Posts by Linda Ward3

I almost lost this entire post, and you would've been deprived of my deep dive, too. Just when I thought I’d finally typed it all out, the database throws a massive error at me... and then it happens again. 🙂

Karma might be a bitch, but hope is bigger. 😛

😵

dustylynx14 said:Ughhhhh!!!!! I wrote a mile-long response and just as I was about to hit send, the forum kicked me out and everything was lost. You have no idea how livid I am. 🙂

Now I have to summarize. It’s a shame it vanished; I’ll end up sounding superficial.

No, I don't believe I'm unable to reach people; rather, they cannot reach me. I am not alienated—I understand people perfectly well, but it seems they don't quite understand me.

People wear masks because they enjoy playing parts. It is pure adaptation and survival; it is easier to take the path of least resistance... even if one lives a lie...
I often choose not to wear a mask, but in doing so, I risk being unpopular—and I usually am. Meanwhile, if you wear a mask of politeness, you tend to get along much better in society. Personally, I loathe that "come here but don't come here" or "come here but go away" approach... or that constant seesawing... hop-skip, hop-skip... and then acting as if nothing happened. Give me a break!

Yes, I am on that same path you mentioned. A sort of self-awareness... that is what I wanted to write to you... however, this technological piece of garbage just swallowed a perfectly good response. Now I feel like communication itself is crippled. Damn unreliable technology.

Yes, it is as if the topics have been exhausted. Everything has been seen, said, and known. And frankly, it gets on my nerves. Everything is shallow. I am not, but the people around me make me seem so. What infuriates me is this lack of weight, of value, of principles. Everything is relative. Hyper-production, instant gratification—it all grates on me. 🙂 Even this loss of my post is a lack of weight. There! See? I'm right. Blahhh!

Forgive my irritability, but technology just devoured thirty minutes of effort and a mile of text. 😁

If anyone actually understands that feeling, it’s me. Tech disasters follow me everywhere. It’s almost as if I’m summoning them through some kind of quantum physics glitch. 😠
Oh, I definitely understand: D
But you really should have tried hitting refresh to get back to the previous page. Unless, of course, you were typing on your phone.🤷

dustylynx14 said:Ughhhhh!!!!! I wrote a mile-long response and just as I was about to hit send, the forum kicked me out and everything was lost. You have no idea how livid I am. 🙂

Now I have to summarize. It’s a shame it vanished; I’ll end up sounding superficial.

No, I don't believe I'm unable to reach people; rather, they cannot reach me. I am not alienated—I understand people perfectly well, but it seems they don't quite understand me.

People wear masks because they enjoy playing parts. It is pure adaptation and survival; it is easier to take the path of least resistance... even if one lives a lie...
I often choose not to wear a mask, but in doing so, I risk being unpopular—and I usually am. Meanwhile, if you wear a mask of politeness, you tend to get along much better in society. Personally, I loathe that "come here but don't come here" or "come here but go away" approach... or that constant seesawing... hop-skip, hop-skip... and then acting as if nothing happened. Give me a break!

Yes, I am on that same path you mentioned. A sort of self-awareness... that is what I wanted to write to you... however, this technological piece of garbage just swallowed a perfectly good response. Now I feel like communication itself is crippled. Damn unreliable technology.

Yes, it is as if the topics have been exhausted. Everything has been seen, said, and known. And frankly, it gets on my nerves. Everything is shallow. I am not, but the people around me make me seem so. What infuriates me is this lack of weight, of value, of principles. Everything is relative. Hyper-production, instant gratification—it all grates on me. 🙂 Even this loss of my post is a lack of weight. There! See? I'm right. Blahhh!

Forgive my irritability, but technology just devoured thirty minutes of effort and a mile of text. 😁

No worries, I'll just follow the deleted traces of deeper meaning. :D

dustylynx14 said:Ughhhhh!!!!! I wrote a mile-long response and just as I was about to hit send, the forum kicked me out and everything was lost. You have no idea how livid I am. 🙂

Now I have to summarize. It’s a shame it vanished; I’ll end up sounding superficial.

No, I don't believe I'm unable to reach people; rather, they cannot reach me. I am not alienated—I understand people perfectly well, but it seems they don't quite understand me.

People wear masks because they enjoy playing parts. It is pure adaptation and survival; it is easier to take the path of least resistance... even if one lives a lie...
I often choose not to wear a mask, but in doing so, I risk being unpopular—and I usually am. Meanwhile, if you wear a mask of politeness, you tend to get along much better in society. Personally, I loathe that "come here but don't come here" or "come here but go away" approach... or that constant seesawing... hop-skip, hop-skip... and then acting as if nothing happened. Give me a break!

