There was an article within the last year or two that said "The average social media user receives more information in one day than their ancestors 100 years ago did in their entire lifetime." We are in a different reality than our ancestors and we should be more forgiving to ourselves for being able to handle the faster paced reality.

@noi000

4 ай бұрын

Good point.

@spennny1000

4 ай бұрын

There was another article I saw what said I Don give a f****

@erinsuzy613

4 ай бұрын

@@spennny1000 Obviously you did GAF or you wouldn't have left a comment. And another point you bring up, our ancestors dealt with people face to face. You wouldn't be able to hide behind a cheesy username with the gift of distance talking your trash.

@spennny1000

4 ай бұрын

​@@erinsuzy613 some new research has been done actually at the University of texas and the study clearly shows that people between 16 and 56 who where followed for 10 years in the biggest study on personal value ever conducted by an independent company and it shows that when asked 90% of the individuals genuinely don't give a flying **** about your stupid post 😂

@erinsuzy613

4 ай бұрын

@@spennny1000 It's actually a stupid joke, I didn't laugh. What's interesting is that of all the 136 people who saw this, you are the most engaged in the post you claim to not care about.

"A desire is a contract you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want"

@Ja30t551

4 ай бұрын

Wise words

@Johnstone565

4 ай бұрын

Ooooh... I know exactly who I'm gonna use that line on later on

@dstigers6140

4 ай бұрын

​@@Johnstone565The mirror?

@Johnstone565

4 ай бұрын

@@dstigers6140 ... absolutely

@partykitstudio4146

4 ай бұрын

You will still be unhappy even when you get what you want

We "constantly feeling like we are leading the wrong lives" This is my number one feeling the past year or two and there's not a lot worse than feeling uncomfortable in your own skin, almost all the time.

@carlospadinmartinez

4 ай бұрын

same here :(

@NBnNC

4 ай бұрын

Been there, done that - you’ll get through 😊

@Leo-mr1qz

4 ай бұрын

It means that it is time for a change!! A change in school, place of residence, friends, hobbies, food choices, etc. You're bored!!

@alexanderthegreat-mx5zu

4 ай бұрын

I like transformers too butt I wouldn't go that far.

@BlockheadJiujitsu

4 ай бұрын

I define relate. It was an extreme effort to change my life but nothing has been more fulfilling. Allow yourself time and work toward it every day if it's important. The time will pass anyway ❤

This is quite possibly the most validating explanation of my depression that I have ever heard.

@chicojcf

4 ай бұрын

And yet, the ideas shared in this video; aren't novel.

@isthisshit4real

4 ай бұрын

Try Johann Hari, Gabor Mate and Yuval Noah Harari. Hari is an English journalist, Mate is a Hungarian-Canadian world renowned expert on addiction and trauma with a compelling background. I would call Harari a historian - he is Isreali - he also has his hand on the pulse of the past AND the future of humanity. All three have unique and interesting perspectives that opened my eyes. I also learn something new every time I listen to this narrator - Alain De Botton. FYI -- I got 30 years of depression behind me. 55-yrs-old. Still working on it.... BUT.... I did find all of the pieces. I was doing great for a few weeks.... then I got sick, my husband passed (we were separated, but I'm still devasted), and..... self-care went out the window. The good news is I'm not losing it (YAY!) and I know exactly what to do to straighten myself out.

@charlieg2262

4 ай бұрын

I would instead recommend Capitalist Realism by Mark Fisher, it’s a really short book but it’s incredibly validating and talks a lot about depression

@izdotcarter

4 ай бұрын

Allain de Botton is an incredible resource

Put another way, do their opposites and you'll be so much happier: 1. Think less about yourself; you're not the center of the universe. 2. Let go of expectations. 3. Focus on what's most important over what's superficial. 4. Don't let your happiness be dependent upon external things. 5. Delay instant gratifications.

@DonaldAMisc

4 ай бұрын

​​​​@@herculesrockefeller8969Hi Hercules! In fact, these bullet points are indirectly referenced in the video. If the video's title didn't entice people to watch it, perhaps my comment will. It's a good video! 🙂

@rainbowgirljules

4 ай бұрын

@@herculesrockefeller8969 Where's 6.?

