The "feels" bazaar.

[inquisitivenegro]

Regardless of what you might call your belief system -God, science, philosophy, romanticism, theology, spirituality or otherwise- it's probably the best thing for you to fall back on when recovering from any kind of emotional turmoil.

Finding comfort in something familiar and using it as an anchor to keep you grounded while sorting out the troubling situation is completely natural. It can be anything from friends, to church, to your volunteer group, your therapist or even just your keyboard and a few sleepless hours spent writing - that last one was my solution.

umm how is science something you choose to believe in

[Pyramid Head]

Regardless of what you might call your belief system -God, science, philosophy, romanticism, theology, spirituality or otherwise- it's probably the best thing for you to fall back on when recovering from any kind of emotional turmoil.

Finding comfort in something familiar and using it as an anchor to keep you grounded while sorting out the troubling situation is completely natural. It can be anything from friends, to church, to your volunteer group, your therapist or even just your keyboard and a few sleepless hours spent writing - that last one was my solution.

umm how is science something you choose to believe in

While biological evolution is proven conclusively, choosing to believe that there was a scientific cause for all existence and that everything can be explained by cause and effect relationships does require a bit of a leap of faith and does fit into the human habit of trying to find an answer for our own origins because we're afraid of what we don't understand. We're kind of stupid that way. That said while i mostly am a man of science, to claim the great vastness of space and complexity of existence can be perfectly explained by something comprehensible to our sciences is a little laughable; but at the same time i feel obligated to mention a few of the people i know who are of the scientific atheist persuasion are a lot less arrogant about their beliefs and morals than some religious folks i could name *Coughmysistercough* and that people with a humanist philosophy born from simple, flexible morals somewhat based on the concept of karma tend to cause far fewer problems than people with a religious dogma. Honestly in my opinion dogma is a massive character flaw.

[ShinigamiKenji]

umm how is science something you choose to believe in

Many scientific theories can't be proven due to experimental complexity, especially in Quantum Physics. Even though the Mathematic part behind them is right, some assumptions needed may be flawed. For example, we don't know if the Higgs' Boson actually exists or not (CERN is still not certain about that new particle). So, for now, it's just kind of believing we did the theoretical part right. Another example: Lamarck's ideas about evolution (just Google it, if you don't know, easy to find) were regarded as science too.

While biological evolution is proven conclusively, choosing to believe that there was a scientific cause for all existence and that everything can be explained by cause and effect relationships does require a bit of a leap of faith and does fit into the human habit of trying to find an answer for our own origins because we're afraid of what we don't understand. We're kind of stupid that way. That said while i mostly am a man of science, to claim the great vastness of space and complexity of existence can be perfectly explained by something comprehensible to our sciences is a little laughable; but at the same time i feel obligated to mention a few of the people i know who are of the scientific atheist persuasion are a lot less arrogant about their beliefs and morals than some religious folks i could name *Coughmysistercough* and that people with a humanist philosophy born from simple, flexible morals somewhat based on the concept of karma tend to cause far fewer problems than people with a religious dogma. Honestly in my opinion dogma is a massive character flaw.

Facebook proves there are atheists as fanatic as religious zealots. I think total denying of God could be a dogma, sometimes. But enough of that Religion X Science discussion, before we get banned for starting a (Scientific or Religious) Crusade here.

[inquisitivenegro]

I'm pretty sure evolution is still a theory, like gravity, although both are widely accepted as fact they can't really be proven

[ShinigamiKenji]

I'm pretty sure evolution is still a theory, like gravity, although both are widely accepted as fact they can't really be proven

I think it can be proven given a species that reproduces fast. Plants, some animals, even funghi or bacteria. Put them in an harsh environment and only the fittest will survive and reproduce. About gravity, it sure exists, but there's nothing at the moment that really explain its existence (I don't think Mutou's argument about it is that valid).

[Helbereth]

I'm pretty sure evolution is still a theory, like gravity, although both are widely accepted as fact they can't really be proven

I think it can be proven given a species that reproduces fast. Plants, some animals, even funghi or bacteria. Put them in an harsh environment and only the fittest will survive and reproduce. About gravity, it sure exists, but there's nothing at the moment that really explain its existence (I don't think Mutou's argument about it is that valid).

Indeed, the only proof we have for gravity is that things are affected by other things. You can prove the concept of gravity because if you jump, you fall back down. How that actually happens is the theoretical part. Exactly what that force is has yet to be fully explained.

