Posts by Lawrence Bailey77

Now, just imagine you’re sitting there and your boss starts talking to you in that exact manner. I suppose one has to wonder—is this actually a functional human being? Someone who truly has their house in order and keeps track of every single detail? Or is it something else entirely? It makes me wonder if such a person even exists in the real world.

Save up some cash and quit. 👍 Honestly, I sometimes wonder what would happen if people actually staged mass walkouts against those absolute nuisances in management. If we all just collectively decided to quit when faced with that kind of behavior, maybe—just maybe—people would actually focus on their jobs instead of being constantly driven to the brink of insanity by sheer incompetence. It’s a thought, I suppose. 😵 I suppose I have already forgotten what it feels like to work for idiots... though, if I recall correctly, appearances and optics always seem to carry more weight than the actual labor itself. So, I accepted the position. It isn't that I was actively seeking employment, per se; I simply completed the task at hand. 👍

Good grief, I suppose one really ought to have swallowed their pride and started from scratch somewhere, but that particular bridge was burned long ago—and honestly, those ashes have already turned into fertilizer for whatever is growing now. It’s all interconnected, I guess. You can't escape the cycle. And what exactly do you expect to happen when you're out in the middle of the jungle and you stumble upon a monkey or some massive gorilla? You're going to lose your mind, aren't you? There isn't anyone to turn to, no one to vent to about the absurdity of it all. In those moments, I suppose the only real option left is to strike and run. Just move on. 😬

Jeffrey Ramos4 said:Good grief. It’s just petty small-mindedness all around. We tear apart the criminals, the predators, the killers, the politicians... while acting like those of us who are just "regular people" are the ones suffering. Everyone wants the "bad guys" sent straight to the gallows, the electric chair, or a bullet to the head. That’s supposedly the "best" way, right? Because that’s how we prove our "humanity" toward others. It’s really just an escape from ourselves—an inability to actually face our own issues—so why not spice things up by viewing everything in stark black and white? Thinking about people is total crap compared to actually knowing them. Having the actual willpower to listen to those "bad" people might be the bridge from thinking to truly knowing. But let's be honest, who actually wants to deal with that? Everything is a mess, we're all a mess, and nothing makes any sense. Maybe the easiest thing would be to line everyone up—the "good" and the "bad" alike—against a wall, give them a cheerful laugh and a middle finger, and then finish the job with an illegally obtained AK-47. We're all hypocrites, we're all selfish, we're all angry... There is a massive difference between looking at the world realistically and giving up, versus looking at the world realistically without throwing in the towel. But hey, it's hard to get out of your own chair and go sit in someone else's. I get it.
btw. welcome back Faqi,
you little prick 😁🙂

It seems I have found you at just the right moment. 🙂

I suppose I should probably just express my utter disdain for that pathetic excuse for a phallus. It’s frankly quite underwhelming. 😁🙂

😍

I find myself thinking about those people on a daily basis... honestly, I couldn't care less about the usual nonsense—corruption, pedophilia, crime, murder, fraud, or the exploitation of the poor and helpless. I don't even notice the individuals scavenging through trash in this lovely society I call home... but if someone reaches into a dumpster, gets a handful of dog excrement on them, and shouts "to hell with this," I can't help but feel a certain pity. I suppose I wish things were more like they used to be, when a local beat cop might have knocked some sense into them with a nightstick just to ensure they never thought about swearing—let alone digging through garbage—ever again. It’s quite a shame that scavenging isn't outlawed everywhere from New York to Los Angeles; perhaps we should protect the entire United States from these scavengers. If they aren't satisfied with their money, then they really shouldn't pollute this beautiful culture with their profanity.

