thinking too much??

WingsOfTheNeophyte · Nov 4, 2006

and do you think one can think too much? reasons?

I think, it is possible to think too much,

However I doubt, straightfoward thinking, can overload the brain,

engaging, in multitasking activities, that require large thought outputs, in a short time, for all of the tasks, will probably form some sort of neurosis in the long run

probably

Apollonian · Nov 4, 2006

I don't really think it is ultimately the thought which "overloads" people. From my experience talking with people at university, it is the emotional turmoil which thought brings about which people retreat from.

The reasoning goes something like "If I actually devoted a good deal of time to thinking I would realize how pitiful my position in life really is. Why would I ever want to do that?" It is a cognitive distortion, devised by the Enemy to keep people from realizing their higher potentials in both the physical and metaphysical worlds.

At times, though, I can't say that I blame them. Thinking too much does seem to take a toll on one's ability to remain blissfully ignorant of the great extremes of human existence. Upon "too much thought", the whole of life may seem to reduce to one giant "slippery slope" unless you can find meaning and grasp on for dear life!

What is the meaning of life for those of us who "think too much"? Any ideas on our purpose beyond our respective dayjobs?

Received · Nov 4, 2006

There is a truth to thinking too much that transcends the arbitrary preferences of the thoughtless crowd -- it means consuming the concrete in favor of the abstract; a form of escapism. The one flushed with thought neglects his own duties, even his own life -- life is found in self-transcendence: the self towards a specific meaning appropriate for each particular self, and this striving is what makes the self the self, freely chosen -- the self is the freedom involved with striving for its own particularity qualified by meaning. Kierkegaard called it "the eternal", "the good", which are both synonyms for God. There is a danger in thinking too much just as there is in its more conspicuous antithesis: busyness -- that is, work without the consciousness of it as relevant to one's particular meaning. Busyness, too, is a form of escapism -- whereas with superlative contemplation one is lofted up to the clouds of thought, where there is comfort, the thrill in the occassional discovery, the perpetual attempt to climb away from the gnawings of doubt, in busyness one has a sort of stimulation, a worldly conception of progress, a cleverly concealed will to power. Even outside this understanding of meaning, too much thought can easily lead to -- more thought, no concreteness with which to make philosophy even useful to one's life outside of meaning; one philosophizes for its own sake, all abstractions lead to other abstractions, and the concept of progress, intertwined as it is with the real world, becomes held in a sort of contempt -- the real world is no longer what it once was held to be; the real world is found in abstraction. And so the individual sacrifices reality for the concepts that are used to understand it. But this really doesn't matter; his paradise is considered to be precisely here. A subtle egoism.

Apollonian · Nov 5, 2006

Received said:
Even outside this understanding of meaning, too much thought can easily lead to -- more thought, no concreteness with which to make philosophy even useful to one's life outside of meaning; one philosophizes for its own sake, all abstractions lead to other abstractions, and the concept of progress, intertwined as it is with the real world, becomes held in a sort of contempt -- the real world is no longer what it once was held to be;

True. However, I believe this is why we invented science: to be that stabilizing element, the "reality check" upon philosophy pertaining to the nature of reality.

Secondly, I think that as the relevance of science begins to dwindle as Modernism fades, what you say becomes even more poignant. People are beginning to put more stock into ideas and cultures rather than real consequences. This is why I appreciate the humor of Kierkegaard who understood the silly nature of flavoring reality through ideas rather than confronting reality itself.

"What the philosophers say about Reality is often as disappointing as a sign you see in a shop window which reads: Pressing Done Here. If you brought your clothes to be pressed, you would be fooled; for only the sign is for sale." - Soren Kierkegaard, from Either/Or

And yet, at least philosophy gives me a good way to make friends with whom I relate well. If philosophy is found to be self-perpetuating and ultimately impractical in itself, I might as well make it practical by using it as a device for social gain (though I can't say I've had much luck *sigh*).

It begs the question: What exactly is "philosophy" anyway? I would certainly hope that you do not have to be a "philosopher" in order to think, but what is thinking? If you "think" about whether you particularly liked what you ate for lunch, is that the same as thinking about whether your decision in a political election was the morally appropriate one or whether it had any moral bearing at all? What is the difference between honest open-mindedness and fruitless philosophizing?

...but then again, maybe I am overthinking the idea of "thinking too much." Aaah, the irony, neh?

Received · Nov 5, 2006

There's actually a remarkable little quote in the beginning section of Either/Or from which you quoted that speaks of recollection as the most preferable form of living conceivable -- and this is true: infinitely true. Recollection is the best, it is ideal -- so long as one remains in it. But because we return to reality, it has the potential to become the worst imaginable, ideality's way of kicking one while he is down. Recollection brutalizes reality by temporarily fulfilling one's desires while one is within it (recollection) and then ripping them away, the break being man's torment; a problem of adaptation -- such as when a man recollects his past love, and returns to his reality where she is no longer his. Thus: recollection is excellent; recollection is terrifying. Recollection in itself; recollection's relation to reality. The deception of recollection is that it promises the fantasy that the individual can stay within it -- when nothing is more impossible: a fact that can only be grasped when one is in reality. But then the individual is depressed enough to wish for it again -- a momentary salvation, anything at all, anything but this -- what one is!

Getting back to the debate:

Science is a reality check; but science also offers the same possibility that philosophy offers -- a perpetual contemplation on particulars, theory, and so on.

