Why aren't I as Happy as fucking Larry?

Discussion Open Forum
1

Why aren’t I as happy as fucking larry?

For one thing, I’ve got the internet!

I love the internet. you can communicate on skype – once a standard futuristic image, now a reality, (still waiting for the flying cars), there’s this whole other level of communication - chat, knowledge access, movies, great tv series - it’s incredible, actually, I mean I ‘ve edited biochemistry papers – what the fuck do I know about biochemistry – I just google it – occasionally find out that they’ve lifted half their paper from Wikipedia – but I can do it. Wow.

Then a couple of weeks ago I lost the internet for 24 hrs.
It felt like a ‘real’, impactful event. A deprivation. I rang up and complained. A bunch of times. Said I needed it for my work. Technically I did, but it wasn’t pressing.

But whether I did or not, nothing was going to happen until tomorrow at the earliest. Finally I had to resign myself to it.
While staring at the wall, I remembered that most of my life has been spent, actually, without the internet. What the fuck did I do then?

And considering how much I love the internet, why aren’t I discernibly happier than I was then?

I remember the old days, and I’m not trying to romanticize it, I wasn’t like a ray of fucking sunshine , but I’m still not. Why?

Why aren’t I happy? I should be as happy as a fucking mormon bicycle guy and be suffering jaw clamp from a fixed grin – and where are the fucking women btw? is that some sort of sexist mormon thing? I never see women smiling at me and saying hi with a white shirt and black tie.

But, see? There you go. I’m not especially happy, still.

So what is happiness? Is it some unattainable thing?. Or your gene-programmed to a certain level of it and that’s it. Doesn’t matter how mind-blowingly fantastic technology gets.

I have a stock standard answer to happiness which I trot out and actually I stole from someone, I forgot whom - ‘it’s not happiness that counts, it’s satisfaction’.

But still, why don’t I feel significantly more satisfied?

2

Fucking Larry probably has faster internet.

3

[quote=“dulan drift”]
Why aren’t I happy? [/quote]
You should at least try to be happy. I know it’s not easy. I struggle with it myself.

You’re one of the good guys. You care about the environment. You care about shit that others take for granted. Give yourself the occasional pat on the back. :2cents:

And fuck the internet. It’s poison.

4

I know that feeling, you’re on the internet so much and then it’s gone and a you’re like, what do I do now? The solution for me was to find more activities. I’m glad I did. But then the power goes out and you’re in for a real trip…

5

[quote=“dulan drift”]Why aren’t I as happy as fucking larry?
[/quote]
Because you’re not f*cking Larry?

6

[quote=“jimipresley”]You should at least try to be happy. I know it’s not easy. I struggle with it myself.

You’re one of the good guys. You care about the environment. You care about shit that others take for granted. Give yourself the occasional pat on the back. :2cents:

And fuck the internet. It’s poison.[/quote]

Shucks, thanks! (And btw, today is decision day, again, in the supreme court for the miramar case). Being born a white male, i realize i already won the lottery, and i do try to be grateful for all the things and opportunuity i’ve got. And i think you and atomist are right - it’s just a matter of getting some perspective and smelling the roses, and not thinking like happiness is a ravenous beast that needs to be fed.

It’s not really that i am complaining - more just curious. Why does my head even bother having petty indignant thoughts, feelings of jealousy, greed, bitterness etc? I mean, whose head is it anyway?

7

[quote=“Gryphon”][quote=“dulan drift”]Why aren’t I as happy as fucking larry?
[/quote]
Because you’re not f*cking Larry?[/quote]

Actually, i did fuck larry. It was great for a while, but the feeling faded and we ended up arguing about what movies to watch on the internet and soon broke up.

8

I’m pretty happy, generally speaking, but I’m older and life is easier now.

Internets pop your dopamine: when you don’t have it, you have to go analogue with that shit, which, frankly, is a lot of fcking effort unless you’re the type of person who gets happy looking at the smile on the face of every child and crunching through autumn leaves, etc. Small pleasures: the clue’s in the name. Watch porn, talk to your five favourite people in the world via Skype, watch a whole series of ‘The Walking Dead’ … or go and read a book in a coffee shop, walk through the park and see shapes in the clouds. Yeah, right. The internet has Big Pleasures.

