# Do you experience emptiness? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 13, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059 "2016-04-13T03:40:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/1 "2016-04-13T03:40:42Z")
I do not know how to define emptiness scientifically. According to [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emptiness), “Emptiness as a human condition is a sense of generalized boredom, social alienation and apathy.” ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/2 "2016-04-13T03:45:08Z")
> [@CCitizen](#): > > I do not know how to define emptiness scientifically. According to [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emptiness), “Emptiness as a human condition is a sense of generalized boredom, social alienation and apathy.” Yup, that about sums it up. Also, my beers often feel emptiness. ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/3 "2016-04-13T03:47:12Z")
Definitely – I can not really describe that feeling. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/4 "2016-04-13T03:54:38Z")
Depression, yes. Emptiness, no: I’m well surrounded with interesting things. I’m never bored, and rarely lonely. If nothing else, I’ve got a huge stack of books I want to read. (The stack of books is named “Project Gutenberg!”) Someone once said, “If you’re sensitive, the world hurts you. If not, the world bores you.” I am never bored. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/5 "2016-04-13T03:58:10Z")
Doesn’t everyone at some point in their lives? So… yes. ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/6 "2016-04-13T03:59:52Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Depression, yes. Emptiness, no: I’m well surrounded with interesting things. I’m never bored, and rarely lonely. If nothing else, I’ve got a huge stack of books I want to read. (The stack of books is named “Project Gutenberg!”) > > Someone once said, “If you’re sensitive, the world hurts you. If not, the world bores you.” I am never bored. I am very empty and lonely. Few people understand me. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/7 "2016-04-13T04:25:40Z")
I don’t understand people who claim to be happy. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/8 "2016-04-13T05:00:37Z")
Not anymore. I did when I was younger and trapped in a situation that stopped me from pursuing the things that matter to me. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/9 "2016-04-13T05:09:28Z")
Rarely. I am just too interested in too many things (too diversified) to feel like that very much or often. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/10 "2016-04-13T13:00:11Z")
For myself, I define emptiness as the opposite of feeling fulfilled and purposeful. Hour to hour I might feel fulfilled because I’m working on a project for work or a personal project, or spending time with my son or wife or a friend. Then suddenly I’ll have an idle Saturday morning that starts out just mildly bored, uncertain of what to do with myself. If I’m not careful I might fall down a rabbit hole and start questioning what I’m doing with my life - doubting whether I am really getting what I want out of life and am using my time on earth wisely. At this point in my life I’ve been able to limit those feelings of emptiness to pretty much be just ephemeral bad moods. I quickly realize I really am fulfilled most of the time, even though it doesn’t feel like it at the time. Everyone has bad moods. For people who feel empty all or most of the time, I think you deserve to spend some time figuring out what’s missing from your life and make some changes to feel more fulfilled. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/11 "2016-04-13T13:21:06Z")
I would need to be far more self aware to ever feel "emptiness. " ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/12 "2016-04-13T13:24:08Z")
When I am not occupied with anything, I feel empty. So I try to occupy my mind to not feel empty. One thing is for sure, I don’t feel as excited as before when I accomplish something. I think the excitement is going to diminish even more with age. I read somewhere that ultimate aim of human life is 1. Self realisation 2. Helping others. Of course one can’t be doing these 2 things all the time so one has to diversify. But these 2 things give most satisfaction from what I read. I want to agree with this. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/13 "2016-04-13T13:25:25Z")
> [@CCitizen](#): > > I am very empty and lonely. This could be clinical depression, addressable with medication and/or [CBT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_behavioral_therapy). It could be that you need to do some spiritual or philosophical searching, for God or inner peace or the meaning of (your) life. It could be that you need to “get a life” and find a vocation or avocation or interests or activities or relationships that absorb and fulfill you. > [@](#): > > Few people understand me. How well do you understand other people? [QUOTE=St. Francis] [grant that I may not so much seek … To be understood as to understand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_of_Saint_Francis) [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/14 "2016-04-13T13:32:34Z")
I never feel empty or bored. At any time in my life, no matter what I am doing, I am aware of other things I could be doing that would interest me. I generally enjoy my work, but I have a long mental list of things to do if I have a lull or a few minutes to spend on non-work. When I am not working, I have books and magazines to read, musical instruments to play, places to walk, home improvement projects to work on, children and grandchildren to contact, and friends to visit. The world is full of things that interest me. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/15 "2016-04-13T13:40:54Z")
I suddenly reflected on what I was doing at the moment, and answered emphatically YES. But actually, not really. I pace myself through the day, allow for a nap when there is nothing compelling to be thought about. I’ve found that some people “are always thinking about something”, and other people find it exhausting to even contemplate that idea. One’s life is not empty if he is always thinkig, and about things that do not drag him down. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/16 "2016-04-13T13:45:32Z")
I don’t understand people who seem to have ok lives and are miserable all the time. Misery begets misery. I’m not saying we shouldn’t strive but at some point you need to learn to be content with what you have, or you will be miserable. That being said, of course I have felt my share of ennui. I posted specifically to say that even the happiest people - and I am very happy and content - have moments of it. It’s part of the human condition. ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/17 "2016-04-13T19:16:39Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > For myself, I define emptiness as the opposite of feeling fulfilled and purposeful. Hour to hour I might feel fulfilled because I’m working on a project for work or a personal project, or spending time with my son or wife or a friend. I feel like I have achieved nothing in life. :mad: Like there is little hope for achieving. ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/18 "2016-04-13T19:18:06Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > This could be clinical depression, addressable with medication Taking antidepressants since mid '90s. ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/19 "2016-04-13T19:20:36Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I don’t understand people who seem to have ok lives and are miserable all the time. Misery begets misery. I’m not saying we shouldn’t strive but at some point you need to learn to be content with what you have, or you will be miserable. Franz Kafka has turned misery into great art. My favorite story is [The Hunger Artist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Hunger_Artist). ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059/20 "2016-04-13T19:23:47Z")
I can’t say I really do. There are things about my life I would like to be different, but not having those things doesn’t make me feel empty. I have a wife and kids and extended family who all love me, a strong religious faith, and I volunteer at organizations where I feel like I’m contributing to people (boy scouts, church, etc). I’m learning to play a musical instrument. I like to read and cook. Honestly I wish there were more hours in the day. I feel terrible sympathy for people who do not feel like their life is fulfilling or purposeful. I know I’m fortunate. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-experience-emptiness/752059.md?page=2)