Yes, I am on that same path you mentioned. A sort of self-awareness... that is what I wanted to write to you... however, this technological piece of garbage just swallowed a perfectly good response. Now I feel like communication itself is crippled. Damn unreliable technology.

Yes, it is as if the topics have been exhausted. Everything has been seen, said, and known. And frankly, it gets on my nerves. Everything is shallow. I am not, but the people around me make me seem so. What infuriates me is this lack of weight, of value, of principles. Everything is relative. Hyper-production, instant gratification—it all grates on me. 🙂 Even this loss of my post is a lack of weight. There! See? I'm right. Blahhh!

Forgive my irritability, but technology just devoured thirty minutes of effort and a mile of text. 😁

Actually, you seem to have the recipe right in front of you, you just won't cook it ;-) From your first comment, I gathered that you struggle to connect with people too, simply because you see they aren't being consistent or true to themselves. When you don't see any value there, there's no point in getting close.

How is it that they can't reach you? Is it that you consciously refuse them, deciding it isn't worth letting them in? Or is it truly that they lack the ability to reach you? Would you even want them to? And does the ambiguity of that question hold you back? What are the pros and cons? Have you essentially built a wall using your own psychological mechanisms? Do you actually want to tear it down? Do you even desire interaction with people like that? Because from where I'm sitting, it doesn't seem to be an issue of awareness or knowledge, but rather a matter of will. 🙂

dustylynx14 said:Ughhhhh!!!!! I wrote a mile-long response and just as I was about to hit send, the forum kicked me out and everything was lost. You have no idea how livid I am. 🙂

Now I have to summarize. It’s a shame it vanished; I’ll end up sounding superficial.

No, I don't believe I'm unable to reach people; rather, they cannot reach me. I am not alienated—I understand people perfectly well, but it seems they don't quite understand me.

People wear masks because they enjoy playing parts. It is pure adaptation and survival; it is easier to take the path of least resistance... even if one lives a lie...
I often choose not to wear a mask, but in doing so, I risk being unpopular—and I usually am. Meanwhile, if you wear a mask of politeness, you tend to get along much better in society. Personally, I loathe that "come here but don't come here" or "come here but go away" approach... or that constant seesawing... hop-skip, hop-skip... and then acting as if nothing happened. Give me a break!

Yes, I am on that same path you mentioned. A sort of self-awareness... that is what I wanted to write to you... however, this technological piece of garbage just swallowed a perfectly good response. Now I feel like communication itself is crippled. Damn unreliable technology.

Yes, it is as if the topics have been exhausted. Everything has been seen, said, and known. And frankly, it gets on my nerves. Everything is shallow. I am not, but the people around me make me seem so. What infuriates me is this lack of weight, of value, of principles. Everything is relative. Hyper-production, instant gratification—it all grates on me. 🙂 Even this loss of my post is a lack of weight. There! See? I'm right. Blahhh!

Forgive my irritability, but technology just devoured thirty minutes of effort and a mile of text. 😁

Oh, absolutely. They want to, and sometimes they simply have to. It’s tragic when you forget who you're performing for and why you started in the first place. When the act becomes the goal itself. A rehearsed dance without any music, often looking quite ridiculous
Wearing different masks for different situations is sometimes necessary—or at least makes life easier. That’s how we're taught to be socially intelligent. The alternative I’ve been weighing is just being simple and ordinary, exactly as you are, and trying to find that same authenticity in others despite all their layers of performance.

Do you feel better wearing the mask, or when you take it off? Who are you comfortable enough to show your true self to, and in what kind of settings?

Could you elaborate on this approach you mentioned hating?:/

that "come here but stay away" thing... or that seesaw vibe... hop-skip, hop-skip... and then acting like nothing happened.

dustylynx14 said:Ughhhhh!!!!! I wrote a mile-long response and just as I was about to hit send, the forum kicked me out and everything was lost. You have no idea how livid I am. 🙂

Now I have to summarize. It’s a shame it vanished; I’ll end up sounding superficial.

No, I don't believe I'm unable to reach people; rather, they cannot reach me. I am not alienated—I understand people perfectly well, but it seems they don't quite understand me.