Once you’re bored of the Internet, the next step is to become a father, I’m told. Me, I have no penis, so I’m denied that pleasure, but at least 60% of my male friends don’t regret having had their children.

9

[quote=“dulan drift”][quote=“jimipresley”]You should at least try to be happy. I know it’s not easy. I struggle with it myself.

You’re one of the good guys. You care about the environment. You care about shit that others take for granted. Give yourself the occasional pat on the back. :2cents:

And fuck the internet. It’s poison.[/quote]

Shucks, thanks! (And btw, today is decision day, again, in the supreme court for the miramar case). Being born a white male, i realize i already won the lottery, and I do try to be grateful for all the things and opportunuity I’ve got. And I think you and atomist are right - it’s just a matter of getting some perspective and smelling the roses, and not thinking like happiness is a ravenous beast that needs to be fed.

It’s not really that I am complaining - more just curious. Why does my head even bother having petty indignant thoughts, feelings of jealousy, greed, bitterness etc? I mean, whose head is it anyway?[/quote]
I wish I would be as happy as you guys, not even as larry … than my life would be at least worth living.

10

because Fucking Larry gets fucking larry

11

Who is Larry fucking? Just bypass Larry.

12

Are you serious or just half-serious? That’s kind of a frightening if it’s the former.

As for small pleasures, I’d bounce a little rubber ball into a garbage pail with friends. Or throw poker chips into a Solo cup. Then we got the Internet so we can meet up at Events to watch each other Like things on Facebook.

13

Sometimes I think happiness exists only in the past tense. Wow, that’s a really depressing thought. I was definitely happier before I wrote it down.

14

I think happiness is more of a here-now type of thing. Like 5 beers into a good night talking and laughing with friends. Or enjoying a great view in a brand new city.

Isn’t happiness in the past tense called nostalgia?

15

Are you serious or just half-serious? That’s kind of a frightening if it’s the former.

As for small pleasures, I’d bounce a little rubber ball into a garbage pail with friends. Or throw poker chips into a Solo cup. Then we got the Internet so we can meet up at Events to watch each other Like things on Facebook.[/quote]

Why? Far more of my female friends express regret and they are the primary caregivers. :laughing:

16

Are you serious or just half-serious? That’s kind of a frightening if it’s the former.

As for small pleasures, I’d bounce a little rubber ball into a garbage pail with friends. Or throw poker chips into a Solo cup. Then we got the Internet so we can meet up at Events to watch each other Like things on Facebook.[/quote]

Why? Far more of my female friends express regret and they are the primary caregivers. :laughing:[/quote]

So over 50% of your female friends regret having kids? That’s certainly not a happy thought.

17

I am sure a huuuuge number of Taiwanese kids who have children before age 28 (as they are told to do) regret later on that they never had chance to enjoy time together without the presence of the older generation or the younger one.

18

I think happiness is more of a here-now type of thing. Like 5 beers into a good night talking and laughing with friends. Or enjoying a great view in a brand new city.

Isn’t happiness in the past tense called nostalgia?[/quote]

Nope. ‘Neuralgia’ is the bitter-sweet regret I have the brain-cells I atrophied, debating hot topics on flob.

I’m not saying they wish their kids harm, just that the realities of it all put a dent in their lives. It’s OK. Do you think you were the culmination of all your mother’s hopes and dreams? Ambivalence doesn’t equal neglect.

19

My laptop broke and I didn’t have one for 6 weeks. It was utterly glorious. I started reading, conversing with people, sleeping better. Found ways of working without needing my laptop. I went out more.

I might go smash my new laptop up and get my life back again.

20

[quote=“dulan drift”][quote=“Gryphon”][quote=“dulan drift”]Why aren’t I as happy as fucking larry?
[/quote]
Because you’re not f*cking Larry?[/quote]

Actually, i did fuck larry. It was great for a while, but the feeling faded and we ended up arguing about what movies to watch on the internet and soon broke up.[/quote]
Who the fuck is Larry?