Feel vs Think

**Cepheid** · 08-01-2010, 09:57 PM

I've heard this saying before. To me it makes a certain amount of sense, but I want to see what some of the better minds on this specific "series of tubes" take from it.

"To those who feel, life is a tragedy. To those who think, life is a comedy."

Or as, according to Wikipedia, Horace Walpole originally said "I have often said, and oftener think, that this world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel – a solution of why Democritus laughed and Heraclitus wept."

To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

**JulietCapulet** · 08-01-2010, 10:58 PM

I would say the one for the feelers is true. I don't think all thinkers view life as comedy though.

As a feeler, which is the worst thing that ever happened to me...I can agree that this life is very painful. What I wouldn't give to feel less. It is a great burden to carry. But it helps me with my art and creative writing (two things that are regarded as of low value in our materialistic society.)

**someuser** · 08-01-2010, 11:02 PM

is that why feelers always "think" the best will happen?

**JulietCapulet** · 08-01-2010, 11:03 PM

	Originally Posted by someuser To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	is that why feelers always "think" the best will happen?

I don't think we always think that. Actually quite the contrary, I think a lot of us are worried about the opposite all the time. Being a feeler doesn't mean being optimistic.

**Takeru** · 08-01-2010, 11:08 PM

Taking MBTI away from the quote (I don't want MBTI to be associated with what I said.)

To me, for those who feel, it can be a tragedy, but it can also be a gift (if the person can find it.) It is a tragedy when the person finds reason for hurt(war, fighting, etc.) It can be a gift when the person's actions can impact others in a positive way.

As for one who only thinks, it can be a comedy. I think a good example would be chemicals and emotions themselves (again, put MBTI aside from it...for my sake.) A thinker would just say it is chemicals in your brain that make you sad, or depressed, or [insert emotion.] While others may value human beings as something sacred, a thinker can easily make it sound like a human being is nothing (in the sense that humans are made up of chemical compounds, dna, and etc) in the sense that we are like other animals on earth.

**vampyroteuthis** · 08-01-2010, 11:10 PM

Everyone has feelings; to insinuate otherwise is only proof that not everyone thinks clearly.

There is, however, a distinction to be made between 'feeling' and 'proper feeling'. The first is evinced by most if not all humans, the second is pleasantly lacking in some people, making them unsusceptible to Hallmark, jingoism, and telenovelistic cries of 'woe is me'.

**someuser** · 08-01-2010, 11:18 PM

from feelers that I talked to, we would argue about this. what I was told was that life is depressing, and all that, so they focus on the positive, even though to me, it's not very realistic. To me, it's more like this... I try to figure out what may happen (and plan for the worst, backup plans, etc.), and expect that (positive or negative), but if something better happens, great, if something worse happens, I would have planned for that already. I'm not going to expect the ideal situation to happen.

**Anhedonic Lake** · 08-02-2010, 03:19 AM

	Originally Posted by JulietCapulet To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I don't think we always think that. Actually quite the contrary, I think a lot of us are worried about the opposite all the time. Being a feeler doesn't mean being optimistic.

Yes, it's been said on this forum before, that an I/ENFP who's idealism is broken too often can become a very cynical person.

**Muse** · 08-02-2010, 04:23 AM

intj here, with my strongest letter being T. life is a crude comedy, and i look at it in my sick, twisted, comedic light because its easier to make sense of then.

but i cant do it 24/7. id get too deep into it.

**Bonamona** · 08-02-2010, 04:30 AM

	Originally Posted by Anhedonic Lake To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Yes, it's been said on this forum before, that an I/ENFP who's idealism is broken too often can become a very cynical person.

Yup, I had fallen into depression before over broken idealism and it can be a challenging pattern to break at times.

**elfbrick** · 08-02-2010, 08:52 AM

I think of life as a comedy sometimes. When I watch a comedy, I savor everything leading up to the next joke. When I watch life, I like to do the same.

**Ilara** · 08-02-2010, 09:17 AM

I tend to think that life can be both tragic and funny.

Provided one has a morbid sense of humour
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

In all seriousness, though, I don't think that life being tragic and life being funny are mutually exclusive by any means.

I could probably think myself into a life-hating funk just as easily as a feeler could feel him/herself into a life-hating funk. I prefer not to. Equally, I'm sure some feelers can feel their way into a life-loving mode. The quote seems like a narrow view of life and people.

**millifly** · 08-02-2010, 10:05 AM

While the quote does have a ring of truth to it, I think that it's more complicated. The Feelers, by nature, feel emotions deeply--whether they are comedic emotions or tragic emotions. The depth of feelers' tragic emotions are of the same magnitude as their comedic emotions, when they can fully revel in laughter, joy, and other pleasures. Since the grass is always greener on the other side, I sometimes wish that I had more of a feeling instinct in me. As a thinker, I do laugh as some of the absurdities of life but it's more of a dry, sarcastic, ironic laugh, not the hearty, belly-clutching laugh that people get when they fully give themselves and their feelings to the moment.

