Posts by Steven Carter74

Rebecca Scott3 said:Falling in love isn't exactly something you can put under your control... but as for who you end up loving? Well, you might have a little more wiggle room there.🙂

I find myself in complete agreement with this observation. Primarily, I would argue that infatuation is merely a fleeting state of being captivated by someone—or perhaps more accurately, by the idea of them. It occurs largely due to our internal, subconscious perceptions which, in a short window of time, effectively "cloud" our judgment and somewhat distort our rational thought processes. This could be explained in much greater detail from a biological standpoint, which is actually what Miss Dea touched upon at the beginning of our discussion.

Now, true love for another person requires a significantly longer duration. It involves a sustained period during which we consciously establish our own "criteria" and rationally shape our perception of the other individual. Ultimately, it is this deliberate process that allows us to sustain feelings of love over a long-term period.
While I believe that love can indeed cease after some time, this typically only happens if our internal "criteria" undergo a shift—specifically, if the image we hold of the person we loved changes or becomes disrupted (and I am certainly not referring to physical appearance here).
Thus, we arrive at the conclusion that "eternal love" can only exist if, during the initial stages of getting to know one another, we presented ourselves with an accurate image of the other person. In other words, did we truly "read" the character traits that attracted us? Or was all of it simply a byproduct of infatuation, causing us to overlook certain red flags early on, which eventually leads to disillusionment?

In essence, love is an abstract feeling that we construct by setting certain "conditions" under which we subconsciously accept another person into our lives. Because of this "subconscious" element, it lasts for a long duration; however, because of that same subconscious nature, the consequences of its end are far more profound. Infatuation, on the other hand, is purely biological in nature, influencing our psychological state temporarily, yet once that biological influence wanes, the feeling of infatuation also vanishes quite rapidly.

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If this isn't your cup of tea, or if you truly believe it's a bad habit, then by all means, please refrain from smoking. However, I would kindly ask that you avoid offering unsolicited or foolish advice...

Charles Jackson5 said:Oh, please. Don't lie. You guys grow Marijuana on an industrial scale out in Columbus—you’ve definitely smoked plenty and you're just too embarrassed to admit it.
I've smoked enough Marijuana in my life to know it's genuinely dangerous. It wrecks your short-term memory permanently and leads to psychological issues. Still, there are some "benefits" I wouldn't bring up right now, but... for one reason or another, I end up smoking it maybe five or six times a year. I definitely wouldn't recommend it to anyone—at least not until they finish school or develop a bit more character.

I absolutely agree with this; Marijuana will wreck your memory beyond repair, and regarding those with unformed characters—I agree there too. That's where you find the highest number of addicts, usually kids who start messing around with it at the beginning of high school. The teenage years carry so many downsides—conflicts with parents, peers, issues at school—and then kids start smoking because they see it as "good," thinking it helps them forget their problems or relax. But they relax way too much, which creates a mountain of new problems that Marijuana can no longer mask, leading them to try something even stronger. At that point, you've completely ruined your life, ending up in a commune at best, or six feet under at worst...
I didn't start smoking weed as a kid; in fact, I actually looked down on it. But once I matured a bit and realized I was at a stage where I could actually control it, rather than being constantly overwhelmed by it, I started smoking...

I just want to say that if you aren't sure—or if you suspect you might not be able to handle its effects—you should never even attempt to try it (speaking generally). Because if you do, you'll end up destroying yourself and your entire life...

Take me, for example; I smoke Marijuana consistently (not every single day or even every week, but a few times a month or so). I do it exactly as much as I want and when I want. Marijuana doesn't dictate my schedule; I decide when and how much, and it's not that I'm forcing myself to stay sober, it's just that I simply don't feel the need for it. However, it also makes no sense to lie and say that lighting up isn't enjoyable, or that it's some terrible experience that inevitably leads to death...
By the way, to make the effect stronger and to avoid taxing my body and brain as much, I stopped drinking and smoking cigarettes just so I could enjoy a session occasionally. And if we are talking about dangers, the danger in Marijuana lies only with the person who doesn't know what it is and doesn't know how to control it—that's when the drug "takes" you....

Personally, if I noticed it was harming me or causing negative changes in my life, I would stop smoking for a while to see how things improve. But again, I wouldn't quit entirely if everything continued to flow normally; I'd still light up a joint every now and then...

And look, I can't exactly lie and say I have a set number of days per month when I smoke and that's it. In fact, I'm happy to spark up when I'm out with friends in a social setting where people smoke, even if I hadn't planned on it, though I still make sure not to go overboard...

Do you see my point?

Andrew Richardson8 said:In my experience, people who constantly smoke Marijuana eventually just become... well, blentav. It’s like they lose their edge on every possible level of existence. It’s hard to put into words, really. But you can always spot a regular smoker. It’s like their brain just burns out. Who knows...

The reason for that is that a layer of "something"—I really should double-check the exact scientific term so I don't sound foolish—builds up on your brain cells. I am talking about the cells responsible for memory, logic, combinatorics, and whatever else makes us functional. This buildup takes time to clear out. Of course, the amount of time required to cleanse those cells is directly proportional to how much Marijuana you have consumed over a consistent period. For instance, if you were to smoke just one joint, that residue might dissipate in less than a week, meaning you'd return to your baseline intelligence levels fairly quickly. However, if one smokes daily for several months, such a significant accumulation can occur that it might take two or three years to clear. And even once it does, is there any guarantee you will be exactly the same person you were before? 😵

As far as my memory serves me, that buildup is some kind of fatty substance or something similar; if anyone happens to know the specific term, please feel free to share, as I cannot seem to locate the exact name...👍