Posts by wanderingmoose13

Anthony Ward6 said:I’ll weigh in here: Wikipedia is a reasonable Reddit user who can hold a civil, decent conversation, so I guess a partial ban feels a bit excessive and maybe deserves some leniency and another shot. 😍

I'm with you on that.

wearyrider16 said:@ wanderingmoose13

I don't think we should label how other people think as "brainless" patterns. We can't really know what's going on inside someone else's head, and honestly, we might look just as bad to them.
But yeah, there are definitely simple and complex personalities out there that just struggle to connect.

I think you missed my point, but it doesn't really matter.
There are definitely people living at a tribal level of consciousness—that's pretty much why the world is such a mess right now.

That’s just your take on me underestimating or judging people by putting them into "simple" or "complex" boxes... and so on.

I'm not sure how much you know about this—it's a huge topic—but it's crystal clear to me: we live in a society run by psychopaths and sociopaths. Are you actually aware of that? Because they impact every single one of us, whether directly or indirectly.

Getting into the background of all that doesn't make sense in this thread.

It’s not quite as simple as it looks.

I don't have some preconceived notion of you in my head since we haven't met. I can only guess at things, vaguely. Sometimes words just get twisted in transit.
But, when you throw around a phrase like "pig brain" (and I know you're quite the wordsmith), how am I supposed to *not* feel like you're being condescending? Words carry weight, don't they?

In my view, we're the ones who decide how much influence others have on us (including those psychopaths or sociopaths we were talking about).
The more attention we give them, the more power they hold over us.
Nobody can touch me unless I personally hand them the keys.

Jason Kim6 said:Why do I think they're compliments? If someone tells you that you're an interesting person, that's—I guess—a compliment. Being interesting is fine. But what does being interesting actually matter if your life isn't going well? It might be better to just be totally ordinary and uninteresting—just average—but have luck (health) and actual satisfaction in life.
As for why I couldn't be a genius—it's because I haven't actually invented anything (that doesn't mean I haven't had ideas that I can't execute—like, say, building a machine to read thoughts, since thoughts are basically silent speech and physical movements of the speech apparatus—if you could record that, you could read minds; or how we'll eventually watch movies in newspapers and things like that).
Castrated in what sense? That’s a long story. Anyway—someone might think I'm stupid just because I'm not social, or because I express myself too simply. "If intelligence is beautiful, then I want to be beautiful: the new Mr. Complex Sentence." Intelligence doesn't necessarily have to be beautiful; it can be quite destructive. And there are different types of intelligence. For instance, I try to avoid complex sentences. But does that mean someone who uses complicated sentences—clumsily, barely finishing a thought—is intellectually superior to me? Or are they just muddled? Castration literally means removing external organs—removing testicles. But it also means destroying their function. So, a man could still be castrated even if he technically has them. There is also a metaphorical sense to it. Incapacity. I am prevented from everything. (There are other things I might mention later)...

I get what a compliment is. But I had the impression you felt like those "compliments" weren't actually earned.
Why do you feel they aren't earned? Just because you haven't invented something concrete? Genius doesn't have to reinvent the wheel to be valid.
Maybe by being original yourself, you're actually sparking ideas in other people.

Jason Kim6 said:Why do I think they're compliments? If someone tells you that you're an interesting person, that's—I guess—a compliment. Being interesting is fine. But what does being interesting actually matter if your life isn't going well? It might be better to just be totally ordinary and uninteresting—just average—but have luck (health) and actual satisfaction in life.
As for why I couldn't be a genius—it's because I haven't actually invented anything (that doesn't mean I haven't had ideas that I can't execute—like, say, building a machine to read thoughts, since thoughts are basically silent speech and physical movements of the speech apparatus—if you could record that, you could read minds; or how we'll eventually watch movies in newspapers and things like that).
Castrated in what sense? That’s a long story. Anyway—someone might think I'm stupid just because I'm not social, or because I express myself too simply. "If intelligence is beautiful, then I want to be beautiful: the new Mr. Complex Sentence." Intelligence doesn't necessarily have to be beautiful; it can be quite destructive. And there are different types of intelligence. For instance, I try to avoid complex sentences. But does that mean someone who uses complicated sentences—clumsily, barely finishing a thought—is intellectually superior to me? Or are they just muddled? Castration literally means removing external organs—removing testicles. But it also means destroying their function. So, a man could still be castrated even if he technically has them. There is also a metaphorical sense to it. Incapacity. I am prevented from everything. (There are other things I might mention later)...