**sunlover** · 08-02-2010, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by Cepheid
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

I've heard this saying before. To me it makes a certain amount of sense, but I want to see what some of the better minds on this specific "series of tubes" take from it.

"To those who feel, life is a tragedy. To those who think, life is a comedy."

Or as, according to Wikipedia, Horace Walpole originally said "I have often said, and oftener think, that this world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel – a solution of why Democritus laughed and Heraclitus wept."

To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Feelers do plenty of thinking and thinkers do plenty of feeling therefore llife is both tragedy and comedy for all.

**dontmesswithme** · 08-02-2010, 08:04 PM

Now that I think about it, I feel things so deeply I make myself laugh. After I finish crying, of course. My thoughts often gang up on my feelings, but my feelings always get the last laugh. Poor thoughts! I think it's sad that some people don't listen to their feelings more...........................it feels good to get this stuff off my chest.

**green** · 08-02-2010, 08:56 PM

I can't tell which is which anymore- I used to be a thinker, but I think that my emotions are starting to come out to play- and not in a good way!

**Silence** · 08-02-2010, 09:16 PM

How odd that "feeling" and "thinking" would be channelled solely into one's outlook on life. Tragedy and comedy are so subjective that it's nearly impossible to confirm the saying in the OP.

**Crafter** · 08-04-2010, 03:58 PM

I think I feel.

Logic by itself is like instant coffee without water.

**Mindfreak** · 08-11-2010, 08:56 AM

The "feelers" I know, don't "think"; they have confided to me, they hate to think !! I responded, "I believe you". Some people never cease to amaze me.
Thankfully, I've learned to control my thinking.

**Femmebott** · 08-11-2010, 09:23 AM

If by feelers you mean people who are emotionally in sync with their environments then I can understand that they see life more tragically or dramatic. But no one is either/or all the time so maybe this quote is meant to be a big generalization...

**Judoka** · 08-11-2010, 10:03 AM

This quote is bs in my opinion just 'cause someone famous said that doesn't make it true. Most thinkers also think life's tragedy 'caus there are many things in the world (important things) which can't be explained in terms thinkers understand.

**Tkae** · 08-11-2010, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by Cepheid
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

I've heard this saying before. To me it makes a certain amount of sense, but I want to see what some of the better minds on this specific "series of tubes" take from it.

"To those who feel, life is a tragedy. To those who think, life is a comedy."

Or as, according to Wikipedia, Horace Walpole originally said "I have often said, and oftener think, that this world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel – a solution of why Democritus laughed and Heraclitus wept."

To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Actually, I'd say it was backwards.

You can logically point out all the ways the world is a horrible place far easier than you can point out the ways it's a paradise. But you can feel that the world is a good place just as easily as you can feel it's bad.

08-01-2010, 09:57 PM	#1
Cepheid Member [06%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 268	I've heard this saying before. To me it makes a certain amount of sense, but I want to see what some of the better minds on this specific "series of tubes" take from it. "To those who feel, life is a tragedy. To those who think, life is a comedy." Or as, according to Wikipedia, Horace Walpole originally said "I have often said, and oftener think, that this world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel – a solution of why Democritus laughed and Heraclitus wept." To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Cepheid is offline post a comment

08-01-2010, 10:58 PM	#2
JulietCapulet Veteran Member [96%] MBTI: XNFX Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 3,865	I would say the one for the feelers is true. I don't think all thinkers view life as comedy though. As a feeler, which is the worst thing that ever happened to me...I can agree that this life is very painful. What I wouldn't give to feel less. It is a great burden to carry. But it helps me with my art and creative writing (two things that are regarded as of low value in our materialistic society.)
JulietCapulet is offline post a comment

08-01-2010, 11:02 PM	#3
someuser Member [05%] MBTI: xxxx Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 236	is that why feelers always "think" the best will happen?
someuser is offline post a comment

08-01-2010, 11:08 PM	#5
Takeru Veteran Member [96%] MBTI: XXXX Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 3,873	Taking MBTI away from the quote (I don't want MBTI to be associated with what I said.) To me, for those who feel, it can be a tragedy, but it can also be a gift (if the person can find it.) It is a tragedy when the person finds reason for hurt(war, fighting, etc.) It can be a gift when the person's actions can impact others in a positive way. As for one who only thinks, it can be a comedy. I think a good example would be chemicals and emotions themselves (again, put MBTI aside from it...for my sake.) A thinker would just say it is chemicals in your brain that make you sad, or depressed, or [insert emotion.] While others may value human beings as something sacred, a thinker can easily make it sound like a human being is nothing (in the sense that humans are made up of chemical compounds, dna, and etc) in the sense that we are like other animals on earth.
Takeru is offline post a comment

