askchapo

dumb neolithic huntsman who is grateful for his bed of fur in his cave

misconception of life in the neolithic. neolithic lived experience would be more like communal living on a (likely matriarchal) vineyard with a bunch of vegetarians

So I can really only answer in my own limited sense - I haven't read much philosophy, just dabbled and lived.

For my own encounter with those doldrums, what I encountered that resonated with me was essentially Nietzsche's own exploration of the loss of the justifications for passionate living that we are given by our environment, parents, religion, culture, etc - nihilism. It isn't a happy desert to wander through, but it's one that has potential. And then, of course, it's okay that whatever answers you find you may grow beyond and reveal to be another illusion. Nishitani's The Self-Overcoming of Nihilism was a good companion on that.

Also, The Illuminatus! Trilogy and Robert Anton Wilson's later books were a very important part of me acquiring a sense of humour about the collapse of my expectations.

Recently, reading Daoist philosophy, the notion of harmony with the vast systemic gyre of the universe and a similar dynamic ignorance of there being any particular, static, understanding seem to fit with this. But that's easy to say and hard to feel.

Damn, do these sentiments echo with me. The top few stages of the hierarchy of needs seem to keep being unmet no matter what I throw at them. On top of being extremely unfulfilled with my work and hobbies, I’m also thoroughly alienated from everyone around me due to a combination of early-life ostracisation and mild agoraphobia. I’m starting to feel I’m skilled enough to identify what’s wrong with me (and the world to some extent), but not enough to actually change things.

In case you've forgotten, here's how things work: I order the food, you cook the food, then the customer gets the food. We do that for 40 years, and then we die

https://youtu.be/2eXU2p982GQ?si=SoVcjOle7RZitITx