.. though, I suppose if the pedophiles, rapists, and other polished gentlemen—the politicians, for instance—are wearing well-tailored suits, I find it much easier to overlook even the most repulsive curses... whenever I hear the sweet lies of hypocritical small-town types, especially their endless chatter about the weather or how important certain sporting events are... my heart practically leaps, and I feel a sudden surge of vitality. It is an inexhaustible source of positive energy, I guess. I am truly glad that I maintain such a positive outlook and continue to view life through a black-and-white lens... ☕

restlessranger54 said:First off, I just want to say thanks to everyone for reaching out and showing support. Look, I know the diagnosis is what it is, but I’ve decided I’m moving forward regardless. What’s actually eating at me is figuring out how to stay positive through all the ups and downs of life—like, you have a steady job today, and tomorrow everything changes. I refuse to let this damn illness define my best years.
Some mom replied to my previous post, and honestly, I dig her perspective, though it feels like she's being driven by a ton of fear and anxiety. Sometimes I see it, sometimes I don't.
But at the end of the day, I really believe you just have to forge your own path, no matter how messy things look right now. That said, I still deal with that heavy sense of guilt whenever I decide to just do my own thing.

There exists a system that operates entirely independently of human will, yet man remains helplessly tethered to it: nature.🙂

It is undoubtedly difficult when you are raised from birth being fed certain illusions—illusions that, as anyone with a modicum of sound judgment realizes upon reaching maturity, begin to crumble.🙂

The moment you trade mindless conformity for primal, natural freedom, you cease to be seen as a helpless invalid and suddenly become a "terrorist" against the "normal way of life." You become a threat to those who would rather see you live in isolation just to keep you quiet..

...or they simply cast you aside as if you were losing your mind.😬

Everything carries a price, of course. Every choice is rooted in specific reasons and carries its own set of consequences.

The real question is: what is the cost of your freedom, and is there anything—or anyone—that can actually buy it back?😉

We inhabit a world where many people are willing to strip others of their liberty just to protect the mere illusion of their own. As for how paranoid or psychopathic people can become toward anything perceived as "different"—regardless of whether it poses an actual threat—well, that is a much darker conversation.☕
Not to mention the wars, the killings, and the systemic imprisonment of individuals... that is the true, primal terror of power, quite unlike this choreographed circus used to frighten the brainwashed with threats and fear.😵

P.S. Don't waste your energy wondering if you are crazy. Whether you are or aren't is practically irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. It matters far more to those who are so deeply unhinged that they label you "mad" simply to dispose of you as a nuisance within their own illusion of normalcy.☕

Perhaps you could phrase that a bit more precisely... or rather, give me some actual specifics 🙂

.. and what, in your estimation, would you advise someone in my position to do? 😉

gentlelynx11 said:Yeah, this definitely isn't a topic for psychology.

Lawrence Bailey77, how do you personally experience these questions? Is there a need to be meticulous here? And if so, what kind of need are we actually talking about?

And then there's the phrase, "How do the untainted fare?" What does "faring" actually mean in this context—through what, and under what conditions? And who, exactly, are these "untainted" people?

Perhaps not right now, but in the long run, I suspect everything will eventually interconnect, leaving much more room for meaningful answers to these questions

Lawrence Bailey77, how do you perceive these questions: Is it necessary to be unscrupulous? What kind of "need" are we actually talking about here?

I view them somewhat dismissively... as clumsily packaged excuses for succumbing to certain unfortunate circumstances of conformism, and a desperate need to justify or seek approval for the consequences

It’s like when someone asks... "Well, would you commit a Murder if you 'had' to?"
And then they start listing all these options and scenarios, where the sole purpose seems to be nudging the respondent toward approving or rationalizing a Murder! 🙂

The "need" is simply to wash one's hands of the matter... I believe there is a term for this, "collective responsibility"... I haven't studied it extensively, though I must admit I have never actually used the word "unscrupulous" in my own life, so who knows😬

And "How do the innocent fare?"

Categorization... assessments... a political rally☕

What is meant by "faring" (through what? under what conditions?)

To "fare" is to perform... staying under the radar, I suppose... whether you get caught red-handed or manage to "slip past unnoticed to the target"

and who exactly are these "innocent" people?

