Almost all of the people I meet appear to be extremely ignorant and have no interest in talking about topics such as science, philosophy, politics, or writing, as some examples. They would rather talk about how high they are from marijuana or alcohol, parties, sex, sports, girls or boys, and things like that. I’m not saying that those topics are bad to talk about, but it seems as if so many people are oblivious to what’s happening in the world and have no interest in anything else. For example, my step dad thinks global warming is a hoax designed by the Obama administration to keep Trump from winning the election. He doesn’t care to look at the studies or listen to anything I say because he’s very arrogant thinks he’s a know-it-all from his years of “life experience”. He just knows. And my mom just knows that God is real although she hasn’t even read the bible. One of my ex-friends microdosed LSD everyday because he was convinced it made him smarter and gave him some unseen world view, which just pissed me off because I couldn't get through that thick head of his to explain that it doesn't. My friends would rather play sports or video games than do schoolwork and study with me. I wish I had someone to help me with my schoolwork and then I could help them as well. But no one I know is interested in any of that. I even begged my friend to let me help him with his essay and he wouldn't let me, because he didn't care. Another person I knew just got all C-s in high school just so that they could get their HSD and get education “over with already”. I lectured them and said they should consider college and start planning a great career because they have so much potential, but I get called weird for it and then we stop being friends. Everyone always calls me “weird”, “serious”, “autistic”, "pretentious", and I’m starting to believe it because it happens so frequently. Am I the problem or is everyone else the problem? I know that ignorance is relative, and I, too, am ignorant in comparison to a lot of people, but I know that I am. I admit it, and it gives me something to strive for. I think that’s called the Socratic paradox. Smart people know they’re stupid, but incompetent people are too ignorant to know they’re incompetent, which seems to sum up the majority of the population. After all, like 85% of the world has a faith and over half of America voted for Trump because they thought he was entertaining. Sigh. Anyway, I don’t really know what to do. I can’t find any decent friends who don’t constantly disregard what I say to them. I want to be around smart scientists and be at the frontier of new technologies, studies, and things like that. I want to become a great novelist and writer, too, but I'm still too new and have a lot to learn. I hope that I'm at least in the right mindset. I'm a freshman in college, but it appears as if all of my classmates have no interest in their studies and they just want a degree so that they can find a job to support their family or lover. I don't even have friends, let alone a lover. And when I do find a friend, it doesn't last very long. My family and I don't get along too well, either. And it's all because I'm too stubborn and too focused on being technical, genuine, and rational. Meh. /endrant
I believe it comes with the stagnation of our race. To be plain, today's youth as well as young adults are quite single minded. A Majority of the "We" only focus on their own success and could care less about others, this is a side-affect of what I'm coining as the desensitization of the human race. If you look at how the world developed, while it may seem quite absurd, the life style of the 50's and 40's was an ideal sort of living. Absurdity was met with logical reaction and in general, a lot more people were friendly to one another. The Internet's creation can be blamed for the way the world is today, as every action and creation subtracts from our development as a species. For example: I'm a very Apathetic person, almost purely nihilistic almost. I care for nothing and nobody to a point except for select few individuals. I wasn't always this way, before I was introduced to technology I was very outgoing, very talkative and no where near as apathetic, from a child's perspective that is. Now there are times when I can't even sleep without knowing where my phone is. It ignites a illogical panic within me. This access to knowledge, these devices, they drive us to insanity. In comparison to your friends, I'm a lot like them. I only went to highschool because in Canada, where I live, it is Illegal to not attend school until you're 18. Needless to say, I had to take an extra semester because I failed one too many courses. Surprisingly enough though, I care deeply for politics and the world as a whole. I've studied history all my life with what some would call an unhealthy obsession. To finish highschool, I took a dual-credit program which allowed me to attend the local college for a semester, and earn a credit in high school and a credit in the college. I don't believe you are what they say you are however. Calling you words is quite ignorant of other peoples behavior and the knowledge that other people are different. Personally: I find our generation abhorrent little bastards who need to be shown their selfishness and laziness can have great consequences. Though, of course, I'm one to talk about such things. What I can say to some everything up in a single sentence: The world has entered another dark age of stagnation. We believe all our progress in the past decade is amazing, but its quite simply pathetic in comparison to the 50's - 80's. We're stagnating due to our laziness and our false feelings for others. No one will admit their awful people inside. Sad to say Kiesi, you're living among the undead of modernization.
