Mark Torres14 said:My bad, coastalskipper92. I didn't catch what you meant. 🤷Can you actually expand on that point? Give us some more detail.
We convince ourselves we exist because we think—because we possess the certainty of perception... Yet everything we perceive through that limited lens of what can be "known"... is merely a tiny fragment of a much larger reality that remains impossible to truly grasp or put into words.....
Aliens would likely be part of that vast unknown... whereas what we call "the world" is just that narrow slice they might point us toward.... so, one could say we exist "incorrectly" until we finally realize the truth. p.s. They probably wouldn't look like the aliens from some Hollywood blockbuster, with the giant eyes and all that. It’s strange how even when we try to contemplate something abstract, like an extraterrestrial, our minds immediately serve up a pre-packaged image. And there are levels of understanding that require more than mere intellect; they aren't reached simply by thinking. So, a person doesn't ascend through thought alone, nor do they simply stand there existing—is. One doesn't rise by peddling hollow clichés like "I think, therefore I am" just to sound profound to someone else. ☕ After all, everyone is just looking for someone to blame.
crimsonjackal63 said:If we just go straight from the very beginning all the way to the end, we’ll wind up right back where we started.
But if we try to head straight from the end back to the start—well, we just end up at the end.
So, what actually came first: the chicken or the egg? Or more accurately—the Beginning or the End?
They are joined by 😍 the same adhesive; every single point on a line is identical... the start and the finish are merely words 😍 used to create a distinction
At both the beginning and the end, there is unity... but how can a line exist if there is no foundation for that line to rest upon? A foundation, in any sense of the word. A point cannot be its own beginning or its own end, can it?
A flawed premise, if you ask me... because there is also everything we fail to consider—the very things capable of altering our entire perspective—which ultimately defines us
So, this "us" we think we understand? It is nothing more than a deliberate coincidence
Don't force the flow... I try not to, as much as I can.
As for meditation techniques... candles (haven't done that in a week), breathing exercises (also haven't), chakras (same thing)... The TECHNIQUES only seem to stick when they align with the FLOW, making them happen spontaneously.
But honestly, my growth didn't come from those methods listed above; it came from actually living life. Only then did the desire to meditate follow. I view it more like a hobby on the path toward something higher, rather than a roadmap.
It has definitely helped that I don't watch TV anymore and I quit smoking; I am living proof of just how much of a brainwash that all is.
So, I am currently sipping on my penultimate glass... though I can't quite pin down the flavor profile (with an S)
I briefly considered covering it with a paper napkin, but then again, wouldn't that just soak up whatever essence is evaporating? What goes in, what stays out? 🤔
sigh... 😍 it’s still in there, though I can’t really dwell on it too much right now.
It sat there from Saturday night all the way through Sunday evening... just waiting while I went out to grab some new stoppers.
I honestly can't tell if it's gone bad; I just hear people say it might turn slightly sour. But then again, since my George Washington is so delicious, I haven't noticed a thing.
Eric Lopez2 said:Telema! There are enlightened people out there—let's call them Love Masters—who have reached a level of awareness where they finally realize that everything is actually one. They understand that whatever you do to someone else, you’re doing to yourself. They live within the collective consciousness; they are one with everything, and everything is one with them. They... I can't work with just a single letter. Give me something to actually write...vetog A...I don't know what you're getting at... ČThey absorb everything around them. They fuse themselves so intensely with every single part of their environment because SAČ is nothing more than a reflection of who they are. To them, all of space is just one big lover, and every star is merely another facet of their passion...
The Orient is essentially one of the main sources of magical sex; you can find its elevated lyricism everywhere from "One Thousand and One Nights" to the poetry of Sufism...
Magical sex is basically built on this idea that you should idealize your partner during intimacy. You visualize them, feel them, touch them, smell them, taste them, hear them, and see them as the physical vessel for your SAČ...
The relationship between SAČ and their protege is built entirely on love...
They took the truths of the Orient and used them as the foundation for their entire culture, science, and art...
High priests and priestesses were trained in the art of love; their entire service was dedicated solely to God, because God is Love...
The exact same thing played out in India, China, and Egypt, as well as in several countries surrounding the Himalayas; back in the day, the entire human race was well aware of that fact...
Best regards...
Eric Lopez2
Agape!
👍 I heard a saying once—or perhaps it was someone’s personal mantra... "I am at peace because I am doing good." 👍
At that moment, I felt this intense, almost overwhelming craving for that specific sensation... yet, no matter how hard I tried, I simply couldn't conjure it up. Is it even possible to force something like that? I suppose not. Is it just me, or does that deep, aching hunger for something spiritual... somehow act as a sort of compass? Perhaps that very longing is what begins to reveal the future to us. 🙂 Even if everything were to fall apart right now... we are growing. That is all I can offer.