People wear masks because they enjoy playing parts. It is pure adaptation and survival; it is easier to take the path of least resistance... even if one lives a lie...
I often choose not to wear a mask, but in doing so, I risk being unpopular—and I usually am. Meanwhile, if you wear a mask of politeness, you tend to get along much better in society. Personally, I loathe that "come here but don't come here" or "come here but go away" approach... or that constant seesawing... hop-skip, hop-skip... and then acting as if nothing happened. Give me a break!

Yes, I am on that same path you mentioned. A sort of self-awareness... that is what I wanted to write to you... however, this technological piece of garbage just swallowed a perfectly good response. Now I feel like communication itself is crippled. Damn unreliable technology.

Yes, it is as if the topics have been exhausted. Everything has been seen, said, and known. And frankly, it gets on my nerves. Everything is shallow. I am not, but the people around me make me seem so. What infuriates me is this lack of weight, of value, of principles. Everything is relative. Hyper-production, instant gratification—it all grates on me. 🙂 Even this loss of my post is a lack of weight. There! See? I'm right. Blahhh!

Forgive my irritability, but technology just devoured thirty minutes of effort and a mile of text. 😁

>😠>
But whatever, I think I managed to grasp the essence of it : D

dustylynx14 said:Ughhhhh!!!!! I wrote a mile-long response and just as I was about to hit send, the forum kicked me out and everything was lost. You have no idea how livid I am. 🙂

Now I have to summarize. It’s a shame it vanished; I’ll end up sounding superficial.

No, I don't believe I'm unable to reach people; rather, they cannot reach me. I am not alienated—I understand people perfectly well, but it seems they don't quite understand me.

People wear masks because they enjoy playing parts. It is pure adaptation and survival; it is easier to take the path of least resistance... even if one lives a lie...
I often choose not to wear a mask, but in doing so, I risk being unpopular—and I usually am. Meanwhile, if you wear a mask of politeness, you tend to get along much better in society. Personally, I loathe that "come here but don't come here" or "come here but go away" approach... or that constant seesawing... hop-skip, hop-skip... and then acting as if nothing happened. Give me a break!

Yes, I am on that same path you mentioned. A sort of self-awareness... that is what I wanted to write to you... however, this technological piece of garbage just swallowed a perfectly good response. Now I feel like communication itself is crippled. Damn unreliable technology.

Yes, it is as if the topics have been exhausted. Everything has been seen, said, and known. And frankly, it gets on my nerves. Everything is shallow. I am not, but the people around me make me seem so. What infuriates me is this lack of weight, of value, of principles. Everything is relative. Hyper-production, instant gratification—it all grates on me. 🙂 Even this loss of my post is a lack of weight. There! See? I'm right. Blahhh!

Forgive my irritability, but technology just devoured thirty minutes of effort and a mile of text. 😁

Exactly, that’s the adaptation. If someone only gives you a tiny fraction of themselves, you aren't going to play the fool and dig around to see what else is there. You consume what’s offered, and it happens so fast—like a quick snack—that it's gone in a few bites. You won't even have the will to try again; you can't stay hungry for it. That's what those shallow, half-baked masks do.
Simplicity is much deeper and more satisfying, but in a world built on masks, going that route is incredibly brave. You end up looking like the odd one out—like you're "off" or just a fool :/ What I find fascinating is that even the most mindless or terrible people will get offended, thinking, "Look at this guy being too blunt." That’s the risk you’re talking about—risking being unpopular by the standards of this society's masquerade.

Then again, simplicity might also be the way to actually find people similar to yourself.🙂

dustylynx14 said:Ughhhhh!!!!! I wrote a mile-long response and just as I was about to hit send, the forum kicked me out and everything was lost. You have no idea how livid I am. 🙂

Now I have to summarize. It’s a shame it vanished; I’ll end up sounding superficial.

No, I don't believe I'm unable to reach people; rather, they cannot reach me. I am not alienated—I understand people perfectly well, but it seems they don't quite understand me.

People wear masks because they enjoy playing parts. It is pure adaptation and survival; it is easier to take the path of least resistance... even if one lives a lie...
I often choose not to wear a mask, but in doing so, I risk being unpopular—and I usually am. Meanwhile, if you wear a mask of politeness, you tend to get along much better in society. Personally, I loathe that "come here but don't come here" or "come here but go away" approach... or that constant seesawing... hop-skip, hop-skip... and then acting as if nothing happened. Give me a break!

Yes, I am on that same path you mentioned. A sort of self-awareness... that is what I wanted to write to you... however, this technological piece of garbage just swallowed a perfectly good response. Now I feel like communication itself is crippled. Damn unreliable technology.