08-01-2010, 11:10 PM	#6
vampyroteuthis Core Member [192%] MBTI: INTP Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 7,714	Everyone has feelings; to insinuate otherwise is only proof that not everyone thinks clearly. There is, however, a distinction to be made between 'feeling' and 'proper feeling'. The first is evinced by most if not all humans, the second is pleasantly lacking in some people, making them unsusceptible to Hallmark, jingoism, and telenovelistic cries of 'woe is me'.
vampyroteuthis is offline post a comment

08-01-2010, 11:18 PM	#7
someuser Member [05%] MBTI: xxxx Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 236	from feelers that I talked to, we would argue about this. what I was told was that life is depressing, and all that, so they focus on the positive, even though to me, it's not very realistic. To me, it's more like this... I try to figure out what may happen (and plan for the worst, backup plans, etc.), and expect that (positive or negative), but if something better happens, great, if something worse happens, I would have planned for that already. I'm not going to expect the ideal situation to happen.
someuser is offline post a comment

08-02-2010, 04:23 AM	#9
Muse Veteran Member [84%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 3,392	intj here, with my strongest letter being T. life is a crude comedy, and i look at it in my sick, twisted, comedic light because its easier to make sense of then. but i cant do it 24/7. id get too deep into it.
Muse is offline post a comment

08-02-2010, 08:52 AM	#11
elfbrick Member [03%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 131	I think of life as a comedy sometimes. When I watch a comedy, I savor everything leading up to the next joke. When I watch life, I like to do the same.
elfbrick is offline post a comment

08-02-2010, 09:17 AM	#12
Ilara Veteran Member [95%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 3,835	I tend to think that life can be both tragic and funny. Provided one has a morbid sense of humour To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. In all seriousness, though, I don't think that life being tragic and life being funny are mutually exclusive by any means. I could probably think myself into a life-hating funk just as easily as a feeler could feel him/herself into a life-hating funk. I prefer not to. Equally, I'm sure some feelers can feel their way into a life-loving mode. The quote seems like a narrow view of life and people.
Ilara is offline post a comment

08-02-2010, 10:05 AM	#13
millifly Member [02%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 82	While the quote does have a ring of truth to it, I think that it's more complicated. The Feelers, by nature, feel emotions deeply--whether they are comedic emotions or tragic emotions. The depth of feelers' tragic emotions are of the same magnitude as their comedic emotions, when they can fully revel in laughter, joy, and other pleasures. Since the grass is always greener on the other side, I sometimes wish that I had more of a feeling instinct in me. As a thinker, I do laugh as some of the absurdities of life but it's more of a dry, sarcastic, ironic laugh, not the hearty, belly-clutching laugh that people get when they fully give themselves and their feelings to the moment.
millifly is offline post a comment

08-02-2010, 08:04 PM	#15
dontmesswithme Core Member [129%] MBTI: INFJ Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 5,163	Now that I think about it, I feel things so deeply I make myself laugh. After I finish crying, of course. My thoughts often gang up on my feelings, but my feelings always get the last laugh. Poor thoughts! I think it's sad that some people don't listen to their feelings more...........................it feels good to get this stuff off my chest.
dontmesswithme is offline post a comment

08-02-2010, 08:56 PM	#16
green New Member [01%] MBTI: intj Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 42	I can't tell which is which anymore- I used to be a thinker, but I think that my emotions are starting to come out to play- and not in a good way!
green is offline post a comment

08-02-2010, 09:16 PM	#17
Silence Member [35%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1,404	How odd that "feeling" and "thinking" would be channelled solely into one's outlook on life. Tragedy and comedy are so subjective that it's nearly impossible to confirm the saying in the OP.
Silence is offline post a comment

08-04-2010, 03:58 PM	#18
Crafter Member [03%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 120	I think I feel. Logic by itself is like instant coffee without water.
Crafter is offline post a comment

08-11-2010, 08:56 AM	#19
Mindfreak Member [10%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 434	The "feelers" I know, don't "think"; they have confided to me, they hate to think !! I responded, "I believe you". Some people never cease to amaze me. Thankfully, I've learned to control my thinking.
Mindfreak is offline post a comment

08-11-2010, 09:23 AM	#20
Femmebott Veteran Member [54%] MBTI: INTP Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 2,188	If by feelers you mean people who are emotionally in sync with their environments then I can understand that they see life more tragically or dramatic. But no one is either/or all the time so maybe this quote is meant to be a big generalization...
Femmebott is offline post a comment

08-11-2010, 10:03 AM	#21
Judoka Banned MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 213	This quote is bs in my opinion just 'cause someone famous said that doesn't make it true. Most thinkers also think life's tragedy 'caus there are many things in the world (important things) which can't be explained in terms thinkers understand.
Judoka is offline post a comment