Those with healthy teeth😬 and clean hands... usually thin👏 I had to inject a little humor... the questions themselves are valid and sufficient to convey the message👍

Nancy Lee84 said:Hey analogviper9, I fixed your slip-up...
I'll try to pull this whole response together, though honestly, I doubt I'll even pull it off... 🙂

There’s this great German concept that might actually help me explain this—*wertfrei*. Honestly, the best way to put it in English would be a total liberation from all those preconceived notions... just being completely stripped of any baggage or past experiences you carry around. It’s not about being "neutral" or "objective," and it sure as hell isn't just being unbiased. It’s more like taking an explicit, intentional stance... which is exactly why I used the word dogma, even if that wasn't the most perfect choice of words...

I was just talking about the stuff I believe in blindly... you know, things that are totally objective and beyond debate...
Look, I'm not even asking questions here—I'm just laying it all out on the table... is it actually worth being a total shark? Or do the straight shooters actually make it in this life? Like, does karma actually exist or is it all just a scam? Is it better to be the good guy, the bad guy, or just plain evil... kind of like those old gritty Western movies... 😉 Questions like that are just a waste of time and only serve to muddy the waters... I'm not getting dragged into some black-and-white Manichean bullshit or any pathetic attempts at "objectivity"...

I'm not even that ambitious or full of myself, honestly... I'm just straight up exhausted from my own lack of discipline and all the stupid mistakes I keep making...

So I just choose to believe there's actually some kind of point to all this madness... even if science says otherwise. It’s way easier on my soul that way, honestly. Makes me feel less like Sisyphus pushing that rock up a hill forever... just imagining my life isn't totally pointless. Even if I am being a bit much about it... 🙂

I suppose I would still be willing to go at it... if necessary, I don't mind performing tasks in a Sisyphus-like fashion, I guess. There really isn't a "problem" on my end. 😬

Nancy Lee84 said:this isn't even about whether it's "worth it" or not. that's not an economic calculation, it's more like a matter of dogma.
Aristotle puts it pretty clearly in his Ethics: 'Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good; and so it is truly said that the good is that at which all things aim.'

If you just accept that dogma—since it’s basically an uncritical, affirmative premise for how we act—then you finally have a direction. "Direction" is a way better word than "stance." Because a direction actually leads somewhere. It keeps moving. It's toward faith. Not necessarily religious faith, but faith in humanity. Not just in specific people, but in the whole species...

To even have a "stance" on anything, you'd have to be conscious enough to realize that the right stance is actually not having one. A stance holds you back. It limits you. It locks you into certain principles and patterns of behavior that you stick to. Usually, it's just the result of internalization—absorbing norms and behaviors from others and thinking they're our own. It's paradoxical because instead of showing autonomy, a "stance" shows the exact opposite tendency. That's why I don't believe in stances. I believe in losing them. And that's why I think "direction" is the better term...

And the consequence of that uncritical belief is that you ask fewer questions. Everything becomes simpler. The categories, the answers, everything.

What has always stuck with me is the notion that the good is inherently good in its own right without needing any extra layers of calculation, valuation, or external assessment

Similarly, the problem of evil as a philosophical "question"—and please forgive me, as I consider myself a mere amateur when it comes to philosophy—objectively precludes any generalization of good or evil. It seems to reduce everything down to personal experience, or rather, one's individual perspective on how various phenomena or relationships exist within the world we inhabit.

Personally, when looking at nature—specifically regarding natural relationships and laws—I find a certain "logic of survival." I view the biological process itself as a form of good, along with the ways in which that life can be actively influenced to become more comfortable.😉

Human constructs, in my estimation, are heavily influenced by local cultures and the attempt to satisfy infantile needs. Consequently, they are riddled with absurdity and insecurity, which leads to numerous societal "losses" throughout the course of life... any kind of morality, regardless of its form, often costs a person their very existence, and don't even get me started on dogmas.🤮

I have always felt... perhaps it is just my disposition... that I could never truly find myself within a pack, or a herd, if we are being precise about the terminology. Or perhaps a swarm, though that seems a bit too frantic for my tastes. I suppose I simply lack the instinct for such collective movements. 🙂

