i'm neither a gm and i will never be...but for me is not a waste of time...i have to look for better? icarus burned itself after looking for the sun
This is a personal choice. For example. I have been playing chess for 30 years. I don't consider it a waste of MY time. I know people personally who have played longer than I have who will never reach my level, and they don't consider it a waste of theirs. You choose your personal time waste not us.
If you have to ask you will never know.
Thank you for answers.All of you were nice.Do not reply more,thread closed. I appreciated all answers.Particularly thanks to Borrower,you gave me not only answer i needed but even a life lesson.Thank you all!Thread closed.
@Subomega In response to your post #8, Bernard Shaw was probably awful at chess. Ofc he thought it was a waste of time. The more one studies the game, the more it becomes obvious that there is intrinsic beauty within the game.
Why study theoretical mathematics? Most of it has no pragmatic results, yet there are thousands of academics doing just that. It is for the mental challenge and beauty of the problem, analogous to chess.
@whoaninonymous, if you start looking at the game as @burrower suggested life becomes mechanical and compartmentalised. American-goal-based nonsense, where one lives to accomplish x, y and z. And for what? If you enjoy chess then that is enough.
As Whimper responded to some who asked him why he climbed mountains: "because it is there".
Why study theoretical mathematics? Most of it has no pragmatic results, yet there are thousands of academics doing just that. It is for the mental challenge and beauty of the problem, analogous to chess.
@whoaninonymous, if you start looking at the game as @burrower suggested life becomes mechanical and compartmentalised. American-goal-based nonsense, where one lives to accomplish x, y and z. And for what? If you enjoy chess then that is enough.
As Whimper responded to some who asked him why he climbed mountains: "because it is there".
Taoist i dont think its goal based nonsense, why should you not derive pleasure from goals. If you become more knowledgeable, more fit each day, why wouldn't you derive pleasure from it? I think it makes more sense than overintellectualizing new age concepts. If you deeep down think its a waste of time, telling yourself its good pleasure its a wrong coping mechanism, you cant trick your inner ego. One day the lie will manifest itself in a sick psyche. You can lie to everyone but not yourself. If that were so easy...Or as the cook said to homer simpson:if we could live in the sauce, don't you think i would not already live in it?
Ultimately you'll have to ask yourself what is your goal in life? What is and what is not a waste of time?
Is it a waste of time to work a job you hate just to keep the bills paid and uphold a certain social status?
Is it a waste of time to have a family, to love, to make friends and spend time with them?
Do you live only to achieve success, career, money, fame? Or do you live to enjoy each moment regardless of having any or none of the aforementioned? Or for some entirely different reason; maybe to help others, or to learn new things, make experiences of all kinds of things?
Maybe none of it, maybe something entirely different for you. Any answer you find for yourself is okay and perfectly fine.
Life is short, time is limited. In the end we all die. When that moment comes, does any of it really matter at all? Does it make any difference how you spent your time? Again, only you can answer that question for yourself.
To me personally chess is a complete waste of time, when I don't enjoy it and time well spent if it gives me pleasure. Maybe you just have to find the right balance of how much chess you want in your life.
People and their preferences tend to change over time. So the answer you find now does not necessarily have to be the same you would have given a year ago or would give a year in the future.
Is it a waste of time to work a job you hate just to keep the bills paid and uphold a certain social status?
Is it a waste of time to have a family, to love, to make friends and spend time with them?
Do you live only to achieve success, career, money, fame? Or do you live to enjoy each moment regardless of having any or none of the aforementioned? Or for some entirely different reason; maybe to help others, or to learn new things, make experiences of all kinds of things?
Maybe none of it, maybe something entirely different for you. Any answer you find for yourself is okay and perfectly fine.
Life is short, time is limited. In the end we all die. When that moment comes, does any of it really matter at all? Does it make any difference how you spent your time? Again, only you can answer that question for yourself.
To me personally chess is a complete waste of time, when I don't enjoy it and time well spent if it gives me pleasure. Maybe you just have to find the right balance of how much chess you want in your life.
People and their preferences tend to change over time. So the answer you find now does not necessarily have to be the same you would have given a year ago or would give a year in the future.
I agree with Sefegiru. It is really a philosophical question. You can sit down and write down all the traits that you consider virtuous, and then you can strive to live virtuously -- this will give you fulfilment as a person, but won't necessarily make you happy. It will however bring you towards what ever you believe is the ideal life (although you'll have to reassess what you consider virtuous periodically).
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