Find all my publications on my website: https://protesilaos.com/ * * * I hiked and talked philosophy for a bit more than an hour. I covered a broad set of topics related to the expression "sorry for being a burden". An overview: * We start feeling like a burden when we are coping with some difficult situation. We think that others are doing well, while we are not. * We do not want to bring others to our misery, so we avoid them. * Not wanting to externalise our negativity in this way comes from a good starting point: we consider the wellness of others. * An explanation of how this apparent altruism is biased both against us and against the others. We think we are worthless while they are impeccable. * When we think we are a burden, we develop a sense of egocentrism even though we do not want to. We do it by obsessing about our condition. * Our obsession turns into a misplaced sense of exceptionalism as we think we are special in our agony: "I am special because I am the only one who suffers". * There is a "transmission mechanism" by which this ostensible burden can be distributed. Explanation of how this relates to the communicative aspect of the human condition. * We cannot opt out of our humanity. To be sorry for being human is pointless. We always communicate. * When we communicate with others, we open ourselves to their positivity. In general, we remove the obstacles that worsen our condition. * Explanation of moderation, of finding a middle way between the extremes. * More comments on the perversion of self-hatred that masquerades as altruism. * Practical ways to gradually escape from the overthinking loop. We break the cycle by acting. Also comment on one's physical condition and how idle energy is contributing to the problem. * We live in a world where we forget to be human sometimes and are absorbed in our little bubble---practical step to avoid that. * Example with how we do not control how others perceive our messages and why we should not blame our self or them. * Don't judge and be patient.