The same really goes for evolution and the big bang theories. You can prove evolution in a microcosm, but short-term results don't necessarily indicate long-term affects. You can prove all the matter in the universe is slowly (well, technically quickly by human-size standards) moving away from a single point, but there's no real way to prove what actually happened to cause it to begin moving from that point. You can theorize, but you can't actually observe the events outside a laboratory experiment - thus it remains a theory. Whether or not you then choose to believe that theory is true or false is where faith enters the equation.

[misterprinny]

I'm actually fairly enjoying this conversation (for my age demographic you don't tend to have intelligent discussion like this quite often)...but I fear a lock if it gets fully derailed. Sorry guys

New tip:

Funny stuff: Anime: Stuff like K-ON! ||| Comedy: Any good comedian, Gabriel Iglesias is a personal favorite. Something lighthearted and funny as hell.

[Pyramid Head]

I'm actually fairly enjoying this conversation (for my age demographic you don't tend to have intelligent discussion like this quite often)...but I fear a lock if it gets fully derailed. Sorry guys

New tip:

Funny stuff: Anime: Stuff like K-ON! ||| Comedy: Any good comedian, Gabriel Iglesias is a personal favorite. Something lighthearted and funny as hell.

You know, i hadn't thought of that, and you're absolutely right. Nothing quite makes you feel emotionally dead like that fucking awful pop from K-On, ESPECIALLY season two. I don't remember the name of Yui's voice actress but if i didn't also have some painful memories of Zero no Tsukaima i'd hold up her music as the worst to ever hit anime.
Canning the asshole behavior briefly, more good comedy animes to help you take things a little less seriously are Seitokai Yakuindomo, Lucky Star, Puella Magi Madoka Magica I'm lying, that one can induce feels or the Bartender manga which is kind of like House only with someone who sells poisons for a living. Just don't touch the anime, the factual inaccuracies might make you want to beat the writers to death.

[ShinigamiKenji]

I'm actually fairly enjoying this conversation (for my age demographic you don't tend to have intelligent discussion like this quite often)...but I fear a lock if it gets fully derailed. Sorry guys

New tip:

Funny stuff: Anime: Stuff like K-ON! ||| Comedy: Any good comedian, Gabriel Iglesias is a personal favorite. Something lighthearted and funny as hell.

Or maybe not that funny, but another one that doesn't make you feel so strongly. I was having some feels yesterday night, remembering KS after reading Guest Poster's excellent Hanako post-good-ending fanfic, so I watched some FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood episodes. The KS Feels Syndrome was somewhat lighter afterwards.

[Xanatos]

If I want to be rid of KS feels, I'll just go watch some recorded episodes of Deadman Wonderland. Nothing kills those feels faster than the horribly fucked up ordeals of a child unjustly locked inside a chaotic bloodlusting death camp amusement park.

[Tununias]

In Soviet Russia, Feels get rid of you!

[Weird Badger]

Go drink with friends and start talking about art when you are half-drunk. It works.

[Spamamdorf]

Just time basically, stick my face in a pillow for a while and try to let the feels sort themselves out (if I'm not over them within a couple minutes which is quite rare)

[Keneshiro]

Depends where I am, to be honest. If I'm at home, I wake up early the next morning, put on my jogging shoes and am gone for around an hour or so. It gives me time to think and reflect I guess. Either that or squash. If I'm in university, I usually just take my camera and disappear into the crowd. You know that feeling that you're surrounded by crowds but you seem invisible? It's a kinda awesome feeling as well, which helps me cope with feels.

[Helbereth]

Depends where I am, to be honest. If I'm at home, I wake up early the next morning, put on my jogging shoes and am gone for around an hour or so. It gives me time to think and reflect I guess. Either that or squash. If I'm in university, I usually just take my camera and disappear into the crowd. You know that feeling that you're surrounded by crowds but you seem invisible? It's a kinda awesome feeling as well, which helps me cope with feels.

I've done something like this.

Though, the road I live on is pretty well removed from civilization. There is a sluice-way running under the road a couple hundred yards away; basically a rocky tunnel that runs under the road so as not to interrupt the water-table. The upper area is about ten by fifteen feet across with large rocks resting all around the edge, fully exposed, surrounded by metal girders, and there are mulberry and birch trees growing nearby along with lichens and tall grass -- and the pond, of course, a few feet away behind the small dam.

It's only about fifteen feet from the road, but when I was younger I could sit back there and be completely invisible for a few hours. When I wanted to get away from everything for a while, listen to the rushing -or trickling, depending on recent rainfall- water and think, quietly to myself, that's where I went. My own little sanctuary where I never felt bothered. I haven't been over there to sit in ten years, at least, but it hasn't changed.