groundhog day

[oldbill4823]

What you did to day, is probably exactly what you did yesterday.
You will cycle through the same routines and habits as you did before.
Lets face it we are nearly automated habit performing machines.
We respond the same way to given stimuli again and again and again and again.
We think the same things, we say the same things, we have the same emotions, and on and on and on...........

So a quick question.

Imagine that you now realise that you were stuck in a set of endless repeating pattern, until now that is.
You now have the ability to change just one set of actions in order to evolve.
What will you change tomorrow in order to escape groundhog day to the life you want? 

Let your imaginations rip.

[ViciouslyMe]

I would design a machine and actually make it this time. Life would be fun.

[Raziel]

I first encountered the groundhog thought experiment while reading a fanfiction set in the form of a time loom. The problem is the experiment also presents the stimulus you  encounter to be the same day after day while encouraging you to commit a different action set despite how the original action effected the experience. Normally we have the routines we do for comfort and practicality. As the result of adjusting to the current situation... However when we do adjust to our situations, we often stop creating new scenarios and thus become slaves to habit. Habit that does not allow us to explore further possibilities.

Its like the equivalent of being a couch potato. It weakens us by creating a form of security when we only achieve our potentials by trying new things, thus gaining experience created by new stimuli. This can be in the form of meeting new people trying new things or putting a new spin on an existing relationship, or habit. Basically it allows further development/renovation of yourself due to the introduction of new blueprints and building materials, whether conceptual or physical.

The problem is.... most people are scared of breaking out of the mundane world of habit. Of escaping the groundhog day scenario. They try to do this because they might lose a source of comfort, or income, a source of security or even just a source of free drinks and conversation.

Because they become "stagnant" they become the equivalent of furniture instead of becoming animals.

In the wild, animals, especially solo predators do not cling to habit because they are,  FORCED to search for their food and must explore new or unexplored places in this search. While they do return to same old haunts, they often leave because it is not a guaranteed meal.

This is the same with us humans. People who become slaves to habit  are used as furniture by the more dynamic thinkers and proactive members. They use them by using techniques designed to take advantage of the natural reactions of man to stimuli.
Some of these people are con artists, others are criminals, but still others are leaders, whether of groups or businesses or organizations.  Days do not just melt into a repetitive cycle of mindless habit for them because of all the new things that they do.  And this makes them attractive as well as adaptive. Causing new opportunities to be laid at their feet because people see them as vessels for change. Change which may very well include the betterment of the standard of living for them.

Basically what i'm trying to say is


Stagnation= same thing over &over again

Change = could end up badly but risk is minimized if you do your research. Eitherway, you find something new.

If you end the groundhog day. you'll have something else to adapt to. But the longer you wait, the more "chair" you become.


But chair are comfortable... but sometimes people weren't meant to be chairs, some may be knives, or shoes, or computers. Find what you wanna be. And then you can groundhog day that till it gets old. If it never gets old then fine. If you're basic motivator is "change" for the sake of change, then that's fine too. But yeah.... you're different...... just like everybody else.

[ravinclaw]

Buy stock in a vodka company, move to Florida and start picking oranges. Then grow my hair long, get a Jesus robe and establish "The Cult of Screwdriver"..... yes there is more but I cant reveal that information.

[oldbill4823]

Chickens**t!

Go on i dare you.

[ravinclaw]

Dare me to what exactly? To be serious? Some of us would consider those little "rutts" people settle into a luxory. I dont do exactly the same old s**t every day, so to change my routine would be a little difficult. 

[ViciouslyMe]

Maybe you don't follow the same routine, but you are the same person today as you were yesterday. No matter how erratic a person thinks themselves to be, theres always a pattern.

[ravinclaw]

I dont think Im erratic, and yes, I follow paterns just like everyone else but not to the same extent. My job for example. I work for the same company everyday but not at the same location, not always the same shift and I dont always do the same thing. There are definate patterns but more over weeks than days. If I could change one thing without loosing a source of income my family cant do without I would start making steps to get a job doing something Ive allways wanted to do...Ive allways wanted to be a hellicopter pilot. If that sounds stupid I dont care, its what I would do.

[ViciouslyMe]

Sounds fun, maybe you could help me get over my fear of heights. Well not heights obviously so much as falling from said heights. But I understand why people follow the patterns they do, but if for one day you could do anything, no consequences and finances taken care of, what would it be? Something that would have a lasting effect on your life.

[ravinclaw]

My first spur of the moment thought would be to climb Mt. Everrast. That would be an awsome experiance I think.

[oldbill4823]

If you actually mapped out our physical location on a map, marked our journeys between places as lines, most of the time we would see we are just following the same physical routes as before. 

We would see we are clearly creatures of habit. From toilet to bedroom, from bedroom to shower, from shower to workplace, from workplace to home again.
The shape our paths make mapped out like this are alarmingly regular. 

We would be very very easy creature to hunt. The best hunters hunt themselves though. That is the reason for this post i guess, an invitation to hunt ourselves and our own stupid routines that keep us trapped.



Just as an afterthought the shapes our lives make mapped out like this are very similar to a plants structure with main branches, stems, root systems etc. Especially when we start to breed and reproduce and these shapes are mapped too.

Hmm what can i prune?

[Earth_Wyrm]

I would purge my mind of all obsessive thoughts. Then, after I'd freed up some headspace, I'd go to a place where nothing could distract me and commit myself to writing a novel. Or else I'd erase my fear of being in water and finally learn how to swim.

It's not so much the fear of being in water that keeps me from swimming, it's being unsupported in water, with no life jacket, innertube, or water noodle to hold me up. I think there's a metaphor about the way I live my life in there somewhere.

[ViciouslyMe]

Like say, you always where your floaties before diving into life? Still, learning to swim is do-able. And it would be a great thing, to help get rid of fear.