Does anyone else feel like this?

Originally posted by oblivietto

Originally posted by samerulesapply
Since I was a child I've wanted to understand things, been curious about how things work. I've wanted to understand the world we live in, was interested in things I always sort of thought were important to everyone.

But I'm learning more and more that this is not the case. I asked a few co-workers during a tea break today if they'd seen the images of the martian landscape taken by curiosity...they didn't know what I was talking about. I'd a conversation with one out of about 8 people who'd heard of it and had seen a few images.
-snip-
Quite the opposite, it seems most people nowadays don't even ask themselves such questions...and seem to clam up when you attempt to discuss such things or question who they really are and what they really think.

Yes! Yes, I do feel like that. I feel like a great many people around me are like the walking dead. They have no interest in the world nor the universe it spins in. If I make the mistake of trying to start up a conversation with someone who is uninterested, I'm generally left feeling like a fool. I need to stop feeling that way, though, because I'm not the fool. It's easier to let life go by without ever taking a close look at it; I think that's one reason people stay uninterested and uninformed. It's hard to make friends because I can't stand gossip or small talk about reality TV and celebrities. I'm recently divorced and am beginning to feel like I'll never meet anyone special who uses the brain they've got. Yes, I agree. People do not seem to like to think, and that's just sad.

It is in these times that you, me, we, I must be strong. Even in the face of obstacles or non-caring individuals; the onus is on you, me and I to take the "high road". Sometimes I wonder if all these uncaring people around are for my benefit in a strange way. I know where the OP is coming from as I experience this sort all the time. These are the growing pangs! Persevere, stay focused, ignore that which is demeaning or debasing and seek out that which makes you content.

reply to post by jiggerj


"I tell ya, if I were 13................."

I Thought you were 13

Originally posted by PrimitiveWorld

Nobody watches the news (except for sports). Nobody reads the newspaper (except for the sports section).

Yes they do.

edit on 11-8-2012 by PrimitiveWorld because: (no reason given)

Connect the dots, buddy.


I tell ya, if I were 13 I'd scream and pull my hair out because of the people around me.

Nobody watches the news (except for sports). Nobody reads the newspaper (except for the sports section). Nobody asks 'Why?' about anything.

Just reading through the many responses, nice to see so many like minded individuals.

Someone said it's hard to make new friends and I couldn't agree more. I've met many people over the years, I'm quite a friendly and outgoing person, I just find most people want to waste their time getting wasted with their pals and have no real interests. Sadly, I've walked away from some people or moved on and to be perfectly honest I've gone as far to actively ignore and completely cut certain individuals out of my life. A good example is a friend I made when I started my current job about 5 years ago.

We got on well at first, but I soon tired of the phone calls and text messages, the unrelenting bombardment of non-stimulating conversation about what films he'd watched or what television shows he watched. It's hard to fake an interest in that kinda thing when it's all the other person really seems to know or care about. Phoning you and going on about some movie, on the phone over an hour, ear bashed...energy drained - knowing a mate likes reservoir dogs isn't rewarding enough to endure a 1 hour amateur commentary on the finer points of the movie. I stopped answering calls from him, stopped going out for the occasional drink with him because it was actually driving me mad, it got harder and harder to spend time in this persons company. That's only one of the more recent examples. I haven't seen or heard from this person in almost a year now, think he's finally got the message. In a way I feel bad, because he's not a bad person...we just have little to nothing in common...I do like reservoir dogs, but that's all - I ain't gonna waste too much time analysing the film or thinking about it, I saw it years ago, and have since moved on.

It's not all bad, I'm fortunate to have one or two real friends who know me well enough and have some similar interests, they might not agree with some of my opinions or have heard about some of the subject I'll perhaps talk about, but they don't pooh-pooh or ridicule and can be quite insightful at times, there just aren't enough of these people.

On the subject of current events, news, etc. I get what jrigger means. I don't watch any tv, haven't done for many years. Very rarely look at a newspaper as it's mostly sensationalist, celebrity gossip. Most of the interesting news stories I read right here on ATS. The fact that out of about 8 or 9 people only 1 had even heard of the current mars mission was astonishing to me.

