Inadequacy/Missing something

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worsedale
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08 Jan 2006, 7:03 pm

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It also feels like I don't have enough interests. everyone I know has something. Usually it's TV-related. comic books, one guy. Sci fi and philosophy, another guy. History majors, my god, they know everything about everything. I am TERRIBLE at history. I just get bored and don't absorb it. So, of course, I let people talk about things they're proficient in- but pretty much ALL THE TIME it's someone else's topic, or so if seems sometimes. And me? Maybe psychology. I absorb psychlogy information like a sponge. Maybe Stephen King. Maybe morisette- but I don't know much about either person as a person. ((And, of course, no nothing about music. I don't even recognize the first chords to "Smells Like Teen Spirit.")) It's like, screw history, I have to study- STUDY- contemporary culture.


Serissa- I think I understand this, as I often feel that my inability to participate in activities, wether because I am 'absolutely' inept at them, or I don't see the point in them, is associated in my mind with not having human connections.
However, I can recommend some action which has helped me to overcome this inadequacy.
Often you can't engage with a partciular topic simply because you don't know enough facts, and, as much as I've tried to deny it to myself in the past, facts have to be the substance of your opinions and arguments. Until 18 months or so ago, I would never have recognized the chords for 'Smells like Teen Spirit' either, or even more familiar songs. The crux way out of the problem, I found, was to watch a lot of TV concerning music- progams which were not only loaded with musical trivia, but which also give you a sense of how you can talk about the subject. Decide on acts you like and all the groups which are relevant to them, and then you will have a wealth of info to 'opine' about when needed. I think a similar approach could work for other subject areas.
As far as an interest in psychology, that's more difficult. In my case, philosophy is a major interest and the people who have known me longest associate me with philosophical one-liners and little comments. This is probably where the time you have known people for is more important. You could always try giving a psychological perspective on something that has happened that all your friends can relate to, eg saying why you think the mindset of someone made him do that something which has caused loads of rumours. But this is more difficult and I guess it just takes perseverence



Serissa
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08 Jan 2006, 7:06 pm

worsedale wrote:

Serissa- I think I understand this, as I often feel that my inability to participate in activities, wether because I am 'absolutely' inept at them, or I don't see the point in them, is associated in my mind with not having human connections.
However, I can recommend some action which has helped me to overcome this inadequacy.
Often you can't engage with a partciular topic simply because you don't know enough facts, and, as much as I've tried to deny it to myself in the past, facts have to be the substance of your opinions and arguments. Until 18 months or so ago, I would never have recognized the chords for 'Smells like Teen Spirit' either, or even more familiar songs. The crux way out of the problem, I found, was to watch a lot of TV concerning music- progams which were not only loaded with musical trivia, but which also give you a sense of how you can talk about the subject. Decide on acts you like and all the groups which are relevant to them, and then you will have a wealth of info to 'opine' about when needed. I think a similar approach could work for other subject areas.
As far as an interest in psychology, that's more difficult. In my case, philosophy is a major interest and the people who have known me longest associate me with philosophical one-liners and little comments. This is probably where the time you have known people for is more important. You could always try giving a psychological perspective on something that has happened that all your friends can relate to, eg saying why you think the mindset of someone made him do that something which has caused loads of rumours. But this is more difficult and I guess it just takes perseverence


That's basically what I'm doing- "researching human culture." For example, I've been dtaing Thagomizer for nine months now and I'm still playing catchup to even see all of the movies he has read. The thing that sucks, though, about TV, is as I said I don't have access to high enough cable to watch VH1 or MTV. I listen to the radio a lot, though, and I think that's helped some.

My mother also pointed out when I said this to her is that a lot of people don't have anything more "intelligent" to talk about than TV. It's funny how dumbing down the conversation makes me feel like an idiot.



chamoisee
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09 Jan 2006, 2:44 am

I don't even watch T.V. We rent selected movies on an occasional basis. When people give me the "What, you haven't seen American Idol?" attitude, my reaction is:

"I don't watch T.V. I have better things to do with my time. If I watched T.V., I wouldn't have time to read or do other stuff!"

Besides, most T.V. doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me anyway. It's stupid and pointless and a waste of time. Why shoudl you feel inadequate?

I suppose you could steer them towards Jerry Mander's book- Foiur Arguments for the Elination of Television.... :P