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Celestial Traveler
Random Observer


Registered: 03/03/11
Posts: 7,639
Loc: Idaho
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Why are humans afraid of being alone?
#23624183 - 09/07/16 10:50 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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I am trying to learn more about myself and have discovered that this could possibly be something that I experience myself - the fear of being alone.
I haven't used any drugs in a long time, but one of the most recent times that I smoked pot, I noticed a peculiar change in my mindset. I was alone at the time and was having very sentimental thoughts, and I realized that the fact that these thoughts occurred inside my mind was enough to make them real; whereas when I was sober, there were often times where I had certain thoughts, but didn't consider them "real" because I could never share them with anybody or make them understand.
Do you think that one reason why people fear being alone is that they don't trust the authenticity of their own experiences or thoughts without the validation of other people?
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connectedcosmos
Neti Neti



Registered: 02/07/15
Posts: 7,426
Loc: The Pathless Path
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Madness from being alone , one loses sanity without human interaction
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 54. The true nature of things is to be known personally , through the eyes of clear illumination and not through a sage : what the moon exactly is , is to be known with one's own eyes ; can another make him know it?
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connectedcosmos
Neti Neti



Registered: 02/07/15
Posts: 7,426
Loc: The Pathless Path
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Think of feral children and feral animals
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 54. The true nature of things is to be known personally , through the eyes of clear illumination and not through a sage : what the moon exactly is , is to be known with one's own eyes ; can another make him know it?
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Celestial Traveler
Random Observer


Registered: 03/03/11
Posts: 7,639
Loc: Idaho
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But why do they lose their sanity?
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Celestial Traveler
Random Observer


Registered: 03/03/11
Posts: 7,639
Loc: Idaho
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That's kind of what I was trying to explain in the OP.
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Crumist
Stranger


Registered: 11/02/13
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Quote:
Celestial Traveler said:whereas when I was sober, there were often times where I had certain thoughts, but didn't consider them "real" because I could never share them with anybody or make them understand.
I know that feel. I'm growing old, wasn't the whole angsty "nobody understands me" emo shit supposed to be a phase back during teenagerdom? 
Quote:
Do you think that one reason why people fear being alone is that they don't trust the authenticity of their own experiences or thoughts without the validation of other people?
Good observation. I'd go further and say most people are afraid of our own thoughts. A growing number of people practice meditation and a shrinking number practice prayer, but on the whole we are terrified of experiencing our consciousness in a blunt manner.
There is also the boring, biological, functional answer of we are evolutionary programed to be social as for the past 200,000 years of our ancestors (at the very least) co-operating with others was the only method of ensuring individual survival and it remains the only method of proving oneself "fit" and birthing offspring, selecting against loners. Only since the beginning of written history is hermatic life even remotely feasible, and then its likely the hermit isn't gonna fuck as much and therefore will have less kids and therefore will have their line die out.
EDIT:missing bracket
-------------------- 'I am all for resources being allocated to the widowed single mother of 3, lost husband over seas fighting for our country. I am for vets getting mental health access and resources following war. I am not for free money cause a woman can't close her legs or some chump with low testosterone no going to work cause "i'm sad."' -finalexplosion Nice knowin ya'll! https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/23904704/vc/1#23904704
Edited by Crumist (09/08/16 09:07 PM)
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Celestial Traveler
Random Observer


Registered: 03/03/11
Posts: 7,639
Loc: Idaho
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Re: Why are humans afraid of being alone? [Re: Crumist]
#23627215 - 09/08/16 08:53 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
Crumist said:
There is also the boring, biological, functional answer of we are evolutionary programed to be social as for the past 200,000 years of our ancestors .
Yeah I'm glad I didn't just get a bunch of those responses. I feel like the tendency to answer all social questions through evolutionary theory is sometimes a lazy way to avoid delving into the deeper mechanics of something.
And as for the emo thing, I hope that stereotypes don't muddle the point of what I'm saying here . I'm not a teenager nor emo (never heard of an adult emo anyways lol).
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DocShamen
Good Vibes



Registered: 09/06/16
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hello Celestial Traveler. we meet once again. this thought to has crossed my mind. maybe it is the fact of nothing on this earth is truely alone? biological life has a sense of being needed. such as multispores, they all come together to make a network. perhaps just the thought of being alone gives us our own form of dementia for the time being?
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laughingdog
Stranger

Registered: 03/14/04
Posts: 4,828
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Quote:
Celestial Traveler said: I am trying to learn more about myself and have discovered that this could possibly be something that I experience myself - the fear of being alone.
Do you think that one reason why people fear being alone is that they don't trust the authenticity of their own experiences or thoughts without the validation of other people?
Many people have never spent much time alone. Many people are used to doing rather silly things (things that have no personal meaning, help no one, and won't matter at those times when life becomes serious) with friends and associates much of the time. So its an unknown for them. American consumer culture promotes this shallow way of living.
Teenagers in particular while they feel they are becoming free of their restrictive parents are actually very dependent on their peers' opinions. I suppose one could read all about this.
It's not like one has to try and imitate Thoreau. For example simply beginning to keep a dream journal, could be a step, toward exploring ones uniqueness and getting to know oneself better. One could wonder if there are many other simple activities of a similar nature.
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Celestial Traveler
Random Observer


