#philosophysics

It is often suggested that if we thought too much about the 'negative' aspects of the situation (such as our death and finiteness) we should become depressed. Actually this is not the case; depression cannot coexist with the perception of existence. Even ordinary fear is readily distinguishable from depression.

There is not one space and time only, but as many spaces and times as there are subjects.

Consciousness is a very special phenomenon, because it is part of the world and contains it at the same time. All our data indicate that consciousness is part of the physical universe and is an evolving biological phenomenon. Conscious experience, however, is much more than physics plus biology—more than a fantastically complex, dancing pattern of neural firing in your brain. What sets human consciousness apart from other biologically evolved phenomena is that it makes a reality appear within itself. It creates inwardness; the life process has become aware of itself.

Sanity may be described as the conscientious denial of reality.

In a conversation with an interesting person, we endeavour to get at his fundamental ideas and feelings. We do not bother about the words he uses, nor the spelling of those words, nor the breath necessary for speaking them, nor the movements of his tongue and lips, nor the psychological working on our brain, nor the physical sound in our ear, nor the physiological effect on our nerves. We realize that these things, though interesting and important, are not the main things of the moment, but that the meaning and idea is what concerns us. We should have the same feeling when confronted with a work of art. When this becomes general the artist will be able to dispense with natural form and colour and speak in purely artistic language

I feel like you owe it to yourself as a distinct and sentient individual, with free will and arguably boundless potential, to remove yourself from the restrictive expectations of your parents. The challenge they will face is that they have succeeded, if you are happy - but that is not your burden to carry. Let them work that out; instead, embrace the idea of success that is most true to yourself - not one, I stress, that is any less intellectually and physically rigorous than something your parents may ordain (more, even), but one that objectively recognizes the immense efforts you have put in - without accurate and genuine benchmarks, and without a legitimate reward system, I fear you, as a person - may be limited. You know you're successful. Embrace it. Don't let some admissions committee tell you you're not, and don't let your parents say so either - they have their own challenge to face.

I know you are deciding if you are ready for college. I think it is very good to take time to be sure it is what you want to do right now. If you decide college isn't for you right now that is just as good of a decision to go to college. I could easily see you being a great Artist. You have a willingness to pull up very personal issues in a way that really exposes alot of what you are as a person. The creativity required to make good Art is very tough. It's tiring to give so much of yourself to art. It can be very rewarding. You don't have to go to school to learn about art. I think art students make some of the best non-traditional students. I knew many grad students who had been professional artists, or worked in some other career before going back to school. Just don't decide to be unemployed. Being in poverty is very awful. It makes even the simplest life problems a massive crisis. It also makes you like a terrible and awful human being.