@NBnNC

4 ай бұрын

Great synopsis

@sneakerbabeful

4 ай бұрын

1. You'd better think over your issues ; no one else will consider them without payment 2. Letting go of expectations means everyone else can have what they want, except you 3. What's superficial to _you_ could very well be important to someone you care about. 4. It's ok to not want to live in a box under a bridge 5. Those who always delay are never gratified.

For my life, this is a masterpiece. I’ve rarely experienced someone so thoroughly articulate so many of my own vague thoughts. Brilliant, and thank you. I needed that.

@krayofsunshine

4 ай бұрын

My thoughts exactly. I for real just sent this to my therapist.

One of the most eye-opening realizations that my therapist taught me about my last relationship was how unfair and senseless it was to have my previous partner be my "everything"--romantic partner, best friend, lover, teacher, coach, therapist, and everything in between. It was unfair because it placed a huge, unrequested burden on them, and senseless because of the simplicity of the healthier alternative: rely not only on my partner but on my friends and family as well, so I can distribute my needs and wants across multiple people. It liberates pressure from our partners, and lets other relationships flourish in new ways.

The main takeaway from this video was that we need to acknowledge that our sources of unhappiness aren't directly linked to us, but come from the distractions of the modern world that we don't have the willpower to resist, or seeking for romantic love, and having high expectations but still not knowing how you're going to impact the world. A common thing that happens to everyone today, that has historical reasons to be.

@Novastar.SaberCombat

4 ай бұрын

"Before I start, I must see my end. Destination known, my mind's journey now begins. Upon my chariot, heart and soul's fate revealed. In time, all points converge; hope's strength resteeled. But to earn final peace at the universe's endless refrain, we must see all in nothingness... before we start again." --A.B. (DD1) 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨

@restinpeaces100

3 ай бұрын

Its just capizalism baby

The style by which I've chosen to lead my life, especially now during early adulthood, addresses a number of these hangovers. The fact is living day by day, enjoying boredom, a little ignorant of every problem the world suffers helps to undo much pressure to bring to the surface who we truly are but forgot.

@ishanibhardwaj421

4 ай бұрын

So true 🙏

I think this is one of the very best episodes in your channel. Spectacular.

Anytime there is a number in the title, I expect a numbered list. Guess I'll have to watch again, and make the list myself.😐 1) at 1:04 Transcendence: humans are the most astonishing things that humans know of 2) at 2:15 Expectations: we are told we can do anything, yet precious few make a name for themselves 3) at 3:00 Media: we can know almost all big happenings immediately, and small things go unnoticed 4) at 4:05 Isolation: not finding one's soulmate and settling for friendships 5) at 4:58 Work: intangible projects with nothing concrete to show at the end of the day-week-month-year-career 6) at 5:34 Self-Discipline: we have no will power to avoid the pitiless delights of the modern world.

@Ceifador999Shin

4 ай бұрын

friend you are a friend

This is by far the most amazing video I watched on KZread. I couldn't agree more, and can't possibly imagine a better way to summarise the reasons of our unhappiness at these modern times. Thank you so much to everyone who put effort into bringing this together.

What Gabor Mate calls "the myth of normal in a toxic culture....."

Brilliant Alain! All of the philosophical essays are incredibly deep, yet simple. But this one manages to sum almost all of humanity’s issues from lack of purpose through intimate relationships and food addictions. Every time I listen to the thought of Mr. Alain I feel so enriched and calm, like my soul and brain had the most fabulous food. I’m so grateful for your channel and also love the books and games I bough for my kids and partner, from the channel’s shop 😊

I have a PhD, and let me say that this is a refreshing video to watch. I've been discussing this for years but I've only been met with "tut tuts" and so forth. History impacts us deeply, thank you for this video.

@AlbertBalbastreMorte

3 ай бұрын

A PhD in anything related or unrelated?

@jamesedward9306

3 ай бұрын

Ya I have a PhD too. In fact I'd like to buy the thread a round of PhD's. Wheeeee!!! - you can be anything you want....on the internet.

@novafamily8430

3 ай бұрын

@@jamesedward9306 this is why people suck, because of your comment right here. This is why so many people are dumb and ignorant. Thanks for volunteering such information about yourself. Bravo 👏

@novafamily8430

3 ай бұрын

@@AlbertBalbastreMorte it's in education, I teach history, civics, and public policy at a university

Thanks for bringing Alain back. Perfect voice for these videos. ❤

Thank God (or whatever force put us here) for Alain de Botton.

