I feel disconnected from myself. I don't really believe in a "self" anymore. I see myself from a distance. In reality, I'm fully aware that I exist as a separate entity and everything, but there's a part of me that sees us (humans) as animals. I truly see nothing special about humans. To me, they are clothed animals. I think that Christians and all other followers of organized religions are ignorant. The pledge seems ritualistic. Daily happenings seem more and more meaningless as time passes. Monogamy seems flawed to me. Am I sane?
2006-09-12 11:59:28 · 31 answers · asked by Anonymous in Social Science ➔ Psychology
I'm not hostile towards anything.
I'm also not sad about anything; I'm simply bored.
My apologies for the comment about Christianity. If you're a Christian and you find this offensive, please don't post an answer. It's a simple decision, really.
2006-09-12 12:08:04 · update #1
Religion has very much to do with intelligence and the ability to reason. I'm looking for opinions from atheists, agnostics, or just open-minded people in general.
2006-09-12 12:16:54 · update #2
Yes. Please don't worry. I've been thru the same thing. You're at a point where you are beginning to rise above old beliefs. They no longer fit you. Like clothes you've outgrown. But, at this point. you will feel a little lost. In older times boys wore short pants until a certain age (usually around 8 or 9) when they started wearing long pants. That was often a disorienting and uncomfortable adjustment period. What you're going thru is sort of the mental and emotional equivalent of giving up "short pants". You will feel a bit lost and disconnected because you are disconnecting from old beliefs that just don't fit a new and expanding understanding of reality and existence.
Humans are animals. Clothed animals. We are more than that but that is an important part of who and what we are and nothing to be ashamed of. Indeed it's quite a proud thing once you really understand it. It means you are as much a part of the "natural" world as beavers and bears.
Monogamy IS flawed. It orginated as a method of controlling the lines of inheretance and insuring that power and wealth didn't become concentrated. It forced families to ally and share power and influence at a time when wealth WAS power. Ancient civilizations cared little whether or not the peasants practiced monogamy as long as the Mechant and Noble classes did. Later the idea was co-opted by certain sects of early Christians who matched it to certain Bible passages (in fact there is nothing in the Bible that specifically mandates monogamy) because it facilitated church control of the masses.
In truth there are numerous cultures in history where other systems have been practiced (polygamy, polyandry) with as much or more success (depending on how you measure success) as monogamy. IMHO (and the opinion of many others) humans are ill suited to dedicated monogamy. Even if it works okay for child rearing (and many can make excellent arguments in favor of polyandry even where child rearing is concerned) beyond that it makes little sense.
And, yes, you are quite sane (depending on how one defines sanity, of course
Let insatiable curiosity be your guide...
2006-09-12 12:32:25 · answer #1 · answered by capt_sheffield 3 · 2⤊ 3⤋
It sounds like you're waking up!
Your observations are insightful: seeing humans as clothed animals; religious people as ignorant; the Pledge as ritualistic; daily events as less meaningful; and monogamy as flawed--you're looking beyond the surface of things and into their substance.
That's a good thing!
The vast majority of people go through their daily ritual/routine, never paying attention to the idea that what they see isn't all that's there (or that what they see isn't what really IS!). Or, if they ever did, they stopped at some point in the past.
To understand everything, you first have to un-learn everything. This involves stripping people, objects, and ideas of the labels you've applied to them and examining them in your mind--from different "angles", as it were.
Through this process, you can eventually re-learn yourself so that you see the world around you more like it "really" is. It's amazing to see how many things' identity or existence you accept as "real" but which, upon closer examination, turn out to be illusions, mental images, or falsehoods!
There's nothing more important in life than learning who you are and what your relationship is to the events and relationships in your life.
Whatever you're doing, keep doing it. Eventually you'll reach a catharsis (or, more likely, more than one) when your old world falls down and you're free to build a new one. This can be scary, but don't be scared. The old one wasn't worth saving anyway.
2006-09-12 20:46:59 · answer #2 · answered by Baxter 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Some define animal as something other than human.. but I understand your point, and in a way we are just another species here on this planet.
Everything is special though, in its own way.
That's fine to believe people with religious beliefs are ignorant.. people are all different and need different kinds of things in their lives, many need the hope that religion seems to give them.
Daily happenings can and do seem meaningless when you lose purpose.. you should seek a purpose, things will begin to have more meaning.
Monogamy is flawed? That's your personal opinion, I'm sure you're not alone.
Sanity... what is it exactly? What it is to be sane is just someones perspective, you're sane if you think you are, in the end you're the only one who really needs to believe it.
I'd look into the transhumanist and extropian movements if I were you, they might give you some insight, hope and purpose into becoming more.
2006-09-12 19:09:46 · answer #3 · answered by Tim 1 · 2⤊ 3⤋
You are sane, but a little confused. You may feel distanced from yourself because you don't know who you are yet. Many people in their young adulthood find themselves struggling to define themselves and where they fit into their world. It may take some time and soul searching to figure out who you are. Think of what you want and how you can accomplish all those things.