Daniel Kelly57 said:So this guy shows up and spends 570 hours arguing on a pole. What kind of logic is that? I seriously don't get why anyone would even waste time logging into a forum. Are they just acting superior from that perspective? Like, wtf?! 🤦

Well, I suppose you’re doing things a bit differently now, even if the underlying logic feels somewhat similar. It seems to me that people tend to have such wildly varying experiences and perspectives on these matters; everyone, it appears, is convinced they hold the absolute truth. I guess it's just the nature of things, though I find the constant disagreement rather exhausting.

But then again, I suppose what someone might... I suppose one might consider whether the act of thinking itself is even worth the effort anymore. It feels like a heavy, somewhat futile endeavor in this day and age, though I find myself doing it regardless. Perhaps there is some merit to contemplation, though I suspect most people simply mistake noise for actual thought. I guess it remains to be seen. Even if one were to argue that he is correct, I suppose that doesn't necessarily mean that "truth" itself functions as a tangible, objective concept—or perhaps even a significant parameter in this context. It’s all rather nebulous, really. One might be right in a narrow sense, yet the very notion of truth remains a highly debatable factor, if it can even be considered a real parameter at all. I guess it's all quite subjective.

It hardly matters... all this constant tugging and pulling... it’s nothing more than a series of literal social games. 🙂

It seems somewhat illogical, if I may say so, to expect some sort of Borg-like collective assimilation within a gene pool—especially when we are discussing the crossover process where individuals simply emerge as distinct entities. It’s a bit of a stretch, I suppose. 😬

It is merely an idea, I suppose. 🙂 It seems rather obvious, though perhaps rarely practiced with any actual sincerity, that we ought to respect diversity and celebrate freedom. I suppose one could argue that these concepts are merely lofty ideals used to decorate political speeches, but in a practical sense, they are the very bedrock of the American experience. It’s a complex matter, really—balancing individual liberty with the necessity of communal respect—but I suspect that if we truly leaned into those values, things might run a bit more smoothly. Or maybe I'm just being overly optimistic. Regardless, there is an inherent value in honoring our differences while championing the freedoms that allow us to exist as individuals. 🧐

Daniel Kelly57 said:Look, there are important people who deserve my time if they actually ask for it. There aren't many, but they exist. It’s not about guilt-tripping anyone or acting petty if you can't make it once. That's fair. But if someone is never available, they aren't my friend. Period. I always find time for my inner circle, no matter how busy life gets. Those few people are part of who I am. 🍿

But that’s what I was getting at... just keeping it straightforward. I suppose there’s no real reason to overcomplicate things or write an entire manifesto about it.👍

Daniel Kelly57 said:Fair enough. That makes sense. But does that mean your friends operate the same way you do? Like, they know about that 570 figure and they aren't even tripping when you can't hang out because of it? Is that really how it works?🤔

If you aren't actually doing anything wrong to someone, yet they still find a reason to be furious with you... well, that usually says a lot more about their character than yours.

Because in those instances, you haven't actually committed any transgression.

It seems to me that most people simply project their own distorted perceptions onto others—often driven by some sort of infantile vision fueled by childish needs for "friends." These people don't even truly know what they expect from anyone else, yet they have the audacity to get angry at a person who hasn't done anything wrong; someone who simply isn't obligated to act against common sense or basic reason.

Is that making sense? ☕

What kind of sacred covenant are these friends supposedly bound by? 🐔 ... Is it one of those things that is just vague and inexplicable, described with lofty words like "love"?

No, you know what I mean—it's more like that whole "hey buddy" superficiality. 😵

P.S. In my view, demanding something from someone that you know you cannot possibly provide is nothing short of pathetic.☕

I’ve been dealing with some persistent issues lately regarding my short-term memory and focus... 🐔

though I can certainly recall the username zoki89 quite clearly!

