Raum

In such a situation, what I do myself is realize the desire to do what I can't, a typical one for me being wanting to skateboard while I'm standing at work looking at how nice it is outside. That's as far as it goes for me. I think, I would love to skate right now, and then I move on. If I wanted to skate bad enough I would walk out of my job and do it. That's why I walked out of a few jobs before, because I wanted to skate. It's all based on what you value most at the time. Right now I prefer keeping my job to not, so I stay inside, despite how nice it may look. Can you see how letting yourself stay fixated on what you want to doubt can't could negatively affect you by keeping you from enjoying whatever you're doing at present? Does feeling bored improve your state of being at all? If so, how? If not, then why get bored? I just accept that the current situation does not suite my desire at the moment. Like last time I responded to this thread I wanted to skate badly, but was sleepy and it was raining, bad combination. So I accepted the situation and spent my time elsewhere until skating suited my situation better, like it does now.

This is my own interpretation of it based on what I know. What you seek in your sexual mate is the sum of your values is the statement in question. What do you look for in a member of the opposite gender? For me it is rationality, a sense of one's own identity, willingness to discuss any subject, an observant and critical mind, loyalty, honesty, having goals and values one works towards, willing to try different activities whether it's going for a hike or learning to play chess... When I look at that list I see things I value, period. Honesty I value. I value sharp minds that pick up detail in the environment. Being open to discussing any aspect of reality, especially oneself. If someone sleeps with a girl because she looks good, he values appearances. If someone sleeps with another because they are rich, they value money. If someone sleeps with whoever is willing they likely value sex for sex's sake, or just want to get off and don't care for masturbation.

So you lost interest in the book? Why do you feel bored then? Why not simply do something else? What is the need for the boredom to exist between deciding you're not in the mood for something and discovering what you are in the mood for? Why is actively searching for enjoyable activity boring to you? In the scenario you described there is no rational basis for being nervous, impatient or fidgety. It does not serve the person in question any benefit to be so. It distracts them from focusing on more productive things, such as a productive line of thought instead of focusing on the time. They could also go to the interview and mail their rent the next day. If they decide to stay and are not served in time and must leave, they are the ones responsible for putting themselves in that situation and they are responsible for standing in line knowing they might have to leave without getting served and possibly "waste" their time. If that's possible I do the same thing. I had in mind situations where it isn't. I can't flip through Beyond Good And Evil during a work meeting, nor can I ride my skateboard while eating dinner with the family. If I'm ringing up a customer and I'm waiting for them to dig through their purse or pockets for change, I'll take that time to think about something, observe visual features of the person, clean or organize my work area etc. I wonder why we differ in this respect? Do you feel excitement or fascination in the things you do? I don't understand what the rational basis for it is, if it has one. I suppose we differ here too. If I am not in the mood to play guitar and I do it anyways, I end up getting enjoyment and achievement out of it. If I feel like doing something other than what I've been doing, but keep doing it, my mind will likely drift to that other thing though. It's hard for me to think about this situation though because there isn't ever a time where there is a lack of something for me to do. If I weren't responding to you I could go for a walk, read, play guitar, reprofile knives, organize stuff on my computer, work on my website, sleep, write in my journal etc. Do you not enjoy many things in life? My solution was to do things I found interesting during classes I did not find interesting. I read many books in highschool. You value staying in a "boring" class more than facing the consequences of leaving the class then. Accept that and make the best out of what you have to work with, is what I would do. I think we differ in how we approach school. I can't really comment on your way of behaving, I know nothing about it. If I was interested in the class, I paid attention and participated and excelled. If not, I slept, drew, read or didn't show up. Eventually I decided I valued being away from school more than I did completing it, so I dropped out. I still stand by it being a good idea, because it gave me more time to do what I wanted to do and it hasn't held me back in any way so far. I will get a GED if I find a job I want that requires it, and I will go to college when I feel it's time. I do not need a GED or a degree to pursue skateboarding, which is my current passion in life. I'm active daily myself, but if rest is applicable to my current state of being I'll do it and enjoy it, not be bored by it. I'm never too tired to think. As far as I recall you've said that it is boring, you haven't explained why it is. I'm not interested in these things, but they do not bore me. I don't place any more value on such a situation than it being part of what's needed to keep my current source of income, but I do find things of interest here. Seeing what's said and how people react, and of course following my own thoughts. Then do push-ups or isometrics, and music can be felt too. I have a terrible ear for sounds but I can still come up with a fun riff to play and have fun. I know I'll never be in a successful band or anything remarkable, but it's a side hobby that's given me enjoyment and a way to exercise creativity. If you don't feel like doing anything you normally do, and can't think of anything new to try, then why not accept you feel like doing nothing and be content with that choice, if that is your decision at that moment? Do you have any idea why we see this aspect of the topic so differently?

