My inner critic won't let me appreciate physical accomplishments

[MaxMad244]

I have no respect for physical feats. I could see a guy jump across the gym and dunk...or a world class Olympian perform x, y, and z and it is meaningless o me - something transient like a tattoo which will eventually fate of the skin of a dying husk.

Even tattoos are totally meaningless to me. The only thing that means something to me is something that helps alleviate suffering directly. I guess I do like combat sports and they alleviate my suffering when I'm feeling bored and want something to watch...

Anyone ever feel this before? is it a spiritual thing?

It's hard for me to relax when I know there's a kid starving every second.

 

[Totenkindly]

I have no respect for physical feats. I could see a guy jump across the gym and dunk...or a world class Olympian perform x, y, and z and it is meaningless o me - something transient like a tattoo which will eventually fate of the skin of a dying husk.

Even tattoos are totally meaningless to me. The only thing that means something to me is something that helps alleviate suffering directly. I guess I do like combat sports and they alleviate my suffering when I'm feeling bored and want something to watch...

Anyone ever feel this before? is it a spiritual thing?

It's hard for me to relax when I know there's a kid starving every second.

I think one learns to selectively limit one's world to more local issues in order to retain the capacity and motivation to act, to some degree.

It's like, "How can I ever make any kind of purchase / do anything not work-related in my life, if a kid is starving somewhere or someone is getting shot in an invasion or some human being somewhere is suffering -- shouldn't every ounce of my spare time and non-essential income be spent to alleviate world suffering somewhere and some place?"

Why limit it to earth? Maybe someone in the universe is suffering, how dare we not be focused on that along with every other ounce of suffering.

Basically human beings survive and function by our use of blinders to keep ourselves from going mad or burning out because the problems of the universe are bigger than one person can realistically handle. We knowingly focus on what's closest to us and determine what we need to provide in order to assist others and be able to contribute anything at all without going mad.

But if you cannot appreciate beauty in your life, you will also go mad and/or have no reason to live. Somehow we have to retain the capacity to be aware of the horrors of existence while retaining a capacity to be awed by beauty. You are basically letting what you perceive (on a universal scale) dwarf what you are capable of resolving (on a personal level) -- it's not comparable. Any existence that includes mortality and suffering on a universal scale means we have to learn how to balance our investment of resources with our own ability to enjoy life and function maximally.

 

[MaxMad244]

I think one learns to selectively limit one's world to more local issues in order to retain the capacity and motivation to act, to some degree.

It's like, "How can I ever make any kind of purchase / do anything not work-related in my life, if a kid is starving somewhere or someone is getting shot in an invasion or some human being somewhere is suffering -- shouldn't every ounce of my spare time and non-essential income be spent to alleviate world suffering somewhere and some place?"

Why limit it to earth? Maybe someone in the universe is suffering, how dare we not be focused on that along with every other ounce of suffering.

Basically human beings survive and function by our use of blinders to keep ourselves from going mad or burning out because the problems of the universe are bigger than one person can realistically handle. We knowingly focus on what's closest to us and determine what we need to provide in order to assist others and be able to contribute anything at all without going mad.

But if you cannot appreciate beauty in your life, you will also go mad and/or have no reason to live. Somehow we have to retain the capacity to be aware of the horrors of existence while retaining a capacity to be awed by beauty. You are basically letting what you perceive (on a universal scale) dwarf what you are capable of resolving (on a personal level) -- it's not comparable. Any existence that includes mortality and suffering on a universal scale means we have to learn how to balance our investment of resources with our own ability to enjoy life and function maximally.

This was profoundly helpful. Thank you.

 

[Maou]

"The society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.” - Thucydides

This applies to not only society, but to your well being as well. One must respect both the physical, and mental arts, and seek to understand both. That is just part of what you can call "Balance".