Posts by steelridge58

I’m feeling a little lost here because I think I might have misquoted something from a different thread about matter.

@ Jonathan Brooks8,

- "that veil is just a swarm of peripheral events and phenomena that flicker in and out of existence—an explosion stemming from the core—and the harder we try to pin down that movement through observation, the more the actual essence remains hidden or blurred from us."

- "It's precisely that external motion, which our eyes attempt to track, that interferes with a clear view of the stillness; therefore, there needs to be an alignment, a synchronization between that stillness and our own perception."

I feel like I really need some more clarity and a deeper explanation on this.

Because visual perception is fundamentally incapable of tracking changes exactly as they unfold in real-time, it leaves us with this illusion of stillness, or rather, it’s always lagging behind the actual occurrence, even if it seems synchronized on some superficial level. This constant motion that manifests as specific images—which is how we perceive it—simply cannot reach our visual perception as anything other than a mere image.

But regarding this relationship between stillness: the distinction between true stillness and the stillness of our perception that you mentioned as an "alignment"—I don't see it as something being actually motionless, but quite the opposite—it's more like everything exists in its own "current" state of unimaginable happening, yet finds a kind of stillness by existing at the exact same frequency as that happening. A state of pure being.

A face without a face or a mirror.

Please, help me understand what needs explaining. 🙂

Jonathan Brooks8 said:I follow your logic, and you've articulated it beautifully. This idea of "opening through grinding" strikes me as being akin to pulling back a veil—that veil being the sheer multitude of peripheral events and phenomena that flicker in and out of existence. It's like an explosion emerging from the core; the more intensely we focus on that outward movement (in our attempt to clarify it via observation), the more the actual essence becomes obscured or blurred. It is precisely that external motion, which tracks alongside the movement of our own eyes, that interferes with a clear view of the stillness. Therefore, there has to be a sort of alignment—a need to steady our own perception to match that stillness.
In this way, a segment, defined by its boundaries, loses those very borders when it focuses on the unchanging... because those boundaries were really only ever created by our own movement. Ultimately, to see within any segment is to witness the simultaneous dissolution of both its limits and its perceived isolation.

Exactly, what I was getting at wasn't that shaping something "closes" it, but rather that it "opens" it up so that the true expression of the thing being observed can finally break free. Lately, I've been starting to see this as a way to approach language, too—just letting the expression itself give birth to the words that best capture its purity. A friend of mine used to tell me all the time that we aren't just our thoughts; our actions, our words, and everything else are part of it... (and hey, what if you feel one way today and completely different tomorrow? 🙂 ) because we are so much more than just the sum of those parts. I think there's a little connection there to that "external motion" you mentioned—those endless ripples of events appearing and disappearing... which also define us and tend to obscure our true essence.

So, this alignment you're talking about—trying to establish this "shared rhythm" between our perception and the object itself—it should also serve as a path toward our own core, the part of us that observes and participates. In fact, the more we achieve this, the more we reach that sense of unity, where we cross our own boundaries by discovering this intimate, harmonious bond between ourselves and the rest of the world, with Nature. It’s like traveling through the cosmos at incredible speeds without feeling any movement at all, because we are perfectly in sync. Even though our individual pace seems impossibly slow compared to those cosmic velocities, at some point of perfect alignment, we both become still—us and the universe, moving together as one.

Quincey:

I guess I’m just one of those people who can’t sit still when there’s a mountain calling my name, because honestly, I feel most like myself when I'm out there on a trail somewhere, probably getting lost or tripping over a tree root because I wasn't looking where I was going. There's just something about that rugged, wide-open American wilderness that gets under my skin, and even though my knees usually pay the price for it later, I find myself constantly planning the next big trek through the Rockies or some deep woods in the Pacific Northwest. kaže: It’s a funny thing when you really sit down and think about it, but I truly believe that the more we stare at something, the clearer it becomes—though, in a weirdly paradoxical way, the more we scrutinize the things that don't make sense, the more attention they demand too, so I guess you could say that the more you observe anything, the more you end up seeing both its clarity and its total confusion all at once.😁 If the observer were part of a "closed system," then everything being observed would also be part of that closed loop, which means that as things become clearer, there’s less ambiguity to deal with—it's a simple trade-off. But since we’re actually dealing with an "open system" where both the observer and the subject are open-ended, it works quite differently; essentially, any increase in clarity can simultaneously open the door to even more layers of uncertainty.