My apologies, I could of avoided confusion if I worded my thoughts more accurately. The world is not rational place is a false statement. I was intending to describe the behaviour of the human population. On a whole we are not as rational as we could and ought to be. Many people may lack the courage, or are delusional about what rational, or never even consider living differently than impulsively reacting to experiences and a host of other problems keep this from happening. As far as I know this is in accordance with Objectivism. I don't go after every person and every irrational behavior. I manage my time well enough to live my own life as well. If I'm somewhere and see something wrong, I do not mind spending a minute or two pointing it out. If I'm at work, I'm required to be there until the end of my shift regardless of how I spend my 8 hours there unless I decide to quit, so telling someone "You could save yourself a lot of hassle by organizing your possessions better" would not be a waste of time. I don't act on this impulse every time I get it, but if it's convenient for me to do so I often do, or at least feel very compelled to. I didn't select the knife example based on it being the best way to help others. I selected it because knives are an interest of mine and I saw a vast amount of irrational belief concerning them, so I sought to correct that. I spend less than 1% of my time a week on my knife website, so it's not robbing me of a significant amount of time to follow my strongest interests. I focus on myself most intensely of all and use the irrational behaviors I see in others as something to compare my own actions against to check for similarities and differences. I agree. I think I worded myself poorly there as well. The woman is a bad mother at that moment in time, but knowing the context of her actions might make them more or less forgivable, though still not the proper course of action. If I fall on my skateboard, I judge it as a failure, no matter how rarely or frequently it happens, no matter the circumstances. If I hit a rock I did not see, I consider myself at fault for not seeing it, and judge myself as failing at that moment in my life. If my kids were that out of control I would consider myself having failed as a parent at that moment in life. I wish to be judged, people do not voice their judgment enough, it frustrates me. I do not like people talking behind your back, that does you no good. If they are right, it is important for me to know what I am doing wrong, if they are wrong, I should be there to correct them. I strive to judge properly, and if I do not I wish to be called out on it. This discussion would be meaningless if people were not responding to what they perceived as flaws in my judgment, for example. See the above. I do not have low self esteem. I think about many things and accomplish my share, but I still spend a small portion of my time considering these things and at least noting, if not acting on the desire to speak up.