Don't overlook those people who do have ambition and who do enjoy talking about science, politics, religion, and writing. There are people (me included) who enjoy talking about it, but have been shut down so many times by older, more vocal, graceless people, that it's far easier not to talk about certain subjects at all. Or at least, not to broach certain topics to people that we have only just met and don't know how they will react. I'm personally tired of being called names, looked down on, and having angry comments directed at me for my opinions and political views that it's easier to simply avoid talking about it. But I don't lack either ambition or interest in any of those topics, and I know many people my age who are in the same situation. My peers are equally tired and frustrated with being told that their goals (learning a practical trade instead of a degree in one particular instance off the top of my head) are useless and they might as well not try. When you get put down for your ambitions long enough, you learn not to talk about it. yes, this can give the appearance of being shallow and lacking ambition, but it's preferable to the alternative.
@kiesi, I don't know what kind of college you're going to, but what you should be doing is talking to your science professors and asking what research opportunities are available. If you're at a university, it's very likely you can do research there. At the worst, there are always REUs (research experience for undergraduates) in the summer. I strongly recommend you find out more information about these and start applying to schools soon, assuming it's not too late (if it is, there is always next year or even after). The REUs are paid and anyone is eligible, although obviously you'll want letters of recommendation. Which again means, talk to your professors.
@kiesi there's a non-fiction book by Ken Robinson called The Element. The gist of most of it is a counter argument to the standard model of education in the west. It's worth a read even if you disagree with it. There's a section though that I think would be particularly apt for yourself; it's about finding and connecting with like-minded folk (he calls them 'your tribe'), being happy amongst them and pursuing your passion. Also in terms of getting on in life, others' lack of ambition, in the round, will make it easier for you. But I don't think you should dismiss them, especially if you intend to write. Their different interests/characteristics are there to be mined; they'll help you broaden your understanding of character.
I'm sorry that those things happened to you. There are a lot of reasons as to why people may be the way they are. I myself was always obsessed with girls, and never really successful (not that it's a mystery to me as to why). I hated school since the sixth grade, and in my senior year I missed 32 days. But I graduated with Honors, and took AP courses. Point being, school - especially public school - isn't for everybody, and I wouldn't be too critical of people who don't fit the mold, so to speak. There's a lot of information on the web about why western schooling is beyond lack-luster, and a lot of debate about how effective this cookie-cutter approach is (tl;dr is that it sucks). I played soccer since I was five, except for a couple years where I took a break, and then played again in high-school. Physical exercise is healthy, sports are fun, watching sports can be entertaining and interesting. Playing video games is fun, and just like sports, can be entertaining or interesting to watch. There's also immense creativity and work that goes into making those games. I love drinking. My friends love it too, but they also love smoking weed. I don't like smoking weed. Sometimes it does feel like all they want to talk about is pot-stuff. That's why I limit my exposure to their parties (leave early / show-up late, or only go to parties thrown for special events). I also try to influence the environment where I hang-out with them, such as inviting a couple of them to go to a concert with me, or planning on seeing a new movie, etc. This way it's less about the pot-stuff and more about the (for me) fun-stuff. My point in rambling all of this at you, is really just to say that it's important to be a well-rounded individual. Just like love is important to many of us, or how finding somebody with very similar interests in important to many of us. And depending on who you are, these things can be easier or harder, and that's life for you. If you find those subjects and topics of interest, like I do, then I suggest you reach out and join some groups. I don't know, a Debate Team, or some sort of groups that pertain to politics, or a critique group for writing, or a poetry club. It can be tough when your whole life people have either been indifferent about your interests, unsupportive, or worse. But there are also others out there who feel the same way. If you'd like to talk at greater length about anything I've said above, just PM me. Cheers, -Kyle
