Long story short, my life is a complete failure. It’s full of wrong decisions, (in)actions, regrets, mistakes after mistakes, that I honestly think maybe it’s already too late to “fix everything” (eg: I’m losing all the good chances/opportunities, as I’m getting old now). It’s really ironic & tragic, because a lot of people always say that I’m very talented especially in music (I used to be quite an active musician & composer/songwriter, but sadly I’m still not famous & successful), smart, a deep thinker, a highly sensitive person, etc etc.
I am also an idealist, meaning that I actually have a BIG vision & idea for the future of civilization/mankind/humanity, to make a real progress & “leap jump” in the future. For example, I seriously think that the real, truest “meaning of life” is to make a HUGE progress, a sort of evolution, for the future. And for our Human species, in my opinion, the real purpose is to unlock our wildest potential: our human’s Imagination. And I’m talking about all those most creative, artistic, & imaginative human’s minds for example like in all those most imaginative, fantasy, sci-fi movies, games, novels, comics, anime/manga, and any other most amazing work of arts. So in my opinion, our humanity/mankind/civilization’s most important & biggest task is to turn all those imaginations into a reality. And that’s why I’m now a big/huge proponent & supporter, as well as very interested in technology such as: Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and also Artificial Intelligence (AI), and also some thinking & concepts such as Transhumanism. But then again, sadly, the problem is I don’t know how to reach all those dreams & ideas of mine. And that is really depressing.
I’m a Chinese-Indonesian, living in Jakarta (Indonesia). And the biggest problem is the culture/society here, also the mindset of the people here. They’re all still mostly very conservative, traditional, & outdated mindset/perspective about life. Especially with my Asian/Chinese-Indonesian parents for example, they still only think that the only “meaning of life” or “purpose” is simply just to survive, find a good job (or business), and make money, & then get married, have kids/children, etc etc. But for me, this can’t be all there is to life; Life should be so much more than that! But then, another biggest problem that I do realize and finally admit now is that, sadly, perhaps it’s all due to the many flaws in my personalities too: I listen too much to what other people/person say, I care too much (deeply), I’m easily down & depressed, & I also lack the ‘drive’/energy/motivation (and this is why perhaps I appear to be just “lazy” in the eyes of most people, including in my parents’ eyes), especially this year, when my Existential Depression just getting so much worse to the point of even being suicidal (having suicidal thoughts/fantasy/ideations almost everyday).
I’m 40 years old this year, and here I am now, in reality, I’m still living with my parents, almost can be viewed as jobless/unemployed, or even a hikikomori (a shut-in recluse only staying at my room most of the time). The situation is now even getting much worse, with my family/parents’ problems, stress, plus now my little brother is also a depressed shut-in just like me, so my Chinese father especially, who is almost 70 years old now, is really disappointed, stressed, & perhaps even having a (severe) depression, because in his eyes, his sons are still a complete failure, and a total loser, because we are still not financially independent, still living in their houses & dependent on them for food, bills, etc etc. I’m also basically jobless/unemployed, and not interested at all to run his (my father’s) businesses, which are also currently going through perhaps the most difficult time of all times (financially, I don’t know & really afraid that perhaps even my parents’ money will run out soon or later), especially due to this COVID-19/corona pandemic situation.
I also don’t know what to do. I’m lost, confused, depressed, suicidal, & feel like an alien. I can’t relate to most people/Human beings. I’m too “way out”, lost in my own thoughts, idealisms, visions, & all these “big/huge ideas” that I basically just don’t know anymore HOW/WHAT to do? Reality is depressing, very depressing, boring, limiting, & to be honest, this whole existence is just stupid, pointless, & meaningless for me now. My existential depression/crisis is getting much worse now, probably even the worst now, like I’ve said above, everyday now I’m even having suicidal ideations/fantasy/thoughts, and for me now, I’m seriously thinking that perhaps to die (death) is better than to live (just only to survive/for survival everyday).
4 comments
I’m 34, so not that far behind you in years…. I don’t know if it is ever “too late”, but I am cursed with the fore knowledge that I will likely live into my 90s. Genetics and lifestyle are the culprit, and unlikely to change.
It concerns me that you state a talent for music. Does it provide comfort?
I must confess it is one of the few things I think might yet hold comfort for me. Mind, I’m no great musical talent. I just think if I could play a pleasant tune, and other people would dance to it, that might be enough.
Why keep reaching so high? Those slots are quite competitive, for those who excel
All I have ever hoped is to distract others from their suffering. Music could do that, much more than my failed attempts to impress them with my intellect.
Hi Heartlessviking, sorry for the late reply and for writing it here, I couldn’t find the thread.
Working in a HVAC factory? It could be nice. Once we were in a school trip to Hitachi, the Japanese HVAC-producing company, and they worked the line of production by fulfilling a daily quota. Their progress is written on the top panel so everyone can see it. And they were ahead of schedule, quality Japanese employers and punctuality.
My father has been working as a carpenter for decades, it’s a nice job, he knows how to fix everything.
But then I look at my mother, she recently became a teacher and it comes natural to her. I look how she does her classes (half of dad’s hours), and then the pay is double. I’m not sure, it’s really nice, maybe I could work towards it slowly.
It’s nice to do physical work, unless you don’t like it. I have been looking at those people who do home-delivery of food.
Yes, I too have had it in my mind, to have a camping hut and live in the forest with the bare essentials.
With that age I’d probably still need support from my family and a place to stay, it’s such a pressure on one to move out and start living life, have a great job, etc. There’s nothing shameful about that. My mother had to turn 50 to understand self-love and blocking off negativity and opinions regarding herself and me – her son. Some people get there later and I hope I can say, there comes a point for me as well. And you of course.!
Oh, yes. I lose myself a lot in videogames and hope someday there’s a virtual reality that wraps me like a warm blanket. A.I. is so fascinating to look up on too, it’s creating something that never lets you down. Can’t say that about people.. We want to make them emotional, so they can relate to us. Only humans would prefer that over efficiency.
Anyways, I hope it’s not just survival but living for you one day. (I’m one to talk..)
Yay, arts! Beauty will save the world ^^,
It is understandable that you feel in a crisis, but please do not lose hope, there is always hope, and you can turn your life around right now! What matters the most is to always get up immediately after you fall, and try again. It is not uncommon for someone running to stumble.
Do you have goals? Set for yourself clear goals or work quotas, and be strict about them.
“I could only achieve success in my life through self-discipline, and I applied it until my wish and my will became one.” ~ Nikola Tesla
https://www.reddit.com/r/NEET/comments/ifcblr/today_i_became_a_40_year_old_virgin_neet_some/
Discipline equals freedom: https://www.grahammann.net/book-notes/discipline-equals-freedom-field-manual-jocko-willink