I know nasa aren't 100% forthcoming with the truth, but it's still an interesting subject...I'd rather see 1 black and white photo of some rocks on mars than an entire season of two and a half men, but that's me. I know that even though many people who frequent ATS don't actually care about the nasa mars mission, they still care about important things. We all have similar interests to some extent and that's why we're here. I was just using that as an example...here's another - I mentioned a few weeks back to some workmates at lunch about the diet coke/aspartame scandal. Again - nobody had heard of this - absolutely not a-one person at the table that day knew or seemed to csre, quite the contrary, one girl said she'd continue to drink diet coke, I rhymed off the top of my head a whole list of products and people were like...yeah, i eat/drink that, yeah that too...i still will eat/drink that. I almost got angry and stopped talking about it because I could see they simply didn't care.

A lot of quite positive responses, thanks for your input. Truth is i value all of your input with regards to this subject more than I do those who I know in real life - outwith the online community - simply because I know most ATS members are seekers of information and truth...so it's all good and appreciated - thanks.

Originally posted by artistpoet
reply to post by jiggerj

 

"I tell ya, if I were 13................."

I Thought you were 13

No, a child of that age would take the time to create a totally meaningless post.

Originally posted by DeReK DaRkLy


Every time I think there's hope for humanity, I see something that makes me change my mind...

This morning, it was a guy simply flicking a cigarette butt out of his car. This is a common practice among smokers, but do they ever consider that some of us don't appreciate the litter or the potential fire hazard? They spend all that time stinking up their vehicles, but they can't take their butts home with them? How arrogant.

Man's sense of entitlement and self-importance (a.k.a. ego) never fail to disappoint me.

If you consider cigarette butts as litter, your area must be super clean. Here, I'm sure I could find old butts on the ground if I clear away the plastic bottles, broken glass and dog poop. Sometimes my city literally STINKS!

Another example is the 9/11 thing. There were actually, believe it or not, people who simply didn't care. I live in the UK (Bathgate, Scotland). Most people I know were, like most people all over the world, shocked and disturbed at what was happening.

It wasn't something you gasped at in disbelief then moved on. But I knew people who paid little or no attention, lived their life as per normal, went out for a drink or whatever and put it aside. I couldn't do that, I think for most people there was a strange few days at least where they didn't know what to do with themselves, it took some adjustment as it was something to terrible and extraordinary weas being played out for all to see, there was no escaping it but some pretty much did escape it by putting on the blinkers and carrying on as per usual.

I had friends who, that very day...were out in their garden, drinking and enjoying reasonably nice weather as if it were just another day in paradise. How can people be so carefree? It's like I said previously, I often think that if we made proof-positive contact with extra terrestrials, if it were all over the news...people would be like - meh!

Disasters, attrocities and discoveries of almost biblical importance and people choose to ignore it and go shopping or go to TGI fridays for lunch, and discuss fashion or family guy - life goes on, I suppose. 9/11 was over a decade ago and in that short decade it's deteriorated even more so if you ask me. If something as huge as 9/11 were to happen nowadays I think even less people would care. Far less would be objective enough to look closer and ask questions.

Regardless of whether I think nasa are lying...driving their rover 'round some desert here on earth or actually up there on mars...I'm still interested because it's in the interest of human endeavour. If they're driving the rover around here on earth or lying to us in some way then I'm glad people care enough to dig deeper and find evidence of that because it's in the interests of humanity. If it is really up there, and I think it is...then even better, those martian rocks interest me. To not care about such things, to me, means to not care about the advancement of human understanding about our world, our universe, our reality.

I like this thread, it offers some reassurance that there are critical thinkers among the masses.

Of course, if you are on ATS, then you are ahead of the game anyway.

I too, have several people in my life who will stare at me with a blank face anytime I bring up a topic that requires thought, and reason.

If it's not on TV, a movie, or something funny, they zone out, and have no contribution to the conversation.