It is really difficult to open up a conversation with heavy topics such as politics and philosophy. Unless you already know both of you share the same interests. As such, a lot of people usually stick to topics that are easy to relate with, be it something as simple as sports or games and even parties one has attended. I wouldn't find fault in them for this or even go as far as calling it a desynthesization or stagnation of our race. Different people are allowed to have different interests. If the people you meet have no interest in the topics you are interested in then maybe the fault lies with where and who you approach to befriend. As one of the people who responded here suggested, joining a club catering to your interests would be your best bet. I'm sorry that you are in this predicament though. I've had my fair share of people who are close minded and aren't willing to see the potential they have within them. I had an ex-friend who was more concerned in taking drugs than going to school or work. They even went as far as quiting their job and considered going through welfare for income despite how well taken care of they were by their parents. (All she had to do was go to school or work) I do hope she's in a better place now though. It was sad to see someone so young, willing to throw their life away like that. Good luck on your search for people. Politics, philosophy and science are pretty interesting topics. I'm sure you'll find the right friends soon.
The great thing about the internet is that it can connect you with like-minded people if there's no one you get along with nearby. But you'll eventually find your tribe, I'm sure. I know I did after making certain decisions about my education. I've noticed that sometimes it's futile to talk about anything deeper than the weather with some people, but then again, they probably get frustrated with me when they want to talk about some TV show that I've never watched and never will, lol. Other times you can make a person who at first appeared "ignorant" to take interest and get excited about the stuff you love or find important. I have friends who love to party or at least used to party a lot, but they do have other layers as well and if you mention something like "immigration" or "Trump" you're bound to get an opinion and voilà, we're talking about politics. Since I'm interested in a variety of things, I usually find something to talk about almost with anyone. Unless it's a woman who really loves beauty and fashion (I'm not frumpy myself, but I have my own thing and don't read Elle or Vogue) or knitting/sowing or a man who's super into football, golf or ice hockey. Then I'll be totally, completely lost. Anyway, I think it's great you have all these interests and want to improve yourself and the world around you. That's really great, and I'm sure you'll find like-minded friends eventually. Sometimes people can even surprise you. P.s. This is not to say I don't end up in situations where I've started to talk about something that has received nothing but confused but polite smiles. At my workplace, I have no one with whom I could talk about video games, literature or combat sports. That's just how it goes sometimes. *shrug*
I think, in essence, that human beings are simpler than the world they've created. It's hard to keep up, even on a superficial level, with everything that is going on in the world. It's impossible to know everything that's BEHIND everything that's happening in the world. It's impossible to care deeply about everybody and everything that happens in the world. Compared to the masses of 'other people' out there, one person is just a tiny speck. We have very little control over our lives, and that makes us uncomfortable. Hell, lots of people can't even cook for themselves any more, let alone grow and produce their own food. How many of us heat our homes with what we have collected ourselves? How many of us can treat our own illnesses and injuries? How many of us can sew our own clothing, never mind produce the cloth from raw materials? Build our own homes from scratch? We are helpless and dependent upon a society, over which we have increasingly less control. So what happens? People shut down. They either oversimplify 'life' or simply ignore anything that takes effort to understand or grapple with. Politics gets reduced to slogans, memes and soundbites. Science gets reduced to 'it doesn't exist, or it's a massive conspiracy and we can't believe anything anybody tells us any more.' Religion makes things easy, because you don't need to do any more than simply 'believe' because God is in control and has your back. I'm not saying all religious people are that simple, but it's possible to BE that simple—which is one of the attractions of religion. Basically people just want things to be simple. I wish things were simple. Unfortunately, they're not. We all grasp this concept to some extent. It's just that some folks want to deny complexity altogether. Others accept complexity, but don't want to spend too much time and effort exploring it. Still others do try to explore it, with varying degrees of success. Damn. It would be great if the world slowed down a bit, wouldn't it? And fragmented back into chunks of space and social units that were easier for a single individual to affect. However, we'd have to give up a lot as well. I don't know the answer, really.