Yes, it is as if the topics have been exhausted. Everything has been seen, said, and known. And frankly, it gets on my nerves. Everything is shallow. I am not, but the people around me make me seem so. What infuriates me is this lack of weight, of value, of principles. Everything is relative. Hyper-production, instant gratification—it all grates on me. 🙂 Even this loss of my post is a lack of weight. There! See? I'm right. Blahhh!

Forgive my irritability, but technology just devoured thirty minutes of effort and a mile of text. 😁

Everyone else would be living in some sort of parallel universe if it weren't for the laws of physics. 😛

dustylynx14 said:Now, this—I actually like this. 🙂 It offers a glimmer of hope—not that everything hasn't already gone to hell—but that we might actually pull through.

I try to approach people with sincerity—treating them exactly how I’d want to be treated myself. I truly believe many will respond from their core, even those hiding behind various social masks or professional titles. At least, that's been my experience. 🙂
Don't be so quick to judge people—especially when their outward behavior isn't even a choice. Most folks just get caught in the gears of complex social structures that dictate their pace and direction—effectively stripping away their agency. It’s easy to overlook, but I've seen it myself—there is almost always a seed of normalcy buried deep within them.🙂

An interesting perspective—certainly worth considering.🙂 Yes, forgiveness is necessary—but sometimes, one simply cannot escape that sense of Camus. Foreigner. Even if the world is an alienated place—and let's face it, it is.

I have personally witnessed people being torn apart by rumors—claims about who they are or how they act—often fueled by those who actually know them. Yet, in my own experience, I have dealt with that exact same individual and had an entirely different encounter.

Honestly—as time goes on—I’m finding myself leaning more toward quantum physics. It makes sense—that reality is essentially whatever we shape it to be—and that parallel universes and a billion different outcomes for a single situation are actually out there.

Let your desire to meet a regular, everyday person be your guide—if you can manage that—and I trust it will lead you exactly where you need to go.

I remain hopeful. 🙂 And I'm just hoping—fingers crossed, really—that I manage to stay sane through all this. :P

I couldn't tell you. It’s just that genuine conversation and actual social connection are becoming increasingly rare. 🤷 I simply find myself lacking the desire to socialize...

P.S. Are you trying to psychoanalyze me now? 😛 😁

Well, if you like it, then good for you : ) . Honestly, things have a way of proving that life isn't quite as scary as we think, and that Nada isn't such a terrifying figure after all.😉

dustylynx14 said:Now, this—I actually like this. 🙂 It offers a glimmer of hope—not that everything hasn't already gone to hell—but that we might actually pull through.

I try to approach people with sincerity—treating them exactly how I’d want to be treated myself. I truly believe many will respond from their core, even those hiding behind various social masks or professional titles. At least, that's been my experience. 🙂
Don't be so quick to judge people—especially when their outward behavior isn't even a choice. Most folks just get caught in the gears of complex social structures that dictate their pace and direction—effectively stripping away their agency. It’s easy to overlook, but I've seen it myself—there is almost always a seed of normalcy buried deep within them.🙂

An interesting perspective—certainly worth considering.🙂 Yes, forgiveness is necessary—but sometimes, one simply cannot escape that sense of Camus. Foreigner. Even if the world is an alienated place—and let's face it, it is.

I have personally witnessed people being torn apart by rumors—claims about who they are or how they act—often fueled by those who actually know them. Yet, in my own experience, I have dealt with that exact same individual and had an entirely different encounter.

Honestly—as time goes on—I’m finding myself leaning more toward quantum physics. It makes sense—that reality is essentially whatever we shape it to be—and that parallel universes and a billion different outcomes for a single situation are actually out there.

Let your desire to meet a regular, everyday person be your guide—if you can manage that—and I trust it will lead you exactly where you need to go.

I remain hopeful. 🙂 And I'm just hoping—fingers crossed, really—that I manage to stay sane through all this. :P

I couldn't tell you. It’s just that genuine conversation and actual social connection are becoming increasingly rare. 🤷 I simply find myself lacking the desire to socialize...

P.S. Are you trying to psychoanalyze me now? 😛 😁

I’d love for you to elaborate on how you view that alienation. How does it manifest within your own reasoning?
Do you feel like people simply can't reach you, or is it more that you feel no need to listen to them because they don't seem close to you at first glance?