You really should realize that while humans are animals in the literal sense of the word, we are greater than other members of the animal kingdom. Our intelligence is what sets us above other animals.Use yours to figure out where you stand.
In regards to your comments about religion, you should really understand that you are making a bad case for yourself by using such rash generalizations. In most cases when you make generalizations regarding an entire group of people, you end up being wrong. I am a Christian and would say I am more educated and well informed than many non-religious people. Just because you don't agree with a way of thinking, who are you to say that those who do are ignorant? That is pretty ignorant in and of itself. Wrap your head around that for a minute.
The irony in your question is that a lot of people have found the solutions to the same problems you are feeling in religion. Don't be afraid to look in unexpected places. Be open minded to study the philosiphies of many different cultures and belief systems. I hope you figure out who you are and what you want.
Again, I must reitterate the point that saying all Christians are ignorant only demonstrates your own ignorance. If someone said "all black people are lazy," you seem like the type that would have a problem with that. I don't believe that, let me say that, but I am just using it as an example you need to realize what you are saying. Also, if there were any connection between religion and ability to think, it would not be the way you stated it, rather the opposite of your brash assertion. It would be that one's ability to think affects whether you are religious or not.
2006-09-12 19:22:04 · answer #4 · answered by royal_fryer 3 · 2⤊ 4⤋
On the other hand:
We all think that we are separate and apart from everyone else, disassociated from every other human. That there's more separating than unifying and many people do not have the capacity to understand what you're feeling regardless of their IQ.
We ARE clothed animals. Organic life on earth, that's us! Sometimes we don't feel close to others. Or even to our SELVES. Apparently. You're questioning the meaning of time, marriage and probably motherhood as well. Crazy? You seem pretty SANE to me, and in a questioning phase. That's OK. Know that deep inside you are the answers for which you search and they're safe, waiting for you to listen to them
At one time or another most intelligent people question our lives, selves, worth, Why We Are Here, etc. Sound familiar?
Maryanne Williamson said something about these feelings of separateness, when, in our higher reality we are all like beams of light traveling together from the sun manifesting as rainbows on Earth. There are times when this sounds like bullshoot to me and other times it really fells profound. Personally I am not religious OR an Athiest —— I believe in, uh, 'God', but only in a way that personally connects me when I'm really in tune with myself.
Know you're all right and going through 'this phase', probably a healthy one. Questioning is good. Challenging societal dictates is healthy. Get some exercise. Cook a meal. Do something generous and unexpected for somebody else or yourself!
Good luck, and don't forget —— you are something awesome! and that is inspiring!
2006-09-12 19:01:55 · answer #5 · answered by Freesumpin 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
I think that you are not insane.. I think that you are human. I myself ask every day What are we doing here? Why am i here? I feel like i get up everyday and do the same damn thing. It gets monotonous. And we humans are proven to be nothing but animals some of with brains and others without. We only wear cloths cause we think it is ashame to wear out birthday suits. And about peoples ignorance, we are all ignorant about alot of thing.. Some thing we think we know but we really don't. There are so many religions out there, who is to say what is really true. And the people who choose to have a religion are just looking for something to believe in, something to give life a meaning. But i believe that who you are and what you do is what gives your life meaning..
2006-09-12 19:27:23 · answer #6 · answered by dragonfly 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
You are sane, just very disappointed and I know what that's like. Cynics would call your frame of mind 'teenage angst', but that's a bit pedantic. The truth is that, as you get older, big things seem to matter less and less and you become more and more apt at blending in with the crowd, leading a standard life with 2.3 kids and a mortgage on your standard house. It's how things go, because if you want to break free from this stigma, you're tarred and feathered and regarded as completely stupid. The depressed feeling you're writing about, the disattached feeling too, indicate to me that you care about things, that you have dreams in life - but you can see everyone else failing to make a difference. The key is to stop looking at other people's narrwomindedness and failures, and resolve to carve out your own path. So what even if in the end that path should turn out to have been carved out by someone before.. Humans are like snowflakes: put us all together and you can't see the difference, but look closely and no one is the same. Also, a few snowflakes have the chance to become drops of rain or ice. As they say: just gopher it, man.
2006-09-12 19:10:26 · answer #7 · answered by McAtterie 6 · 4⤊ 3⤋
You are very sane. Isn't it fascinating and sad and dull at the same time to be so? Some people just don't question things because their reality becomes so dependent on their assumptions and ignorance. It can get lonely noticing things that other people don't. Take care.
2006-09-12 21:00:35 · answer #8 · answered by ELI 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
What you have described sounds a bit like depersonalization disorder. This is characterized by a sense of detachment from yourself. It's obviously not possible to determine if that's what it is based solely on your description there, but if you are concerned about the way you are feeling you should talk to your doctor. This doesn't mean you are insane though, by any means.
2006-09-12 21:52:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
As an open-minded individual with an above average IQ, I strongly recommend "The Case for Faith" - a Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity, by Lee Strobel
As a fellow intellectual, I really hope you search for the truth, and hunt down this book as soon as you can!
2006-09-12 19:30:42 · answer #10 · answered by techronarrow 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