I agree. Many people would connect things to religion because it is easier. Even in science, one could argue that even though it might be complex to some, the primary goal is to provide a simple understanding to things.
You're comparing Science to Religion. The two cannot coexist as equals in a rational mind, nor does Science endeavor to give you "simple understanding of things". That is exactly the kind of lazy thinking and complacent attitude Kiesi is talking about.
I'm sorry if it wasn't clear. But I wasn't trying to say that two coexist together. I was trying to point out that people essentially value simplicity. I apologize if I worded it incorrectly. However, I really don't think the goal of science is to find ways to complicate things. Is it not interesting that a lot of discoveries and inventions come from laziness and complacency. "How do I solve this problem with the least amount of work and resources used?" and "Is there a better way to solve this?". These questions get asked in science too. Maybe it isn't too bad being a little lazy and complacent after all?
I believe sympathy and understanding are really important to becoming someone really well rounded. Even the simplest people have the same brain and largely function similarly to the smartest people. In a way, everyone is smart at something, but it's hard to tell what that is sometimes. Through sympathy we can learn the perspective of others and gain new insights into the world that normally would take years to develop on your own. If your brain is a tool in your everyday life, then learning how it functions is part of the basic of basics. It helps in understanding others and yourself. It's an especially useful skill for writers who want to understand how to create a myriad of personable and relatable characters, that are more than skin deep. Even if we have trouble relating to people, the world is unique and complex enough to keep people like you and me interested, even at the dullest of moments. You just need a slightly broader perspective and a good place to start. I would recommend School of Life and Bite Size Psyche. Informative entertainment channels on YouTube. They highlight important information on human psychology and present it in a simple and eloquent manner. Learn to apply it to yourself then others and it can greatly improve your relationships. If you stay humble and don't impose yourself too much on others, it should be easy to keep friends. The hard part, I think is finding worthwhile friends, that you will get a meaningful relationship out of. And that doesn't always mean someone who will challenge you intellectually. But that is a nice thing to have. As you grow you'll learn more about yourself and that will give you insight on the type of company you might want to keep around. It's a continuous cycle as you grow, change, and need different things. Learning skills that you can apply now is good practice for learning even more skills in the future. I find myself studying lots of different subjects from all schools of science, and I won't usually find someone to talk to about it, unless I go to them. Learning to find them is as easy as finding the right forum. Although I find this one is good for most subjects, especially on writing. Good luck on your endeavor, and don't get too down, it ain't easy for anyone to be truly understood.
Because humans as a whole have never had an interest in them. For the longest of time political power was dictated by birth, the ability to be a scientist by being wealthy enough or having a patron to do so, and more or less the same with writing. Furthermore, we have not needed to know about to survive on a day to day basis. They do affect us overall, but humans spent a very long time not knowing about things like quarks and bosons. Furthermore, if everyone strived to be a scientist or a writer, then the jobs that are necessary for society to actually function. The only reason we know have people who can write and do science for a living is that we have the structures to ensure that they can. A society of poets is a noble idea, but when the toilet's broken, you will need a plumber. And I'm sorry to tell you this, but as someone studying literature, ninety percent of it is about sex, alcohol, or violence. Now, it's time to address the stuff that's wrong in the here. Ah yes, that wonderful time when black people weren't allowed in the same schools, lynchings were still a thing, as well as people being imprisoned under the accusations of communism. The truth is that the world is more sensitive to issues now, with constant media reports and active charities, and the world is getting better. Poverty has dropped by fifty percent in the last thirty years. It's not that we're desensitised, it's just we started doing practical shit to stop it, which means things like donating money, but to do that, we have to have jobs. Yes, the world has expanded, but that doesn't mean people shut down. Not to mention that the whole "people can't do these things for themselves anymore" ramble doesn't really work when you consider division and specialisation of labour. Those skills are no longer necessary, and while I could learn to be a builder, lawyer, farmer and tailor. It's not feasable for us to do all at once, and it's worth noting that people in the past did not do all at once. There were specialised roles like stone masons and glove makers. If you dropped Shakespeare in a field and told him to grow some wheat, he'd look confused. As for people turning to religion, the amount in the west is actually going lower and lower, while radicals are getting more radical to deal with it. But you are massively correct on people's desire to simplify things. As for the world going fast, welcome to modernity.
