Posts by Ronald Rogers27

Tyler Evans4 said:😁An ascetic also just gratifies themselves; they're basically feeding their ego. The more they deny pleasure, the better they feel about themselves, which just feeds their narcissism. Meanwhile, the hedonist focuses on physical pleasures. Honestly, both are just different flavors of narcissism.
I guess people should probably find some middle ground—you know, that "golden mean" idea.

That’s exactly what I said—that an ascetic satisfies themselves. Why are you skipping over my actual point and just cherry-picking parts of what I wrote?😬

A true ascetic isn't trying to stroke their ego in the traditional sense. They follow a routine to reach a specific level or hit certain predefined goals and challenges. Most people couldn't touch those levels even if they tried—we're talking extreme outliers here, well beyond the norm.

Hitting those milestones gives the ascetic a massive sense of satisfaction because they’ve actually achieved the impossible. A real ascetic doesn't do this out of narcissism.🙂

The "golden mean" in the North America? Yeah, right.😍

Ronald Rogers27

Tyler Evans4 said:I hope so; I wonder what kind of person I'll be by then!
Truth is, the sparks and the chemistry—that all fades fast.
A few years... maybe it really is just a few years and nothing more!👍

You'll find out. Maybe in a few years, or even a few decades. Who cares! 😬

Ronald Rogers27

Tyler Evans4 said:You basically need a microscope to find respect and trust. I think virtues like those are valued much less today than they were in the past, which makes them rare.
Yeah🙄😛 I'm around 30, and I still haven't reached that peace people in their 60s or 70s seem to have, even though I know some older folks and can tell you they haven't made peace with The End either. Maybe that peace is a state of mind, or maybe it's a privilege reserved for the spiritually advanced.

When you hit 60 like I did... then you'll finally get what I'm talking about. 😂

That’s exactly what makes long-term relationships actually work. Forget all that "chemistry" and "physics" talk for a second—that stuff burns out fast. You still need a basic foundation of both, sure, but without that core element, you've got nothing. Don't you think? 🤷

I wouldn't call them spiritually enlightened. They're just aggressively proactive about life. But look, if you want the full picture—considering everything going on with your family right now—it’s time to start getting serious about carving out a few years just for you and your partner. 🤣

Ronald Rogers27

placidjackal36 said:I’ve never been a fan of asceticism as a permanent lifestyle. If you want to use it as a personal experiment? Sure, fine. Experiments have an end date, right? You might actually learn something from it. As long as you aren't causing misery for everyone else, I don't see the problem.

Now, moderation—that’s something I can get behind, provided we don't confuse it with just being mediocre, but let's stay on track here.
The truth is, people today are chronically incapable of being moderate. For the last 40 or 50 years, this total lack of restraint has spread across the country like a plague, growing exponentially. It used to be something reserved for the ultra-wealthy elite—just a tiny drop in the bucket compared to the rest of the population. Then progress happened (which was a good thing), but people immediately threw moderation out the window because they operated under the logic that "you can't trust a full stomach." It's a biological fallacy, and frankly, that's when everything started going downhill.

And it isn't stopping. That’s the kicker. This trend isn't going to die down anytime soon.
You want to know where people actually practice moderation? In the "spiritual" realm. Some of you will catch my drift.
People are perfectly moderate when it comes to acting polite or even being decent human beings. They’re great at that. They’ll even go out of their way to praise some monk living in a desert. But the moment it involves gluttony, indulgence, or chasing physical pleasure, the vast majority of people head in the exact opposite direction.

What’s the common thread linking hedonism and asceticism? It's self-gratification. Plain and simple. 😬

So what's the difference? A hedonist satisfies themselves through instant gratification. An ascetic does it over a long haul—using time and energy—trying to reach peace of soul through sacrifice and hardship. 🤷

Gorging, chasing beauty, and sleeping around—that isn't just a perk for the hedonist. Asceticism isn't immune to that either. The whole "difference between them" really just boils down to your vital context! 😬

Ronald Rogers27

Tyler Evans4 said:😉Permanent happiness? No chance. Finding peace by moving to some mountain in Colorado to meditate for the rest of my life? I guess I just prefer the chaos.
As for Death, who knows? Should we summon some ghost and ask if they finally found peace? I bet they’re still wandering around, showing up at some medium's séance just to complain that they haven't found it yet.

