Comments on: To Welcome Disillusionment

By: *e

*e — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 22:04:34 +0000

@Charles: It’s often in our trials when we reevaluate what is most important to us. Without the “pressure cooker” we wouldn’t be forced to come to such conclusions or even decisions. Of course it flat-out sucks and during such times we sometimes wish it would be just over as soon as possible–so long as the pain goes away–but would we have proceeded to learn anything about the world around us or about ourselves? What we can only hope for to come is clarity.

@soulst0p: I remember. I often forget that disillusionment can become not just a feeling that we feel but a state of being. That’s when it becomes overwhelming. Of course, it’s also been described as flat-out depression. As I asked in this entry, Where is the hope? No one can answer that for anyone else.

But for you, I can just say that with having gotten to know you over the past 10 years–I can’t express how much joy I felt for you when you told me you were going to film a movie in Hong Kong…disillusionment period and all. I am guessing it makes everything that has come and is to come that much sweeter. And has made you work that much harder.

@lexybeast: I agree that we all see things through our distorted lens in one way or another. It’s in line with the concept that there simply is no such thing as “completely neutral” or “having no bias.” I guess it follows then that we all need our own disillusioning events tailored to our own bigotedness.

Btw, already commented but love the site. Congratulations.

By: lexybeast

lexybeast — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:09:09 +0000

Interesting entry. A lot of people see things the way they want them to be, rather than the much healthier seeing things the way they are and working towards the way they want them to be. Kind of vague, but it goes from everything: to people spending more than their means to eating disorders. Heck, even the Bush administration really wanted WMDs to be in Iraq to justify their invasion. Perhaps a social disillusioning is in order.

By the way, my website is now alive; have a look.

By: soulst0p

soulst0p — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:54:49 +0000

For a large part of my life, I would have to say that I have been a disillusioned person. In fact, many of my friends have used that term to describe me. It was either “disillusioned” or “disenchanted”. You can see it in my xanga. I think the negative connotations with being disillusioned revolve around the associated fall from happiness with yourself and your surroundings.

It’s a tough line to walk. When you demystify those “truths” that exist to keep us happy, how do you avoid the fall into despair at the real truth? Who’s to say which is better? Would we rather be happy with the illusion, or miserable with reality. There is, of course a balance in between, but I personally find it very hard to achieve.

By: Charles

Charles — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 07:40:12 +0000

Good points. Sometimes “everything” seems to be going wrong in our lives, and the typical reaction is, “God, do you hate me or something?” But perhaps what’s really happening is that He’s thinking, “No, it’s precisely the opposite. I love you, and that’s why I don’t want you to settle for merely what you *think* is best. Let me show you more.”

“Disillusionment” cannot be a bad thing if it merely reveals the true value of that which we once idolized (”idolized” in the negative sense). On the other hand, when something is greater than we ever imagined it to be, further examination and time will only show more of its true nature or value.

By: *e

*e — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:19:20 +0000

Thank you.

By: eric

eric — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 02:41:59 +0000

well said!