Kimberly Evans said:There are some striking similarities with this definition of love here:🙂
The only point where I diverge is the idea that it isn't *because* of those people; surely, that person is beautiful, and 🙄
for what is Love if not BECAUSE...
And how, precisely, are we meant to be filled by it if we haven't first RECEIVED it? RECEIVING is the genesis of GIVING. 😉
I am of the mind that destined people find their way into our path... and yesterday, I encountered an opinion suggesting that the most vital people in our lives arrive sooner or later, inevitably.🙂
It took me quite a while to digest that, but eventually, I realized I could feel it myself... For what is Fate if not the infinite rearranging of Causality according to free will?
Which is why they say... that we met sooner or later.😳😠 But that is what weak people say—those who wish to shed an (imaginary) burden and fail to see that the hardest part is actually enduring everything until unconsciousness... that one must suffer through whatever comes just to learn how to experience Pleasure.
I don't quite get the whole thing about the electric shock therapy... people seem genuinely stunned when I mention hearing that it's still actually being used today.
I've heard rumors that they have padded walls in mental hospitals—is that really how things work here in America too?
Good grief, what a form of torture... you want to end it all but you can't even smash your head against the wall. It’s enough to drive anyone truly insane.😬
It’s true, though—the internet wears everyone down eventually. It’s really just a question of by how much. Those "boundaries" are starting to blur... I don't even want to imagine what it's like for someone growing up with nothing but this constant stream
So, I’ve been reading lately that the term "neurosis" has supposedly been phased out. It isn't really used anymore, or so they say... which leaves me a bit perplexed. Is it actually gone? Why would they just decide to toss a perfectly functional word aside?
Is depression merely a subset of neurosis? One wonders where the line is actually drawn. Is it a distinct entity entirely, or just a more profound shade of the same anxious spectrum? It’s a question that seems to linger, much like a persistent fog over the Potomac. Does one bleed into the other, or are we simply mislabeling our own internal weather?
Anxiety? I honestly don't follow. What exactly is it? Is there anyone alive who hasn't felt that sensation at some point? Good grief.
Bipolar disorder... is it a matter of neurosis or does it veer into psychosis? One wonders where exactly that line is drawn. Is it a steady slope, or a sudden cliff?
Schizophrenia... I assume we’re talking about psychosis here? Or am I missing something? And does one necessarily have to pass through a stage of neurosis before that happens? One wonders. Is neurosis actually a fundamental component of every single illness? Or is it just a convenient label we slap on something relatively minor when we can't quite pin down the cause?
That’s perfectly standard. I suppose nobody truly knows for certain, 😍
Though I will say, this often stems from youth—from suppressing one's true nature. Once a person finally achieves self-awareness (which is far more difficult than people care to admit), they might actually find their own company quite pleasant.
Throughout my entire childhood and adolescence, I was constantly drifting, driven by a desperate fear of being alone.
In short, you are simply suppressing some part of yourself because you are young.
Does any of that ring a bell?
It stands to reason that when you haven't fully formed your identity yet, you crave social connection.The desire to meet others, is natural. If you are an extrovert—and I certainly am—it doesn't bother me anymore to just stay home by myself; I actually enjoy it.😛
There was a time when I would have been breaking out in a cold sweat over it; I felt this frantic, desperate need to be somewhere, anyone, else.
Oh, so you're the author? I honestly thought you were just some blurred-out figure in the background 🤣
p.s. Could someone give me a proper, textbook explanation of what psychosis actually entails? And why has the term neurosis basically fallen out of fashion? Does psychosis inherently require hallucinations to be present?
yeah, culture creates those "connections." but culture focuses on the outward appearance rather than what's actually inside.
Culture *is* the relationship—or at least the connection itself. The actual content is optional; it's really just the structure that's required.
Quincy:
in that scenario, that same socialite might end up destroying herself because she's being stripped of her deepest essence—the very thing that makes her human—but that same culture won't stop her from hooking up with whoever she wants.
Culture basically just imposes the judgment of society when you decide to sleep around. If that realization keeps you from doing it... then "culture" has successfully restrained you—meaning, you're just afraid of the social fallout.
Quincy:
you're criticizing me for getting bogged down in the micro-details, but I have to wonder—what's actually the difference between me and some savage, other than genetics?
We're all savages at heart. There's an unrefined, primal part of us all, and honestly, there's nothing wrong with that.