Yes, yes , yes - speed kills. And then things become OK once again after a big crash/reset, for a while anyway. Then it inevitably gets all "balled up" again because of the greedheads and their insatiable need for "fuck you" money, and hence the whole scene just gathers up more & more steam as it heads out of the gate again to play another dangerous game of grab ass with people's lives.
I never meant to imply that people in the past did everything for themselves in terms of self-sufficiency (although some of them did.) It was just to point out how very little we now do for ourselves. Stuff that our parents and grandparents knew how to do. (You don't need to go all the way back to Shakespeare.) We do depend on others, but it tends to not be the butcher down the street who is butchering meat brought to him by farmers any more (like it was when I was young ...and I'm only 67 years old), but instead we're buying meat in supermarkets that has been butchered in corporate-owned slaughterhouses in another part of the country, or even another country altogether. I don't imagine Shakespeare's wheat came from Canada, or his clothing from China. Note I said it would give us more control over our lives if our social UNITS were smaller. I didn't mean to imply that each person should be an island unto themselves when it comes to production. I just meant it would be simpler (and more diverse) if the means of production lay closer to home. So the specialist-skilled butcher, baker and candlestick maker were people who were locally known to us—that we could become ourselves, if the occupation suited us. Not a huge company like Amazon, whose doings we have little or no knowledge of, or control over. Here's an example that comes to mind. How many people can repair and service their own cars these days? When I was a teenager, nearly all the boys I knew could be found, of a Saturday afternoon, lying underneath a jacked-up 20-year-old jalopy either fixing it or souping it up. I don't think that happens much these days. The cars are too specialized, the parts not tinker-able. When something goes wrong, we have to take it 'somewhere' to get it repaired. We are not only not encouraged to learn car mechanics, we're actually prevented from making the repairs because the cars are now 'electronic' and need specialist attention. So one more thing we used to have control over not so long ago, is now gone. I believed the original post was about how so many people seem detached and uninterested in how the world works, and are devoid of hands-on skills or enthusiasm for learning any. I was making the point that perhaps they just feel overwhelmed and powerless. And not at all certain what their future is likely to hold. So they retreat into a small world of their own that doesn't contain very much that challenges (or scares) them.
I meant if you look at the rate at which technology advanced, if we had kept on that course we could've accomplished much more. As for donating money, I often feel like said money goes nowhere. Whether it be for the homeless, they less fortunate, Africa as an apparent whole, or the ever-funded sink hole of cancer research. Personally, I don't believe giving money to these organizations provides any real help. How can you be sure its not being used for something else? Or you're being lied to? I'm a paranoid person, so maybe I'm the only one who thinks donating money instead of personal time is a waste. As for all the things you sarcastically stated at the beginning, yes, I agree, good thing those don't happen anymore, but now we have people, specifically in the united states, orchestrating hate crimes against right wing conservatives. So while yes, in the 50's everything was shit for a majority of people, and while everything has gotten better, you'll have to excuse me for a touch of cynicism here but in my eyes the worlds about to repeat history a little, and I assume you know the laws about repeating history.