Cheers to you, a true legend of humanity 🙂

Jeffrey Ramos4 said:Taking a life and being "corrupt." But what if someone takes a life because they were experiencing a total mental breakdown?

Sure, we all know the textbook definition of corruption, but what I'm getting at is how people weigh its importance depending on the situation. Their perception of "corruption" is heavily colored by their own emotional history. For instance, if some thief steals an elderly woman's purse (groundbreaking stuff 🤣), she’s almost certainly going to judge every thief by that same standard because of what she went through. Meanwhile, someone who hasn't dealt with that will see things differently. If that same woman hears on the news that a thief robbed a Shell station and swiped some cigarettes (really original 🤣), she'll immediately link it back to her own trauma... whereas maybe that guy was just starving. Is a person truly corrupt if they're forced to steal just to eat?

... or in self-defense, I suppose 🙂

or in the name of God 😵

or in the name of law and order 🤣

or in the name of liberty 😂

or for the greater good... not to mention profit or wealth, since those poor souls simply lack the capacity to adapt to this brutal world, forcing them to kill others while they desperately struggle just to survive 🤮

.. I seem to be asking far too many questions lately .. heaven help us all 😬

velvetcobra65 said:🙂
I’m one of those people who steps up to save something, even when they don't want anyone to come to their rescue

That seems somewhat unbalanced to me... I would only agree to such an arrangement if you allowed me the opportunity to save you in return.🙂

On equal footing, with mutual respect.👍

Andrew Doyle said:Leave politics out of this shop, for crying out loud.🧐

And no, it isn't "trauma" that causes people to invent politics. To pull that off, you need much deeper issues involving ego, ethics, and morality... it’s a complex cocktail of pathological conditions. But fine, let's not get bogged down in talking about politics or politicians ☕

I won't, I won't🕺 I merely intended to point out that things can always get worse... though I suppose this was truly an extreme case😈... what kind of status quo are we even talking about
...
moving on... honestly🙂

Do you honestly believe that some stranger possesses a deeper insight into your subconscious than you do? That they somehow have a better grasp on how to "guide" your own self-manipulation... voluntarily? 🤣

And yet, this service is being offered to you... quite casually... under the guise of humanitarianism. It’s almost laughable, really. 😒

The reality is that all you actually need to do is look inward and truly discover who you are. 🧐

So, why the hesitation?

What is it you're actually afraid of?

Is it ignorance?

A lack of experience?

The great unknown?

Or perhaps you're just afraid of discovering yourself as a human being... while simultaneously refusing to acknowledge the humanity in others? 😵 .. I mean, they are people too, aren't they? 🙂 Or maybe someone skipped a few steps in their emotional development. 🙂

It is a well-documented human flaw to instinctively recoil from what we don't understand. But if the answers you seek—the very things your soul is hungry to comprehend—reside within your own being, then searching for them through an external medium is, at best, highly impractical.

But sure, go ahead. Just keep looking for those little signposts, step by tedious step. ☕

It's much like those Self-Help books where characters perform scripted roles, claiming how much their lives have changed because of a specific program.

The fundamental concept here is Self-Help... being independent, being your own guide. Though I suppose nobody truly understands the depth of what that implies.

I simply can't deal with this. 🕺

Jonathan Hayes said:In the long run? No. But sometimes post-traumatic experiences hit so hard that a person honestly just doesn't know how to survive or move forward without pushing them down. Of course, everything eventually comes back to haunt you... sooner or later...

I suppose that’s just instinct. It’s actually a physiological mechanism—this drive to "keep going" regardless of the trauma. An animal doesn't sit around contemplating how much time it needs to process an event; it just breathes, eats, sleeps, and survives. That is life, I guess.

And so many things pass through a lifetime and eventually get accepted as just part of being alive. Instead of a trauma being "resolved" so that it stops controlling or influencing one's existence, it essentially becomes baked into their very character. It’s a heavy thought...

