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Life is a comedy to those who think, and a tragedy to those who feel?

28K views 18 replies 17 participants last post by  SkyNetx3 
#1 ·
Horace Walpole said, "Life is a tragedy for those who feel, but a comedy to those who think."

I'm sure many of you have heard this quote before, and to a large extent, many will agree. But from the INTP standpoint, this quote confuses me a little bit. Being one of "The Thinkers" has been rewarding in many ways but more often than not, difficult and disorienting.

What do you think? And where have you seen this statement ring true in your life?
 
#2 ·
I pretty much laugh off most of life's setbacks. As the saying goes "Don't cry over spilt Milk". In most cases there is nothing I can do about misfortune so I honestly just shrug it off. My wife on the other hand, very much a feeler, will stew over it for days.

We had an issue with one of our cars yesterday, when I called to tell my wife about it she went on a 20 minute tirade. I just set the phone down and when I stopped hearing noise coming from the phone I picked it back up. Best to just let her vent, my calm logic about the situation is lost on her.
 
#3 ·
This statement rings true for me and I often use it as a personal quote. Fortunately, I'm able to see the humor and absurdity that life offers. Throughout my life I've enjoyed using that gift to make other people laugh and thus ease the pain of their problems.

I wish I knew where I could find this clip and who said it, but I was watching a special about comedy on PBS last year. Someone said something to the effect that the comedians role is to point out truths in life that are difficult to hear and make it funny, thus easier to swallow.

I dig this. As an INTP, I think I'm privy to some of these truths (oh the audacity!) and would like to share them with others. However, I would be a hated outcast if I flatly expressed these said truths. So, I wrap it in a nice blanket of humor. You're welcome society!!
 
#4 ·
It is sad when you realize that you don't feel as much as most people do. I kind of have to accept that I don't have the full range of emotions that are common to others, sometimes it does feel strange, definitely disorienting. I have feelings of depersonalization that can get pretty intense when I'm stressed or starting to get a little depressed, but these feelings are what keep me from falling into a TRUE depression, I think. I can get a little down and have zero energy but it's more of a physical thing, the emotional aspect is hardly there.

I think it's true for me most of the time, though. I'm usually the funny person because it's easy to make light of things when you don't feel that deeply. Nothing seems that serious to me, even things that probably should, which can be a problem, it's something that I have to keep in check.
 
#6 ·
It's very true to me. Because I rationalize most things, I tend to not get caught up in the drama of life and can easily get through things that completely befuddle & upset the feelers I know. I just know that many of the feelers I know get so caught up in everything crazy going on around them (or even that they've just created for themselves) and don't seem to enjoy life very much.

I think anyone can be happy with life though. It just takes learning to relax and enjoy anything that comes by without being too critical about things.
 
#7 ·
Horace Walpole said, "Life is a tragedy for those who feel, but a comedy to those who think."
On the other hand, Ernest Hemingway said, "Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know."

Personally, I agree with both quotes to different degrees.
 
#10 ·
I feel the exact opposite is true. Life is real bitch for people that think and those who feel seem to always find a way to make their feelings serve them, sometimes in a perverse way - thus sort of "wrap" the world around them. I wish I could trick myself into living a life guided by emotion and not be reminded everyday by reason how stupid and mundane that same life tend to be....

I guess I'm in one of those moods... don't mind me.
 
#11 ·
I think that generally this quotation rings true, but it's also important to keep in mind that everyone thinks and everyone feels. I've always felt that there are times to just laugh things off and not take them so seriously, and there are times to feel emotion and use it for a good cause.


I mean, if someone was a total robot with no emotion whatsoever, then all of the "tragic" things in life wouldn't really bother them. Seeing people suffer wouldn't really be a big deal if it didn't affect you emotionally. So a lot of times people are motivated to help people because of the emotion that they feel.

Of course, the flip side is true that one's emotions can sometimes cloud their good reasoning and judgment. So one has to be careful to not let their emotions completely override them.

I guess I've always felt that someone's emotions should be used to inspire them to action, and ones reasoning should be used to carry out those actions.


So the quotation is true, but since everyone is a mix of both, I don't see anything wrong with viewing life as a comedy sometimes and view it as a tragedy in others. Seeing it both ways is important in different ways, and just like thinking vs. feeling as a preference, one isn't better than the other.
 
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#17 ·
I think that generally this quotation rings true, but it's also important to keep in mind that everyone thinks and everyone feels. I've always felt that there are times to just laugh things off and not take them so seriously, and there are times to feel emotion and use it for a good cause.


I mean, if someone was a total robot with no emotion whatsoever, then all of the "tragic" things in life wouldn't really bother them. Seeing people suffer wouldn't really be a big deal if it didn't affect you emotionally. So a lot of times people are motivated to help people because of the emotion that they feel.

Of course, the flip side is true that one's emotions can sometimes cloud their good reasoning and judgment. So one has to be careful to not let their emotions completely override them.

I guess I've always felt that someone's emotions should be used to inspire them to action, and ones reasoning should be used to carry out those actions.


So the quotation is true, but since everyone is a mix of both, I don't see anything wrong with viewing life as a comedy sometimes and view it as a tragedy in others. Seeing it both ways is important in different ways, and just like thinking vs. feeling as a preference, one isn't better than the other.
Molière said it 100 yrs before Walpole did
 
#13 · (Edited)
Horace Walpole said, "Life is a tragedy for those who feel, but a comedy to those who think."
As a young teenager I have always tried to live life like it was some kind of game. Always telling myself that "life is just a ride, an experience that we should all just enjoy. Don't get emotional attached to things or people because they will eventually go away in the end, just enjoy what you have and just "live".

The thing is though I will be never be able to just "live". I will always worry what people think of me, if they like me or dislike or how I dress. I will always be emotionally attached to certain people like family and close friends and my girlfriend(s). I will always worry about my future like how I will make ends meet from week to week.

I wish I wouldn't worry about these things and just simply "live" but I'm human and always will remain one.
 
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#15 ·
My perception has been that this runs more along the lines of Ne,Se/Ni,Si functional divide than thinker feeler divide. It seems like people who use Ne or Se sort of live always a step ahead, thinking about the future rather than dwelling for too long on the past which may be full of painful and unpleasant memories, whereas Ni/Si users can get stuck overanalyzing past to bits and pieces and forget to think about the potential that the future may bring, thus giving off the impression of taking life too seriously.

Then there are Renin dichotomies - these don't follow Ne,Se/Ni,Si divide - according to these INTPs are classed as negativists. Negativists are likely to state how things aren't, be more reprimanding than complementing, readily notice that the glass is half-empty or that something is lacking, and be more socially and intellectually mistrusting. To the outer world negativists may not seem as somebody who takes life as a comedy, whereas positivists may seem more like optimistic people. Negativist personality types are INTJ, ISFJ, INTP, ENFJ, ESTP, ISFP, ESTJ, ENFP so once again there is no correlation between feeler and thinker functions to this.
 
#18 ·
I've never get these, life is suck type of shits. Like...life is what you make for yourself. If your life is a shit than it is due to your poor decisions, not because life is good or bad. Life is life. It is natural. People like to blame everything for their flaws but themselves. People can convince themselves that the entire world is wrong but they are not, so they don't have to feel bad for their shittiness. And I see that this is the same in here too. Tragedy my ass...
 
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