Designing Your Life

[Funkdaphile]

A course at MIT from the courseware one the other threads gave light to...

Pretty interesting, although the lady is kind of a bitch.

Basically it tells you you chose your life and you will continue to choose how you life will go. Stop making excuses, stop being a victim, and stop fucking around. It's your life, where you currently are is exactly where you chose to be and where you go is completely your choice and decision.

Generally just internal locus of control 101...

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Athletics--Physical-Education-and-Recreation/PE-550January--IAP--2007/CourseHome/index.htm

What do you think? Practical? Useful? Bullshit?

[LiquidIce]

Looks fun, I'll give it a look when I come back from work.

And I agree with the general message. There are too many people who bitch and moan about all the choices being made for them, the huge pressure of their peers, the government controlling everything... I mean just look at this thread: http://zoklet.net/bbs/showthread.php?t=58038. It paints a picture of people being made to do stuff... Sure, we are influenced by our culture and society and lots of other factors, but the final decision is our own. You can choose to become a hobo, or to take or not to take drugs, you can pick what school you go to, or what kinda career you'll get, what car you drive, with whom you are and what kind of sex you get.

Sure, some things need a lot of work, like becoming an astronaut n' shit, but could this even be called 'pressure'? You wanna become a spaceman, you gotta hit the gym and the class and meet requirements and exceed them for success. It's not somebody pushing you around, it's meeting requirements.

If your parents are pushing you to get into law school while you wanna be a race driver, what's stopping you? YOU! Yes, motherfucking you, you ugly asshat of a cunt. You're too dumb to make the choice, not get an ipod and money from parents and become a racer. It was your choice, but you have to bitch and moan how evil everything is and is making you do things.

Ugh, /rant.

[Ambient]

Sorry but thats an epic overgeneralization. It fits the audience of most university students who are generally overpriveledged ingrate brats who don't have such an excuse.

I think starvin marvin over in africa has a decent excuse for not becoming an astronout; I dont think Ethiopia's renowned for its cosmonautical program.

[Nero]

My locus of control is sooo mofuckin' external. :(

[LiquidIce]

Sorry but thats an epic overgeneralization. It fits the audience of most university students who are generally overpriveledged ingrate brats who don't have such an excuse.

I think starvin marvin over in africa has a decent excuse for not becoming an astronout; I dont think Ethiopia's renowned for its cosmonautical program.

Ah, yes, but doesn't this also apply to the handicapped? Why go all the way to africa to starvin marvin? That would be like saying that nay, we are not able to make our decisions because I cannot decide to become the god damned batman!

Of course there are external factors involved, we're not suspended in vacuum. But it doesn't mean that all our decisions were made for us and that's the reason we have to be unhappy.

[The Better Version]

I think normal, average, everyday Joe can have some say in how their life turns out but there is only so much one can control so to sit here and say that everyone can do anything is more or less delusional thoughts. Not everyone can get into Harvard Law, not everyone can be rich, and not everyone can lead normal lives. The human mind varies from person to person so depending on who you are depends on how much control you have over your life. I know for a fact that I can control my drug habits and my college grades but I know I'll never be able to win the Olympics because I'm too old and I have a bad back.

In my opinion it is foolish to think you can accomplish anything because you would be living in a state of denial. Know yourself and know what you are capable of and work with what you have. For instance, I know I could never be a professional painter because I just can't paint for the life of me. Even after taking so many classes and spending so much money, I just can't paint a good picture because I don't have the abilities. Of course I was able to improve my craft and even went as far as to paint a decent picture but to paint like Salvador Dalhi? No way in hell. This is why I resorted to photography because in spite of the fact that I can't paint, I still feel I have a bit of an artistic eye. Ultimately I knew my limitations but I also knew what I was capable of so when I couldn't paint, I adapted by picking up photography. Now I can name you just about every part of a camera and how it works and have even sold some prints.

