Venting Living the NPC life

[BlooBerryBanjo3000]

I guess that's the thing with most people and how they're able to tolerate life, they just do. They're the epitome of NPCs. They don't think too much about anything. They don't think too deeply about anything. They don't question anything. They just go with it, or "just deal with it".

They're too blissfully ignorant to be aware to realize and see for what life truly is. That's why they say ignorance is bliss. The less you know, the better you feel. And that the more the human mind knows about life, the more it wants to destroy itself.

In order to live and fit in with life, you must become an NPC. Show no weakness (have a suck it up mentality), hide all of your feelings (except happiness, of course), and just work until you die.

 

[EvisceratedJester]

Posts like these always annoy the shit out of me. People like you seem to have this tendency to look down on others, dehumanizing them in order to boost your own egos. It's pathetic. Most people do try to think deeply about the shit that goes on around them. Their lives, their inner worlds, are all just as deep and complex as yours. They aren't "NPCs". You aren't special nor are you any more aware of "what life truly is" than the rest of them. Your post reeks of naïve realism and egocentric bullshit.

 

[wiggy]

False-uniqueness effect - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You may one day come to the realization that every single person you meet also has a complex life, complete with their own set of emotions and inner thoughts that are not particularly different from your own. I guarantee you that it's not in the least uncommon to have existential thoughts.

 

[CallmeWill4719]

As someone who over thinks everything it is definitely hell. Wish I didn't have to think.

 

[BlooBerryBanjo3000]

As someone who over thinks everything it is definitely hell. Wish I didn't have to think.

Me too. Being an over thinker is such a curse. I too wish I never had to think again.

 

[SVEN]

"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation."
Thoreau.
Also
"Alas for those that never sing, But die with all their music in them."
Oliver Wendell Holmes.

 

[Rust]

There's a book called Narcissus and Goldmund that somewhat covers this topic (at least in my interpretation), though they define it as the dreamer vs the intellectual rather than NPC vs the non-NPC.

Another definition that you could go with are those that believe in the value of what they're doing vs those that don't.

In either case, the "NPC" is what moves humanity forward and creates history. They live in reality and not just in thoughts. I'd argue (weakly) that they're the better half of humanity.

 

[longtheriverrun]

Cheap aphorism, but everyone's 'life' is very different. It's not that these people you are describing "don't think too much about anything," it's that they think differently. Your assumption that Ignorance and not thinking "deeply" about things presupposes that despair / self-destruction is the fated outcome of awareness. But almost total resignation from life—quiet desperation—and a deliberate refusal to scrutinize every aspect of their life—and life in general—is just as much of a result of being cognizant as endlessly over-thinking . Adapting to whatever your situation might be doesn't imply ignorance, nor does a lack of explicit non-conformity imply a lack of awareness or understanding (i.e. living on auto-pilot and being an 'NPC.' Most of the people you think of as NPCs actually do understand the absurdities of life and still choose to engage with it; not out of living in ignorance and bliss, but because rejecting all meaning does not, in itself, establish meaningful insight

"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation."
Thoreau.

When I posted my reply I saw this as the page updated. Happy to see someone else quote / reference Thoreau!

 

[BlooBerryBanjo3000]

Cheap aphorism, but everyone's 'life' is very different. It's not that these people you are describing "don't think too much about anything," it's that they think differently. Your assumption that Ignorance and not thinking "deeply" about things presupposes that despair / self-destruction is the fated outcome of awareness. But almost total resignation from life—quiet desperation—and a deliberate refusal to scrutinize every aspect of their life—and life in general—is just as much of a result of being cognizant as endlessly over-thinking . Adapting to whatever your situation might be doesn't imply ignorance, nor does a lack of explicit non-conformity imply a lack of awareness or understanding (i.e. living on auto-pilot and being an 'NPC.' Most of the people you think of as NPCs actually do understand the absurdities of life and still choose to engage with it; not out of living in ignorance and bliss, but because rejecting all meaning does not, in itself, establish meaningful insight

When I posted my reply I saw this as the page updated. Happy to see someone else quote / reference Thoreau!

Yeah, I'm sorry. I wrote this while I was upset and wasn't thinking clearly. I didn't mean literally everybody, just some people. However, I just don't get how most people choose to continue living, despite seeing how awful it is.

So forgive me everyone reading/have read this post (since I can't edit it now) and the replier.

 

[longtheriverrun]

Yeah, I'm sorry. I wrote this while I was upset and wasn't thinking clearly. I didn't mean literally everybody, just some people. However, I just don't get how most people choose to continue living, despite seeing how awful it is.

So forgive me everyone reading/have read this post (since I can't edit it now) and the replier.

No need to apologize for speaking your mind. I'm cynical person, so I understand the perspective of your original post. There is truth to the idea that many people are incredibly unaware of their circumstances, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're living on auto-pilot. I might be getting too pedantic and detached here, but unless someone has an extremely severe intellectual disability, it's just not possible to be an 'NPC.' I believe this gets referred to sometimes as having or not having an 'inner monologue.' Thoughts / cognition do not require inner mental objects / symbols (i.e. thought is not some hidden monologue playing in the background, but expressed through language / something that takes shape in how we engage with everyday life); People don't just think in a vacuum (Very poor extrapolation of Wittgenstein's Blue Book)

As for this question—"I just don't get how most people choose to continue living, despite seeing how awful it is"—I would say that, for most people, they just don't have any compelling reason to die. For some, they're too afraid to go through with it. For others, it's just an ever-present weeping and gnashing of teeth that they learn to live with; How they learn to do that? I have no idea—I'm still wondering about that myself

 

[Turtle Power]

You have no way of knowing what anyone else is thinking unless they tell you. It doesn't make them an "NPC" just because you didn't connect or have a meaningful conversation with them.

Some people attach a purpose to their life and surround themselves with that purpose. Whether it be a job, religion, family, sports, games, books, music, volunteering, and a million other possible activities that people do to occupy and distract themselves until they die.

Some people can and do live their life in auto pilot. If you do something repetitively eventually you will subconsciously do that particular action without much thought. That's how people get good doing things such as sports, or their jobs, etc.

 

[WhiteRabbit]

Oh, it's this post again.

 

[EvisceratedJester]

Oh, it's this post again.

Everybody seems to want to think that they are more special than they really are.

 

[LaVieEnRose]

The protagonist of my story isn't having a good time so I'll swap lives with an NPC.

 

[Saponification]

Personally I totally agree to what you're saying. From what I observed, I think people that are able to function well in society are the ones that don't question the system imposed unto them too much. They also usually have a "just deal with it" mentality, like you called it. I infer that the reason they are able to have this kind of mentality is due to being lucky enough to be on a more fortunate part of the system and/or never having to go through a very traumatic experience.

Anyhow, sometimes I do envy people that are like this as it definitely does make life a lot easier to go through.

 

[citrusrope]

I... think I kind of understand what you mean. Though more so in a way where I think there is a serious rise in anti-intellectualism, and a serious lack of empathy problem. I've witnessed a lot of people who will say stuff like, "It's not that deep lol" in response to someone pointing something out, and in general I think people are not accustomed to truly self-reflect. It's hard to articulate but, there are people who are able to critically think and evaluate beyond simple concepts and constantly evolve in mindset, while there are also people who seem to be unable to think critically and challenge their own beliefs or whatnot. Not necessarily in a way where I'm saying: People other than me are simpletons and stupid! They are not unique at all! But rather, critical thinking is a skill and it's not something that is particularly pushed for our society to develop and it's kind of sad.