shaped" any more than I need to manipulate her.

We are to strong individuals. Our love is based on mutual respect.....and hot monkey sex....

LOL (WTMI) ... I didn't say there wasn't more than one recipe for success.

originally posted by: Metallicus
I was just thinking back to a time when everything made sense. Now that I know what is really out there the wanton ignorance and insanity can be depressing at times.

Then don't waste your time with things that don't make sense.

We are living on a beautiful planet where every living thing is there for a reason, no matter how big or small it is. Nature makes perfect sense.

Just because people lost faith in themselves and can't see the light anymore, it doesn't mean you have to dim your own light.

The existence of life is the most beautiful thing there is.

If you feel things don't make sense anymore, stop dealing with ignorant and depressant topics. ATS is filled with such topics and can do more bad than good these days.


Go camping for a week, you'll see that every little piece of the puzzle makes perfect sense.

a reply to: Metallicus

It's refreshing to know what's going on.

Knowing, enables you to adjust, plan accordingly.

Look at this election season. I'm actually enjoying myself because I know that it doesn't matter who gets into office. It'll still suck.

Just my opinion.

Seeing through the crap and accepting the truth is hard! I feel much the same as you do, and sometimes I'd love be ignorant of things! And people, but at the same time, I'm glad to see what I see!

originally posted by: Snarl

originally posted by: olaru12
a reply to: Snarl

For you women who happen across this thread ... find a man. Gently shape him into the figure you want him to be. Enable him to succeed.

Are you serious....As much as I love my woman, I don't need to be "shaped" any more than I need to manipulate her.

We are to strong individuals. Our love is based on mutual respect.....and hot monkey sex....

LOL (WTMI) ... I didn't say there wasn't more than one recipe for success.

Copy that....

Different boats for different strokes....

Maybe things were just not that bad back then? Knowing how many(Ignorant, at least seemingly) people are on antidepressants or are just mentally unstable (Due to everyday stress/evil/insanity), i doubt ignorance prevents them from being unhappy. They just don't even realize even the fact that they are unhappy. But I don't think it makes any difference whether they realize it or not (Except for their inability to adress the issues. We can only hope for a possitive change if we first realize there are problems, then realize what they are and finally realize something needs to be done). The problems are still there (within and without).

a reply to: Metallicus

I appreciate the responses and kind words. I agree that I would not want to go back to not knowing, but it is a heavy load to carry. Perhaps not unbearable, but it is something extra those of us with open eyes must deal with as we move through this life. The best thing to know is I am not alone.

a reply to: Metallicus

I believe I know how you feel.

I became politically aware in 1997. I only remember this because by coincidence, it was around the time that Princess Diana died. Over the years, every layer I pealed back revealed more and more corruption, more and more nepotism, more and more deception and more and more bold faced lies. As far as I can see, there is really no end to it. It seems there is no line drawn where people in control will say, "This is too far even for us."

Although to this day I have flare-ups of anger mixed with a dose of sadness about it. While it's true that my happiness, to an large extent, needs to come from within, I can't help but become frustrated when I look around and see that so many people care so little about what crooked politicians and their private sector counterparts are doing to them yet can tell you every aspect about celebrities' love lives. To answer your question.... I can't tell if those who only read the entertainment section of the news are happier than those who have dug deep (maybe too deep) into the affairs of their respective countries. My instinct is to say the answer is a resounding "yes" but I wonder what happens in the minds of the uninformed when the laws finally reach them. Do they take the hits harder because they didn't see it coming? Are the less able to prepare, thus less able to cope?

As I mentioned, I do get flare-ups of anger/sadness when I let my mind wander. However, I've been so beaten down my my own knowledge and understanding that for the most part, I try to keep myself numb. I know that the systems are all screwed up so the best thing I try to do is understand the rules of this game and do anything and everything I can to provide for myself and my family and do whatever I can to secure our future. To that end....

Hopefully I haven't lived half my life yet. With that understanding I have built a career and while everyone can suddenly get fired, my current job is basically fire-proof. If I choose to, I could likely spend the rest of my career where I am. My wife has also built a career and if she chooses to, she can probably work here current job for the rest of her working life (although I do have to admit her job will most definitely be performed by a robot in the future.... here's to hoping that is not until after she retires). We are (knock on wood) closing on our first home this summer and we both save as much as we can and invest in low risk, slow growth stocks when we can. My point is, even as screwed up as everything is, I do believe my wife and I will be able to ride out the rest of our lives. However....

We have a four year old son. I literally pace around the apartment at times, scared nearly to death about what this place will be like when he and those his age become young adults. Bit by bit, the powers that be chip away and seize more and more capital and more and more control. What will be left for the next generation? Anything at all? We are doing everything we can think of to secure a future for him. We sacrifice to send him to the best private school we can. We sign him up for sports so he can get whatever it is we get from those types of activities. We have started saving for his college so hopefully he won't be burdened upon getting a degree. Will that degree be worth anything if there aren't any jobs left to apply for?

Back again to the question at hand. I see other parents that appear to just wing it and not worry about the future. Are they happy now or in the back of their mind, do they KNOW that trouble is headed their way?

As much misery as figuring things out has brought me, I guess, if I had a gun to my head and had to answer, I would say I'm glad to know whats going on so I can do my best to prepare for it.

The best advice I give to myself is steal away as many care free moments as possible. I remind myself to lose myself when playing with my son or talking with my wife. It's not always easy to block out the horrors of this world but with some practice it can be done. I cherish those times.