Communication style shouldn't be the yardstick for intelligence. Communication is just a skill you can practice.
I don't see why a fancy, complicated way of speaking would be more valuable than being straightforward. I think you're spot on.
Intelligence can definitely be destructive. It all depends on the psychological stability and the moral compass of the person using it.

Jason Kim6 said:Why do I think they're compliments? If someone tells you that you're an interesting person, that's—I guess—a compliment. Being interesting is fine. But what does being interesting actually matter if your life isn't going well? It might be better to just be totally ordinary and uninteresting—just average—but have luck (health) and actual satisfaction in life.
As for why I couldn't be a genius—it's because I haven't actually invented anything (that doesn't mean I haven't had ideas that I can't execute—like, say, building a machine to read thoughts, since thoughts are basically silent speech and physical movements of the speech apparatus—if you could record that, you could read minds; or how we'll eventually watch movies in newspapers and things like that).
Castrated in what sense? That’s a long story. Anyway—someone might think I'm stupid just because I'm not social, or because I express myself too simply. "If intelligence is beautiful, then I want to be beautiful: the new Mr. Complex Sentence." Intelligence doesn't necessarily have to be beautiful; it can be quite destructive. And there are different types of intelligence. For instance, I try to avoid complex sentences. But does that mean someone who uses complicated sentences—clumsily, barely finishing a thought—is intellectually superior to me? Or are they just muddled? Castration literally means removing external organs—removing testicles. But it also means destroying their function. So, a man could still be castrated even if he technically has them. There is also a metaphorical sense to it. Incapacity. I am prevented from everything. (There are other things I might mention later)...

I thought you were talking about metaphorical castration.
That feeling of total paralysis or being blocked is something you can work on. Liberation is also a skill you can practice. One sentence, one thought, or one action at a time... consciously ignoring the thoughts that try to hold us back.
It's human to mess up; mistakes are just part of the learning process.

mistylynx said:Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always told myself the same thing: when I get old, my husband will be the first to go ( 😁 which, I guess, is the most realistic scenario).
I’ll find myself a cozy little cottage out in the countryside—maybe one of those rustic, old-fashioned places with a private well in the yard and a massive tree nearby with branches so heavy they practically threaten to crush the roof. I can see myself resting in its shade on an old, weathered bench. I’d have a wood-burning stove and a collection of chipped ceramic bowls, tin plates, and mismatched mugs for drinking linden tea—the kind you brew yourself from leaves you just picked. That sounds like the life, honestly.
Somewhere deep in the woods, or maybe right on the edge of them.
I imagine waking up to the sound of birds chirping and drifting off to sleep to the rhythm of the crickets.
My days would just be spent walking, gathering wild berries for jam or tea, gardening, digging, and getting my hands dirty with handfuls of soil.
And when I finally pass away, I suppose nobody will even know. I’ll just become part of the forest; we’ll merge together as if I were never even a separate thing in all this beauty.
I’ll turn into the grass, the ivy, the poppies, and the wheat.

Still, I really hope you manage to find joy in all of that alongside your husband. Unless, of course, your actual goal is to outlive him... 🙂

I honestly love that image. Just a simple life, much like what our dear ancestors used to live back in the day. 👍

wearyrider16 said:Don't get me wrong, I love the joy of it, but man, I’d give anything to just get a decent night's sleep and actually feel human for once.

What good is art or being some poetic soul if you can't even meet your basic needs?
It’s honestly better to be "normally boring" and have a "simple brain."
You head into work, do your thing, and then just crash into a comfy recliner with the remote in hand.
Those people are happy. Right here, right now, they’re the ones living the dream... I actually envy those little robots. As time goes on, it feels more and more true...

Deep down, there's this incredibly honest part of me—this life inside me—that's constantly screaming to connect with something beyond this material world and stay connected for as long as possible.
Basically, it's the exact same thing you're saying, just frozen in time.
We're talking about the same stuff, just using different words.