There is no such thing as permanent Trajan Sreca. I know that much. Maybe I’m just kidding myself thinking that kind of fairytale isn't actually a dream. There are substitutes, though. Respect and Trust. 🤷

It’s tough these days to walk the right path and maintain both Trust and Respect. In America, those feel like disappearing concepts. Or at least, they don't last very long. 😍

Regarding your restlessness—you're probably young, maybe under 30, so you feel like Vecna. That restlessness fades as the years pile up. It's not just that people run out of steam; it's that they start to truly grasp the concept of The End.

That's the privilege of the Middle / Late Ages. 😬

Ronald Rogers27

Ashley Thompson9 said:See, I was talking about the suffering caused by the hedonist, whereas when I mentioned the ascetic, I meant they look down on people because, in their eyes, everyone else is way too obsessed with material stuff. If true spirituality leads to a certain way of living, then someone who becomes naturally humble through that process isn't really an "ascetic"—they aren't actually giving anything up, they just don't feel the urge for all those over-the-top physical pleasures anymore. But an ascetic? They're performing. It's a pose. They want to show off their "spiritual strength" to impress everyone while judging other people's lifestyles as sinful or inferior. And hey, maybe they don't even realize they're doing it! They claim they aren't judging anyone, but let's be real—just by choosing to renounce things, they're basically triggering envy in everyone else. Truth is, they might not even have that inner strength; maybe they just lost the race in competing with others, so they turn to Asceticism out of pure spite.

Now, I don't want to be unfair to folks who live life to the fullest and enjoy themselves without being selfish or immoral about it. For them, everything I said about naturally humble people applies. Plus, letting go of things that we can rationally see are just extra baggage or unnecessary... well, that's not fake asceticism either. That’s just genuine inner strength.

I can't get behind everything written here. To me, Asceticism is a Life Philosophy. It’s about using sacrifice and intense discipline to carve out a better position for yourself—specifically, a position of multi-layered freedom. 😬

Someone who truly understands their own struggles knows exactly what they're trying to achieve through them. And yeah, that definitely builds strength in both the body and the spirit. No doubt about it. 👍

Ronald Rogers27

Ronald Rogers27 said:Permanent happiness doesn't exist. What actually exists is peace... lasting peace. Very few people ever find it while they're alive, but everyone finds it eventually when they die.

Ronald Rogers27

After everything I've been through... this Peace I'm talking about... this [un]Peace... 🙄

Death is the final answer to the question we all face. And before death, there's just somewhere far away... far, far away, at the furthest point imaginable! 🙂

Ronald Rogers27

Ashley Thompson9 said:Honestly, being an extreme ascetic makes you just as inhuman as being a total hedonist. It’s all about excess, right? That’s why we even have specific labels for them. An ascetic basically spits on any kind of normal human joy, while a hedonist just goes wild without giving a single thought to anyone else. At the end of the day, both types end up hating people and only caring about themselves. Like, look at John—he's always chasing this idea of spiritual superiority, while the other guy just looks down on everyone from his throne of mindless indulgence, acting like other people's suffering is just a fair price to pay for his next thrill. Now, don't get me wrong, some people are just naturally low-maintenance, but I wouldn't call them ascetics in that arrogant, man-hating way I'm talking about here.

To me, Asceticism is a way to Survive. At least, that's how it works for me. Honestly? I want to enjoy life. I want to be a hedonist. A Hermit would just take and take, giving absolutely nothing back. 👍

But I can't afford that kind of luxury. If I went full hedonist, I wouldn't last long. So, out of pure selfishness—or maybe necessity—I chose Asceticism. It was 26 years ago when I embraced my Karma. Looking back, I didn't really have a choice; Asceticism basically forced itself on me, purely so I could satisfy my own needs.

Do I hate people? No. I carry my cross quietly and let everyone else be who they are (and let's face it, 99.999% of people are hedonists, even those who lie to themselves thinking they're ascetics). 🙄

Every choice has its weight, but Hedonism carries the most because the body and soul burn out so fast that way.

Asceticism is trendy nowadays... just for show. But if you look at the Essence of it... not everyone is built to Survive this Philosophy. 😬

Ronald Rogers27

Way too much... You're just philosophizing for the sake of it. 👎 I get where William Gonzalez3 is coming from; he’s just struggling to wrap his head around the actual issue.... 😍

Here's what's tripping me up, though... Honestly, I can't make heads or tails of you. In your version of philosophy, William Gonzalez3 doesn't even exist... Or maybe I missed something important. What is it? 😬

Ronald Rogers27

swiftwolf202 said:Reasoning basically takes everything we pick up through our senses and those built-in mental frameworks—our perceptions and thoughts—and starts connecting the dots. It takes concepts, weighs them against each other, finds the relationship between them, and draws a conclusion. That’s how reason operates. But then you have the intellect, which sits above mere reasoning. It tries to do the exact same thing—to explain things like God or true, lasting peace—but it hits a wall. It can't, because it's dealing with ideal ideas. It keeps trying to reach a final conclusion, but it simply lacks the capacity to get there... You could say, following Tom's logic, that the idea of God or perfection comes from concluding based on the inherent limitations of being, which eventually leads you toward something perfect.

