# Feeling Emotions **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 5, 2020, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349 "2020-08-05T16:53:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/41 "2020-08-29T03:53:44Z")
> [@Machinaforce](#): > > She’s speaking from experience What makes you so sure of that? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/42 "2020-08-29T07:42:14Z")
Dude. Please. She’s a quack. Like I said: You’re searching for the meaning of life. And your ‘life’ is passing by. Look, there’s no meaning to ‘life’ No sky pixies, no fairies or meditation ‘experts’ that will save you from yourself. Just like the rest of the human race you’re gonna have to find your own way. Eastern religions, Western religions, whatever can help. With a sense of community or to part of something. But it will not cure what ails you. Why can’t you look back over all your old threads. It’s always the same thing. You looking for answers. Listen real close: There are NO answers. None, nil, nada, zero. You may as well worship Bozo the Clown. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/43 "2020-08-29T13:32:11Z")
> [@Machinaforce](#): > > She’s speaking from experience She’s speaking out of her ass. Why do you WANT to be exploited and manipulated by random bloggers on the internet? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/44 "2020-08-29T17:14:07Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > You may as well worship Bozo the Clown. Lots of worse choices! ---
**Author:** ![Machinaforce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@Machinaforce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machinaforce)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/45 "2020-09-01T03:12:14Z")
The manner of speaking and that she is a meditator as well ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/46 "2020-09-01T17:16:20Z")
The quote starts with “You spend enough time in meditation, you will realize that you never genuinely feel feelings in the first place” So if we assume she’s being completely honest, this bullpap is something she _just thought up_. It’s something she “realized”. It’s not a piece of information that came to her from any sort of reliable source, it’s just a thought that came to her that she liked enough to decide was true. So while she is indeed speaking from experience (presuming she’s not lying), then the experience she herself says she’s speaking about is that of _pulling stuff out of her ass_. So yes, by her own words, she’s speaking out of her ass. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/47 "2020-09-01T17:49:49Z")
> [@Machinaforce](#): > > The manner of speaking and that she is a meditator as well But is she “eastern spiritual”? ---
**Author:** ![Machinaforce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@Machinaforce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machinaforce)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/48 "2020-09-04T03:05:42Z")
I mean the reference is meditation so I assume so. I’m afraid to say she is wrong and end up living in falsehood. I mean I think I quoted a part where she said that one with true understanding knows there is no reason to feel any way about any event since it’s all just random occurances. ---
**Author:** ![Machinaforce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@Machinaforce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machinaforce)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/49 "2020-09-04T03:06:09Z")
I don’t think it’s exploitation since nothing is being sold to me. It came up in a conversation. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/50 "2020-09-04T10:06:25Z")
> [@Machinaforce](#): > > I mean the reference is meditation so I assume so. > > I’m afraid to say she is wrong and end up living in falsehood. So, just to be clear: you said that you _worried,_ and then you said that you were _really bothered_; and, after saying you were _concerned,_ you’re now saying you’re _afraid?_ Are there any emotions that you _don’t_ feel? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/51 "2020-09-04T12:28:14Z")
> [@Machinaforce](#): > > I don’t think it’s exploitation since nothing is being sold to me. It came up in a conversation. Not everything being “sold” costs money. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/52 "2020-09-04T12:29:52Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Are there any emotions that you _don’t_ feel? Incredulity. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/53 "2020-09-04T12:54:59Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Incredulity.  On the contrary, he believes _nothing_ that anybody here says. But somehow he’s not afraid of believing what any random would-be Buddhist on the internet says, and ending up living in falsehood. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/54 "2020-09-04T13:00:02Z")
For all we know, he’s telling everybody how smart we all are and that all those other people he talks to must be full of shit. …he doesn’t, does he. 😞 ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/55 "2020-09-04T14:18:03Z")