Imagine living in your own little bubble for years because it acts as therapy—a way to escape all the lies, the fakes, and the idiots in this whole absurd theater we call life... but then you realize even that starts becoming a burden. I'm just tired of catering to my body, and I'm just as tired of trying to escape it.

And in the end, words still fail to capture it all...

The Little Prince put it perfectly: words are a source of misunderstanding.

If you know what I mean, I guess?!

Yeah, I’m with you there—words are honestly just a breeding ground for misunderstandings.
Words just don't cut it sometimes. I honestly can't find the right way to put it—it feels impossible to capture all those vivid images we carry around in our heads and hold deep in our hearts.

Maybe the easiest way to live is to surround yourself with people who actually "get" your world. I know, I know—it’s a bit of a trap because true, 100% understanding is basically unimaginable. You try to bridge that gap and you often just end up feeling disappointed when you realize how far apart you really are. But still, there’s something special about finding those people who resonate with you, even if it’s only partially. It makes the whole journey feel a little less lonely.
I don't think we're all meant to be some kind of magic cure for "Weltschmerz," you know? Life is heavy like that. But I do believe it's possible to at least help soothe the sting a little bit.

You can't really freeze anything in place, because time is always shifting things around. It’s just the nature of life, isn't it? Everything is constantly in motion.
You know, you can just try—moment by moment, even if it feels like a Sisyphus-style struggle—to look at the world with genuine wonder and a sense of gratitude.
Look, I truly believe that for every ounce of sadness we encounter, there’s an equal amount of beauty waiting to be found. It all comes down to where we choose to point our focus. It really is about deciding what we’re going to pay attention to.
I really believe we shouldn't be jumping to conclusions about everything happening around us. It’s easy to start assigning meaning or predicting outcomes before anything has actually settled, but I think there's a lot of value in just letting things exist as they are first.
I'm guessing you've already had your fair share of experience with the whole yin and yang concept, haven't you?

Perfection doesn't exist, and honestly, neither do we. We all have our own set of limitations and flaws that we have to deal with every single day.

I honestly feel like we shouldn't be looking at how other people live their lives as if they’re just some "pig-brained" patterns or predictable tropes. At the end of the day, we have absolutely no way of knowing what’s actually going on inside someone else's head, and if we aren't careful, we might end up looking just as judgmental and narrow-minded to them as we think they are to us.
Look, it’s just the truth: you have people who are simple and driven, and then you have those complex, layered souls. Honestly, it’s almost unimaginable for them to find any common ground. They're just operating on completely different frequencies.

That’s exactly why you have to hunt for those people whose brand of crazy actually resonates with your own. It’s all about finding that specific frequency where your weirdness meets theirs.
You really never know when or where you’re going to run into them. They're out there.
But you’re never going to find them if you're just sitting there alone, lost in the deep, quiet corners of your own head.
To really get anywhere, you have to look past your own gut instincts and find a way to push through those built-in biases. It’s about stepping outside your own head for a second.
We really ought to make an effort to see the beauty in imperfection. It’s all about perspective, honestly. And if you can manage to develop a good sense of humor? That’s the real game-changer. When you start looking at the world through a slightly more irreverent lens, everything just becomes so much more entertaining.

wearyrider16 said:Those are all just little tricks that don't last long enough to reach that deep, primal instinct for the beauty of life I'm after.

Nice try, though.
But it's not quite enough.

I honestly think you have a real gift for writing.
I really love your poems. Honestly, maybe you don't even need meditation, because your poetry feels like a meditative state all on its own.
That said, there's certainly no harm in soaking up a sunset or listening to the birds sing.
Don't they bring you some joy?

Anyway, this one is my absolute favorite:

wearyrider16 said:Absent to imagine

Imagined away while others ask me questions, my mind wanders off.
It travels. It listens to my heart. I am not here. I am gone. Something stronger than me takes hold.
Into the far silence, with a deep breath, I vanish. I become a strange sight to behold.
Absent to imagine.
They try to force me back, trying to ground me with loud questions. Right here, right now.
Back into plans, rules, jobs, cliques, material grips, fleeting wars, and the ticking of mechanical clocks.
I am not part of this.
I am running.
I would rather sink into honest darkness than swim in a false light.
My world is far away.