Can you walk me through what's highlighted in red here? 😬

Ronald Rogers27

amberotter82 said:The real question is whether they can actually rise above the chaos when it hits. Regardless of whether they succeed or fail, the sheer process of double-checking their math—trying to see if they actually read the market right—is filled with unrest, and here's why... It's because you can't fully live with the awareness that the modern world is an illusion while trying to transcend it. If you're getting worked up, you're still trapped in the grind of this world; you haven't truly embraced the concept. Which makes me wonder if we can even perceive the world as an illusion without isolating ourselves. But then again, if isolation is the only way to get there, how much of living that way is just self-deception? We'd just be dodging all the actual challenges in life...

If you believe that you need to go through total disasters to keep your sanity and grow intellectually (which, again, depends on genes and personality), then I have to ask: how much of Peace is actually a result of higher consciousness, and how much is just emotional numbness where Peace isn't even reachable at those heights anymore?

I get where you're coming from regarding emotional attachment being a huge hurdle. But I wouldn't call it the main reason people can't reach Peace. I think the bigger issue is our inability to detach from our EGO and our senses. You know, those voices telling us: yeah, this block is definitely real, I can see its shape and color, I can feel those sharp edges in my hand, I can smell the wood it's made of... it exists.

I think it’s this. It isn’t about becoming numb or losing your edge. It’s actually about finally getting how the world works and how people truly interact. That learning curve? It never really ends. But there’s definitely a threshold. Once you hit it, everything shifts. You start seeing things from a completely different perspective. 👍

amberotter82 said:The real question is whether they can actually rise above the chaos when it hits. Regardless of whether they succeed or fail, the sheer process of double-checking their math—trying to see if they actually read the market right—is filled with unrest, and here's why... It's because you can't fully live with the awareness that the modern world is an illusion while trying to transcend it. If you're getting worked up, you're still trapped in the grind of this world; you haven't truly embraced the concept. Which makes me wonder if we can even perceive the world as an illusion without isolating ourselves. But then again, if isolation is the only way to get there, how much of living that way is just self-deception? We'd just be dodging all the actual challenges in life...

If you believe that you need to go through total disasters to keep your sanity and grow intellectually (which, again, depends on genes and personality), then I have to ask: how much of Peace is actually a result of higher consciousness, and how much is just emotional numbness where Peace isn't even reachable at those heights anymore?

I get where you're coming from regarding emotional attachment being a huge hurdle. But I wouldn't call it the main reason people can't reach Peace. I think the bigger issue is our inability to detach from our EGO and our senses. You know, those voices telling us: yeah, this block is definitely real, I can see its shape and color, I can feel those sharp edges in my hand, I can smell the wood it's made of... it exists.

You can't really escape your EGO. It’s hardwired into us. Honestly, I think that EGO actually protects us from things that could kill us—it keeps us from checking out early over something stupid while we're trying to figure life out. But you can definitely learn to manage how much that EGO runs the show. If you can get a handle on those internal impulses, you can finally reach a state where your self and Peace actually live in harmony. 😬

Where did that thread about legal adulthood starting from conception go? That is the question. 🤷

Ronald Rogers27

amberotter82 said:Exactly. But I wonder how much of that is actually doable since we aren't living in some remote cabin in the middle of the Rockies, totally surrendered to nature. We're constantly feeling the hits from the real world through monthly bills, the grind to hit targets at work, and all those personal struggles you just can't shake. Like, how is a Wall Street broker supposed to stay chill when the market is swinging wildly and his whole livelihood is riding on it? He knows it's an illusion, but he's still grinding every single day. So, we can't really detach ourselves from these worldly ties because modern life won't let us. Even if we're aware and "awake," it doesn't seem to be enough...

Or maybe... does that mean living a double life? Or just living in a constant split? We find peace once we get home, but at the office, we're stressed over things we know are illusions—chasing stuff like winning a big corporate negotiation. If we don't live two separate lives, then trying to merge them just leaves us in this internal rift. We end up stressing over "non-existent" things, which is absurd, but we do it because those things matter—like making sure our kids can go to a good college...

But if we're living on two different levels... how much peace can we actually find?

