Posts by Thomas Fox8

burnt out said:I couldn't seem to find an existing thread for this, so I figured I'd just start my own.

So, I was wondering if being physically attractive—regardless of gender, of course—actually makes it easier to land a job, hit certain life milestones, and so on.

I suppose beauty is a bit of a double-edged sword; it might open doors, but it can certainly complicate things too. In my experience, people who don't fit those conventional beauty standards often tend to lead much more peaceful and straightforward lives than the ones constantly caught up in the spotlight of their own looks.

Wraith said:I suppose if you think a bowl of lettuce is enough protein to fuel brain development, then more power to you... Personally, once I hit 18, I couldn't care less about what people eat, but children really ought to be eating meat rather than becoming a permanent burden on the taxpayers. At least, that’s my take on it...

I suspect you have a point there. Children definitely need a diverse diet, which I guess inevitably includes meat as a primary source of protein. It seems especially important for young athletes and kids who are still growing.

The reality is that during the holiday season, a significant number of people tend to spiral into depression or similar emotional lows.
The whole festive atmosphere is built on this idealized imagery of happiness, peace, harmony, and cozy family gatherings; naturally, those who find themselves lacking any of those things end up feeling incredibly left out.
It’s a bit like a modern-day version of the story of
Goldilocks.
I suppose one has to try and fight through it, wrestling with oneself and those dark, intrusive thoughts. Someone mentioned earlier that a lack of will is just laziness, and I guess there might be some truth to that. If you can manage to occupy both your mind and your body with actual tasks, you'll likely find you have much less downtime for those useless, gloomy ruminations.

Discussions like this—regardless of how painful the truths within them might be—provide a certain level of comfort by reminding us that we aren't alone in our struggles; it's a realization that others are navigating these same unfulfilled voids too.

thumbelina said:Or do they just become that way over the course of their lives?
Well, if we look at the most obvious example; would a certain Hitler have been Hitler regardless of the life he lived? 🙂

I suppose personality formation really boils down to two main factors: phenotype and genotype.
In this context, phenotype represents the influence of one's environment, whereas genotype refers to what is essentially "innate."
If an individual grows up in a toxic environment—dealing with constant harassment from a young age, chronic stress, and things of that nature—there is a significant chance they will develop into a similarly troubled person. I suspect that almost any mental disorder can trace its roots back to childhood. This is why psychoanalysis is conducted in such a way, using regression to help the patient revisit those early experiences that shaped their subsequent development.
As for the genotype, psychology suggests the existence of a "collective unconscious" where atavistic experiences are stored (for instance, a certain reverence for God, even in people who haven't had much exposure to holy books or religious laws). One often notices a child exhibiting identical behavioral patterns to their parents, even if they don't live together—specifically in their gestures, facial expressions, or similar reactions to various stimuli.
Furthermore, one might find certain basic models in psychology (though they aren't strictly established scientific facts) based on physical facial features.
For example, a strong, prominent chin might suggest a strong character.
Thin lips might indicate someone who is somewhat cowardly... though, of course, none of this is necessarily a hundred percent accurate.
I would argue that facial expressions and movement say far more about a person's character than their static physical traits.