Beautiful Melancholy

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What sets me apart from the mainstream crowds is my longing for a beautiful, quiet melancholy, with some shining glimpses of cheerfulness within it. I used to think it is related to autism, but I'm no longer sure about it. Overall 'Wrong Planet' seems as loud and unmelancholic as anywhere else on the planet.

What do you think? Is my longing for a beautiful melancholy related to autism? perhaps it is related to a specific strand of autism? Or is it simply a quality of mine, unrelated to autism at all?
(I find myself rocking while writing this post, so I really can't see how it would be not related to autism at all).

I don't see what would be beautiful about melancholy, a state of profound sadness and despair, emotional deadening, hypersomnia or insomnia, early morning wakening, loss of appetite, possible psychosis, and suicidal ideation and gestures.

Well, I think there is something that could be found beautiful about melancholy. Then again, I find sometimes find rage somewhat calming because of how it can be unifying. Not all of the time, but still.

In any case, I will have to say that even though I tend to be a bit melancholic, I don't have these calm sad moments. I dunno, are these moments basically calm, thoughtful, pensive, maybe nostalgic, and so on? Y'know more beautiful and quiet than sad? Just making sure I can visualize the psychology of the matter.

In any case, if we went back to the 4 humors view based upon the internet tests and all of that(because those are so reliable) I end up being a melancholic/choleric, which probably causes me to have a much more agitated temperament than a beautiful, quiet melancholy tends to include.

You are referring to the medical definition of 'melancholy'. I am referring to the cultural/artistic/poetic definition of 'melancholy'.

I don't see the difference. Many artists and poets have suffered from major depressive episodes, including those of the melancholic type. Even if you're looking at the four temperaments of Galen, a melancholic is one who is, if reflective, nevertheless prone to depression, anxiety, and other neurotic symptoms.

Are you sure you don't essentially mean sublime beauty?

My own craving for deep/dusky electronic quite often go with the merger of natural beauty, the beauty of human infrastructure binding with nature, our own sense of deity and spirituality meshed with that fusion of nature, concrete, and steel - its all a very natural earth and sky kind of thing where, especially when it hits spirituality out of the ballpark, brings me chills to the point of tears.

I'm with you Ken. I, too, see a beautiful tragedy that is apparent in feelings of melancholy. In fact, I sometimes listen to certain songs to inspire that emotion, because I relish feeling it. Here are some examples of what I listen to in order inspire the "beautiful melancholy" that you are referring to:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CA2Pi4gYxQ[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6t4Zs5Yq_k[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxyJLxV0_-8[/youtube]

I too oddly find melancholy oddly beautiful and not depressing. I also prefer overcast skies and rainy days to sunny ones. Perhaps I'm just strange.

Must be coming from a great sensivitie, a "poet" soul.

I think I know what you mean, but I don't think I'd be able to verbalize it.

Does this sum up the concept?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su0cOYFcvdg[/youtube]

well for me i dont know whats wrong with me now, ive been out of the loop for sometime since about the 1oth grade and now im just hanging out on a planet waiting to see whats next. people now scare me and i have had a social life since oh let me see highschool. and basically i copied everyone so i only had a social life in the 9th grade then when everyone figured out i was possibly ghey by copying someone elses clothes it was the death of whatever social life i had, now i just wanna die in my sleep and be done with it. hah

Nothing sums up the concept, but yes, this exemplifies the concept. So does Philotix's Eleanor Rigby.

exemplify, yes. Better word.

I think there is a deceptive romance about sadness.
I sometimes like to bury myself in it too.
But then it's very difficult to clamber my way out of it again.
Brain gets stuck in that position.
I've read that artistic tendencies gather in the right brain which is linked with depressive states - there's so many well-known depressed artists to show for this.
Logic and reasoning lights up our left brain which is supposedly linked with happier moods.
I have to say that I enjoy both ways - but there's a lightness about the happier states that makes me feel more free. And melancholy was way too dangerous for me anyhow. It wanted to take everything everything away from me. Including my life of all things! haha - but the happiness wouldn't relent and wanted at least a share in me as well! Yay! Now I'm just happy to share myself with the melancholy but I don't know if it's that interested anymore. So oh well. It has it's times but I'm probably a different person then - so can't actually speak for that aspect right now...

Edited a few times and I still don't know what I'm talking about! lol

It's me again. Just couldn't resist adding a few of my old faves. Popular for a reason IMO.

Pixies - Where Is My Mind
Tears For Fears - Mad World
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Yes, I don't think I'd come to WP to look for melancholy.
I'd probably find a quiet park to walk in and watch the autumn leaves falling.
Or I'd go and stare at the sea perhaps.
Or possibly listen to some music. 'The Pearl' by Brian Eno & Harold Budd does it for me.