We've touched on the idea of masks, but it leaves me wondering: do you wear a mask yourself to prevent people—who might be more like you than you realize—from truly seeing you?
If we go back to that first point, everyone is in their own mask, and you are in yours. You pass each other by, even though perhaps you are both searching for the exact same kind of normalcy?
If you do wear a mask, what is its purpose? What is it made of? Answer those questions for yourself, or here. Perhaps then you'll grasp the essence of that alienation.

dustylynx14 said:Now, this—I actually like this. 🙂 It offers a glimmer of hope—not that everything hasn't already gone to hell—but that we might actually pull through.

I try to approach people with sincerity—treating them exactly how I’d want to be treated myself. I truly believe many will respond from their core, even those hiding behind various social masks or professional titles. At least, that's been my experience. 🙂
Don't be so quick to judge people—especially when their outward behavior isn't even a choice. Most folks just get caught in the gears of complex social structures that dictate their pace and direction—effectively stripping away their agency. It’s easy to overlook, but I've seen it myself—there is almost always a seed of normalcy buried deep within them.🙂

An interesting perspective—certainly worth considering.🙂 Yes, forgiveness is necessary—but sometimes, one simply cannot escape that sense of Camus. Foreigner. Even if the world is an alienated place—and let's face it, it is.

I have personally witnessed people being torn apart by rumors—claims about who they are or how they act—often fueled by those who actually know them. Yet, in my own experience, I have dealt with that exact same individual and had an entirely different encounter.

Honestly—as time goes on—I’m finding myself leaning more toward quantum physics. It makes sense—that reality is essentially whatever we shape it to be—and that parallel universes and a billion different outcomes for a single situation are actually out there.

Let your desire to meet a regular, everyday person be your guide—if you can manage that—and I trust it will lead you exactly where you need to go.

I remain hopeful. 🙂 And I'm just hoping—fingers crossed, really—that I manage to stay sane through all this. :P

I couldn't tell you. It’s just that genuine conversation and actual social connection are becoming increasingly rare. 🤷 I simply find myself lacking the desire to socialize...

P.S. Are you trying to psychoanalyze me now? 😛 😁

There is absolutely nothing wrong with believing that. 🙂
I actually follow the consequences of that line of thinking myself : D

dustylynx14 said:Now, this—I actually like this. 🙂 It offers a glimmer of hope—not that everything hasn't already gone to hell—but that we might actually pull through.

I try to approach people with sincerity—treating them exactly how I’d want to be treated myself. I truly believe many will respond from their core, even those hiding behind various social masks or professional titles. At least, that's been my experience. 🙂
Don't be so quick to judge people—especially when their outward behavior isn't even a choice. Most folks just get caught in the gears of complex social structures that dictate their pace and direction—effectively stripping away their agency. It’s easy to overlook, but I've seen it myself—there is almost always a seed of normalcy buried deep within them.🙂

An interesting perspective—certainly worth considering.🙂 Yes, forgiveness is necessary—but sometimes, one simply cannot escape that sense of Camus. Foreigner. Even if the world is an alienated place—and let's face it, it is.

I have personally witnessed people being torn apart by rumors—claims about who they are or how they act—often fueled by those who actually know them. Yet, in my own experience, I have dealt with that exact same individual and had an entirely different encounter.

Honestly—as time goes on—I’m finding myself leaning more toward quantum physics. It makes sense—that reality is essentially whatever we shape it to be—and that parallel universes and a billion different outcomes for a single situation are actually out there.

Let your desire to meet a regular, everyday person be your guide—if you can manage that—and I trust it will lead you exactly where you need to go.

I remain hopeful. 🙂 And I'm just hoping—fingers crossed, really—that I manage to stay sane through all this. :P

I couldn't tell you. It’s just that genuine conversation and actual social connection are becoming increasingly rare. 🤷 I simply find myself lacking the desire to socialize...

P.S. Are you trying to psychoanalyze me now? 😛 😁

we've already figured out what kind of person Nadica is : p
i'm betting she won't let you down 😁

dustylynx14 said:Now, this—I actually like this. 🙂 It offers a glimmer of hope—not that everything hasn't already gone to hell—but that we might actually pull through.

I try to approach people with sincerity—treating them exactly how I’d want to be treated myself. I truly believe many will respond from their core, even those hiding behind various social masks or professional titles. At least, that's been my experience. 🙂
Don't be so quick to judge people—especially when their outward behavior isn't even a choice. Most folks just get caught in the gears of complex social structures that dictate their pace and direction—effectively stripping away their agency. It’s easy to overlook, but I've seen it myself—there is almost always a seed of normalcy buried deep within them.🙂

An interesting perspective—certainly worth considering.🙂 Yes, forgiveness is necessary—but sometimes, one simply cannot escape that sense of Camus. Foreigner. Even if the world is an alienated place—and let's face it, it is.