In some ways I prefer a repetitive manual labor job like landscaping, 3rd shift stocking, washing dishes, because it requires so little thought. I spent all day thinking about things at those types of jobs. Driving is even more difficult for me to get bored of because I enjoy driving, can play music of my choice and have much to see. I never feel like not doing anything I myself. Even if I'm doing nothing but sitting, I'm at least carrying on a train of thought about something. I'm perfectly content doing just that, which in itself probably makes boredom difficult for me to come by. When you have those moments how do you feel? Do you have any sort of typical reaction to it or does it vary? How long does it lasts? If they don't have the time to wait, they can always leave. If it's important enough to wait for anyways, then they do have the time. I did not mean to imply that everyone who fidgets is impatient. It was just one example that comes to mind. When in lines I also like hearing conversations, studying how people look and considering possible why's, if it's someone I see often watching how their appearance changes over days, months, years etc. When sitting at a red light, which is something I do not like because it seems like such a crude traffic system, I can focus on the music I'm playing, study the sky, look at the passing cars and people etc. I can always spend my idle time thinking about things if nothing else, if I'm too tired for skating, not in the mood for guitar, not hungry enough to cook etc. If I'm not enjoying the activity I'm doing or the person I'm with, I'll just think and mostly ignore the subject. Life can sometimes get me into places I'd rather not be or around people I don't care for, but I always have free reign to do as I please with my thoughts and attention. There are times I sit and think of what I want to do, because I am not quite sure what sounds appealing at the moment or have many activities that sound enjoyable at the moment and have to choose one. I am not bored at these moments because my mind is engaged in doing something. What reason is there to feel bored during such a moment? Many people have a variety of irrational habits, as far as I can see boredom is one of them. I know boredom is possible for most people, I'm sure it's still possible for me but the likelihood of it happening is so minute in me as I am that it might as well be impossible. If I'm not in the mood to think, then I'm content with not carrying on thoughts, because I willfully put myself in that position. If I'm too tired to think, likewise, or I sleep, or focus at whatever physical activity I'm engaged in. If you're not in the mood to think and this arouses boredom, why not go ahead and think to cure yourself of it? To me that's like being agitated that you haven't had sex but refusing to do it because you're not in the mood for it. It seems illogical to me, because doing it would cure you of both negative thoughts. If I'm too tired to skate but still want to do it, this doesn't make me bored, it just means I desire something but accept that I can't have it. I don't like the situation, but it does not bore me or continue to agitate me because I've accepted that those are my values. I value refusing my desire to skate if I'm too tired because it's easy to get hurt. If I'm deciding which activity to do I am engaged in doing something, so I have no reason to feel a sense of boredom. I can't think of things I hate doing and have to do. I don't like washing dishes as much as I enjoy philosophical conversations or playing bass, but I accept they need to be done and understand why, and value clean dishes enough to spend the time to do them. I can't comment on school because when I went I always did what I valued most, so never felt agitated or bored. Why do you go to school if you hate it and feel bored of it? If you value good grades enough to pay attention to the class, wouldn't you be busy with learning material? If you didn't value grades enough to pay attention, couldn't you use the time to think, draw, read, stare at pretty girls etc? I don't do anything I do 24/7 except thinking. If I don't want to read, I can play guitar. If I don't want to do either of those, I can skate. Or I could cook, or sharpen knives, go for a walk, draw, work out etc. There's never a time where there is no activity that appeals to me. If I'm too tired to do something or just want to sit and be inactive, I can enjoy rest for rests sake or I can engage myself in thought. Neither situation is disagreeable to me. Why should it be? There is no conscious effort to do it, it is just a by product of the way I live. In your first example, such as a work meeting, two things come to mind. First, the activity itself, while not the most appealing way to spend my time, is enough to keep me from feeling bored. Second, I can't think of many things in life I'm required to do and do not enjoy that require so much of my attention that I can't also think about things of my choice. If you don't feel like reading, why not lift weights, or play an instrument, or play chess, or any other activity you might enjoy? If you need to take time to think of what sounds enjoyable, why do those moments of thought produce boredom for you? Does the act of thinking not engage you enough to assuage boredom?

Hardflips and fs flips don't really happen for me. That nose manual around the box in the video, there's a hip in front of where I end the trick. Now what I do is hold the nose manual to the box then nollie bigspin out.