@mks_dan

4 ай бұрын

Also, thanks to his parents, I guess:D

@HelgaCavoli

4 ай бұрын

And those parents and the before parents.. 😁 In the end, I guess the 1st "Thank you, higher power" covers it all. 😂🤔

@Judep4237

4 ай бұрын

I could listen to his voice all day

I really hate how people push you into relationships like there is no possible way one can be happy by themselves

@edthesquid

4 ай бұрын

I feel like he's saying the opposite - that society pushes this concept of romantic love as a solution to modern ills which is completely unrealistic

@katendemarklouis5591

4 ай бұрын

SO BLOODY TRUE

This feels like poetry.

I appreciate you pointing out the wider context for much of the strain on our emotional well-being nowadays. It pays to know what out-of-our-control forces are at play around the daily struggles we find ourselves burried in

Instead of worshipping non existent gods we should have venerated nature, because it's by its wrath for our actions that we're now tumbling towards extinction.

@rickjames5998

4 ай бұрын

That's crazy man, how come we got 8 billion people and thensome?

@TheDahaka1

4 ай бұрын

@@rickjames5998 Because we're idiotically consuming every natural resource and polluting our environment past the point of no return 😃

@karlmiller5009

4 ай бұрын

@@rickjames5998I don’t think the original post implies we are already witnessing declining global population. I believe the comment is more aimed at human-caused environmental catastrophes that can easily kill hundreds of millions of people, such as nuclear war, extreme weather from man-made climate change, industrialized farming of the few species we most consume becoming ever more vulnerable to disease resulting in mass starvation, intentional discharge of pollution in the air, water and soil making regions of the planet toxic to most life for indeterminate periods, etc. Although such events may not result in extinction, approximate decimation (death of nine tenths) of humanity would be quite possible.

i’m definitely stealing “historical hangover” 🙂👌

@margo3367

4 ай бұрын

I never thought of donuts as “satanic confections”.

@JerjerB

4 ай бұрын

Me too

@J_Caban

4 ай бұрын

More like a historic hangover

@sylviatochimaduka679

4 ай бұрын

​@@margo3367I was greatly amused to hear it😂

@polreamonn

3 ай бұрын

I've had a few of those in my time.

Perfectly said! This is my favorite channel! You need to teach these videos in every single school and college.

Life is rather bad right now... Please - stand tall against FASCISM!!!💙💙💙💙💙

@thx1168

4 ай бұрын

Hearts are red ❤❤❤❤❤

@DonnaGisellaTranchel

4 ай бұрын

@@thx1168 Not the hearts that signals love for democracy... They are BLUE!💙💙💙💙💙

@robertjohnston8876

4 ай бұрын

Your friends all agree 🇨🇦

This is such an important thing to realize. People love to throw blame around, saying we are responsible for everything that happens in our lives, but so much of it is determined by things completely out of our control (like the country we're born in, or our genetic composition). Also, an ordinary life is a far better one than a memorable life you need to sacrifice yourself to get (What would you even do that for? Pride? To be remembered? What bearing would that even have on your mortality?). There's no absolute "success", everything is a trade-off.

This is gorgeous. Thank you for highlighting the beautifully human spirit trying to break free of modern constraints.

My favourite lesson has started✅ no better school than the School of Life❤❤❤ Love you guys. As always Allan's voice is honey to my ears

nothing hits better in the afternoon than a daily dose of sanity from the school of life

videos on this channel always make me tear up a bit, i wish i knew it half a year ago, now i see how important it is to have many people in your life. I ruined a great relationship because I relied on my soulmate to be my everything - my life, I abandoned anyone else to think about him all the time, I'd want to be together every hour, I couldn't handle breaks, and from this growing pressure I put on him gradually, he doesn't want to know me ever again now, because I couldn't change

@karlmiller5009

4 ай бұрын

My empathies. Your story reminds me of someone I know with borderline personality disorder. Something similar happened to him. I hope you find the happiness you seek and you continue to heal from the pain of losing your relationship.

I think this is the best School of Life video ever, and I have,watched a lot. Thank you.

Thank you once again Alain.

How did you put that into words? All the vagueness in my heart and mind were materialized into this video. Such a masterpiece. This Channel is truly a gift to modern humanity.

Historical hangover is definitely a great way to put it. I’m glad to know other people feel overwhelmed in the same way.

