Are there any guides to living?
Are there any guides to living?
Hello,
I was wondering if there exists any objective, high-quality guides to doing various human-stuff like showering, properly eating, integration in society, basically anything that can be thought as interacting with the real world.
Maybe there's a wiki for such stuff? A weird request, for sure, but I am wondering if there's an overall better way to do common stuff.
I've found the worst case scenario handbook to be very useful, but more material is always better.
Thank you for your replies! I learned a lot of useful stuff here. Also, the context is simply that I want to know if there are more efficient ways of doing things. Initially I was looking for a highly curated collection of things, but I realized it's simply not possible to give a complete primer on life. That's what other people are for. Thanks again for all the help.
The youtube channel “Dad how do I…?”
Came to mention this channel exactly.
Usually when I wonder if there's a better way to do something, I end up just searching online. Usually WikiHow can point you in the right direction, especially if it's for like basic human stuff. Since you're looking for a wiki this seems like the obvious choice.
If you're looking at building better habits like eating healthier or building a routine, I'm reading Tiny Habits right now and it's pretty eye-opening. Your mileage may vary with self-help books, but so far the science and exercises are sound.
Thank you. I'm going to start reading that today.
Only two cookbooks you need, both available on Anna's Archives. Tonnes of other free cookbooks on archive.org too.
The first helps you pair any food in your kitchen and the second shows you how to prepare and cook it.
I'm curious where this is coming from.
What exactly is it that you're unsure of regarding bathing or eating? Are you questioning the source of your guidance thus far? Have you had no guidance? Are you an AI or alien trying to learn more about humans?
You'd be surprised. There are people who don't know how to wash their genitals (both genders). People who don't know how to clean up after pooping, or even how to best sit while pooping. People use cotton swabs to "clean" their ear wax (which is kind of like eating a pudding cup with a baton).
Not OP but my parents were "helicopter parents" and I was kind of brainwashed into thinking that school was the only purpose in life. You MUST get a degree, and that's it. I had no education except "do your homework." No real friends, no purpose in life, no thinking for myself. I was filthy, brushed my teeth once a day, took a shower once a week or once a month. No one ever noticed. It was worse than being a catholic extremist.
When I got a master's degree, I didn't knew what money was, health, having an opinion, paying taxes, taking a real shower, buying food, cooking food. I knew nothing and it took me years to even understand that it was a thing that you had to do every day. It was way before the internet but I'm happy it exists for young people. Physical abuse is difficult to detect, but psychological abuse is even more sneaky.
That is not the definition of helicopter parents; quite the opposite. Helicopter parents would have been overly attentive of you and ensuring you were doing all the things you should be doing, or doing them on your behalf, even if you fought against them.
You had neglectful parents. Frankly, I wouldn't refer to these people as "parents" at all if they didn't teach you how to bathe yourself.
I'm sorry this was your life and hope you've considered therapy.
This helps break things down: https://goblin.tools/
Many people would recommend the Bible. A lot of that shit will get you arrested, though, so that wouldn’t be my first choice.
Found this trying to find a book I heard about: https://web.archive.org/web/20240713181424/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/smarter-living/adults-guide-to-social-skills.html
Re: Self regulation: https://cursosdepsicologia.com.ar/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/THEDIA1.pdf
Self Compassion (Important Skill): https://web.archive.org/web/20240624215000/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-procrastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html
I know I have more. Let me have a think. :)
There's wikiHow, but I'm pretty sure most of the people who make those could use a guide to life themselves.
Check out the Evolving Self by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. It's a guide for figuring out your brain and sense of self.
You can read and listen to others. You can also go about things your own way through a fun and rewarding process of trial and error.
There's a community called Cool Guides.
I mean you have wikihow but it's not really high-quality all the way through. There doesn't exist one guide. All of these topics are highly debatable, have different opinions with far different perspectives. Some things you just have to figure out yourself with the help given to you. Means: get as much info as possible, compare, talk to others, reflect on your own experience and expectations.
There is no "one better way" to do these common tasks. And many companies spend an insane amount of money to spread (mis)information on how best to eat, exercise, get to work, clean, dress, wash.... So I don't believe there's "objectively" one way to do anything. Find your way.
Here is a good guide:
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Figure out one specific thing you need to learn how to do.
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Look up a guide for that one thing.
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