that everyone feels the need to add this caveat when discussing topics like this, regardless of whether they are actually doing okay, always bothers me a lot. What if you’re not okay? To be cliche, why is it not okay for someone to not be okay? To paraphrase Bostrom: many people are walking around quietly leading desperately unhappy lives, and much of the improvements they could make don’t get talked about because it is low status to admit you are unhappy.
To paraphrase Bostrom: many people are walking around quietly leading desperately unhappy lives, and much of the improvements they could make don’t get talked about because it is low status to admit you are unhappy.
On the other hand, there do exist people with depression diagnoses who try to do something about it. Some folks are willing to ① admit that they are markedly unhappy, ② seek independent verification in the form of a depression diagnosis, and ③ attempt to stop being depressed through various forms of therapy, drugs, etc.
So even if it were “low status to admit you are unhappy,” that doesn’t stop some people.
Moreover, as regards status: “it is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied” (J. S. Mill); having high standards but being unhappy may be higher-status than having low standards and being happy.
Moreover, as regards status: “it is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied” (J. S. Mill); having high standards but being unhappy may be higher-status than having low standards and being happy.
My reasoning for adding the caveat in this particular instance was to fully disclose my stance. I’m inviting questions, and discussion is only aided when people have a better understanding of each other. If I had said that I am completely miserable and the negatives of being alive once already alive don’t outweigh the positives, I’d be of a completely different stance and I’d be understood completely differently.
I don’t think it lowers someone’s status to say they are not ok and I’m sorry that adding the above caveat bothered you. Clearly my comment was innocent and by more fully explaining my feelings I am I’m no way intentionally reinforcing anyone else’s lack of confidence.
that everyone feels the need to add this caveat when discussing topics like this, regardless of whether they are actually doing okay, always bothers me a lot. What if you’re not okay? To be cliche, why is it not okay for someone to not be okay? To paraphrase Bostrom: many people are walking around quietly leading desperately unhappy lives, and much of the improvements they could make don’t get talked about because it is low status to admit you are unhappy.
On the other hand, there do exist people with depression diagnoses who try to do something about it. Some folks are willing to ① admit that they are markedly unhappy, ② seek independent verification in the form of a depression diagnosis, and ③ attempt to stop being depressed through various forms of therapy, drugs, etc.
So even if it were “low status to admit you are unhappy,” that doesn’t stop some people.
Moreover, as regards status: “it is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied” (J. S. Mill); having high standards but being unhappy may be higher-status than having low standards and being happy.
Mill was talking about utility, not status.
My reasoning for adding the caveat in this particular instance was to fully disclose my stance. I’m inviting questions, and discussion is only aided when people have a better understanding of each other. If I had said that I am completely miserable and the negatives of being alive once already alive don’t outweigh the positives, I’d be of a completely different stance and I’d be understood completely differently.
I don’t think it lowers someone’s status to say they are not ok and I’m sorry that adding the above caveat bothered you. Clearly my comment was innocent and by more fully explaining my feelings I am I’m no way intentionally reinforcing anyone else’s lack of confidence.
Are you saying you don’t personally believe this or that it is a general rule that it does not?
Sorry—personally.
And it’s a shame that as a general rule it does.