👍

Looking at how Einstein responded to Jasnoća, I can’t help but feel like I’m reading someone who is being incredibly thoughtful and genuinely careful about every single word they choose. The way we go about things. I look at this problem like someone trying to polish a diamond, working away at those tiny facets just to make the whole thing shine a little brighter and clearer. But see, my issue isn't really about shaping the crystal itself—which I suppose would be that "closed set" you're talking about—it’s more about the act of grinding it down, opening it up, creating an "open set" so that whatever we're actually looking at can finally find its own way to express itself.

Quincey:

I honestly don't know why I even bother trying to explain these things sometimes because I usually end up tripping over my own words, but I really feel like we need to take a moment to actually look at the bigger picture here instead of just reacting to every little thing that happens on the news. It’s easy to get caught up in the noise, but if you just step back and breathe for a second, you can see how all these moving parts are actually connected in ways most people completely miss. kaže: I honestly think most of our misunderstandings stem from the fact that we just don't have enough ways to express ourselves. It’s like our knowledge keeps expanding at this incredible rate, yet our vocabulary stays stuck in place, so we end up trying to squeeze more and more complex ideas into the same old handful of words we've always used.

👍 They frame their questions in such a way that both the inquiries and the answers just end up spinning endlessly in this tight, closed loop of a verbal world, never actually getting anywhere.

Quincey:

I honestly can't stop thinking about that stretch of coastline we visited, because there’s just something about the way the water hits the shore that stays with you, and I find myself constantly daydreaming about those endless blue horizons and the salt air that seems to clear your head like nothing else can. kaže: There’s just this certain kind of truth that stays tucked away where words can't reach, something so deeply profound that you couldn't possibly capture it through a sentence, or even try to scribble it down on paper, let alone attempt to find its rhythm in a song or trace its shape with a brush or catch it in a whistle. 🙂

But hey, I guess you could always just call out of work if you really wanted to. 🙂

wearyowl29 said:That "distance" is a luxury most people never find. Most folks are far too busy clinging to external distractions rather than stepping back to look inward.
That's why so few people actually know how to be comfortable in their own skin.

There’s this beautiful way of looking at it: "To be alone is to be with oneself, which means you are essentially always a pair."

And then there’s another thought that touches on those messy limits of how much we can actually share with one another—since, let's face it, our connections are always somewhat restricted—where even massive concepts like Friendship or Love just fall short of expressing the raw depth of what we're all searching for, which is really just finding that one person with whom you can finally feel as comfortable and authentic as you are when you're all by yourself.

wearyowl29 said:Sure, having the truth is better, even if it’s a lot harder to swallow when you realize there's some fundamental part of yourself that absolutely has to change.
I mean, we’re basically living in this giant hall of mirrors, aren't we? Everything we see—the news, big-budget advertising, political spin, all those heavy ideologies—they’re all just selling us this curated dream of beauty, youth, and endless success. It’s built on this subconscious assumption that if we just grab those three things, happiness will automatically follow, conveniently ignoring the reality of aging, sickness, or any actual obstacles in our way. We treat those struggles as external problems, while the truth is that happiness is tucked away deep inside ourselves, yet we're constantly being fed these illusions that it's something we can go out and buy or achieve externally.