It´s not us, it´s the system

These videos always come at the perfect time. 💕 I will listen to it often. 6:37

This should be viewed and discussed by the whole world on a regular basis. But we'll probably just carry on scrolling through social media buying stuff we don't need to impress people we don't like and getting more envious, intolerant, lonely and bitter. Oh God!

Hyper-individualism and the all-consuming force that is Alienation, we absolutely cannot hope to simply live in dignity and delight with these forces rallied against us; change is coming and that old world is slowly dying, but for now The School of Life helps with the day to day.

This one was exceptional. I would do anything not to exist in the modern world. All I want is to take a walk outside without being filmed by strangers or bombarded with hate speech, prostitution, and violence.

@jdlk-ny5yo

4 ай бұрын

Do you live in a Favela?

@DenkyManner

4 ай бұрын

The only thing stopping you doing that is your twisted attitude

@SN-sz7kw

4 ай бұрын

@@DenkyMannerYou must live a sheltered existence. Why so mean then?

@SN-sz7kw

4 ай бұрын

I get it. It’s overwhelming, esp if you’re old enough to remember it wasn’t always like this.

@RocknJazzer

4 ай бұрын

There are such places still like that near most anywhere you can move to cheaply and easily enough if you really wanted, but do watch "The Answer is Not a Hut in the Woods" first

Wow, that was right on! Thank you for articulating so perfectly how I have been feeling.

De por sí, vivir es un fastidio

HAPPY NEW YEAR. This is so true, it deserves a medal. Sigh, we are made to feel guilty about everything too. I am still in love with your voice, I hope you still don't mind. 💜

There's a distinct Adam Curtis flavour to this video : ) I like the message.

Bravo! A big dose of much-deserved tough love, hilariously delivered. I think about our arrogant, ignorant me-ness often, but it rarely makes me giggle. Thank you for this delightful kick in the pants 👋

@cjw6659

4 ай бұрын

I think it's more an exoneration.

@Leo-mr1qz

4 ай бұрын

​@cjw6659 I don't think the video was meant to release others from their obligations, but I guess it's how you take it in. I viewed it as taking responsibility for yourself and your actions. Hence creating a better life for oneself rather than dwelling on the externally uncontrollable.

@cjw6659

4 ай бұрын

Haha, that's cool : ) I took it as some relief that sometimes I give in to the cascade of current temptations.@@Leo-mr1qz

Brilliantly put...and so timely. Thank you.

an absolute banger of a video, Alain! spot on!

I love the mid century era clips you used to illustrate your points. Beautifully put my friend. I really felt this one.

Word, thanks. Something felt very very wrong starting in preschool.

Very true insights. Thank you for sharing this video.

Beautifully compromised ❤ So much input it's hard to breathe, to simply be.

Beautiful, this might be your most powerful video so far 🔥

Thank you for returning to your beautiful essays, Alain! 😘😘

Thanks for another kind, thoughtful, insightful video. Always helpful . ❤

delete social media apps off your phone, makes doom scrolling really difficult when you use the phone's browser

Hi everyone

@philthyrich1433

4 ай бұрын

Hola 👋🏼

@johnadams1976

4 ай бұрын

Great comment

@navinb6507

4 ай бұрын

Hi

I love the insights the School of Life gives me. Madness does not just belong to me.

Thanks for the video. I hope it can give me some thoughts to think about my life.

Amazing, thank you!

4:01 "Speak of time measured in centuries" Pure poetry 😍

Brilliant. Thank you.

Outstanding narrative. Outstanding imagery.

Thank you so much for your efforts . Beautiful graphics and voice.

What a great explanation for our discontent in these extraordinary times.

Thank you. Yes.

This was very comforting.

Oh my goodness, thank you, yes! Why is it this? But it is and for some reason that makes me feel a little bit lighter... Thank you yet again!

This is the truth that so many will deny, thank you for your words

One experience amongst the many or masses is Knowing when someone or a group is determined to bring you down or make you sad offers the potential to empower you with knowledge not to get so sad or depressed. With this knowledge mindfulness offers more support suggesting the worst has already happened in your everyday when things go bad and feeling this at the time opens your experience to moving on with knowledge that many emotions deepen us. I enjoyed this clip and of course it opened my thoughts to reframing and rethinking my reflective practice as well as feelings including sadness. The world is full of people who would prefer that others lived in sadness. This uncomfortable definition of enjoyment is maladptive. This reflects their moods, their lives and this needs to be kept in perspective -active, aware and accepting of what we can change and what is beyond our control.