BTW: Kierkegaard owns.

shye · Nov 10, 2006

elman said:
No one cannot think too much, but we can overanalize and make the simple into the complicated.

I find myself do that a lot when I am high

meebs · Nov 11, 2006

mariechen said:
i get this a lot:

you think too much!
don't overanalyse
you're way too deep

have any of you ever been given this?
and do you think one can think too much? reasons?

i get the same thing... also i get told i talk too much.

there are situations where you think too much, for example, ive been trying to learn to scuba dive for ages - but i panick even though i really want to do it, i fail and its taking me heck of a lot longer to learn - as opposed to others who just do it. The reason im told after people have listened why, is that i over think it. i cant help myself, im a thinker. (im not saying they dont think or are shallow, but they just get on with it).

So there are situations you need to cut back, i suppose.

Emmy · Nov 11, 2006

Dear mariechen, I enjoyed reading your replies, and have learned something very apt. I too, thought too much, and was told so, but reading elman`s reply: it is not wrong to think much, but to overanalize, turns the simple into complicated. Thanks for the reminder, it is absolutely true, and I will definitely follow that advice. Try not to overanalize, mariechen. I say this humbly and kindly. Greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ.

Robbie_James_Francis · Nov 11, 2006

I don't think that the idea of thinking too much is relevant. As someone else said, it's about thinking rightly or wrongly, in the thought processes, the topic being thought about and in the conclusions reached.

The most likely reason that people say that is that they are content with the 'dance of shadows'.

xGothicBootsx · Nov 18, 2006

I'm notorious for thinking too much! Yes, I sort of believe we can overload our brain with info and over analyse things. I do it when the answer may be right in front of me, a simple concept. But usually I think 'no, there's got to be more to it' and start to veer off course. I like thinking though, but it can get obsessive and you need to know when to stop. It's a health and safety issue

mahalia · Nov 20, 2006

xGothicBootsx said:
I'm notorious for thinking too much! Yes, I sort of believe we can overload our brain with info and over analyse things. I do it when the answer may be right in front of me, a simple concept. But usually I think 'no, there's got to be more to it' and start to veer off course. I like thinking though, but it can get obsessive and you need to know when to stop. It's a health and safety issue

hehehe.

when i was about 6, my teacher took every kid to the passage on his/her own and showed them a pic of an apple. just a plain, red apple. she asked them what it was. apparently (i don't remember this, my teacher saw me at a tea the other day and told me about it) most kids answered "apple"; while three other kids (including myself) sat for about ten minutes, mentioning all the possibilities. after my turn was over, i apparently stood up and said, "Miss, i you don't mind could i go have a drink of water? my head hurts."

sk8Joyful · Nov 21, 2006

shye said:
I find myself do that a lot when I am high

"Being High" is a wonderful GOD-blessed Mind-skill, and
best of all,
no "alcohol nor other external drugs" are needed, for enjoying this state...

Cheers!

Annie

The Nihilist · Nov 21, 2006

unless you count weed as a drug, I guess

sk8Joyful · Nov 21, 2006

DailyBlessings said:
You cannot think too much, but you can think wrongly.
If your mind takes an illogical turn and you do not notice,
you can be thinking some pretty bizarre things before someone points it out.

Did you know: that it's wrong for a Bumble-bee to fly?
That this is illogical, for it's aerodynamically impossible.
How bizarre then, that the Bumble-bee flies, and successfully.

Did you know: that it's wrong for a woman, like myself with no Bone-density left,
that (after that horrific diagnosis) - to illogically think
she can yet become an Ice-skater , and even a Figure-skating student; impossible.
How bizarre then, that both I am enjoying... now, with the encouragement of my family, Coach
and the rest of my Skating-friends...

Cheers!

Annie

Eudaimonist · Nov 21, 2006

sk8Joyful said:
Did you know: that it's wrong for a Bumble-bee to fly?
That this is illogical, for it's aerodynamically impossible.

BTW, this is a myth. The aerodynamics of bumblebee flight is understood.

eudaimonia,

Mark

sk8Joyful · Nov 21, 2006

Received said:
Getting back to the debate:

Science is a reality check

Fortunately,
enuf of us individuals have proven 'science'
(as it's currently Believed, & worshipped) just
a mere small perceptual map, of the much bigger, broader Reality-territory.

Annie

The Nihilist · Nov 22, 2006

sk8Joyful said:
Fortunately,
enuf of us individuals have proven 'science'
(as it's currently Believed, & worshipped) just
a mere small perceptual map, of the much bigger, broader Reality-territory.

Annie

You make not one damn bit of sense, girl.

mahalia · Nov 22, 2006

from reading a whole load of posts in the philosophy forum... i'm afraid... philosophy doesn't really make one damn bit of sense. unless you want it to make sense.

nuvesta · Nov 24, 2006

No, you cannot think too much. If someone often says this to you, then it's likely they think too little.

Casstranquility · Nov 26, 2006

I think I think too much. When I try to stop thinking, I find I still am. And I'm also fond of going deep into things. I'd rather be there then on the shallow end of thinking. That bores me. Is it possible to think too much? I think that if you can't quiet your mind, and enter silence, then, yes, you can think too much. There is a time for thinking, and a time for silence. God is found in the silence and investigated in the thoughts.
So is life. And love, and well, everything.

thinking too much??

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