Quincy:
my upbringing taught me conformity, whereas a savage lives life simply. and upbringing is just a tool used by culture to bring new generations into its fold. if it produces this much mediocrity, well, that says everything you need to know about the culture itself.
I'm with you on that one.
Quincy:
maybe class barriers don't stop love these days, but people still blow it constantly because they lack tact... and culture pushes this massive pressure to procreate, though it wraps it up in pretty cellophane to make it look palatable.
Most modern romance is just exploitation. Very few people actually truly love.
Quincy:
between my cat mating and "classic love"—which lasts as long as the infatuation and the drive to produce offspring—the only real difference is language. humans use language to rationalize the idea that they are "in love" whereas animals are "in love"... they just don't feel the need to make excuses for it.
We've moved just far enough away from cats that maybe it's a bit clumsy to compare ourselves to them—especially since we no longer have the luxury of stripping our behavior and thoughts down to such a basic level.
Quincy
It’s honestly pretty predictable—they’re so subjective and critical when it comes to the culture that they don't exactly rush the whole process of "bringing someone back into the fold." It’s like they want to make sure the person they care about doesn't hit their expiration date too soon, you know? But then, just when things settle down, someone else swoops in—someone who’s clearly playing a tactical game just to stir the pot and cause trouble. Love conquers all... honestly, it really does. And yeah—he’s definitely soaking up that sweet, sweet taste of a moral victory right now. 🙄 Some people just aren't meant to break out of their shells—they’re destined to stay exactly where they are, stuck in that theoretical, idealistic bubble. It’s like watching someone spend all their energy sketching out the perfect blueprint for a house instead of actually picking up a hammer and laying a single brick. They live in the world of "what if" and "should be," while the rest of us are out here dealing with the messy, unpolished reality of life. At the end of the day, you can have all the grand ideas in the world, but if you never step foot on the ground, you're just an armchair philosopher floating in the clouds. ☕ Whether we’re looking back at those old-school, rigid social hierarchies or trying to navigate this supposedly "modern" world we live in—which honestly feels like a facade sometimes—it seems like cheating is still treated as just another part of being human. It’s like no matter how much society evolves, that primal instinct to take a shortcut or bend the rules for what we want is still sitting right there under the surface, often acting as a justification for why people stray. So, I’ve been sitting here thinking about this whole "ending a marriage for love" thing—you know, that scenario where someone decides to walk away from their spouse because they’ve actually found a new spark elsewhere. It’s such a heavy, complicated topic, isn't it? On one hand, you have the concept of Liberty—that fundamental right to pursue happiness and live an authentic life—but then you have the weight of all those years, the shared history, and the promises made. It’s a bit like when people decide to sell a house they’ve lived in for twenty years just to move into something that finally feels like "home." It’s not necessarily about the structure being broken; sometimes, the foundation just doesn't align with who you've become. If you stay in a relationship simply out of a sense of duty, even if the love has evaporated, aren't you essentially living a lie? There's a certain kind of quiet desperation that comes with staying in a shell of a marriage, and I think some people reach a breaking point where they realize that staying is actually more dishonest than leaving. Of course, it's messy. It's incredibly messy. You aren't just breaking up a contract; you're dismantling a life you built together. People will judge, and rightfully so, because from the outside, it looks like a betrayal of everything you stood for. But I wonder if there's a distinction between being unfaithful to a person and being unfaithful to yourself. If you find a connection that makes you feel truly alive again, is it better to cling to a ghost of a marriage, or to embrace that new light? It's a massive, gut-wrenching dilemma, and honestly, I don't think there's ever a "right" way to handle the fallout.
It feels like we drill this script into every kid from the moment they can walk—that you’re supposed to fall in love, get hitched, have kids, and center your whole universe around family. It's practically hardwired into the American Dream. But here's the funny thing I've noticed—so many people who claim to be "family people" couldn't actually give you a straight answer if you asked them what love really is. They just move through the motions, convinced they've checked all the boxes, while the actual feeling remains a total mystery to them. 😁
Quincy
All this Liberty we think we’re breathing? Honestly, it feels more like just a really finely ground version of conformity. It’s honestly like a tiny speck of asbestos—you don't even notice it's there at first. 😈
Liberty isn't some single, binary thing that you either possess or you don't—it’s not like having a driver's license or a bank account where you can just check the balance. To me, liberty is more about the quality of your relationships and how you interact with the world around you. It’s a bit of a paradox, really: the amount of liberty you actually have is directly tied to how much you're willing to give to others. Think about it this way—you could be feeling completely independent and free within your circle of friends, yet feel totally stifled or restricted in a romantic relationship. Or maybe you’ve got all the autonomy in the world at a place like Google, but when you walk through your own front door, that sense of freedom just evaporates. At the end of the day, liberty is simply your relationship with the world. That's it. Nothing more, and nothing less.