I have personally witnessed people being torn apart by rumors—claims about who they are or how they act—often fueled by those who actually know them. Yet, in my own experience, I have dealt with that exact same individual and had an entirely different encounter.

Honestly—as time goes on—I’m finding myself leaning more toward quantum physics. It makes sense—that reality is essentially whatever we shape it to be—and that parallel universes and a billion different outcomes for a single situation are actually out there.

Let your desire to meet a regular, everyday person be your guide—if you can manage that—and I trust it will lead you exactly where you need to go.

I remain hopeful. 🙂 And I'm just hoping—fingers crossed, really—that I manage to stay sane through all this. :P

I couldn't tell you. It’s just that genuine conversation and actual social connection are becoming increasingly rare. 🤷 I simply find myself lacking the desire to socialize...

P.S. Are you trying to psychoanalyze me now? 😛 😁

I’m quite an empathetic person, but even I get this. It's like all the topics have been worn thin and everyone is just stuck in their own little bubble. 🤷
You aren't interested in pretending that their focus—whoever that may be—is actually interesting, yet you don't want to pull them into your orbit either, even if you could. Your inner world seems far more compelling than whatever surface-level chatter people are throwing around.
And look, it doesn't necessarily have to be a "you" problem. Maybe social interaction itself has just become stale—all those predictable flavors and tired tropes that you're simply bored with. 🤷
Honestly, I think that's the case for most people these days. No matter where you turn, it feels that way.

P.S. You are well on your way to being fully analyzed by me 😛

dustylynx14 said:Unfortunately, I don't see any real drive for integration anymore. All I see is a desperate need to impose oneself, a craving for uniqueness, pure selfishness, and sheer pretension... In this massive heap of identities, choices, genres, subcultures, and hyper-consumerism, all I find is garbage—not even a shred of authenticity. Must we really resort to caricatures and eccentricity—actually, outright nastiness—just to satisfy this obsession with individuality and being special? Honestly, I'm just looking for a simple, straightforward person to meet...🤷 But it's proving impossible. God, everywhere I turn, I'm surrounded by cynicism, a mountain of crap, and these "original" negative stories that aren't even creative... Give me a break!

I noticed you edited your post. Could you elaborate on what you mean by this cynical environment, the pile of garbage, and those negative stories?

In what way are those negative stories struggling to be original?

dustylynx14 said:Unfortunately, I don't see any real drive for integration anymore. All I see is a desperate need to impose oneself, a craving for uniqueness, pure selfishness, and sheer pretension... In this massive heap of identities, choices, genres, subcultures, and hyper-consumerism, all I find is garbage—not even a shred of authenticity. Must we really resort to caricatures and eccentricity—actually, outright nastiness—just to satisfy this obsession with individuality and being special? Honestly, I'm just looking for a simple, straightforward person to meet...🤷 But it's proving impossible. God, everywhere I turn, I'm surrounded by cynicism, a mountain of crap, and these "original" negative stories that aren't even creative... Give me a break!

I agree with you; I was merely presenting that as a collection of ideals regarding a certain level of normality. However, please keep in mind that all that aggressive posturing, the selfishness, and the pomposity? Often, it’s just a costume. People wearing fake layers because they actually crave real, primal values—things like love and friendship.

Try approaching people simply. Be sincere, be the kind of person you wish they were, and I truly believe many of them—even those hiding behind masks and various personas—will respond from their true core. At least, that’s been my experience.🙂
Don't hold it against people, except for those outward displays. Quite often, those behaviors aren't even a choice; they are caught in the gears of complex sociological forces that dictate their pace and direction, effectively erasing who they actually are. Most people aren't even aware of it, but that doesn't mean the seed of normalcy isn't there.🙂

Personally, I've experienced times when people were being trashed—"they're like this, they're like that"—and I suspect those rumors came from people who had actually interacted with them. Yet, on the flip side, my own interaction with that very same person would be a completely different story altogether.

Just let your desire to meet a normal, down-to-earth person guide how you carry yourself. I believe if you do, someone like that will eventually drift your way.