Duty might not be the proper word. I feel a general compulsion to improve things that I see in need of improvement, whether they are sentient things or inanimate. If I see a computer full of spyware, I feel compelled to clean it. If I see a car with low air pressure in the tires, I want to tell the person to fill it up or even do it myself. A more in-depth example is knives. A knife's cutting edge is ground at specific angles, say 25 degrees per side, or 50 degrees inclusive. Most knives can be ground at 8 degrees per side, while many of them leave factory as thick as 20-30 degrees per side, which is absurd. This trend is so common, and after getting discouraging responses from knife production companies themselves about their customers not wanting properly ground edges but rather absurdly thick edges, I started my own knife website. I now offer to let people mail me their knives and I will regrind them myself, free of charge, for them. I do this because I know knives ground the way I grind them will cut so much better, function as a knife so much better, and I am willing to give my time and effort to see that particular knife be re ground according to rational principles. I have knives of my own being passed around the United States because I'm trying to directly show people that I am right and that they edges companies give them are terrible, and eventually I'd like to get enough people enlightened to see the demand for thin edges rise enough for companies to pay attention to us. Here's a photo to show you what I do: http://img170.imageshack.us/my.php?image=w...regrind2yi0.jpg Now, serious digression aside, it's not a duty, it's a choice. I value a rational world. We don't live in a rational world. I see three general paths for me to take. Go seclude myself in a cabin in the woods like I've considered doing for the past few years, seek out like minded folk and ignore everyone else, or try to influence anyone that looks like they have enough reason left in their skull to listen. This may stem from a re-occurring thought I had in my younger days. For a long time I've had a superiority complex, which probably contributes. Regardless, I've lived life seeing people not try, give up, think self-defeatist thoughts and generally suck at life, and I don't like seeing that. I've felt like a revolution is needed in our world for a long time, and that I'm a person capable of bringing about such a thing. Silly childhood fantasy? Most likely. I still can't seem to let go of it though, because I still feel like there's some truth to it, as stupid as that may sound. The world needs help. Badly. If humans utilized their capabilities we would be so much better off. I think you guys are right though in that I should forget the average joe. The point was brought up that if a person hasn't decided to live a rational life, trying to reason them towards such a thing is folly. I've witnessed this before but it doesn't keep me from trying. I just think about if I miss someone who could be positively affected by something I say or do. Like I make my own shirts with messages for people to think about. The one I'm wearing right now says on the back "You'll die someday." It's meant for people to look at and think, you know, he's right, what am I doing with myself, how much of my capacity is being put to work? If I died today, would I feel proud and accomplished or would I feel worthless? I can manage at my job. I'm going through a lot of internal rationalizing about the things I do there and I know I'll reach a decision soon. I'm seriously considering quitting and not finding another job until mid September. I have enough money to do that, especially since I have a room mate at my house now. I'd like to take time off from work since I don't need the income and that's the only reason I go there and instead focus on my skating. I'm 21, which is fairly old for someone trying to make a name for himself in skating. I'm concerned if I don't bust ass right now and really go for it, it may be too late. A body can only take so much before it starts breaking down. EDIT: Thanks for the responses. It feels so good to have my thoughts be challenged. No one will do that for me face to face.

In the latter scenario, committing to something that turns out to be bad, those don't really get to me either. I may just be different than most people in this respect. But I can spend an evening doing the last thing I'd choose to do with people I don't like and enjoy it + not get bored. For example I like to meet random folks off the internet, it's made for some interesting times. I met up with a girl a few cities away and towards the end of the evening we went to her friends and they just sat and watched TV. I don't watch TV, haven't for about 8 years or so, had no intention of changing that since I could tell by the audio that they had garbage on. I ended up finding a guitar in the room and started playing, then got into a conversation with a guy that was there who made hip hop beats. Turned out to not be so bad. Like I said I might just be different. I think it's impossible for me to get bored. There is ALWAYS something for me to think about. That alone makes boredom seem impossible to me. Even if I'm in a situation I don't care for, like a family evening, I'll either leave or find something to think about that is productive for me, like a self analysis of my behavior over the past month, or thinking about how Objectivism and my experience in life agree or disagree with each other, etc. Maybe other people aren't interested in thinking, I don't know. Some things I see in my life certainly seem to suggest that at least some of the population feels that way.