Jason Kim6 said:Those compliments don't mean much to me—none of it does. My therapist told me I had a streak of genius, basically called me a genius—but what good is that when I'm just a neutered genius?!

Why on earth would you view those as mere compliments? And why wouldn't you be able to claim that title?
When you say castrated, what do you mean by that? Are we talking emotional...??

ironrider11 said:I've given it a shot. A little bit. But I've never hit that "losing my identity" thing. Honestly, I don't even think "ego death" counts as losing your identity. There's always some kind of "identity" present, right? Some "something" or "someone" there to perceive and register the experience. Otherwise, wouldn't any realization about "beauty" or "oneness" be completely meaningless... because there'd be nobody there to experience it?

It’s really more about being completely absorbed in the feeling of belonging to a much larger picture.
Think about those moments when you're studying so intensely that you lose all self-awareness because you're just so deeply immersed in the subject matter that you forget yourself and everything else around you.
It’s like when you’re swimming and instead of focusing on the chatter in your own head, you just feel the silky smoothness of the water, the temperature, the sounds, the way the light dances underwater, the rhythm of your breathing...

Joseph Bailey41 said:The sense of identity—and even the very thought of it—is really just a construct. If the mind keeps rebuilding it over and over, or constantly checking in to see if it's still there, then it eventually just fades away. It disappears. I don't know if there's some lingering 'identity' during those moments that I just fail to perceive, because my focus is entirely on the birds, the trees, or whatever else happens to drift into my consciousness. In those moments, I am not 'me'; I am simply the space through which all of this flows. What I feel during those times (this sort of reaction to beauty) isn't 'mine,' and it doesn't have anything to do with who I am. What usually snaps me out of that state is seeing another person who might try to start an interaction with me. It drags me right back to 'normal,' and honestly, it's incredibly jarring. It feels like being plunged into ice-cold water. My dog probably senses it too; he'll start barking or tugging at my sleeve to get me moving, which gives me the perfect excuse to cut off whatever autopilot conversation I'm having and keep walking. Once I'm somewhere private, I have a chance to slip back into that state—to "talk" to the birds, the trees, the clouds, or the mushrooms... I'll "ask" them if I can pick them, and I feel like I get an answer.

In the city, this would only happen when I was as lonely as Jesus. During seated meditation with my eyes closed, it never happened. Out in nature, though, all I have to do is let go—basically, stop trying so hard to be 'me.'

(Sorry for the tangent, this turned out way longer than I intended. 😢 )

Joseph Bailey41, if you weren't here, we'd have to invent you from scratch! 🙂 🙂

ironrider11 said:How are you supposed to merge with anything if you don't have thoughts or an identity to begin with? How do you even know something is 'beautiful' without those things?

Have you seriously never meditated before?
I mean, haven't you ever just felt this deep sense of connection to everything around you—where there isn't a single thought running through your head except for the sheer beauty of the moment, or the sound of some music or birds chirping that you just completely lose yourself in?
In those moments, I totally forget who I am. I just become part of that beauty.

wearyrider16 said:What kind of satisfaction is there in watching a sunset or listening to birds sing when you basically need a prescription just to function?

Nothing really matters if you aren't healthy.

Even if you owned the whole damn world, it wouldn't mean a thing.

Hmm. Well, you could try to temporarily "forget" about the illness and shift your focus
toward the beauty of it all. Just let yourself go completely.
Think of it like a form of meditation, where you let go of all those internal thoughts (and even your own identity) to just merge with the beauty around you. You immerse yourself. You become one with it.
Haven't you ever experienced something like that?

Carl Rivera43 said:If nothing else, it’s worth living just to see a flock of birds in flight, or to catch a sunset over the horizon while nature puts on a show.

Like that one song says: what does time even matter when people aren't made of stone?

I agree. Honestly. There’s such a profound beauty in it that truly lifts your spirit.

