Engaged in life?

Manniquin, Erik has used this quote of yours as a signature, and I thought it a good topic for discussion. If it was the subject of a thread already, I have been unable to find it. So what does it mean to be engaged in life? I wonder if I've missed it? and what could I do to regain it?

"To not be engaged in life is to not really be alive, in this state, one may never know that he is alive."

- Mannequin

That quote is fire, is it not?

I chose this quote for my signature, because it reminds me of a very germane topic in regards to modernity; human artifice is taking over the ' real '. The constant flow of media, information, symbols, signs, etc, is making our consciousness turbid. Many people have a difficult time deciphering the real from the unreal. Working 9-5 jobs, in cubicles, cut off from nature and any sense of grand narrative of the world, has many living lives of silent despair. The movie Fight Club comes to mind.

Zombification

I will delineate on that more in another thread soon.

BardoXV wrote:

So what does it mean to be engaged in life?    I wonder if I've missed it? and what could I do to regain it?  

Well, what do you think it means?

Is that wonder completely invoked by the quote or have you always wondered that you have missed something? at this point, what is there to regain? was there anything to regain? is it possible to turn back time? will time trust you? will you trust you if time trusts you?

Are things different now?
Are you different now?

What would the mere wonder signify?

Erik wrote:

That quote is fire, is it not?

I chose this quote for my signature, because it reminds me of a very germane topic in regards to modernity; human artifice is taking over the ' real '. The constant flow of media, information, symbols, signs, etc, is making our consciousness turbid. Many people have a difficult time deciphering the real from the unreal. Working 9-5 jobs, in cubicles, cut off from nature and any sense of grand narrative of the world, has many living lives of silent despair. The movie Fight Club comes to mind.

Zombification

I will delineate on that more in another thread soon.

To my credit I'm retired and my house is in the woods, so I am exposed to nature 24/7 and I am very comfortable with that, as is my wife, which might explain the length of our marriage, 37 years this month. Along with that I am constantly fascinated with cosmology and quantum theories and everything in between, there is very little in nature that doesn't stir some interest in me.

mannequin wrote:

BardoXV wrote:

So what does it mean to be engaged in life?    I wonder if I've missed it? and what could I do to regain it?  

Well, what do you think it means?

Is that wonder completely invoked by the quote or have you always wondered that you have missed something? at this point, what is there to regain? was there anything to regain? is it possible to turn back time? will time trust you? will you trust you if time trusts you?

Are things different now?
Are you different now?

What would the mere wonder signify?

I have no illusions about reliving the past, my question was regarding from this time on. I'm not sure that I have really missed anything compared to what I have experienced, I was just wondering what others might have experienced that they found meaningful. There is always the question, at least there was for me, if things had been different, what would I have gained and what would I have lost. What did you do that allowed you to really feel alive?

BardoXV

Quote :

So what does it mean to be engaged in life? I wonder if I've missed it? and what could I do to regain it?

If you're asking those questions, you're already engaged in life.
Questions about meaning, wonder, doing - engage us in life.
Using your mind to think and your emotions to feel is actively engaging you in the art of life or living.

Quote :

There is always the question, at least there was for me, if things had been different, what would I have gained and what would I have lost.

I don't think that you could answer that question without being able to know what things would have been different. You would have to go back in time and change many things. Anyway, anything you think would simply be hindsight.

Reflect on the here and now. What can be different, what can you do differently - but be very careful about your thinking.

Bardo

Does Arc's answer satisfy your questions about the quote?

mannequin wrote:

Bardo

Does Arc's answer satisfy your questions about the quote?

I think it is a good continuation of the discussion, if you are satisfied in it's finality, so be it.

i'm not...I was wondering if you are?

Arcturus Descending wrote:

BardoXV

Quote :

There is always the question, at least there was for me, if things had been different, what would I have gained and what would I have lost.

I don't think that you could answer that question without being able to know what things would have been different. You would have to go back in time and change many things. Anyway, anything you think would simply be hindsight.

Reflect on the here and now. What can be different, what can you do differently - but be very careful about your thinking.

In other words, "be careful what you wish for, you might get it". Speculation about the past can be interesting, but it shouldn't preoccupy you to the point of ignoring the present.

mannequin wrote:

i'm not...I was wondering if you are?

As I said it is a good continuation, and I'm all for continuing the discussion with whoever is willing to engage.   I would think there is much more that can be said, even if there is little that needs to be said.

FYI, I have no objections in this thread taking off in different directions, whatever the participants want. I'm not one of those who thinks a thread is strictly limited to the OP.

BardoXV wrote:

mannequin wrote:

i'm not...I was wondering if you are?

As I said it is a good continuation, and I'm all for continuing the discussion with whoever is willing to engage.   I would think there is much more that can be said, even if there is little that needs to be said.  

If you could go back would you change anything in your life?

mannequin wrote:

BardoXV wrote:

mannequin wrote:

i'm not...I was wondering if you are?

As I said it is a good continuation, and I'm all for continuing the discussion with whoever is willing to engage.   I would think there is much more that can be said, even if there is little that needs to be said.  

If you could go back would you change anything in your life?

That is an extremely difficult question, given that I have children and grandchildren, and none of them am I willing to give up to change the present. Perhaps someone without offspring could more easily name certain aspects of their lives that they could change, but offspring tend to lock anyone with feelings about them into the present situation. My oldest grandchild will be 21 this April, but 9 years ago my grandson was born and I have been the 3rd parent since then, and 5 years ago my granddaughter was born in the same situation. I just don't see how I could ever want to change anything. There is always the question, if you give up one aspect of your past, what else will you loose. I believe that Orson Bean did a TV program many years ago that explored this idea.

