Posts by Thomas Nelson25

hollowscout57 said:Do you really have to play games? I don't think I do, though who can say for sure. A psychologist once told me I was being manipulative, but I never actually noticed that about myself.🤔 Seriously,

I guess everyone just sees you through a different lens.

I've noticed that women with lower self-esteem or a lot of hang-ups tend to lean more into those power games—just draining a guy's energy constantly. It makes sense if you think about it.

Basically, more stable women don't manipulate much, and if they do, it's usually for a specific reason... whereas for the other group, it's just a reflection of their own internal mess.

Why do you think some guys might see you differently than how things used to be? Maybe it’s just the vibe you're putting out or how you carry yourself... what kind of love are you actually looking for?

hollowscout57 said:They aren't actually pessimists, though—I try not to label people like that, but they prove their mindset in other ways.

My hormones are totally fine, I'm perfectly healthy. I'm 26 years old.

Interesting... what kind of ways?
I could finish that sentence for you—unless you're trying to dodge the topic?!

hollowscout57 said:Wait, whose hormones are we talking about here—mine or theirs?

Setting romance aside for a second, my confidence really peaks when I’m totally lost in something I love doing. But when it comes to relationships, that feeling only kicks in when I’m deeply loved and accepted for exactly who I am—though, honestly, I haven't quite found that specific kind of love yet. I always struggle with this nagging feeling that people just see me as "a woman," just one face in the crowd, completely replaceable and mortal.

So you're saying you don't play 'games' with guys? ;D (especially when it's a crew you can't even trust... unusual, isn't it?)

Honestly, maybe it's a good thing they see you that way—I mean, what else would you want? Maybe you're an intellectual, maybe you've got a deep soul, but to them, it doesn't matter... it all just ends up being part of the warmup.😉

hollowscout57 said:Honestly, not at all—they've actually got even less than I do!

so you basically need someone with high reliability... low scores tend to lean toward pessimism and seeing everything through a gray lens.

hollowscout57 said:Honestly, even when the feelings are mutual, I still deal with this, though I definitely agree that I have a habit of falling for the wrong kind of guy.

As for how that feeling actually hits me—it's like I feel worthless, or even fatalistic. This sounds ridiculous, I know, but it feels like being exiled from paradise. Then comes the feeling of being replaceable, unloved, rejected, inadequate, or just... infantile.

Standard talk therapy hasn't worked for me, though; I've tried just about everything.

That could definitely be happening, but then again, I'm the one choosing them, so I guess the blame lies with me. It's just a vicious cycle.

Are they even reliable?

Just wondering—what kind of guys are we even talking about here? Maybe they’re playing you—low-key messing with your head—without you even realizing it.

Maria Robinson2 said:Didn't you call me a drunkard because of this specific post? Well played. 😉

Anyway, people say what they want, though I doubt it matters much; my family calls me the 'grumpy prophet' because when I speak, I don't sugarcoat things—which, I guess, is a bit much for them, given how used they are to my intuition...

Even lone wolves have their moments of weakness, I suppose. Sometimes, even if nobody says anything, you can see it in their expression—you just know something is off. And then there are the cowards who lack nerve, only to eventually find a moment where they suddenly act out and leave everyone speechless—I guess that's courage for them.
So, let people believe whatever they want about one another...

Family fallout is way more complicated than regular drama—even more than losing a friend... just saying. It definitely fits that old saying about how a "prophet is never respected in his own hometown."🤔

Maria Robinson2 said:The line between love and hate is incredibly thin—I guess you could say it’s razor-thin. People claim that's exactly where envy and jealousy take root.

Everything you tell them—it’s just fuel for their fire, I guess—because they’re perpetually hungry for it. And the stories don't even necessarily need to be about you—you're just the narrator, a mere mouthpiece, maybe.
It’s almost as if I’m not actually a lone wolf—though, I suppose, I certainly know the feeling.