Thank you!!!

Thank you!

Satanic confectioneries 😂. Laughing because I'm currently devouring 4 satanic biscuits 😂

I was needing this so much.

This one is going to keep me thinking for much longer than usual.

An intensely frightening video. Are we are defenceless against modern life? Our history, biology, evolution, etc, have not prepared us for modern life. What is one to do?

You are so good. I feel better already.

Thank you.

0:57: I’ve said this to people before. The whirl of craziness cannot help but sweep up everyone with it. Craziness begets craziness.

Nah. I’m sad because I don’t have any money and I have to waste my life and body at work.

@jdlk-ny5yo

4 ай бұрын

What would you do if you had the money not to work?

We have the will power to resist the modern pressures. Dont lose hope guys. You are strong

@vebdaklu

4 ай бұрын

It's not an insult to tell people they lack the willpower to resist an unrelenting wave of temptations. It's not about individuality. If you locked someone in a room full of chocolate, they will eat some eventually - it's just how humans Are wired. We don't need to build up inhuman willpower, we need to reduce the amount of unhealthy pressure around us - we don't need this much sugar in everything, we don't need naked people in every movie, show or advertisment, we don't need that much screend and noise around us, we simply don't, and we don't need to pretend those things are some forces of nature we cannot contain and must simply protest ourselves from - we are doing those things, willingly. So, we can also stop willingly.

For an example of a well turned phrase "A plethora of Satanic confections" is hard to beat! The phrase's author must feel powerless in the wake of societies indomitable sugar lust. 😂😂

@camez2345

4 ай бұрын

"...on every street corner" 😂😂😂

This is a really good one, TSOL. Love it

Profound subject matter . . .

"We look on with envy and rage of those who have evaded the perils of mediocrity." This is an astounding quote! This describes the 2020s emaculatly!

@nitindadar7933

4 ай бұрын

evaded*

@sneakerbabeful

4 ай бұрын

What the hell does it mean?

@Leo-mr1qz

4 ай бұрын

@@nitindadar7933 Yes, my mistake. I'll edit it.

@Leo-mr1qz

4 ай бұрын

@sneakerbabeful Looking on with the lack of the skill you wish to possess, and having violent anger towards those who have escaped through cleverness or trickery, the serious and/or immediate dangers of moderate, low quality and/or value of life.

So good i listened to it twice. I needed to hear that so badly. Thank you ❤

This video is just perfect.

Incredible, incredible, incredible video!!!

solid advice 👍

Thanks!

Very thoughtful 🙏

You're great.

Spot on! I’m going to watch this one a few times, for sure. 👏

One of your best ones.

I highly disagree with the opening statement primarily because I live in a society and occupy a space on the internet that constantly speaks about generational traumas and how "society" is at fault for how we've turned out as a generation. Attending to and fixing stuff thats within my reach has made my life a lot better that worrying about things that are/were out of my control.

@stelmosfire11

4 ай бұрын

You’re out of control if you’re needing to be in control so you are, in fact, in the same spot.

@marsjokes

4 ай бұрын

@stelmosfire11 nope, not really. The fact that I can wake up at the same time everyday and do what I need to do and still get enough rest, is enough control for me to say that if I focused on other stuff, my life wouldn't have been this good (because it wasn't).

I love it, and I still prefer longer-form content, even if it means fewer views-I'm aware of that. However, there are certainly those of us who would greatly appreciate the depth and substance it brings.

these videos are so calming to me : )

I can imagine our ancesters (if they knew about us in the future today) would think of us being a society of madness with a majority of individuals suffering from megalomania.

Nicely done. 😊

As a 73 year old Australian who grew up in the 'bush' in a time of steam engines, without electricity or a telephone, in a tiny village where horse and carts were competing with cars and we would gather around the transistor radio for a weekly serial - this video made me chuckle. Though my family didn't worship the God on offer, we learned that there is a larger force and that we were insignificant in the greater scheme. I am well aware of how strange the world is now. Though I do love the technological advancements, even if they are a bit too lusciously distracting. 😃

Everything that has ever been has shaped and brought us to who and where we are today...

I fully concur 👍

Thanks