You do realise that tech is actually advancing faster, right? It just appears that there was a boom due to greater mechanisation in the states around the time of the world wars. That's how technology works. As for donating money, I'm going to do both parts separately. First things first, as I said, 50% drop in poverty global over the past thirty years, that includes Afria so the problem is being solved. It's just the media has a habit of presenting Africa as a place that needs to be saved. As for cancer research, just list off every organ in the body, remember that each of them can get it from multiple sources, remember that it happens on a cellular level and can spread to other places, not to mention that new discoveries such as CRISPR, which lets us edit DNA supper easily, will likely fix it in the next two or so decades. As for hate crimes, people on both sides of the spectrum are dicks, we call them extremists and they've always existed. As for the cycles of history, yes, here it is: https://adaptistration-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/OCSM-Keynote-2013-04.jpg We're currently at the unravel/ crisis generation depending on who you listen to. Just because you recognise humanity has flaws doesn't mean you can't see the good. Ask anyone on this forum and they'll say I'm a misanthropist, but I still recognise this stuff. Just try to be more educated about the world and things in general, and realises that issues aren't black and white.
Okay... this could be a long response. As to your mother and father, cut them some slack. As you get older the stress of the world tends to build-up. Faith is necessary for many people. Even not reading the bible your mother has likely had it passed down from her relatives. I don't know your situation but your mother likely needs/wants faith and uses it to cope when things get rough. As to your father... changing someone's belief system is pretty much impossible when they have held onto, been raised with it. So focus on different things. What is your goal with it? Does he not recycle, does he not conserve energy? You can try approaching it from the perspective he would care about. Whether that is saving money, keeping the streets clean, etc. You are young, and I do not mean that as an insult. When you are young you are surrounded by the base of the next generation. Yes... a good portion of it will always be crap. Imagine it as a tree though. The Center is a trunk of bad ideas and mistakes. Yet each groups/individual begins to branch outwards and sometimes even flower. Some become stagnant... happy with where they are. Others will branch further and further, reaching towards the endless sky of knowledge. You branch out quicker than those around you, but with time, the rotten branches will be a distant memory and you will be surrounded with flowers/leaves of your own kind. Another piece of knowledge I can drop for life/writing is that no man is evil. Evil is an act. In the person's mind they have a warped motive for committing the act. It is usually something brought on by time and hopelessness or lust and failure. From that I will segway into the election Trump is the president. People riot and damage buildings of corporations that donated to Hillary. Trump is not a president I like. I didn't vote for him. Yet... his power is held back by the GOP. Executive Orders are not permanent. His executive orders are not the worst that we have experienced (Japanese Internment Camps in the US). Honestly, I'm waiting for him to really screw up and get impeached. Yet the truth is that we have to deal with him for 4 years. If he gets 8 years total, it would mean he is making changes that are actually making people happy. Our border laws are actually a lot more loose than most nations. Patience is key in all of your problems. Patience, Understanding, and Acceptance. It's hard to accept that you can't change certain things. It's hard to understand why people might make certain choices. It's hardest to be patient and reach a point where you are truly content and happy. Personal story- I wanted to be a biologist and discover the undiscovered in genetics. I was going to college after joining the military to earn the GI Bill. After finishing my associate's degree I got married and found a good paying job. I quit going to school, regardless of the fact that there was no cost to me. I had roughly a 3.8 GPA (Immersive Japanese Courses gave me my only B's). Yet I am still happy. I own a home, I have a nice job, and I am working in a career where I can help others. I still study and learn about the things I am passionate about. Turns out after learning a bit about genetics, it really didn't tickle my fancy. (Self study) So now I study to learn criminal psychology. It's self-study from ordered books and personal experience. I made a really good friend who even in his late 20's still had a thing for 17 year olds. He hid it from me, and I practically knocked him out when he got out of jail. Yet he would relapse and start dating another one. Always 17 years old. Some even months away from turning 18. To me this is an obvious sign of a psychological disorder; Possibly caused by some un-fulfillment during his high-school years. So I want to work towards helping "criminals" figure out and combat what is wrong with their method of thinking. The way their minds are wired if you will. The thing I'm saying is... I'd much rather have this than be a biologist discovering the genetic coding of a dung beetle. Time tends to create just as many openings as it destroys, and as long as you give it some of your patience and hard work, it will provide for you. I hope this helped. Sorry I trailed off at the end. Things will get better when you stop thinking about everything that's wrong, and start thinking about what you personally enjoy. The world inherently is horrible and amazing... Things will get better. (If you are sad, working out will release endorphins. I usually run. It has the gratifying feeling of self punishment while doing it, and accomplishment when you finish.)