Or I get accused of arguing, or trying to start a debate, the act of bringing the topic to the forefront is veiwed as an assualt and they must defend they're beliefs..almost paranoid, rolling of the eyes, and sometimes anger or ridicule.

That is the reaction to conversations, that become one sided from the first comment. I've learned to drastically dumb down my responses to certain people in order to keep from disrupting their fragile psyche.

There are several people this is necessary for, and all for slightly different reasons. I've tried to pinpoint one common "fear" or logical reason for the lack of interest, lack of ability to think for themselves and respond in an intelligent way. It is like they are incapable of articulate thought.

Yet, these same people can recite every actor in every movie that has been made in their lifetime. They can give a witty and smart review of the newest hollywood blockbuster, ask them about what they think, and you get an interesting response, they usually laugh, look away, and then act embarrassed and confused as to how to continue.

I've always been a people watcher, and a lover of a good conversation, perhaps I am just expecting too much from people. You would think they would want to know as much as possible about their world and their surroundings, but each human views life in a different way, and I conclude that we are all just wired differently.

I'm am extremely grateful to be a critical thinker, and a questioner of authority..those that aren't, are missing out on the miracle of consciousness, and the reality of being human. Fascinating!

Peace in your soul ~ Rev

I agree 100%. Most people could care less about "real" things. I have kinda given up on talking to the sheep cause most make you out to be odd or whatnot. I mean why would anyone NOT want to know truth and the real deal? Boggles my mind. Conditioning as you said seems to be the main factor at play.


GS

Originally posted by jiggerj

Originally posted by artistpoet
reply to post by jiggerj

 

"I tell ya, if I were 13................."

I Thought you were 13

No, a child of that age would take the time to create a totally meaningless post.

Possibly a violation of ATS TOS? The umbrella phrase, "Is this good for ATS?" ... with these posts by jiggerj - I would say no. Please discard these rants; they do not move the conversation forward.

reply to post by samerulesapply


I understand what you are saying.. but everyone being so different and with so much going on in their lives, they may not have anything much to say in that moment. Maybe on another day or at a different place, a deep question might get a rich answer.
Some people don't like to get real deep though [I have learned], and it can be disturbing for others, cause headaches and such. Then some just don't care--as you mentioned. I've found it generally easier to get along with people by just accepting them for what/how they are, knowing that not everyone thinks as I do, but some friends I've dwindled from too, because of having a lack in common, and even the ability to converse with.
With age I have less friends, but those who remain are real, true, good people.

reply to post by samerulesapply


Dear samerulesapply,

I don't know that most people ever cared. I was fascinated by science and space and remember watching the first manned missions. I remember living in an apartment building when we landed on the moon, my parents put our whopping 25 inch color tv in the doorway so everyone could watch the moon landing. It was novel and new and after that, fewer and fewer people watched the moon landings and the program was cancelled. I think people like novelty.

Why do people care more about watching television, getting wasted on drink and other substances, what their hair looks like and how they are dressed? Is it conditioning of some kind? I understand that everyone is different, not everyone wants to learn to play the trumpet...or be a long distance runner, but I feel everyone should, to some extent, care about who and what we are, the true nature of reality, the universe, etc. Why does nobody care anymore?

People care; but, don't look to the majority. Their primary concerns are simple, not bad, just simple. They want comfort and happiness. Truth is of secondary concern. If you seek truth, expect less of comfort and happiness; but, an increase in understanding and self determination. Do not worry that others do not investigate or have deep concerns, that is just humanity and human nature. Decide what you want to learn and think about and you will find others that want to learn and think about the same. Best wishes.

This does somewhat match my own life experience. I sometimes find myself discouraged or disheartened at how many of those around me seem to lack the true spark of curiosity and learning.

In a number of ways our society discourages these things. Is that a conspiracy? Maybe. Even if it weren't it, I'm not sure it's very beneficial to the advancement of society. Especially as it relates to the fields of scientific and technological inquiry and development.

Originally posted by jiggerj

Originally posted by artistpoet
reply to post by jiggerj

 

"I tell ya, if I were 13................."