Sadly, there are barely any sane people left out there.
If you're actually being yourself, they can't stand you. If you're a pushover, they "love" you out of pity.

What you're saying is basically wisdom delivered in the third person—kind of like a preacher or something. Let 'em think what they want. (Though some manipulators will catch on and try to claim you're just as bad as them)

Maria Robinson2 said:In most cases, that’s exactly how it works—the collective energy of a group is stronger, which is why an individual can be so easily swayed by the crowd.
It reminds me of... walking into a room and sensing the vibe before you even step inside. Does a single person notice that shift right at the threshold? Maybe. But if they've already crossed that line and stayed in the room, does it mean they can just back out the moment they hit the doorway?
For some people, their own energy is strong enough to hold its own against a crowd—though, honestly, those are things you just learn to handle as you get older. There aren't any universities that teach you this sort of thing. I suppose I think, know, believe so.

Yeah, I'm with you on that—it’s not even about being under someone's thumb, it's more about being isolated. Or honestly? Just straight-up cast out. It happens way too often with people like us who have our own specific interests and ways of doing things. You could try forcing your way into the group or acting all extroverted to make it work, but honestly, that usually just backfires and makes them hate you even more.
And then you just have to "lower" yourself to their level—you know, the whole mediocrity thing. 😁 Politics, the economy, just venting about those little daily struggles—or even that whole scene where people just love hearing themselves talk, chasing clout by acting like they’re the center of attention...

You just start asking about freedom, the meaning of life, God... man, that’s already way too deep for some people.

slycyclist26 said:I'm 33 years old🙂

You can't live in a bubble, that's true. In certain areas, you're forced to play a part, like in a corporate office setting.
A lot of it depends on how old you are, too. What gets to me most is those masks people wear constantly... probably one of the main reasons I've mostly stepped back.

Well, you aren't exactly a kid anymore either—not in terms of the stuff you're digging into. Society hasn't quite managed to mold you yet or slot you into a specific role. 😉

For instance, back in my day, I used to think it was like some spiritual awakening—you know, thinking "I'll get there eventually"—but nope. It wasn't until I hit 35 that I actually started gaining some real wisdom and truly seeing people and the world for what they are. Now I'm 40, and I'm still not even close to who I want to be... though, honestly, I'm not even sure what that is yet. Just a hunch.

In the corporate world (which, let's face it, is how we survive), you have to play the game and even manipulate things a bit. That's just reality. It puts me in this weird spot regarding power versus staying away from it all... am I supposed to be a monk living in isolation, or some kind of wizard? It's the eternal dilemma for anyone trying to be wise.

slycyclist26 said:They bother me. I know most of them already. Not my scene... probably too exhausting. I don't really fit that "look at me, I've arrived" vibe.
I prefer hand-picked, small groups. A cozy atmosphere. But mostly, I'm happy just being on my own 🙂

🙄 🙄

Well, glad you finally figured that out—guessing you're on the younger side, maybe under thirty? Nothing wrong with that... took me until my thirties to catch on. Before then, I was busy playing parts, trying to be what I am now (though even today, I'm still somewhat tied to that 😁 "show-off" thing)

So now you know—it's always the same old question: to be or not to be.
Being an introvert is great for recharging, but you can't live in a vacuum forever.

slycyclist26 said:Probably because I'm just not wired right... 🙄 🙄 🙄

So basically, you're saying a larger group carries more energy than an individual—something you can't really control, unless you're actually managing to pull it off? 🙄

slycyclist26 said:So, I finally forced myself to head out to a cafe again after a few months... it was a Saturday, too... and honestly, it was just awful. Too many people, too much noise, way too much everything. I managed to hang in there for maybe 20 minutes. The only saving grace was this young, blonde waitress... really cute and bubbly 😁

Once there are more than two or three people around, things get heavy and exhausting for me... I start feeling restless...
...but now I'm finally at peace. It's night, I'm listening to the sounds around me, and I feel alive—like I'm one with the universe, totally complete 🙂

