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Comment by DoingIsLearning | Hacker News Reader

> It was a time were ecclesiastes from the Bible resonated a lot.

As an open minded agnostic who has not read the Bible or the Tanakh I am curious, what about the Ecclesiastes in particular resonated with you?

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I’m a Christian if that makes a difference. The book spoke to me about the idea of believing we will find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in things if we just try hard enough. If I have the right idea and execute on it I will final be happy, if I reach a certain level in my company I will I’ll finally feel that feeling of the ultimate win, if I have enough friends, or leisure or whatever. None of its going to bring that sense of peace and fullness we are seeking. It must be found outside of our striving. As a Christian I find that feeling in God and being present with family.

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 KJV

Not the commenter but it's just a interesting premise. It's an old King who's experienced every earthly pleasure in existence (food, wine, servants, women, etc.) who is looking back on his life and writing a letter to his son. He is basically despairing that all of these things were in vain and that they don't mean anything now that he is old, etc. It doesn't really have a clean payoff or moral either, the premise is basically "life sucks, pleasure is fleeting, and then you die".

Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations" came to mind from your description, very interesting.

Not OP, but it’s very unique compared to the other books. It reads more like a philosophy-type book.

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