Humans are capable of many things, and I feel most people underestimate themselves by thinking they can't improve their lives. There is control and you can greatly improve your life but only to a certain degree, which is dependent upon the type of person you are.

[Funkdaphile]

Sorry but thats an epic overgeneralization. It fits the audience of most university students who are generally overpriveledged ingrate brats who don't have such an excuse.

I think starvin marvin over in africa has a decent excuse for not becoming an astronout; I dont think Ethiopia's renowned for its cosmonautical program.

Ah, yes, but doesn't this also apply to the handicapped? Why go all the way to africa to starvin marvin? That would be like saying that nay, we are not able to make our decisions because I cannot decide to become the god damned batman!

Of course there are external factors involved, we're not suspended in vacuum. But it doesn't mean that all our decisions were made for us and that's the reason we have to be unhappy.

The course recognizes these facts. What they are trying to say is that it is your choice on how to interpret and let these factors affect your life. If your child dies you can either sit in your room fucked up on anti-depressants and sit lifeless in front of your T.V. OR you can use that grief and make it productive. You can raise awareness and money for the reason they died or try to set up scholarship funds or charities for kids etc.

Obviously there are incidents in life, it is about how you react to them. Starvin' Marvin in Ethiopia and the handicapped are both capable of overcoming their circumstances and leading worthwhile lives instead of staying where they are saying "Woe is me! God dealt me a shitty hand!" Get the fuck up and make your life count to you instead of being depressed and blaming God/ parents/ genetics/ accidents/ etc. Get a piece of paper, make a plan, and make it happen. That what the course teaches. It says fuck self-sympathy/loathing and yes to tough love and action.

There is no such thing as a "good excuse". As soon as you accept that you can stay where you are and feel good about just being alive or just getting through the day is where you may have just as well killed yourself. You just ACCEPTED and CHOSE a life of nothing and worthlessness.

[Captain Beyond]

So essentially it's "get over it, be positive, don't take things too seriously and try to help others"?

Well, I for one am glad they teach this at college, can't really hurt them.

[Zay]

Isnt that preaching to the choir? I don't understand how an MIT student can feel that life is holding him down...

[Struwwelpeter]

Sorry but thats an epic overgeneralization. It fits the audience of most university students who are generally overpriveledged ingrate brats who don't have such an excuse.

I think starvin marvin over in africa has a decent excuse for not becoming an astronout; I dont think Ethiopia's renowned for its cosmonautical program.

LOL. Anti-racists always use the bullshit word "generalization". The universe has a unique balance and moderation to it; get this, Ethiopians are poor because they are stupid, what with the average Ethiopian IQ being 63, (http://nazret.com/blog/index.php?title=ethiopia_low_iqs_are_africa_s_curs e_says&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1) they are not stupid because they are disadvantaged or because white people put a spell on them they are poor because they are, genetically, retarded. The idea that Africans are disadvantaged is a non-issue since they are not endowed to be astronauts anyway, they shouldn't be astronauts. You're nothing more than what the Unibomber described as a Leftist-mind, someone who hates white people and their genetics so much that they wish to replace white people with black people, in a pipe-dream fantasy where blacks are equal to whites mentally.

[Ambient]

LOL. Anti-racists always use the bullshit word "generalization". The universe has a unique balance and moderation to it; get this, Ethiopians are poor because they are stupid, what with the average Ethiopian IQ being 63, (http://nazret.com/blog/index.php?title=ethiopia_low_iqs_are_africa_s_curs e_says&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1) they are not stupid because they are disadvantaged or because white people put a spell on them they are poor because they are, genetically, retarded. The idea that Africans are disadvantaged is a non-issue since they are not endowed to be astronauts anyway, they shouldn't be astronauts. You're nothing more than what the Unibomber described as a Leftist-mind, someone who hates white people and their genetics so much that they wish to replace white people with black people, in a pipe-dream fantasy where blacks are equal to whites mentally.

http://i28.tinypic.com/2w7h7vl.jpg

[Ambient]

The course recognizes these facts. What they are trying to say is that it is your choice on how to interpret and let these factors affect your life. If your child dies you can either sit in your room fucked up on anti-depressants and sit lifeless in front of your T.V. OR you can use that grief and make it productive. You can raise awareness and money for the reason they died or try to set up scholarship funds or charities for kids etc.