...and then, quite predictably, those traumatized individuals band together and invent politics. 😬

rowdypanther said:Sometimes I look back at certain people and wonder how they managed to use me so effectively. I’d be footing the entire tab for drinks while they’d use my money to go buy themselves a new shirt. It was a constant pattern. I spent nearly a month staying with some wonderful people out in Colorado, and the woman there gave me this beautiful gold bracelet as a gift. Then, a friend talked me into selling it. Now, it just eats at me. I sold something truly special—a memory from amazing people—just because I listened to the wrong advice.

Now, my "friends" reach out asking when I'll be around so they can take advantage of me again. Well, newsflash: I've grown up. I am not that naive girl anymore. I simply don't have the time or the energy for them. Honestly, there are people I used to hang out with that I wouldn't even give the time of day to now. If I let myself get played like that in the past, that's on me. But enough is enough. It's over.

It is quite remarkable how "kind" you are, considering that after everything they put you through, you still find yourself making space for them... one would hardly believe it.

And where are we discussing workplace harassment, theft, sexual assault, or severe physical injury? ☕

Listen, everyone, protect yourselves before it is too late. It isn't paranoia; it is merely exercising realistic, rational caution based on actual experience, rather than clinging to some childish fantasy of how things ought to be.

Please, feel free to continue responding—those of you complaining that others don't make time for you (which seems to be the core of this thread)—and tell me: do you actually have time for all the people who need your attention, or for anything else you might be seeking?

And ultimately, who does anyone have the right to demand time from? 🙂

Do you truly hold the conviction that one must be coddled, protected, and looked after—or heaven forbid, loved unconditionally? It seems everything tends to drift in that direction, but I say no. I must ask... since there seem to be an infinite number of opinions on the matter, I shall remain silent. 🙂

Start with the absolute basics 👍

If you find yourself drawing a blank, then perhaps an even more radical simplification is required 😬

One ought to lower their expectations and set realistic goals... stay humble... and remain persistent 🧐

I recall my own struggle... breathing... I spent so much time searching for a way to simply breathe for a few minutes without pain... just relaxed... at peace... a few months passed, and then, bit by bit

And here I am, having discovered a new way of functioning... when I push myself too hard, I try to slow down and find a rhythm that works for me... without absolutely killing myself, since I am certainly not running a marathon... if I am giving everything I have and walking is my absolute limit, then in my mind, it feels just as taxing as running a marathon... or perhaps even a triathlon 🕺

velvetcobra65 said:Don't even bother responding.😁
Last year, I practically ate myself alive because of you, and I know I'll never see your face again.🤣
I just wanted to say I'm glad you're doing okay now (and actually being real about it for once).
And honestly, you didn't even ask for my time or my support.
I always try to make time for people, but on the flip side, I've learned not to chase anyone who doesn't sit right with me. Or, you know, not to chase people who can't be bothered to check in on me once in a blue moon (even though it seems like their lives are perfectly curated and fine). If you call me, I'm here; if you don't, well, what am I supposed to do?
I had this situation where my best friend (who was also my maid of honor) and my husband's buddy (our best man) "forgot" to mention they were moving in together. Then they hit us with the news much later that they’d already gotten married, acting like they didn't want to bother me. What a total fuck up. Like I could just sprint from the hospital bed straight to a wedding reception? It was ridiculous. I'll share things if they matter in my life, but I'm not interested in the drama. If I don't have time for people, I'm certainly not going to kill myself trying to manufacture it. That's just how it is.