BardoXV wrote:

mannequin wrote:

BardoXV wrote:

mannequin wrote:

i'm not...I was wondering if you are?

As I said it is a good continuation, and I'm all for continuing the discussion with whoever is willing to engage.   I would think there is much more that can be said, even if there is little that needs to be said.  

If you could go back would you change anything in your life?

That is an extremely difficult question, given that I have children and grandchildren, and none of them am I willing to give up to change the present.   Perhaps someone without offspring could more easily name certain aspects of their lives that they could change, but offspring tend to lock anyone with feelings about them into the present situation.   My oldest grandchild will be 21 this April, but 9 years ago my grandson was born and I have been the 3rd parent since then, and 5 years ago my granddaughter was born in the same situation.   I just don't see how I could ever want to change anything.  There is always the question, if you give up one aspect of your past, what else will you loose.   I believe that Orson Bean did a TV program many years ago that explored this idea.  

If you take a look at my butchered quote..a rewritten version by trixie ..

"To BE engaged in life is to not really be alive, in this state, one may never know that he is alive."

A typical female perspective drenched in modern nihilism, would this version bring you more comfort the way it does her?

mannequin wrote:

If you take a look at my butchered quote..a rewritten version by trixie ..

"To BE engaged in life is to not really be alive, in this state, one may never know that he is alive."

A typical female perspective drenched in modern nihilism, would this version bring you more comfort the way it does her?

As you say, Trixie butchered it, the rewritten version makes less sense, and in fact is a bit contradictory. How can you be engaged in life and yet not really be alive. But then its the typical nihilism that I've read in her other posts, so no surprises there. The only way I could see that as being valid is if being engaged in life is interpreted as being so busy with the stuff of life that you miss the actual activity of being alive. If that is what she meant then it's a case of not seeing the forest for the trees. In that case a bit of reevaluation might be in order. In my case I have lived an examined life from many aspects and I like to think that I am aware of what is going on around me. To put it another way I see both the forest and the trees. There's too much good for me to want out of this life yet.

BardoXV wrote:

mannequin wrote:

If you take a look at my butchered quote..a rewritten version by trixie ..

"To BE engaged in life is to not really be alive, in this state, one may never know that he is alive."

A typical female perspective drenched in modern nihilism, would this version bring you more comfort the way it does her?

As you say, Trixie butchered it, the rewritten version makes less sense, and in fact is a bit contradictory.   How can you be engaged in life and yet not really be alive.   But then its the typical nihilism that I've read in her other posts, so no surprises there.    The only way I could see that as being valid is if being engaged in life is interpreted as being so busy with the stuff of life that you miss the actual activity of being alive.   If that is what she meant then it's a case of not seeing the forest for the trees.   In that case a bit of reevaluation might be in order.   In my case I have lived an examined life from many aspects and I like to think that I am aware of what is going on around me.   To put it another way I see both the forest and the trees.  There's too much good for me to want out of this life yet.  

It's beyond your comprehension, old man. Out with the old, in with the new.

mannequin wrote:

A typical female perspective drenched in modern nihilism, would this version bring you more comfort the way it does her?

Is that what the kids call it these days?

As usual when Trixie can't explain something, she retreats behind the excuse that the reader can't understand what she has written.

BardoXV wrote:

As usual when Trixie can't explain something, she retreats behind the excuse that the reader can't understand what she has written.  

You understand only on a basic level. I doubt your ability to go any deeper with this.

mannequin wrote:

Bardo

Does Arc's answer satisfy your questions about the quote?

mannequin, I would not assume that my response would satisfy his question. If it did completely satisfy him, I would pretty much figure that he already had things worked out.

Do you think that to be engaged in life is so black and white that one perspective given would be enough? It was kind of like an opening statement to a discussion.
Your modus operandi was to ask him questions and mine was to offer a perspective. Perspectives can be legion, you know.

Perhaps you might have asked him the question - What do You mean by "engage" - just saying.
There are different ways to go about it.

Arcturus Descending wrote:

Perhaps you might have asked him the question - What do You mean by "engage" - just saying.
There are different ways to go about it.

What does it mean to you to not be engaged in life?

mannequin wrote:

Arcturus Descending wrote:

Perhaps you might have asked him the question - What do You mean by "engage" - just saying.
There are different ways to go about it.

What does it mean to you to not be engaged in life?

More importantly, what do we mean by "life"? Is it just working, eating, sleeping and watching TV? Or is living more about understanding and being engaged in relationships with the others in your life, and the awareness of, and in awe of the world around you?

Indeed

The quote was open to interpretation and subjective insertion.

Erik inserted himself directly into it and he found great fire because he has high standards and a profound will, the fire he discovered is the fire burning within him, the desire for life.

mannequin wrote:

Arcturus Descending wrote:

Perhaps you might have asked him the question - What do You mean by "engage" - just saying.
There are different ways to go about it.

What does it mean to you to not be engaged in life?

I would prefer to keep it focused more on the positive than the negative.

To be engaged in life for me is to be a willing and active participant in life, to do things which contribute to our own personal evolution and that of others...for instance, participating in a philosophy forum in order to learn, to teach, to engage/participate in the larger and more profound questions of life.

To be engaged in life would be the warrior going off to war, the teacher in the classroom, the farmer on his tractor, the children playing with their mud pies, lol you and I being in here actively engaging in discussion with my obviously annoying you. I find it to be a compliment when a man says that I am annoying him. That means that I am fully being engaged in life.

Engaging something is meeting it headlong, either struggling with it, discovering the newness of it, along with all of the emotions and thoughts which it gives us.