A broker at a firm like Goldman Sachs can only control what's within his reach. He relies on scientific heuristic algorithms, his own experience, advice from senior partners, and gut instinct. He does The Greatest [IM]Possible based on his calculations. Of course, those math models involve risk, and he has to decide his level of exposure... All of that directly impacts his Peace.

The whole idea is to build a mental simulation of the situation... If things go south and he starts losing serious cash, he has to instantly shift gears into a new level of analysis, synthesizing real-time data on the fly. At the end of the day, if he loses everything—we're talking millions of dollars—the ultimate consequence is that he’s still breathing, but he knows damn well he's going to lose his job...

The real kicker is how losing that job and being unable to find work in his field will hit his personal Peace... But if he hasn't endured massive, catastrophic failures in his Past and learned logical lessons backed by intuition... His inner Peace is going to be seriously compromised.

The bottom line: depending on your DNA, your psychological makeup, and your life experience, that personal Peace can be shattered. 🙄

amberotter82 said:Exactly. But I wonder how much of that is actually doable since we aren't living in some remote cabin in the middle of the Rockies, totally surrendered to nature. We're constantly feeling the hits from the real world through monthly bills, the grind to hit targets at work, and all those personal struggles you just can't shake. Like, how is a Wall Street broker supposed to stay chill when the market is swinging wildly and his whole livelihood is riding on it? He knows it's an illusion, but he's still grinding every single day. So, we can't really detach ourselves from these worldly ties because modern life won't let us. Even if we're aware and "awake," it doesn't seem to be enough...

Or maybe... does that mean living a double life? Or just living in a constant split? We find peace once we get home, but at the office, we're stressed over things we know are illusions—chasing stuff like winning a big corporate negotiation. If we don't live two separate lives, then trying to merge them just leaves us in this internal rift. We end up stressing over "non-existent" things, which is absurd, but we do it because those things matter—like making sure our kids can go to a good college...

But if we're living on two different levels... how much peace can we actually find?

I don't think that's the best example. There are plenty of people (honestly, most people) who deal with major friction right inside their own homes. Depending on how deeply they are caught up in that discord, their Peace can be totally wrecked.

I think this second cause—unrest within one's own home—is the main reason why the vast majority of people can't find their unique path toward Peace.

There's an old saying for a reason: "bonus prize, Peace in the House." The emphasis isn't on the physical stuff, but on the intellect and emotions. 😍

Ronald Rogers27

"Quote:"

amberotter82 said:Exactly, I was just asking so we could pin down what kind of peace you’re actually talking about. How someone gets there is a whole different story, and honestly, it shouldn't be treated like some exclusive club reserved for specific religions or philosophies. Though, I do think it involves letting go of all attachments, dropping the ego, and really grasping how everything is just fleeting and ultimately empty... If you follow that path, it might look like a vegetative state—like Gilach said—but in this sense, he isn't being negative. It's more like a total release from all the heavy lifting of the material world, or maybe even reaching the truth. You wouldn't be happy, but you wouldn't be unhappy either. The real question is, would people actually settle for that kind of peace? Is it even a path meant for everyone? And I don't mean whether people are smart enough to grasp the concept, but whether they have the capacity to actually live in it and find contentment there. Can we really detach ourselves from our "self" that much?

It’s actually possible. Through all that constant grinding... through the struggle. As we fight and navigate everything life throws at us, you start to realize we’re all just existing within this tiny little bubble of limited space and finite time. You begin to see that we're fighting a losing battle—one we can never truly win. But the illusion is powerful. The more convinced we are that we actually have control over our lives, the stronger that feeling becomes. Honestly? Maybe that isn't even a bad thing. In fact, it might be a good thing. 😬

You have to wrap your head around this and just accept the inevitability of Defeat. If you can actually do that, then Peace becomes possible. It’s within reach.

"Quote:"

amberotter82 said:Exactly, I was just asking so we could pin down what kind of peace you’re actually talking about. How someone gets there is a whole different story, and honestly, it shouldn't be treated like some exclusive club reserved for specific religions or philosophies. Though, I do think it involves letting go of all attachments, dropping the ego, and really grasping how everything is just fleeting and ultimately empty... If you follow that path, it might look like a vegetative state—like Gilach said—but in this sense, he isn't being negative. It's more like a total release from all the heavy lifting of the material world, or maybe even reaching the truth. You wouldn't be happy, but you wouldn't be unhappy either. The real question is, would people actually settle for that kind of peace? Is it even a path meant for everyone? And I don't mean whether people are smart enough to grasp the concept, but whether they have the capacity to actually live in it and find contentment there. Can we really detach ourselves from our "self" that much?