Quincy
Honestly, where does this obsession with philosophy even come from? It’s not like we need to pull it out of thin air—it comes straight from life itself. I could probably try to pull back and look at this from a more abstract perspective, I guess—but honestly, I was just writing while the feeling was still fresh. It was more of a gut reaction than anything else. Does the way I say things actually matter? I was really just trying to get my point across in a way that felt... well, objective, I guess.
The real question is how many people will actually wrap their heads around that perspective—and more importantly, does it even matter to you if they do? Are you looking for a connection, or are you just having a private monologue? At the end of the day, there isn't really a "right" or "wrong" here... it’s just a matter of what clicks and what doesn't.
Quincy:
Look, I don't really care if fear was the catalyst that helped shape our culture—it doesn't matter. What actually matters is this: if that culture was built specifically to wipe us out, then it’s got no business being around. It just won't fly.
Let’s be honest—when you start making moves purely because you're terrified, things tend to go south pretty quickly. It’s like trying to steer a car while staring wide-eyed at a pothole instead of looking at the road ahead; you’re going to miss the turn, hit the curb, and probably end up in the ditch. Decisions driven by fear usually lead to some pretty disastrous outcomes.
Quincy
Honestly, there’s something almost comforting about being out in the wild facing down a predator like a mountain lion—at least then you know exactly what the threat is. It’s primal, sure, but it’s tangible. Compare that to the anxiety of living in the 21st century, where we're constantly wrestling with our own internal mental health struggles while simultaneously looking over our shoulders at the threat of a nuclear standoff. One is a physical fight for survival, but the other? That’s a psychological grind that never really lets up. To be honest, I actually find myself hoping for the latter just to see if we can somehow find our way through it. 😍 )
Personally, I’m not exactly sweating it. To me, it feels like culture has actually handed us a decent range of options—it's just that sometimes we have to find the guts to actually reach out and take them.
Quincy
Honestly, if you ask me, I’m convinced that’s the root cause behind just about everything going wrong—it’s like that one faulty wire in an old house that keeps tripping the breaker, you know? It really feels like the source of all these headaches. It’s funny how it works—it’s this massive, tangled web that shapes everything. It builds your family ties, dictates how you were raised, fuels your sense of pride, and, let's be honest, even digs the holes of prejudice we all fall into. It’s really the whole foundation of who we become.
If that were the case, everyone would be dealing with it... but I don't have those issues myself. So how does that work?
what I hate most is when I give someone a nod—not because I even like them or care about them, but just because they’re a fellow human being. and I offer that greeting on equal footing, too. but then they just cowardly turn their head away.
I honestly think you might be taking the internet a little too personally. For me, when I see a post, I don't see a specific individual; I just see a set of ideas. I don't actually know anything about the people behind the screen. You could have two different folks on this forum who are actually the same person, so I don't bother worrying about anyone's personal "baggage"—I just focus on what’s being said. In that sense, personal anecdotes become almost "invisible" to me. There’s nothing personal about it.
to me, the progress of our wonderful 21st century feels like sprinting at full speed toward the doors of a slaughterhouse, blindfolded, knowing they'll slam shut the second you finally reach them.
Finally, an actual "picture" that makes sense to me—something I can maintain a healthy and Liberty-driven relationship with. You hit the nail on the head!
I wasn't really paying attention to the wording ☕
That's entirely your right to decide.🙂
I wanted to say the topic is great (and broad), and that you've already unmasked the "chicken" with your realization about how much everything is a mess based on experience. and really, isn't culture just passing down the exact same thing over and over?
I get it now.
why necessarily God, when even ethics is built upon the ideal of humanity? an ethical culture that stands independent of anything inhuman
Ethics can't be detached from humanity, because our own sense of being human becomes the moral "scale" we use to apply ethics in real life. The only things that are truly independent are "divine" rules—things that aren't "weighed" or judged, but simply followed blindly.
I happened upon these lines just yesterday; I suspect they might resonate with you:
....freedom, which can be defined as the state of being unconstrained by fate, karma, necessity, or circumstances in one's choices or actions. Freedom is an open reality wherein you know that you are at choice every moment. This state of being originates from an innate perception of reality. It is the understanding that you are an 'actor', free to play any part at any moment without being attached to it. You work with your life's 'scripts', your attachments and perceptions, in order to free them. From this perspective comes the fullest freedom: learning to live in natural harmony and union with divine will.