Rebecca Rivera3 said:wanderingmoose13, you’re asking if I exercise... Well, I’ve gone through quite a lot of physical therapy over the years, sometimes with assistance and sometimes on my own. I spent many months confined to a wheelchair. Since undergoing venous therapy, things have improved slightly; I can walk using a cane, though it's slow and repetitive.
The MS makes me feel constantly exhausted. Some days are better than others, but there are those brutal days where you can't even make it to the bathroom—you're basically just vegetating.
Most patients living with MS also struggle with severe depression and mood swings. For me, those issues were intense at the beginning, but they've leveled out. Now, it's more of a deep sadness whenever I can't get up. I feel far too young for this. My whole life was supposed to be ahead of me.

This disease is incredibly deceptive. It’ll throw you a curveball where you suddenly feel better and think, "Okay, maybe things are finally stabilizing," only to drag you right back down to rock bottom.

I've actually decided to stop taking the medications for now. I can't handle the side effects anymore, and I reached the maximum dosage a long time ago.

Do you have any help? I really hope you aren't trying to tackle this all on your own.
Please, don't turn your back on therapy. Seriously, just give it a chance.

Rebecca Rivera3 said:I don't know what the path to someone's heart looks like...
All I know is that people won't stop staring, and it is incredibly irritating. It's just like how they assume I'm much younger than I actually am; I realize that might sound strange to some, but...

My appearance has granted me certain privileges, sure, but more often than not, it has just caused problems in my life. Even now, while dealing with an illness, I'm attending psychotherapy sessions at the hospital, and all the psychiatrist sees is my physical appearance. They have no interest in how I actually feel or what I'm going through internally...

You mentioned that your psychiatrist actually noted how complex and interesting you are. Honestly, that’s such a good sign—it means they’re actually listening to you and truly engaging with what you have to say!

Rebecca Rivera3 said:Exactly. Just vent all those emotions and that rage toward her in a private message, because usually, something just ends up being a trigger, unfortunately.
Look, my psychiatrist practically convinced me I was schizophrenic—then they threw in psychosis, then schizoid personality traits... honestly, give me a break. They drugged me into taking Lexapro and basically insisted I was insane. I ended up being institutionalized three different times. On top of that, this psychologist and my boyfriend would sit there lecturing me about how much I was "suffering" from this supposed illness, telling me how hard things were for *them* because of me and how everything was my fault. I felt like absolute garbage. No matter what I did or didn't do, it was never right. They always found something wrong with me. They made me feel crazy.

It’s true, I wasn't exactly the most typical person, but I never meant harm to anyone. And I don't know what else I could have done to avoid being drugged and locked up in a psych ward. I was suffering immensely from stupors, paralysis, exhaustion, vision issues, confusion, and sometimes depression... not to mention all the other things I won't even list.

Meanwhile, I am actually physically ill, dealing with brain lesions and a confirmed diagnosis of MS from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

So what am I supposed to do? I feel like killing that guy; the hatred I feel every single day is intense. And the anger toward all those doctors is just as bad.

I just want to run away somewhere and scream at the top of my lungs. I'm boiling with rage and frustration.

I still feel like an object. Like a picture on a wall. Nothing more.

They were trying to do the best they could for you. At the end of the day, doctors aren't gods.
They did everything within their power.
You really need to find a way to let go of this anger. Instead of draining your energy and wasting precious time being furious, try focusing on anything that might actually improve your current situation. Holding onto this is only hurting you.

wearyrider16 said:When is suicide actually considered a rational choice?

Or is it always viewed as a defeat, a surrender, or just plain cowardice?

Keep it brief, please.

Honestly, it takes a certain kind of courage to go through with it. But at the same time, it’s also the path of least resistance.
In my opinion, the bravest thing you can actually do is stay and fight. That’s how we find out just how much strength we really have tucked away inside us.
There has to be something—anything at all—that makes life worth the struggle.

wearyrider16 said:When is suicide actually considered a rational choice?

Or is it always viewed as a defeat, a surrender, or just plain cowardice?

Keep it brief, please.

Joseph Bailey41 said:That depends on if you're a Japanese person. 🤷

Why would a kamikaze pilot need to wear a helmet? 😁

Rebecca Rivera3 said:If you think Seroquel or Haldol are the absolute worst, trust me—I’ve been through them. I was on those every three weeks for about a year and a half, so I know.