🙂 .. I honestly have no idea what you're talking about 😉

Last year, I practically tore myself apart because of you, and knowing full well I'll never lay eyes on you again: rofl:

aah, how frightening .. I'm certainly not the first, nor will I be the last, to fear the great blue expanse😒

Just wanted to say I'm glad you're doing okay now (and actually being sincere about it for once)

.. the worst part is definitely behind us .. and it hasn't happened again 🙂

And you didn't even ask for my time or my care

Nothing personal 🙂 ... though I suppose I don't really have the habit of asking 🙂

Jeffrey Ramos4 said:It’s the culture—distorted, shallow values, endless pressure from the crowd, this emptiness in life, pure materialism, and total conformity. Everyone is just hyper-focused on satisfying their own selfish needs. There's zero altruism, just ignorance and coldness. People are retreating into their own little bubbles, losing all sense of humanity, friendship, or love—not for themselves, not for others, and certainly not for nature or animals. We just stare at it all, over and over again...

if there isn't another choice, then walking away from toxic society and a weak character is just saying goodbye

Everyone is just obsessed with satisfying their own needs; there's no altruism, just ignorance, callousness, retreating into one's own little bubble—there is no humanity, no friendship, no love, not for oneself, not for others, not for nature, animals, or anything else. And we just keep staring at it, over and over...

Let's not fall back into that old, tired, egotistical lecture regarding all things "noble" .. I suppose my critique is purely technical .. in truth, altruism is a need just as much as humanism is, or perhaps sadism and negligence are .. everything a person does, they do out of necessity .. when one strips away the traditional platitudes and looks through the lens of common sense, regardless of which path they take, one arrives at the logical conclusion that man is the origin of everything he is .. and whatever he does, he does out of needs that are motivated by one thing or another .. but those needs are quite real and very much present.

I was just listening to something recently—though I can’t quite recall the exact source—about how "evil" or malicious people rarely view themselves that way. It seems they are all under the impression that their actions are inherently good, or at least sufficiently justified by some internal logic. I suppose one has to wonder if such a mindset is even graspable. 🙂

The reality is that everyone errs; you, myself, all of us. So, when someone approaches you claiming that everything you say is "wrong" or that you are causing harm to others... well, would you truly change who you are? I highly doubt it. To me, it feels like this entire discussion is just an attempt to reach those who simply don't have the time for "you"—those who couldn't care less, essentially. So...

A question for the group:
Are there certain people you simply don't make time for because they aren't even on your radar?

P.S. Just imagine someone raised within a cannibalistic tribe. 😬 To them, it wouldn't be a tragedy if their younger brother ate three more people than they did; it would just be life. 😬

Dearly beloved, and anyone else who finds themselves in a similar state of mind 😍

There is a fundamental process... it’s simply called life... and that is all there is, I suppose. Everything else—all the noise—is just a human construct, a vision, a desire, or perhaps a perceived need 🙂

Have you ever considered that there might be people out there longing for your attention and your time, yet you have never once spared a thought for them, nor even realized they exist in your orbit? 🧐

People are passing away every single day... there is no justice here... there is no God watching over us... the universe is entirely indifferent to how any individual feels or thinks. In my own weary experience, I believe life should prioritize the individual first, and only then, if one chooses to build a relationship with another, should it be based on shared criteria and mutual compromise ☕

I wonder, honestly, how many human beings have breathed their last since this discussion was first initiated? 😉

How many of them possessed enough strength to pray, or perhaps just hope, that someone might actually step in to help? Some sensitive souls who still possess a heart and an ounce of empathy for another person... well, let me tell you... we are all, in some sense, children together we stand - divided we fall 🕺

One ought to sweep their own doorstep clean 🙂 before attempting to venture out into the world... assuming, of course, that one still possesses the will and the energy left after such a thorough cleaning 😬

I suppose I don't really have the bandwidth right now to dwell on this topic much more than necessary. 🙂

Andrew Doyle said:This whole thread just triggered a memory of a truly bizarre situation I once witnessed.

There was this local eccentric—someone clearly out of touch with reality—who happened to see a minor local politician power-walking along the waterfront. This guy was strutting down the pier with this massive "I am incredibly important" attitude, acting as if he were the most high-powered executive in the country, far too busy and prestigious to even spare a second to acknowledge anyone or offer a simple hello.

Anyway, this eccentric approaches him right in the middle of the boardwalk, stops him dead in his tracks, and says (I'll call him Peter): "Peter, I totally get it. I feel exactly the same way when I miss my medication." 😁

Haha, fair enough! 😬