...just typing away on the forum 🤣 🤣

What makes you so restless? 🙄

placidwolf27 said:The whole concept of a "lone wolf" is complete nonsense when people use it like this
By definition, lone wolves are just broken individuals that the pack kicked out—usually the younger ones, the weak ones, or the sick ones who fled just to avoid being slaughtered. Or maybe they're just old dogs who can't hold their own in the hierarchy anymore. A lone wolf is mostly just hungry... and if they aren't at death's door, their entire existence revolves around trying to get fat enough before the next winter hits so they can somehow slip into a pack that might take them in—even if that just means getting killed so they can at least have a place to die. Occasionally, they might try to seize control by force, but since they rarely get a steady meal, they’re almost never in any kind of shape to win a fight

It would be much more accurate to say something like a "lone bear," because those guys actually roam the woods solo by choice—they hang out when they feel like it, mind their own business, and generally don't give a damn about anyone else. Or maybe a "lone lion" or something similar... because calling someone a "lone wolf" is basically just describing social rejects

Look, it's a metaphor—it's an example of being alone, an individual outside the group. Wolves are social animals just like Americans are. Whether there are actual personality traits or similarities involved is irrelevant here.

So yeah, an outcast will end up exactly how you described, unless they've developed some unique skills the rest of the group doesn't have... like how shamans or healers live apart from society but still get called in when things go south. Same goes for old-school philosophers or monks, etc.
Basically, most people are just part of the crowd. 😁

Maria Robinson2 said:Mhmm, so they aren't from the West, East, North, or South... I guess the four cardinal directions don't mean much to them?

Since you remember the video, I guess I jumped the gun—it was supposed to be the topic here, but I couldn't have known...

killer video 🙂

Looks like I might head out to the mountains—got some visions about it lately... the Rockies and whatever, lots of forest but mostly rock... it’s been calling to me in my dreams for over three years now..

I used to love hunting for those spots too—you know, places that just feel right, intuitively stimulating... rivers were my thing, too.

Maria Robinson2 said:True—what you mentioned about people suddenly turning toward religion or visions in an instant...

A lone wolf, I guess—they might be perfectly happy with hobbies like model building or photography (like my cousin, who does more than just work on the farm), and there are plenty of "lone wolves" out there writing memoirs—which might actually be interesting to read 🙂.
A few of those lone wolves in my family—you know how it is—often express this "I'm sick of this world" sentiment. They say it openly, and the rest of us usually just stay quiet because, frankly, we often feel the same way. Terrible things happen globally, so it might turn out that we'll see more lone wolves in the near future...
(Not that I'm trying to be a prophet 😁)

Man, that's not prophecy—that's just life. Individualism is huge here in the States, and people either spiral into being psychos or they adapt and use that mindset to unlock their creative potential... assuming everything else falls into place, of course.

Oddballs usually have hobbies that are pretty odd or unconventional themselves 😁

But hey, if you really lean into all that, you can actually become an artist—someone who acts as a medium or is reflective of ideas and visions. It might not be totally original, but it's close—that's my definition of art, anyway. I'm not there yet, but I'd love to be—maybe that potential will open up for me down the road... I mean, I am pretty creative when it comes to building things and making stuff up and all that.

Maria Robinson2 said:Lone wolves are interesting, I guess. It's arguably easier to reach an agreement with them than with others—provided you don't try to force anything, because what works for most people doesn't necessarily work for a lone wolf.

One learns throughout life, I suppose.🙂

It’s really about that wisdom—whether it’s just how they're wired or a defense mechanism—that makes them retreat into their own world. It's that depth you get from looking inward and focusing on things most people totally miss because they're too busy looking outward (which is why they don't "get" spirituality; to them, it's just nonsense, like religion or daydreaming)... though, being *too* detached isn't great either, even if you're a killer writer using all that imagination.