Compared to what I’m taking now for my MS, those felt like a soothing balm.

And honestly, what good is being attractive if there isn't a man willing to actually be there for me? Being sick changes everything. People look at me and they only want one thing, but nobody seems to care about wanting to share a life, give me a hug, or help me when things get heavy. What is beauty even worth then? It feels like a curse; no one bothers to get to know who I really am as a person.

I’ve been seeing a therapist as part of my treatment, and even my psychiatrist—who didn't see me until five months in—told me that I’m such a complex and interesting person, but that nobody sees it because they're too distracted by my looks.

I'm going to try to get some sleep. Goodnight, everyone.

Honey, please forgive me for asking, and I hope this doesn't sound silly, but do you exercise regularly?
Staying active can seriously improve your quality of life and might even help slow down the progression of the disease. It makes you feel more vital.
I went through some rough patches myself, and swimming and yoga were total lifesavers for me.
There has to be some kind of activity out there that would feel right for you.
Sending you a huge hug from the bottom of my heart—I truly hope you can find relief from this illness as soon as possible!

By the way—let them stare at your beauty. Maybe you'll eventually find someone who appreciates all your other wonderful qualities too. Don't shut people out just because you think they're focused on the surface. For guys, looks are often the most direct path to their hearts. That's nothing new. Just accept it and try to enjoy your life.

https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_...s_who_you_are?

Honestly, memory gaps are just a byproduct of living entirely inside your own head instead of actually being present in the world. Maybe you aren't remembering things because, frankly, you aren't really listening when they happen.
When you’re constantly preoccupied with your own internal monologue, trying to focus on anything else feels like an uphill battle.
I’ve always been drawn to the whole wabi-sabi philosophy—that idea of finding beauty in the imperfect.
It’s about embracing your own flaws. I mean, if we were all flawless, what would there even be to laugh at? 🙂
At the end of the day, you've got to have a sense of humor and stop taking everything so incredibly seriously. Not yourself, not anyone else. If everything were perfect, humor wouldn't even exist. Perfection is just plain boring.

Don’t you dare feel ashamed of how fragile your spirit might feel right now.
It’s a universal truth, really—the most delicate things in this world often end up being the most precious.
I always think about that Japanese art of kintsugi. It’s all about taking those broken pieces and mending them with gold. Instead of hiding the cracks, you highlight them. You take every setback, every break, and use it as a way to grow, to learn, and eventually, to become a little wiser.
🙂

Laura Castillo6 said:It’s totally doable. Honestly, once I finally stopped measuring my own progress against everyone else... everything changed. It all boils down to self-reliance and making sure you're actually investing in yourself rather than watching others.

The whole thing is driven by this internet phenomenon—you know, Meta, Instagram, and all those other social media platforms. You see this tiny fraction of wealthy people posting photos of their wild nights out or their highlight reels, and anyone scrolling through thinks, "Man, they have such a perfect life." In reality, most people don't realize that almost nobody is going to post about their failures, their bad days, or the messy parts of their lives. That person looking successful on your screen? They deal with just as much chaos and negativity as the rest of us.

For years now, I've made a conscious choice to stay out of other people's business. I still have Meta, but I don't follow what people are posting. I mostly just use it to check science news, catch up on business journals, and things like that. At the end of the day, I just don't care to keep tabs on how everyone else is living.

I'm with you on this.

It feels tacky, and honestly, sometimes it can even be dangerous, to constantly flaunt your wealth or pretend to live this "perfect" existence.
Perfect lives aren't real, and showing off usually just triggers envy. And let's be honest, envy can lead to some seriously messy situations, not to mention much darker consequences.

There is zero benefit to comparing yourself to others because every single person's story is flawed; everyone has their own highs and lows. When you're just watching from the outside, you're getting a distorted, filtered version of reality. You don't even know half the story behind the people you're envying.
Because of those warped images, we end up devaluing our own daily lives and creating this unnecessary sense of discontent.
It’s way more productive to just focus on your own journey and set your own goals. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday and track your own progress instead.