While I do suffer from a fair bit of narcissistic pain, I'm quite fond of the way you bring out the facts. You remind me of a friend of mine, with very creepy similarities, aside from the misanthropy. As for being more educated about the world, I'm far too nihilistic when it comes to the world, so I'm always glad when people have answers ready. Now I'm getting into the part of when I write out my thoughts where I think I'm gonna sound like an asshole so let me re-itterate. Thank you Halisme, even though my pride wants me to argue more, my arguments are redundant and as you've pointed out, I'm far too uneducated and personally too apathetic to give a rebounding argument. Basically again, I'm fond of the way you speak. Thank you for giving me correct information, I'll take your word for it and move on knowing I now know a bit more about the world I've been born into and not just what I think the world is about.
The best way to explain my stance on humanity is picture a person of average intellect, then remember that half the world is in fact stupider than them. It explains a lot and means I never get my hopes up.
It's because the advancement of the sciences and social policies and ideas has ALWAYS fallen on the extreme minority. I think we tend to look at the past with rose-tinted glasses, because history only tells of the extraordinary doings of the few. We compare that to the lives we know, and get the impression that people these days are "different" from those from previous times. No... there's just more people in general. Just like back then, there are plenty of people working on advancement and philosophy; it's just that very little of that trickles down to the populace, just like always since the beginning of humanity. Basically, every single person in the world, ever, has been driven by a common set of goals and priorities, which are different but very similar for each person as dictated by their circumstance. The idea that "half the people of the world are idiots" is short-sighted and reveals, I think, a kind of arrogance and lack of insight into what makes people the way they are. People aren't idiots; they just work towards their own goals in their own ways. Whenever you see anyone, remember that they have inner lives and circumstances and histories just as complex and meaningful as your own. It's a hard pill to swallow, but nobody is better than anyone else; some are smarter or more motivated to do one thing or another than other people, but in the end people are people. Some people have the talent and motivation to do great things, but this is just a matter of natural proclivity and circumstance. A person isn't absolutely one thing or another; their choices and the things that happen to them and their upbringing forms a giant web that informs who they eventually become. For instance, I am a thoroughly unmotivated, not-especially-useful person, but I can think of about 2 different points in my life that could have brought me to a completely different path if one thing or another did or didn't happen. The world is vast and interconnected. So the question is, "Why do so many people lack ambition and lack interest in topics like politics, science, or writing?" It's because people do things based on the information and lifestyles and education and resources available to them. Some people just want to keep their heads above water, and will happily accept whatever momentary distractions from the dull rhythm of life that they can get. Some people want to do more, but get daunted by the difficulty of doing so. Like, if I was interested in sports, why would I stop paying attention to that to spend hours looking at something that doesn't interest me, and which I can neither change nor participate in? Basically, I'm saying that we should look at things from other peoples' perspectives, and not judge them. Everyone has their own interests, and reasons for doing what they do. In the words of Gandalf, "I’ve found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk, that keep the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love." If everyone was a great philosopher or scientist, who would make food and refine oil and do all the other things that a society needs done? Don't underestimate "regular" people. Everyone has their own role to play, according to their own circumstances.