I feel (I mean, I really, deeply feel ) like this thread is missing a soundtrack. Just not sure if Rock [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/33ClrPlzuVQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion (Live)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33ClrPlzuVQ) R&B [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NrJEFrth27Q/maxresdefault.jpg "Mariah Carey - Emotions") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrJEFrth27Q) or trashy Club music… [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HdWN2aadJNI/hqdefault.jpg "Emotions - Feeling Emotions (club mix) 1994") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdWN2aadJNI) ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/56 "2020-09-04T15:12:28Z")
> [@Machinaforce](#): > > I’m afraid to say she is wrong and end up living in falsehood. So just to be entirely clear, a random person says, “If you meditate long enough you will realize that you don’t have legs” or somesuch business, you will choose to believe that you don’t have legs out of fear that you have been wrong all these years and this whole time you really haven’t had legs? > [@Machinaforce](#): > > I mean I think I quoted a part where she said that one with true understanding knows there is no reason to feel any way about any event since it’s all just random occurances. It’s probably worth noting that even if reality really _was_ all just random occurrences, this would be a stupid position to take. Suppose a heavy box just randomly falls off a high shelf and lands on my foot. The fact that it happened randomly is _no reason whatsoever_ for me to stop howling in pain. I mean, that’s just stupid. And her problem isn’t really with randomity, by the way - from the statements you quoted, she has a problem with the fact that things in reality are made up of smaller parts. Yep, it’s that old canard - that because tables are made of molecules they aren’t really tables anymore. So to summarize, if she meditates hard enough she confuses herself. Simple as that. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/57 "2020-09-05T10:09:37Z")
Considering the amount of superficial cheesiness this random meditator has foisted on **Machinaforce** , this seems more appropriate; [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-LlSvNTWiNs/maxresdefault.jpg "Emotions - Bee Gees -") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LlSvNTWiNs) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/58 "2020-09-12T01:17:28Z")
> [@Machinaforce](#): > > I’m afraid to say she is wrong and end up living in falsehood. I mean I think I quoted a part where she said that one with true understanding knows there is no reason to feel any way about any event since it’s all just random occurances. I offer this advice in total sincerity; you need to stop reading about how to feel, get out of your house, and live life and feel whatever it makes you feel. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/59 "2020-09-12T01:36:23Z")
Look, **Machinaforce** , you’re drowning, and wearing yourself out struggling, and people here are throwing you lifelines. And you’re choosing to drown instead of listening to common sense like this: > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Quit reading whatever that person wrote. She doesn’t know you. > Dude, it’s not worth it. > ‘Life’ is passing you by as you search in vain for the meaning of ‘Life’ > > Please, please stop with the Buddhism. It’s obviously the source of your discomfort. > > No spiritual doctrine can ever help you until you figure yourself out. > > Man, it’s the human condition. It’s the story of my life. It’s the story of everyones life. > No outside force of any kind can give your life meaning, alone. > It takes a balance of many fragments of things. Love, Career, Family, Pets, maybe a religion, and many many other things. > The key is to find a combination of things and fit them together for a proper life. > My life and anyones life, including some anoymous woman on the internet will not have what ‘You’ need for happiness. > Only you can find your combination. > > Buddhism is not what you need. Drop it. Don’t read anymore about it. So I doubt you’ll pay any attention to everyone else who’s trying to help: > [@RickJay](#): > > I offer this advice in total sincerity; you need to stop reading about how to feel, get out of your house, and live life and feel whatever it makes you feel. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349/60 "2020-09-12T19:42:08Z")
We might be in the position of telling someone with clinical depression, “Just cheer up.” The problems may go beyond common-sense volitional treatment. In which case, see a doctor and get a referral to a mental health professional. And, unfortunately, that takes a lot of volition, and is not easy. An awful lot of specialists, even with a doctor’s and insurance company’s referral, will say, “We are not seeing new patients at this time.” There is a shortage, at least in some regions. Airing one’s feelings on an anonymous bbs to people who are, for the most part, well-intentioned, is not the _worst_ thing one might do. We will, at very least, listen. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeling-emotions/917349.md?page=4)