Registered: 03/03/11
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Loc: Idaho
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Re: Why are humans afraid of being alone? [Re: DocShamen]
#23627469 - 09/08/16 10:28 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
DocShamen said: hello Celestial Traveler. we meet once again. this thought to has crossed my mind. maybe it is the fact of nothing on this earth is truely alone? biological life has a sense of being needed. such as multispores, they all come together to make a network. perhaps just the thought of being alone gives us our own form of dementia for the time being?
Interesting idea.
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DocShamen
Good Vibes



Registered: 09/06/16
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I do have to agree with the principal of biology. cells find themselves working better together than alone
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RJ Tubs 202


Registered: 09/20/08
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Re: Why are humans afraid of being alone? [Re: DocShamen]
#23630623 - 09/09/16 08:57 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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We fear being alone for the same reason we fear being with others.
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DocShamen
Good Vibes



Registered: 09/06/16
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Re: Why are humans afraid of being alone? [Re: RJ Tubs 202] 1
#23630642 - 09/09/16 09:02 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
RJ Tubs 202 said: We fear being alone for the same reason we fear being with others.
so it's a paradox?
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demiu5
humans, lol


Registered: 08/18/05
Posts: 43,948
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Quote:
connectedcosmos said: Think of feral children and feral animals
feral doesn't imply alone-ness
-------------------- channel your inner Larry David
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beforethedawn
Registered: 06/19/16
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Re: Why are humans afraid of being alone? [Re: demiu5]
#23631479 - 09/10/16 07:11 AM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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I'm not afraid of being alone - most of my time is in solitude, perhaps 90%
I explore reality, life, thoughts, love . . . perceptions, dimensions, music . . .
I've sort of dedicated my life to understanding reality through consciousness.
I recently bought some things to try and please myself. I think I've lost all interest in money now. Money will never bring happiness . . .
Other people, ya know . . . we're all alone. We're all alone. Things can emerge from intimacy and bonding, but ultimately, it's just yourself that is real and remains, and must try to understand our situation.
I sort of switch between that perspective, and just being a reasonable, friendly guy that drifts around, interacts a little, tries to make people happy, tries to buy stuff, tries to live the modern way.
When you get your consciousness on a certain level, absolutely everything is interesting.
I don't think we have anything going for us but consciousness expansion. The rest of nature is finished, complete, having a great time, all we have is consciousness, we need to push and press deep into what it is and how it can be expanded.
Who sees what you see in your higher consciousness but you?
So, this song captures it; no matter what . . . (we're all alone.)
Get to know yourself, you'll exist forever.
-------------------- Hostile humankind Can't you see you're fucking blind?
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RJ Tubs 202


Registered: 09/20/08
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Loc: USA
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Re: Why are humans afraid of being alone? [Re: beforethedawn]
#23634130 - 09/10/16 10:06 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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“All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”
Blaise Pascal
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Peyote Road
Stranger

Registered: 09/02/15
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Quote:
Celestial Traveler said: But why do they lose their sanity?
Because other minds are useful to correct the blind spots unique to yours. For example, if you start freaking out over something little and your friend is there, he can say to you "relax, man. You're just being paranoid". But if you're perpetually by yourself, you have no one there to check your neuroses and you start to lose the ability to discern between what is real and what is your mind playing tricks. Maybe you start to believe there is really a good reason to live in constant fear and paranoia.
I'm not necessarily saying everyone deprived of human contact will go insane. I'm sure there are people strong minded enough not to. But in general, humans are social creatures (at least somewhat) and are meant to learn and grow through the exchange of ideas. Human interactions also foster tremendous emotional growth and experience.
-------------------- The path of the herbalist is to open ourselves to nature in an innocent and pure way. SHe in turn will open her bounty and reward us with many valuable secrets. May the earth bless you. - Michael Tierra
Edited by Peyote Road (09/11/16 08:09 PM)
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Celestial Traveler
Random Observer



Registered: 03/03/11
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Loc: Idaho
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Re: Why are humans afraid of being alone? [Re: Peyote Road]
#23637018 - 09/11/16 08:16 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
Peyote Road said:
Quote:
Celestial Traveler said: But why do they lose their sanity?
Because other minds are useful to correct the blind spots unique to yours. For example, if you start freaking out over something little and your friend is there, he can say to you "relax, man. You're just being paranoid". But if you're perpetually by yourself, you have no one there to check your neuroses and you start to lose the ability to discern between what is real and what is your mind playing tricks. Maybe you start to believe there is really a good reason to live in constant fear and paranoia.
I'm not necessarily saying everyone deprived of human contact will go insane. I'm sure there are people strong minded enough not to. But in general, humans are social creatures (at least somewhat) and are meant to learn and grow through the exchange of ideas. Human interactions also foster tremendous emotional growth and experience.
I like that response.
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MarkostheGnostic
Elder



Registered: 12/09/99
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Because humans are social beings, and solitude is a violation of one's social nature. However, one can make an intentional sacrifice of creating a family, a "Neutral Game," for a 'higher game"'plan. There are both "Low Games" beneath the "Householder Game" and "High Games" above it. Both high and low games may require sacrifices of family, friends, one's Maslowian "Belongingness Needs," for both selfless and selfish motivations. I am referring to Robert De Ropp's thesis The Master Game, which has profoundly influenced my own life. Here is a synopsis: http://www.livereal.com/spiritual_arena/spiritual_members/master_game.htm
-------------------- γνῶθι σαὐτόν - Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself
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Lucis
Nutritional Yeast

Registered: 03/28/15
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I don't worry about being alone, most of the time I am alone, I have been like that since I was young, being alone doesn't bother me one bit.
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