Interesting conversation and an interesting question

[SeaCat]

I was in one of those late night conversations with my best friend last night. We ended up talking about our ideas pertaining to life and living it. One of the comments that came up which we ended up talking about for quite some time was that your life is wasted if you don't enjoy it.

Not all of life is fun and games. I readily admit that but shouldn't a person try to pry as much enjoyment from it as possible?

Cat

 

[cloudy]

I was in one of those late night conversations with my best friend last night. We ended up talking about our ideas pertaining to life and living it. One of the comments that came up which we ended up talking about for quite some time was that your life is wasted if you don't enjoy it.

Not all of life is fun and games. I readily admit that but shouldn't a person try to pry as much enjoyment from it as possible?

Cat

I agree.

My life hasn't been all that much fun for the last few years, but there are some very bright spots...my week at the Cape with all those lovely, wonderful friends comes to mind.

As a whole, I've enjoyed myself more than not. I can't complain.

 

[mack_the_knife]

One might argue that people who 'don't enjoy it' are actually enjoying it in a different, more subtle way. I imagine, for example, Mother Theresa greatly enjoyed helping people, though it rarely led to big yuks. So the first thing to figure out is the definition of 'enjoy'.

 

[cloudy]

One might argue that people who 'don't enjoy it' are actually enjoying it in a different, more subtle way. I imagine, for example, Mother Theresa greatly enjoyed helping people, though it rarely led to big yuks. So the first thing to figure out is the definition of 'enjoy'.

I think personal satisfaction is what you're speaking of, and that plays into it, too. There are things I do quite regularly that aren't "fun," but they are very satisfying to my soul.

 

[mack_the_knife]

I think personal satisfaction is what you're speaking of, and that plays into it, too. There are things I do quite regularly that aren't "fun," but they are very satisfying to my soul.

There ya go, yah, that. Some folks may get by on just a big, whopping helping of that, I should think. Since I'm rarely satisfied with my life, I have to resort to casual sex.

 

[entitled]

i honestly have to disagree with that. You don't necessarily have to enjoy life, just live it.

There are quite a few people that most likely haven't enjoyed things in the yuck-it-up kind of way that have made an impression on the world. i tend to not enjoy myself in that way most of the time, yet am raising three rather advanced children. It's not changing the world much - but it's important.

Those times of brief levity do seem to make it more worthwhile, though.

 

[The_Fool]

The bad times are what make the good times taste sweeter...

 

[R. Richard]

I was in one of those late night conversations with my best friend last night. We ended up talking about our ideas pertaining to life and living it. One of the comments that came up which we ended up talking about for quite some time was that your life is wasted if you don't enjoy it.

I readily admit that but shouldn't a person try to pry as much enjoyment from it as possible?

Cat

Enjoyment at what cost? I have seen people abandon almost anything that wasn't fun; the cost, of course, is a wasted life where almost nothing is fun after a time due mainly to extreme poverty. I have also seen people work so long and hard for security that, when they achieved security they had no idea of how to enjoy themselves.

IMHO there has to a balance between enjoyment and achievement. The balance might be somewhat dofferent for each individual, but the balance has to be achieved to make life really worthwhile.

 

[SeaCat]

Enjoyment at what cost? I have seen people abandon almost anything that wasn't fun; the cost, of course, is a wasted life where almost nothing is fun after a time due mainly to extreme poverty. I have also seen people work so long and hard for security that, when they achieved security they had no idea of how to enjoy themselves.

IMHO there has to a balance between enjoyment and achievement. The balance might be somewhat dofferent for each individual, but the balance has to be achieved to make life really worthwhile.

And there is the question. Where is that balance?

Cat

 

[yui]

IMHO there has to a balance between enjoyment and achievement. The balance might be somewhat dofferent for each individual, but the balance has to be achieved to make life really worthwhile.

The Tao of Richard. Once more, wisdom.

I don't know where that balance is Cat. It's like all other things in the universe, yin yang; too much of one weakens the other. Interesting question, but I'm certain it's one I can't answer.

 

[rgraham666]

When asked how I am I often reply, "Breathing. And everything after that is gravy."

It's a matter of perspective whether you enjoy life or not.

When I was working, I was constantly miserable. Spending too much time with courtiers and fakes.

I'm desperately poor, but despite my constant bitching, am happier now than I was then.

 

[elsol]

As long as I can't equate my life with a highway rest stop, I'm okay.

I mean no matter how good the food at a rest stop, hanging out there wasn't why I got in my car.

Sincerely,
elSol

 

[English Lady]

I think I enjoy more in my life than i don't enjoy. I will bitch about the times i worked in a nursery, but the children were a joy to be with (management sucked) I'll moan about the monotony of working on a supermarket till, but I met many lovely people and had great conversations virtually every day.

I think it's easy to focus in on the bits of life we don't enjoy, humanity seems to like to dwell in the negative *L* but I've learnt to count my blessings and in doing that I enjoy life.

it's not perfect, it's not all fun and games, but it's mine and that makes me happy.

 

[Lucifer_Carroll]

Hmm, I think one must "enjoy" it in the way of gaining personal satisfaction, deriving the pleasure of bringing pleasure to others and avoiding most things requiring massive atonement, and doing something with your life that you won't regret at the end.

Essentially, I think the important thing is avoiding regrets (regrets born out of honest assessment, not "i should have killed that guy and raped his woman because I regret never doing anything spontaneous and crazy") at the end of your life.

I also agree that too much "pleasure for pleasure sakes" living is bad because it can breed a self-centeredness that begins to derive pleasure at the expense of others and which eventually brings with it regrets and feelings of a wasted life. That's not to say that one shouldn't have pleasure, because lacking any pleasure is often a guaranteed recipe for having regrets and a feeling of a wasted life.

 

[Guest]

taking care of mom for five years was the single hardest thing i can remember ever doing. every day there were things that drove me insane. the doorbell they installed upstairs so she could ring me instead of yelling, went straight up my ass. cleaning up after her bodily functions, doing her laundry, dressing her wounds, feeding her, giving her injections and meds were all consuming.
but
in the middle of all this, we had such great times. i can honestly say that no matter how hard it all was, it was so very worth it. making her laugh...still makes me smile.

doing things for others...that is my joy...even when there is the mundane thrown into the mix. making others laugh...this is my bliss.

 

[gauchecritic]

Enjoying every second of your life can still be a wasted life. As an extreme example, enjoying every vein full of heroin until the last ever would no doubt be wringing out joy galore in your life, but who would benifit by that?

From my own view I'd have to say something trite like spreading joy to others, except that it is prolly really easy not to get any personal joy out of doing that.

I suppose enjoying what you do and having someone remember you for how it brought joy to them. I need to become a writer... or a stand up comedian... or a nurse... or a right wing, late night, radio broadcaster.

Maybe not the last.

Ooh. Ooh. Mr Peevely sir. I know. I know. A dad. It's freakin' brilliant.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

There's nothing more important than being alive. Boring life is still better than death.