Joseph Miller12 said:Lately, looking objectively at my friends, family, and society at large, I can't help but feel that morality is in a steep decline—especially among the younger generation.
To be fair, I’m part of that demographic myself, and the question of ethics keeps weighing on me. I see guys idolizing career criminals and girls chasing after influencers like 😁, fueled by the trash media constantly pumps into our heads. It’s hard not to wonder where the compass went.
But getting back to the point: how do we actually foster moral development? What is the core essence of morality, and why does it even matter for a person to have it?

We could go on forever theorizing about this. We could write entire textbooks.
But if you want the bottom line? At its core, morality is being able to look anyone straight in the eye. It's about being able to stand before yourself and others without any shame—living by that principle of "if I didn't step up to help, I failed." Essentially, it's about having a clean conscience instead of hiding behind excuses.
To me, morality means that even when you *do* have power, you refuse to use it for your own gain if it means stepping on someone else.

dustylynx14 said:I’ve recently come to the conclusion that being a normal person in today's world is an incredibly rare feat. It’s a paradox—normality has become a scarce commodity, and apparently, it isn't "cool" anymore. Everyone seems obsessed with being eccentric or finding some niche subculture to cling to; they crave this hyper-individualism that usually just turns them into caricatures—mostly because they lack the depth to realize they're just swapping one shallow template or ideology for another. What’s your take? Personally, I think simply being a regular, straightforward person is enough of an exception these days. I strive for that, but whenever I deal with the people around me, I feel overwhelmed—they just refuse to acknowledge my ordinariness. What about you? Are you chasing that desperate need to be "special," even if it feels forced, or are you like me—just trying to be an ordinary person who wants nothing more than a simple life? Someone might argue: "Simplicity? You're asking for too much."

That’s an interesting question—or perhaps more of a statement of fact. If I could call myself a simple, unburdened, and approachable person who remains open to the differences in others—meaning I don't judge, mock, or subject their uniqueness to some pseudo-critical evaluation based on my own personal yardstick as if it were some universal truth—then yes, that is certainly a virtue.

Reading back my own sentence now, I realize that, for instance, being concise is definitely not one of my virtues (oops, a little 😬self-deprecating
)...
But now, moving ON —to be tolerant while still maintaining your own backbone, built from a lifelong developing consciousness and an open conscience, having ideals, believing in what you do, and lacking that arrogance where you puff yourself up over those with less skill, but instead accepting them in the beauty of what they offer and finding common ground... that is what makes an ordinary person virtuous.

To me, being "ordinary" doesn't mean being a mediocre person with a foggy worldview; rather, it's a virtue that involves holding your own insights and values without imposing them on others, letting them grow through interaction and sharing them within the community.

What you call being "normal"—which you say is such a rarity in modern times—I would rephrase as being integrative. It’s difficult, though, given how much we are exposed to fleeting trends and the weakening of family cohesion, which should be the primary force providing a solid foundation for a young person's character through responsible parenting. With that foundation eroding, parents—who, even when together, are working so hard and simply don't have enough time for upbringing—leave children to grow up increasingly under the influence of things that aren't healthy or normal. We see a parallel process in adults due to this new social economy and sociology of relationships that promotes "living for the moment," where everything must be unforgettable and extraordinary right now.

Bradley Gray54 said:

You really ought to go see a gynecologist, because that level of bleeding is just too much. You'll end up becoming anemic, if you haven't already.

I have consulted with gynecologists about this numerous times, yet every single one tells me that this is simply how my body functions—that for certain women, this volume is perfectly normal and I should just learn to live with it😢.
I have never dealt with anemia, and my blood work always comes back perfect.
It is just that it makes my daily life incredibly difficult, not to mention the sheer amount of money I waste on sanitary products😠.

I even tried taking birth control for a while, but it didn't do anything to reduce the flow at all!

Here’s a little something to make you feel better 😉.

I stumbled upon this article claiming that women with wider hips and more curves experience more intense cramps due to higher estrogen levels—and apparently, researchers in Italy have linked it to being "attractive"🤣.
That’s a huge comfort when those agonizing cramps hit 😢 and everything feels impossible, assuming it’s actually true, of course.

Talk about a double-edged sword, right? 😕


I’ve never touched birth control myself; I’ve always been wary of putting synthetic chemicals in my body, no matter how small the dose.