As for character? That goes without saying with wise people—they can adapt to anyone easily.

Maria Robinson2 said:And then it becomes more of a soul-mechanism.

The heart goes first, and the mind follows—get it?

You know the saying, "Do what you think is best for you, and if it isn't working, drop it and move on—just don't repeat the same mistake."
(That's usually when the heart wins out.)

Metaphysics should be discussed with metaphysicians—true enough. For instance, when I want to talk about a tree in the park or a bird on a branch, people give me strange looks, because they'd rather discuss something else entirely—something I couldn't care less about.
That's just how it is—everyone has their own version of reality. See ya. 🙂

Finding some deeper meaning in life, spirituality... sure, could be that. (Now, whether that's a defense mechanism or not—well, it probably should be, right before it becomes an instinct)

Obviously, fear was the first emotion we ever had—or maybe we're just clones of animals and that mechanism takes over sometimes. But with practice or a bit of wisdom, we can balance it out.

Well, yeah—when emotions or raw impulses drive people and trap them in certain patterns (due to a lack of wisdom), people call that "fate." It's usually just rationalization. 😁

Man, people really miss the details right under their noses, let alone the big picture... so what are they actually seeing or hearing? How are they even living? 😉 (I could never see that veil in front of my eyes—makes things harder for me, like that 'Plato's Cave' thing)

Maria Robinson2 said:Spirituality essentially functions as a defense mechanism—I guess you could say it serves that purpose.

Why people feel the need to put on an act—I guess it's just pure insecurity. They haven't quite figured themselves out yet, maybe. That's all there is to it.

Wise people? I suppose they exist—though I often find that people only seem wise until they inevitably mess up, or perhaps screw someone else over—entirely by accident, of course.

You know, while I'm typing this—I find myself thinking about my cousin out in rural Montana. He’s a total loner, honestly—just lives for the land, raising livestock and farming. He never married, doesn't bother with clubs or bars, and his house stays pretty quiet unless someone absolutely has to drop by. But despite all that, whenever we actually catch up, the conversation feels more meaningful than anything I could pull from ten different people in the middle of Chicago.
Well, I guess I've been sitting here reflecting on all of that for a bit...

Mhmm, I wouldn't say it's strictly a psychological mechanism—I mean, where does psychology (individual and social life) end and spirituality begin? It's an endless field...

People play roles to protect themselves from something, from pain—so the role serves a purpose. It sounds ridiculous when you say it out loud, but try telling people that.

Wisdom is... well, first off, you get it.

Kind of like your cousin, that's me. 🙄 And that's how I plan to keep going—I just want more freedom. Everything else (in my book) is just playing a part or following a routine rather than living for yourself. Though, maybe I am just stuck in a defense mechanism myself... but hey, there's creativity and making things, so I've got my arguments. Besides those invisible things, you know? It's hard to explain metaphysics to regular folks—it's just beyond them.😁

Maria Robinson2 said:It could be quite likely—why not?—in any case, I wouldn't call it a small possibility, just a reverse one...

Look, I don't really hang out with many neurotic people anymore, so if I happen to be around some and they tell me I'm calming them down—well, sure, why wouldn't I be? I'm at peace with myself (🙂), even when I'm unhappy about something, I just deal with it. But that's in the real world, not here (😁).
(Since on this forum, I worry I might raise the tension too often, and I wouldn't want anyone thinking that)

A little humor doesn't hurt, does it? 🙂

Like prisoners—it’s proven that after years of isolation, they start acting like ghosts... mostly because they turn inward toward the soul as a defense mechanism.

It's tough to tell though, since people fake it. I mean, how many 😁 people aren't constantly struggling with the gap between what they want (or their impulses) and reality? That struggle narrows your consciousness, and those folks cling hard to their "world stage" roles—the identities they use to define themselves—and their own illusions (like a chameleon mask) that tie back to the collective... where spiritual people end up on the margins (the center), relatively happy because they actually have wisdom.