5 ms·
The truth is, no matter what path you take in life, you can find yourself wishing that you took a different path.
by derekp7 5y ago
The truth is, no matter what path you take in life, you can find yourself wishing that you took a different path.
- bathtub365 5y agoI saw this posted elsewhere on HN and it really resonated with me. “I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and offbeat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn't quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.” Sylvia Plath
- tayo42 5y agoevery post here in this post is triggering an existential crisis for me. oh what to do...
- chii 5y agoIt pays to understand oneself. Why do people want _every_ fig on the tree? It's because of greed, and desire. If yo can imagine yourself be satisfied with obtaining just one of those figs, instead of only being satisfied from having it all, you'd have a much better time alive. It's the same root philosophy as finishing one project to completion, rather than start many but never finishing it to the end.
- tayo42 5y agoThis probably changes depending on who you talk to, to me idk if its about wanting every fig. I think its worrying about which fig is the best, and trying to figure out what "best" even means. and curiosity of other figs. And how much time should you spend on trying to know your self, to pick the best fig.
- dudeman13 5y ago>Why do people want _every_ fig on the tree? It's because of greed, and desire Why wouldn't people want every fig on the tree? It's because of indifference and lack of passion. In a world where aging was solved, we could get every one of them. And it wouldn't be greed, it would be just living.
- IggleSniggle 5y agoI made the decision to take the nearby fig, because, like, it's there, it's a little green, but hey, enjoy it! And I did. And you know what? After I awhile, I decided I didn't like it after all. I spit it out. I climbed for another fig, and even though I got that one too, it turns out...I really enjoy climbing for figs, perhaps more than I enjoy figs.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- thatjoeoverthr 5y agoPeople want lots of different figs because they’re good, and it’s hard to choose.
- meshaneian 5y agoFigs are disgusting. Now I'll try and visualize desirable kinds of things as fig trees, making it easier to quickly pass them up and go for something I'd want more. Thanks.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- 2143 5y agoAnd I'm in a 3rd world country making 3rd world salary. Sure I'd like to get myself into big tech (not necessarily in America). But... I don't even know where to start.
- telesilla 5y agoWrite down the things you love and find an intersection or invent that intersection. You can't enjoy them all 100% but you don't have to leave all the things you love behind.
- amch 5y agoI really love this quote - thanks for sharing.
- truffdog 5y agoIt reminds me of http://dresdencodak.com/2009/04/19/onald-creely/ http://dresdencodak.com/2009/04/19/onald-creely/ , which meant a lot to me when I was younger for no reason that I can explain.
- emodendroket 5y agoWhat a great metaphor.
- L0in 5y agoI LOVE Sylvia Plath
- jacquesm 5y agoNot choosing is also a choice. The paralysis of choice is very nicely laid out in that piece.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- kovek 5y agoJust as you can find meaning in the path you took. See how people will be happy even after missing some opportunities - https://youtu.be/4q1dgn_C0AU?t=1001 https://youtu.be/4q1dgn_C0AU?t=1001 . It depends on our prefrontal cortex!
- koolba 5y agoNot at all. If your road in life reaches a certain level of fulfillment, you stop thinking about what could have been and spend your days counting your blessings.
- docmars 5y agoMany of us have an innate drive for diverse experiences and forming fond memories around them, to the point it feels like it's never enough. Sometimes it is those who are looking for a void to fill in life, because their childhood lacked a crucial element to healthy development that they end up looking for anything that could scratch that itch; and that itch is often nostalgia waiting to be found, perhaps falsely, because that void seeks something else to satisfy it relationally.