But I did consult with Dr. Ayman over in New Haven, and he suggested taking a teaspoon of unrefined borage oil twice a day—you can actually order it directly from him—along with some sage tea.
So, we’ll see if things take a turn for the better this month.🙂

I’ve been noticing this growing obsession with individualism out there in the West. Ever since the Industrial Revolution kicked in and those large, extended family networks started dissolving, we had a brief window where the traditional family unit actually held steady. But then, as everything drifted toward decadence—where tradition just gets traded in for instant gratification and fleeting moments—even the nuclear family began to fracture. You see it everywhere: skyrocketing divorce rates, kids being given way too much autonomy, the relentless creep of capitalism into every corner of our existence, and now, this technological revolution that we’re all blindly consuming without even realizing how much it's changing us. All these forces colliding have created this intense trend of turning inward on oneself, placing an almost religious faith in one's own abilities. People feel they have zero time for anything that doesn't serve their specific "hustle," living under this constant, looming threat that if you stop pedaling in this socially engineered direction, you'll be branded a failure or a nobody, totally unworthy of 😕modern life
.
It makes sense, really. When you're being squeezed by all these invisible pressures, you naturally start treating the self as the ultimate value, which leads straight into narcissism. People feel forced to perform; everything they do becomes a calculated move to polish their own image. What most people don't realize is that they are turning themselves and their very desires into something grotesque—needs that aren't even truly theirs, but were manufactured or at least heavily suggested by external forces.

Given the spirit of this era, I don't think we can really blame people for being narcissistic.

redeagle96 said:I'm dealing with the exact same thing. Every month, those first two or three days are a nightmare—I can't get through them without taking at least three pills a day. The pain is insane, plus nausea, vomiting, weakness in my limbs, blackouts, and heavy bleeding... I started using Advil or Aleve when I was 16, and by the time I hit 20, I was undergoing an endoscopy. They diagnosed me with erosive gastritis with bleeding in my stomach, esophagus, and duodenum. The very first thing my doctor asked after the procedure was what kind of painkillers I use. When she heard my list, she told me those were likely the main cause of the bleeding and the damage to my stomach. It’s not that you can’t take *anything* for pain, it’s just that you shouldn't rely on NSAIDs, aspirin, or things like Voltaren (or use them as often as you were). For me, I use effervescent Tylenol (1000mg), which is much easier on the stomach and actually works. Besides that, other effervescent options like certain acetaminophen brands work too. Basically, my gastroenterologist said anything based on acetaminophen is fine. On the days when the pain is so bad nothing helps, I just head to the ER to get a Voltaren injection... though my doctor did mention that taking a single dose of something like Motrin occasionally won't kill you. At least, that's what she told me. Also, another doctor suggested trying Evening Primrose tea, which is specifically meant to ease menstrual cramps. A friend of mine had terrible issues too, and she’s been drinking it every month; she says she hasn't had major pain in almost six months now. So, I don't know, it might be worth a shot. 🙂

How often do you drink that tea, and is it okay to drink it during your period?
And how long does it take before you actually start feeling the effects?

I have this massive issue with those pills too, mostly because my appetite is so low that my stomach feels tiny, so I end up swallowing 3 or 4 Advils or Aleves when it gets bad, and then I just feel sick to my stomach right after.

I've tried everything, even those old wives' tales where people say to soak a rag in whiskey and lay on it with it over your abdomen 🤦 supposedly to make the pain go away. Yeah, right. Total nonsense.

I even found a thread on an old forum saying you should warm up cabbage leaves on a cloth and use them as warm compresses on your belly to ease the ache. Tried that too. 🙈

In the end, I always just end up loading up on painkillers like some kind of addict, which just makes me nauseous. If there is any tea or anything effective made from natural ingredients, I would be seriously grateful to hear about it. 🙂

Looking back at Boris Mikšić and his role in the 2005 presidential elections... you have to look at it on a symbolic level. It was really about the American public’s deep-seated craving for a breath of fresh air. He wasn't exactly a charismatic powerhouse; he just looked like this marketing-savvy kid from a Brooklyn neighborhood who somehow "made it big out West" through sheer grit.

If there's any lesson here for new political figures, it's that the appetite for outsiders actually exists. People are exhausted by the endless revolving door of the same old foxes and lions in Washington, but—and this is a big but—these newcomers still need actual resources and, frankly, better timing.

Back in 2005, apparently, being a "Brooklyn cowboy" without an ounce of traditional charisma was enough to make a dent. But today? Today's climate demands something else entirely. Still, the real takeaway remains: seeing a guy like that on the ballot proved it might actually be possible to break the cycle of the same tired elites.

As for Boris Mikšić himself, he wasn't some grand institutional project. He was more of a self-made product of pure narcissism fueled by a massive amount of—well, let's call it "invested capital"—thrown onto the fertile ground of a rightfully rebellious electorate.