I Thought you were 13

No, a child of that age would take the time to create a totally meaningless post.

It was meant as fun - my remark that is.
Looking at your Avatar you hardly look like your 13
Guess me humour is a little odd
Sorry

Originally posted by artistpoet

Originally posted by jiggerj

Originally posted by artistpoet
reply to post by jiggerj

 

"I tell ya, if I were 13................."

I Thought you were 13

No, a child of that age would take the time to create a totally meaningless post.

It was meant as fun - my remark that is.
Looking at your Avatar you hardly look like your 13
Guess me humour is a little odd
Sorry

That's okay. I have off days too. Peace.

What I like most about this thread is that everyone, to me anyway, seems to have a similar writing style. Very telling IMO considering the topic.
I'm friendly, cute and shyly social, but it is harder to talk to people now. I've been having difficulties making friends since college..which is one of the last places I had strong intellectual stimulation with actual peers--and only then because my life was different and meshed better with that particular system. I think I probably spend more and more time as the months go by keeping my mouth shut to a topic that requires you to chew on a bit more because I simply don't want to see their eyes glaze over. I would consider saying that the things I've been posting on my FB lately have gotten me the 'nut-crazy' label--except for the fact that I don't think anyone even noticed I had posted them. And if they noticed they likely did not read or watch said post. I'm grateful to see that I'm not the only one who experiences the awkward silences and blank expressions.
It seems that the social constraints for the imaginable cells of this caterpillar are pretty tight.

Yes definitely. I am not a very sociable person and its probably because of the subjects I like to talk about. Real events that make a difference to every ones lives, world affairs, who and what we are as human beings. But even when I am trying to be sociable all people want to talk about is everyday rubbish like who won the local footy match or what movies or tv they watched, what their dog or cat does at home.

I feel so alone sometimes even though I'm married, my wife doesn't talk to me about stuff that interests me, she's the same as every one else.

I'm just glad there are some people here on ATS that I can share my thoughts on my favorite topics with.

it seems most people nowadays don't even ask themselves such questions...and seem to clam up when you attempt to discuss such things or question who they really are and what they really think. People used to care more, I wasn't alive at the time but often hear people speak about the moon landings, the excitement it all generated...with the current mars mission, more seem keen to play it down and find problems with it, whining about the cameras, etc - neglecting to realise that it's an amazing feat and one of the greatest things mankind have done on a universal, not global scale. People celebrated the olympic opening ceremonies more...which cost about 25 billion more than the mars mission and was staged right here on earth...pathetic..

Yup! I couldn't agree with you more and it IS pathetic. I fully believe the intelligence level of your typical American has gone way down and their apathy level has gone way up.

On the bright side... I know all is not lost because I know most ATS members seem pretty intelligent. I just wish I could get most of you into a large venue so we could solve the worlds problems face to face (over adult beverages..of course.)

I was starting to think I am the only one. I have devolped a hatered for people, a huge one. They are so stupid, they can’t see that war is just a kids playing over who gets the toy. They are so stupid, they do not care about Mars and other things that open your mind, like thinking and not trusting anything unless it was based on logic. They are so stupid, they hate their enemies which in turn, makes them do stupid things. Never hate your enemy and your life will be a lot easier. Not all of them though, I know there are some bright minds all over the world but, they are not enough.

I have become very sad as of late. No one is doing anything to make this world better
I feel so alone because no one talks about the things I talk about. No one looks at life the way I look at life. Some did but they are dead because they are a part of history, you can’t talk with dead men. Everything feels weird and the worst part is, I am only 16 years old. Could I still be sane when I become 30 years old? I really do not think so. Everyone keeps talking about the new phone or the hot girls and such meaningless things, there is not time for me to speak my mind

Seeing how we are talking about these kind of things, let us do a small, nerdy study. Post your grades or how well you do in school. To see how many smart guys are also the ones that see life as it is.

Well, I am still in highschool but so far, so good. Been getting 91%+ scores since I was in the first grade and I am hopeing my streak does not break.