Look, we’re never going to fully escape the grip of material needs. Truth is relative—it scales directly with whatever interests or material constraints are at play (though it's not just about money; interests can get pretty complicated). The less those dependencies weigh on us, the more objective the Truth becomes. Basically, Peace is just a function of those two variables, moving in inverse proportion to how tightly they're linked. 🙄

amberotter82 said:Exactly, I was just asking so we could pin down what kind of peace you’re actually talking about. How someone gets there is a whole different story, and honestly, it shouldn't be treated like some exclusive club reserved for specific religions or philosophies. Though, I do think it involves letting go of all attachments, dropping the ego, and really grasping how everything is just fleeting and ultimately empty... If you follow that path, it might look like a vegetative state—like Gilach said—but in this sense, he isn't being negative. It's more like a total release from all the heavy lifting of the material world, or maybe even reaching the truth. You wouldn't be happy, but you wouldn't be unhappy either. The real question is, would people actually settle for that kind of peace? Is it even a path meant for everyone? And I don't mean whether people are smart enough to grasp the concept, but whether they have the capacity to actually live in it and find contentment there. Can we really detach ourselves from our "self" that much?

Some people would be satisfied just knowing this is the Path to Choose—the way for those who can rise above the material clutter of this world. They want to transcend the chaos of our Unbearable Easy Existence. Who is this path actually for? Maybe it’s for the ones who see what's invisible, who spot the hidden patterns and can actually read the Signs along the Way. It's for them... the ones capable of speaking that silent language.

"Sometimes you’ve got to serve if you ever want to lead," says Odysseus and King Itachi. 🧐

Ronald Rogers27

Yeah and no... Sure, we're talking about Nirvana, or maybe Enlightenment... But there are so many different ways to actually find that peace. This whole Path of Peace is incredibly Significant. There’s absolutely no rulebook saying it has to be the Path of privilege tied to some specific Religion or Philosophical movement! 😍

Ronald Rogers27

How would you even put that into words? It’s this peace that flows from the depths of the cosmos—something that completely bypasses our petty, earthly complexes and impulses. It’s a peace that can't be shaken by anything. It fills a Man up, leaving him totally unshaken by those constant swings between what we call earthly happiness and misery. Yet, it doesn't change his core stance—the very thing that makes him who he is—I think, therefore I am. It just Is. And it definitely ISN'T neutral! 😍

Ronald Rogers27

It doesn't usually work this way... There isn't any rule saying a carefree Man can just stumble into Heavenly peace... Not at all... It’s only the people who have survived intense Turmoil that get there... People who actually feel someone else's pain... And can let that pain flow right through them...

Those easygoing types you're talking about... They're either just starting out on that path (and they've got plenty of heartache ahead of them)... Or they've just reached some superficial stage of Earthly peace...

We're talking about Otherworldly peace here, buddy. 😍

Ronald Rogers27

Ashley Robinson58 said:If someone were perpetually happy, they’d likely lose their mind or develop a completely warped perception of reality. A sense of peace—true tranquility—is more than enough for a good life.

Peace equals being carefree? I mean, they definitely go hand in hand, but I wouldn't go so far as to say they're the exact same thing! 😬

Ronald Rogers27

Jonathan Brooks8 said:Why shouldn't peace be synonymous with happiness?

Brenda Cook4 said:Is there anything more powerful than peace? If that isn't 'happiness,' then I honestly don't know what is...

Let’s look at it this way: most people have no clue about Route 66. They only know that natural path that makes us all feel like we're stuck in a finite existence, facing our Conan.

So, for the vast majority—the masses, really—there has to be some other way... a Path toward Felicity, whatever that actually looks like. Basically, anyone who hasn't found Peace is just out there chasing Felicity, trying to grab hold of it somehow.

But maybe Felicity is just an illusion. After all, every version of Felicity eventually fades away...
😬

Ronald Rogers27

Permanent happiness doesn't exist. What actually exists is peace... lasting peace. Very few people ever find it while they're alive, but everyone finds it eventually when they die.

Ronald Rogers27

Jonathan Brooks8 said:Using the metaphor of light,
Jesus’s essence is the content—the living, breathing, updated source of light (the foundation),
His being is the body of light, a luminous vessel (the medium),
And His existence serves as the illumination itself—the act of shining (the role).

Can I ask a follow-up? What exactly is the nature of Judas (the disciple who betrayed Christ)? 😬

Ronald Rogers27