Lines, waits etc. aren't bad. I take the time to think about things. Anything that's going to be a while, like a plane trip, I'll bring books. If anything while I wait in line I'll look at all the people fidgeting impatiently and laugh to myself, and just sort of observe them and think about what sorts of people they could be based on what I can tell about them. In fact I trade stuff on the internet a lot so I stand in line at the Post OFfice often and I find myself doing just that nearly every time. Just looking around and seeing who's looking the most impatient and smiling to myself. Giving each person a good, long look and thinking about what values and decisions led them to become the person they are today, such as their appearance, the car they purchased, their attitude etc. If one has nothing of interest to do I'd imagine the logical step to take would be spend time thinking about things one is interested in but has not thought of. Ever try making a friction fire? How about making soap? Can you sharpen a knife so well that you can whittle hair with it? Know multiple languages? I have a hard time believing someone has no interest in anything at all. I think it's likely laziness in that the person has not actively looked for something to interest them, and are feeling a little apathetic towards their usual means of distraction on a given day. Traffic...sigh. I loathe traffic not so much for the fact that you're stuck, not moving, for long periods of time. I detest it because I see a poorly designed system running my life and know that a better one can be designed, but don't have the knowledge required to begin designing one. It's worse than being faced with ignorance, it's being governed by it.

Exactly how I am. At any given moment, I can skateboard, play bass or guitar, pick up a book, go for a walk and organize thoughts, work on my knife website etc. It's not ever "What is there to do," but "Out of what I can do with my time today, which sounds the most appealing based on my values?" I've felt deep unhappiness and dissatisfaction at many times in my life, and the result is generally personal frustration with where I'm at and what I'm doing and an urge to progress forward as a person. I've never experienced boredom from these feelings?

The last sentence of yours was in my mind during yesterday. I kept thinking about how irrational everyone was, and how I need to be careful to not let it influence me for the worse. It's hard to keep my mouth shut anywhere really. I feel like if I'm not pointing these things out I'm doing the world a disservice. Whether it's my job or not, whether the person wants to hear it or not, I know few will tell it to them, and I want to make sure they hear it. I want that woman at my line to know that while her organizational methods do not personally affect me, having to dig through her purse every time she pays for something at a store does hold up the line for other customers. Efficiency is something I value highly in any aspect of life. The idea of seeing something done wrong and not making any effort to correct is difficult for me to live by. In regards to skating, I do have mixed feelings on it myself. I stick to skateparks primarily, because I just want to skate and be left alone by people. When I street skate I always watch out for cars and pedestrians, never blatantly cut people off etc. I'll street skate, but I try to do it as respectfully as possible. I rarely do grinds too, mostly manual tricks and big gaps when I street skate, so property damage generally is a non-issue. If someone asks me to leave, I do without argument. I understand their position, but at the same time our local parks are pretty bad and don't offer all the terrain street does, nor the sense of freedom and adventure. Well, I don't so much consider giving it to them for free. I'll buy anyone who is interested in reading it a copy of Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged, not because those people are poor and I'm generous, but because I place a strong value on the thoughts that those books could get going in someone's mind. My intentions are similar with my criticisms I keep in my head regarding customers. Such as, "Old lady, if you came up with a better way to organize your purse, you would save yourself much hassle and time, and quit holding up lines in the stores you visit." Or "Ma'am, if you brought your kids up with a better sense of discipline the future would be better than it's going to be." It's difficult for me to spend 8 hours a day facing hundreds of irrational people a day. My mind can't comprehend how so many people can live the way they do, and I know if I took a look at the entire world I'd go right back to where I was two years ago (Wanting to build a cabin in the middle of the woods and spend life in solitude). The more I consider it, the more I feel it's my moral duty to at the very least inform these people that the choices they are making are not good ones.

The pain only goes down to a certain point. That particular incident happened next door to our local EMS station, ironically.