We’re living in an era defined by universal deception, but honestly, I think the most devastating lie of all is the one we tell ourselves about who we are, what we actually need, and what we truly want from life. It feels like this process starts almost entirely beneath our radar—you don't even realize how much outside influences are shaping you, or how much you're quietly consenting to them, effectively letting your own identity be molded by forces that have nothing to do with your conscious choices or the direction you actually want your life to take. To really steer your own ship, you need this sense of "distance," a bit of perspective to step back and distinguish your genuine needs from the noise, which is the only way to actually learn something about yourself. And once you finally wake up and see the fraud for what it is, you end up feeling like a stranger in a world that can't possibly offer a substitute for the authentic life you now realize you have to build for yourself.

wearyowl29 said:

I honestly can't even begin to wrap my head around this one! It’s just total chaos, isn't it? I was sitting there with my coffee this morning—the good stuff from that little roaster down in Seattle—just staring at the screen, thinking, "How did we even get here?" It feels like everything is moving at a hundred miles an hour. Sometimes you just have to step back, take a breath, and realize that none of this makes any sense! Just pure, unadulterated madness. Anyway, what do you guys think? Is it just me, or is the whole thing spinning out of control? kaže:
Why is the truth such an unpleasant pill to swallow? Honestly, it’s fascinating. People treat the truth like it’s some kind of unwanted guest at a dinner party—as soon as it walks through the door, everyone starts looking for an excuse to leave. It feels abrasive, even repulsive to most. If we had our way, we’d just pretend it doesn't exist! I was chatting with a buddy of mine over coffee the other day—we were sitting in a little cafe in Chicago, just watching the crowds go by—and we started spiraling into this exact topic. He argued that people prefer a beautiful lie because it keeps things comfortable. And he's right! A lie is like a warm blanket on a snowy night, whereas the truth is often a cold splash of water to the face. It wakes you up, sure, but nobody actually *wants* to be jolted awake when they're cozy. It's all about ego, isn't it? Facing the facts means admitting we might have been wrong, or that things aren't as perfect as we imagined. That’s a hard sell for anyone. We crave the comfort of our own illusions. We want the world to bend to our narrative, not the other way around. It’s much easier to live in a curated fantasy than to deal with the messy, unvarnished reality of how things actually work. Truth is blunt, it's unpolished, and frankly, it can be downright rude. But hey, that's life!

Truth is a bit of a double-edged sword, isn't it? Most of the time, once you finally face the music and see things for what they really are, you're staring down the barrel of change. And let’s be honest—change is exhausting. It takes grit, it takes sweat, and frankly, it can be a total grind. I was thinking about this while waiting in line at Starbucks this morning, watching everyone just go through the motions. It hit me: a lot of people would much rather stay in the dark than deal with the fallout of knowing the truth. If you don't know, you don't have to act. But once that light flips on? Suddenly, you're forced to overhaul your entire way of life—your habits, your mindset, your whole perspective. It’s much easier to just keep cruising along blindly than to do the heavy lifting required to actually evolve. Sometimes, ignorance feels like a shortcut, even if it's a fake one!

I really believe it's better to know. Sure, the way someone delivers the news matters immensely, but that’s often just a matter of luck based on how sensitive the messenger is—something we can't control if we want the truth to hurt as little as possible. Avoiding the truth just because of the reasons wearyowl29 mentioned basically means we're choosing to support a farce, living in an illusion that only exists because we refuse to look. Though, I suppose I might be getting a bit too heavy-handed here for the example provided by bzbzbz.

whether it's true or not is now

Sometimes it honestly feels like the people who lie and manipulate actually get ahead more easily, and they seem so much more charming to everyone else, even when people clearly know they're being lied to right to their faces.

Just be who you are, instead of trying to become whatever everyone else wants you to be.

crimsonhound80 said:Look, there's no need to apologize, but honestly, your argument mostly applies to artists —think painters, musicians, poets—who might be geniuses in their craft but end up completely unhinged due to excessive drinking, partying 😁 or an old-school addiction to opium followed by more modern narcotics. And let's be real, a person doesn't actually have to be highly intelligent just to be a good painter.

Forget all this talk about having seven or eight different types of intelligence; there’s really only one kind that’s actually been scientifically validated.

Fair enough. 🙂 But honestly, saying that feels a bit like claiming humans are the only intelligent beings out there in space, which I just can't get behind. It seems more accurate to say that our current scientific methods simply rely on specific cognitive frameworks that allow us to pin down certain measurable values, even if they don't capture the whole picture.

crimsonhound80 said:Actually, it’s quite the opposite, if you ask me.
Highly intelligent folks generally handle emotional friction much better—and maybe they "lean" toward certain behaviors simply because they're constantly being driven up the wall by idiots 😛 —but I really mean it when I say it’s scientifically established that smarter people tend to navigate depression and anxiety more effectively and much faster.