Obviously there are incidents in life, it is about how you react to them. Starvin' Marvin in Ethiopia and the handicapped are both capable of overcoming their circumstances and leading worthwhile lives instead of staying where they are saying "Woe is me! God dealt me a shitty hand!" Get the fuck up and make your life count to you instead of being depressed and blaming God/ parents/ genetics/ accidents/ etc. Get a piece of paper, make a plan, and make it happen. That what the course teaches. It says fuck self-sympathy/loathing and yes to tough love and action.

There is no such thing as a "good excuse". As soon as you accept that you can stay where you are and feel good about just being alive or just getting through the day is where you may have just as well killed yourself. You just ACCEPTED and CHOSE a life of nothing and worthlessness.

I feel good about just being alive... is this a bad thing?

I think in many ways society offers the illusion of freedom through vicarious consumption, and actually material ambition is not a greater achievement than self-sympathy. Its a good sentiment, but you must ask yourself what does it mean to "make your life count"?

[Funkdaphile]

I feel good about just being alive... is this a bad thing?

I think in many ways society offers the illusion of freedom through vicarious consumption, and actually material ambition is not a greater achievement than self-sympathy. Its a good sentiment, but you must ask yourself what does it mean to "make your life count"?

I agree, but I don't think this is necessarily about material ambition and consumption. It is just about feeling fulfilled in your life. If it feels as though you have achieved this, then congrats, you have designed your life successfully around your own goals. People who take the course probably feel as if they have not, or that their goals may be misplaced and too low.

If a person really wants to be an astronaut, but they are poor and hungry in Africa, and they use that excuse for the rest of their lives as the reason why they never fulfilled their life goal and don't feel good about themselves, then that is bullshit victim mentality.

As long as you feel as though you are good about where you are and don't blame other people or situations for why you don't feel better about life, then mission accomplished.

[Ambient]

I agree, but I don't think this is necessarily about material ambition and consumption. It is just about feeling fulfilled in your life. If it feels as though you have achieved this, then congrats, you have designed your life successfully around your own goals. People who take the course probably feel as if they have not, or that their goals may be misplaced and too low.

If a person really wants to be an astronaut, but they are poor and hungry in Africa, and they use that excuse for the rest of their lives as the reason why they never fulfilled their life goal and don't feel good about themselves, then that is bullshit victim mentality.

As long as you feel as though you are good about where you are and don't blame other people or situations for why you don't feel better about life, then mission accomplished.

Yeah thats pretty much true. Credit and respect where it is due, action and devestation to those who are accountable.

Sometimes, other agency is to blame for the situation of life and in this circumstance accountability should be enacted upon where accountability is due.

Just playing devils advocate :)

[Funkdaphile]

Yeah thats pretty much true. Credit and respect where it is due, action and devestation to those who are accountable.

Sometimes, other agency is to blame for the situation of life and in this circumstance accountability should be enacted upon where accountability is due.

Just playing devils advocate :)

I get you, but that is in a more professional and legal sense. It is your responsibility to move on with your life and get it to where you want it regardless of how others have treated you. Recognizing blame for a second but then moving the fuck on and rectifying your life and not just the situation. Let the lawyers spend time assigning blame and punishment for crimes.

This is obviously disregarding areas of where freedom is tangibly and realistically being restricted in one way or another. I.E. someone has you handcuffed and gagged in their basement and hasn't fed you in days or those unfortunates who have landed themselves in prison. But even then you have choices on how to handle those situations.