Since all limitations and separation are illusory, freedom is without measure
(taken from some ancient American astrological text 😬)
Mm ba ba de Um bum ba de Um bu bu bum da de Pressure pushing down on me Pressing down on you—no one asked for this Under pressure—it’s enough to burn a house to the ground Tears a family apart Leaves folks out on the sidewalk Um ba ba be Um ba ba be De day da Ee day da—that's fine It's the dread of finally realizing What this world actually is Watching close friends Crying out, "Get me out of here" Praying that tomorrow might lift me up Pressure on the people—people out on the street Day day de mm hm Da da da ba ba Fine Just spinning around—scattering my thoughts across the floor These are those days where misfortune always comes in waves (compromises or whatever... sometimes the middle ground is just lukewarm water🙂)
Ee do ba be Ee da ba ba ba Um bo bo Be lap People on the street—ee da de da de People on the street—ee da de da de da de da It's the terror of knowing What this world is truly about Watching good friends Screaming, "Let me out!" Praying that tomorrow brings some relief Pressure on the people—people on the streets Turning a blind eye to everything Sitting on the fence, though that never works Trying to offer up love But it feels so frayed and broken Why—why—why? Love, love, love, love, love Madness laughs while the pressure makes us crack Can't we just give ourselves one more shot Why can't we give love that one more chance Why can't we give love, give love, give love, give love give love, give love, give love, give love, give love Because "love" is such a vintage concept And love challenges you to actually care for Those people standing on the edge of the dark And love demands we change how we approach Our own self-interest This is our final act This is our final act This is who we are Under pressure Under pressure Pressure
and honestly, that pressure is purely a product of culture; if you look at nature, the only things that actually press upon you are the fear of lions or bears (or maybe an asteroid strike, but we wouldn't even bother thinking about that unless we had already become part of a civilized society)
No one can truly walk away from culture, any more than you could walk away from the air you breathe.
The original question was whether someone could actually transcend culture—to reach a state of pure enlightenment. I wonder if we might describe such a being as an "overman" or perhaps even an avatar?
🎉👋🙂
Wouldn't that being be considered "insane" if it attempted to reject the very thing that serves and constantly enlightens it ☕? 🤔
I try to say something without getting all sidetracked, and they just jump right on it, I guess. 🙂
If you look closely, I wasn't even talking about specific people, just individuals in a general sense.
I mean, obviously, being part of a society is baked into the whole definition of being human. So, by extension, that includes culture and language too, I suppose. 🙂
And honestly, how people drift apart or come back together doesn't really change the core point. Even pulling away from others is sort of its own way of being connected to the group, which we've already touched on in this thread anyway. 🙂
But, uh, that's not really what today's episode is about... Today's big topic is actually....
why malizia is feeling so depressed
Look, malizia, why wouldn't you just walk away from culture? Because that would be way too much to give up, I think. A person's life is basically just a long string of choices where you sacrifice a little piece of yourself to get something else in return. Life is mostly just compromise. You can't have light without shadow, and you can't have any kind of gain without making a sacrifice. You can't even have happiness without those low moods creeping in sometimes. 🙂
unfortunately, I am not depressed... dark thoughts aren't necessarily "depression"... depression is almost comfortable because it lacks sense, whereas the much worse thing is a profound sense of meaning that just passes you by
who said I thought I could walk away from culture? 🤷 I can criticize it and suffer within it, yet I remain part of it and the ultimate outcast is within it nonconformity is something of a utopia... does that mean having such an awareness is a bad thing? Perhaps not, but then you spend your life living in a culture while feeling as though you are standing outside of it ☕
the homeless man, the drunk... everyone exists within culture... even the street performer... (by the way, there are plenty of kittens nearby, and they're being fed by the local drunks)
The only one truly outside of culture is the one who snaps like popcorn ( 🙏 ) and, rather than trying to juggle two different realities like a neurotic, settles firmly into their own single 🥳 but what would life even be without irony? By that very act, one "exits" culture, only to end up institutionalized by it anyway 🙂
Suppose I’m lying right in the middle of a downtown plaza, weeping. I imagine the only person who would bother to approach me—perhaps the sole individual with any sense of decency—would be some uncouth, degenerate addict or a derelict drunk. Someone who failed to learn how to actually provide for a family, let alone build one, and consequently owes nothing to their parents after all the wasted time and money poured into their delusions. And they might ask if I need any help. Just pure humanity, nothing more.
Yet, when that very same person is lying there on the sidewalk, I simply pass them by, much like those mediocre types I hold in such contempt.
I am a conformist, I suppose. And I talk far too much.