I think you've got that wrong, and honestly, I'll forgive you for being so incredibly categorical about it, but if we're basing "scientific evidence" solely on IQ scores—not that I know all the different scientific methods out there—and considering those tests can really only measure a tiny slice of what makes someone intelligent, then saying it's easier to handle emotional struggles only applies to that specific, measurable segment of intelligence, which makes me wonder: what exact abilities is that test actually measuring that would somehow help someone resolve deep emotional conflicts more quickly? 🙂- because if those skills aren't directly applicable to emotional regulation, the whole argument falls apart.

Otherwise, how do we account for the depression and similar struggles faced by so many brilliant people who have clearly demonstrated their intelligence through massive creative achievements and everything else, yet they struggle immensely to resolve their own emotional turmoil, simply because humans aren't machines and our emotions are largely what make us human in the first place?

gentlepanther8 said:Honestly, finding anyone with a high IQ on this forum is like searching for a needle in a haystack.
It’s just me and maybe a couple of others.

☕

Hehe... just sitting here waiting for the inevitable backlash. 😬

There’s my reaction. 🙂 Honestly, if it weren't for this cup of coffee, I'm not even sure I'd believe you. 😉

Alright, I thought I’d jump in here and engage a little bit with some of your recent posts:

brighteagle39 said:No, I wasn't referring to broad social groups; I was specifically discussing those with exceptionally high IQs. They often feel this drive to form exclusive circles... perhaps to exchange ideas or specialized knowledge... or simply to distance themselves from the average population. Why? Well, quite likely because they find a certain satisfaction in acknowledging their own intellect.
While there might be practical reasons for people to band together, I won't let anyone convince me that this doesn't involve a "lean" toward narcissism.
My dear Munjel, while I can certainly overlook your little comment regarding my intelligence, that comparison involving bikers is entirely nonsensical and unnecessary. You know deep down why that is.

But then again, a high IQ would have to actually align with a personality that leans toward narcissism, and I remember reading somewhere in a post that researchers looked into this and didn't find any real, consistent correlation. So, while high IQ and narcissism can technically coexist, it really only happens if the individual is someone who relies much more heavily on narcissistic traits than anything else.

I'm trying to make a distinction here between measurable IQ and what I'd call true intelligence—the kind that encompasses the whole person.
Plus, from what I've observed, people who lean toward narcissism actually have a massive need to socialize and feel like they "belong."

Joseph Bailey41 said:There is a massive difference between being proud of your own intellect and being a narcissist.

I'm with you on that too.

Lawrence Wells said:True, but we're specifically talking about the link between high-level narcissism and high intelligence here. You're spot on there—without at least a little bit of that drive, none of our big ambitions would ever actually happen.👍

To start with, I don't really see a way to equate high intelligence with a high IQ score, mostly because those standardized tests only scratch the surface of what a person is actually capable of.

For instance, the psychologist Howard Gardner identified seven distinct types of intelligence:

1. linguistic intelligence
2. musical intelligence
3. logical-mathematical intelligence
4. spatial intelligence
5. bodily-kinesthetic intelligence
6. intrapersonal intelligence
7. interpersonal intelligence

I suspect narcissism could be tied to intrapersonal intelligence—which involves how someone perceives themselves—as well as interpersonal intelligence, which is all about how we navigate our interactions with others.

Honestly, I feel like I can spot a Narcissus pretty easily, and even without knowing their actual IQ, I tend to assume—and I really do believe—that it's quite high.

So, if I had to draw a line between narcissism and a high IQ (rather than true, vast Intelligence, which I honestly think excludes narcissism entirely), it would probably be that a person's intrapersonal intelligence (acting as the face) and their interpersonal intelligence (acting as the mirror) are fused together by a higher degree of narcissism, which acts as the joint that holds the whole mechanism together and keeps them firmly gripping the handle of that mirror.