In my introduction I mentioned that I'm a skateboarder. Here is a video me and my friend made last summer. Once the screen goes blank that's it, no point in watching the rest. http://youtube.com/watch?v=QGw_jnljwbE Here are some photos. These days I'm much better, but the person who took those photos is pretty busy, as am I. Finding time to do photo shoots is difficult these days. I've considered getting the last one as a tatoo.

I can't remember a time in the past 15 years or so that I've felt genuinely bored. I can't understand why anyone would. To me, it's this simple: No human has attained all the knowledge there is to learn. Any rational human should always seek knowledge. Boredom generally comes about from having nothing to do. So, if you get bored, why? How?

Hello everyone. My name is Mike and I'm from Ohio. Like many of you I read Ms. Rand's works fairly recently, beginning with Fountainhead, then reading Atlas Shrugged and so on. Now I'm working through her unpublished works and the book "The Ego And His Own" by another author. Her writings gave words to many of the thoughts and feelings I've experienced throughout my life, for which I'm thankful for. My interest in her is primarily because hers is the best philosophy I have found. I search for the best philosophy I can find because I don't have the answers to life, and I desire them. This is why I've studied many religions (Which has left me wanting), read a great deal of books, had many conversations and so forth. I plan to spend much time reading here, eventually contributing on my own. I did have two things that have been on my mind frequently lately regarding Objectivism. I'm still having a difficult time rationalizing the merit of art. This is important to me because I consider myself an artist. I'm a skateboarder, a good one. I've spent the last decade of my life working on my skateboarding. I've stopped, many times, and thought, what have all these years of work accomplished? The answers I think of are usually, in no particular order, my own happiness, physical fitness, it's given me an outlet for my creativity, and I've utterly shattered any preconceptions I held about how good I could get at skateboarding. When I ask myself what I'd like to do for a living, skateboarding is it. I wonder though, why should I be paid to do this? I look up at my wall where I have pictures of myself skating and think, that is beautiful, anyone who looks at that and doesn't feel the same is an idiot. When I look at those pictures I am inspired. I think that is worth paying for. I think I might of just answered the first thing I had on my mind. The only part of the equation missing is my effort. Comments on my thinking much appreciated. The second thing I have on my mind is my job. Like Roark working in the Quarry, my current job is a way to earn an income and little else. I work as a cash register operator at a Gas Station. As minimum wage as it gets. I like the job because I find it interesting from a sociological perspective. However, I have a difficult time with my job because I feel like I can't work it in an honest fashion. When someone displays ignorance or obliviousness or is quite rude, I feel compelled to point it out. When someone makes a joke that isn't funny and I don't laugh and they get uncomfortable, I'm fine with that, I think that is the correct course of action. When someone tries to make a joke of their shortcomings or shrug these things off, I want to tell them they're irresponsible in behaving that way. When someone comes in and their kid is under no control whatsoever, I want to tell them it appears they're being a bad parent. It feels dishonest to me to keep my mouth shut, knowing the only reason I do so is because I risk my job if I do. Maybe I should risk it though? I'm competent enough to find something better if I really pushed myself to, and I have enough money that I can pay for a few months rent without the job I have. Is it wrong to risk getting fired over making known my judgment? Today I worked my entire shift alone because someone just recently quit, which wasn't too fun not having enough time to piss or eat or make fresh coffee because there was a constant line of customers. I could put a co-worker in the same position if I got myself fired by being what I consider honest. I feel kind of torn here. On one hand I feel like I've made great strides as far as responsibility goes in the past few years. I've gone from walking out of jobs without a second thought to sticking around when stuff gets rouh, trying to pick up slack from others so things get done. But I wonder how much of these things I really ought to be responsible for. I'm also in disagreement with a customer service model that caters to the customers every whim. the customer is not always right. The customer is sometimes wrong, ignorant, stupid, oblivious, immature, slutty, careless or just a piece of trash. I can't fake respect for these people, and don't. It's getting difficult to keep my mouth shut. Seeking advice...my own thoughts have me running in circles.