Posts by Dana Davis5

Thanks for starting this thread... honestly, I almost missed out on learning a brand new word like "total nonsense" 🤣 🤣 🤣

The Priest used to be way more entertaining than even Alan Ford 😁

Austin Smith4 said:Maybe...

🤣
Look, once you get yourself cloned again we can pick this right back up—I honestly think you had a lot more on your mind than you actually got out—but hey, at the end of the day, you know yourself better than anyone else does. 👍

Austin Smith4 said:Look, self-discovery—those deep dives into who you actually are—after those formative years when you're still growing and evolving, has to eventually reach a point where it becomes final or "cemented," whether we like that version of the person or not.

Socrates basically told us to "know thyself"—implying a destination—rather than telling us to "keep knowing thyself" forever.

People change, sure, but their core character? That stays the same... kind of like how a wolf might shed its fur, but it's still the exact same predator underneath.

People change, sure, but their core character stays the same... kind of like how a wolf sheds its fur, but its nature never actually shifts.

Maybe Socrates was getting at the idea that we need to grasp our true essence—you know, what actually drives us, who we really are deep down. And man, if you think that’s an easy thing to do, you’ve got another thing coming. It isn't about whether your "fur" changes or your temperament shifts; it's just the plain old fact that it's incredibly hard for any human being to truly wrap their head around who they actually are underneath it all.

Socrates also famously claimed he knew nothing, even though he was hailed as the greatest sage of his era... and again, you can't just take that sentence literally or strip it away from the context it was meant for. Honestly, only he really knew the full scope of what he meant by that.

"Know thyself" was basically the foundation and the backbone of everything Socrates did... he spent his time questioning "himself and others," whether they were young or old, Athenians or foreigners... So, Socrates wanted to walk that difficult path of self-examination and discovery alongside everyone else, dealing with all the messy, complicated consequences that come along with it."...

Basically, his teachings were far too advanced, wise, and layered to be reduced to a single literal sentence stripped of all its nuance.

Scott Ward48 said:This one (though it's just at the very end): https://hi-in.facebook.com/gingerinm..._fb_noscript=1 😁

You have to zapaziti how she said, "The truth is, even this isn't me"... honestly, it's a good thing she realizes there's no final destination when it comes to samospoznaja... because if she had just decided her insights were set in stone, I wouldn't be able to take her seriously at all.

Scott Ward48 said:It sounds like you might be dealing with a bit of a 'well-mannered self-saboteur':

? 😉

But honestly... who doesn't? 😁

Those kinds of friendships—they always have an expiration date, don't they? I mean, sure, some can stretch on for ten years or even longer, but eventually, you always hit that crossroads where everyone just kind of drifts off toward their own separate paths...

It’s like there’s always some underlying factor that pulls things apart, though honestly, I couldn't even tell you exactly what it is myself. You could spend hours talking about it, but it feels like a situation where you just eventually outgrow one another. No matter how much heart you put into it or how hard you try to hold on, things just start to thin out and fall apart, and there isn't much you can do to stop it once it starts happening.

Richard Palmer55 said:Timeless. True enough.
The original poster hasn't surfaced. After all this time, she’s likely forgotten this thread even exists.

From what I can tell, she’s probably busy on a trip to Lourdes... maybe she went off to study some ratios and mixtures 🤣

Richard Palmer55 said:A small correction, it was 17 years and nearly 7 months.

Honestly, that's what I get for typing without my glasses on—total blurry mess. 😁

But hey, this topic is pretty timeless, don't you think?

graniteridge31 said:Mount Everest: ""As long as love remains strong, we can sleep together on the edge of a sword..."
Dana Davis5: "..it would be ideal if people truly knew themselves and listened to their gut feeling.."
"..no matter how intense the love is, it usually isn't enough to overcome the programming ingrained in a person..."
Ryan Wilson2: "Love simply cannot defeat the social or religious indoctrination that gets injected into our spirits from childhood. Especially if your very existence depends on the society you inhabit—then there is no saving it.", "..there are Exceptions... but..."

The question of love, societal conditioning (and dependency), and the rare Exceptions.

An Exception was Nikola Tesla. Tesla changed the course of humanity.
We live on a water planet where people are thirsty. This planet actually has enough surface area—if we just left more of it forested than we do now—to feed 250 billion people through surface farming alone. Below the surface, we could utilize an area 5,000 times larger. Yet, 820 million people are hungry. To feed those 820 million, we’d only need about 205,000 km2, which is roughly 2.6% of the area of Australia.
So, how is it possible for people to go hungry and thirsty? I guess the issue lies in how society is organized. That's the value of tradition for you.
Through conditioning via the media, schools, religion, and general society—not to mention programmed parents—trivial cultural differences are emphasized, maintaining intolerance between cultures and nations.
True loves that can overcome this under such conditions are rare, though they do exist. To true love, distance spanning the entire reaches of Space means nothing. It is stronger than distance, stronger than culture, nation, tradition, or authority. It is the only thing that matters.
It's difficult to grasp what true love is and its worth through the lens of tradition and this type of societal structure. But it happens.
Life problems and marriage struggles stem from this kind of organization—from misunderstandings, ignorance, programmed weaknesses, and picking the wrong partner—none of which is taught in school.
Those who truly find one another could go not just to another country, but to the other side of Space, and stay together for billions of years without any issues.
Everyone else lives with problems, but maybe those problems are meant to push us and teach us. Even if societies aren't organized to teach us systematically, these problems do teach us.

👍
That was beautifully put... though, let's be real, it feels a bit idealistic given how things work in our modern world today...
But man, if you hit the nail on the head regarding the core issue, you definitely did...

What’s left for us—as individuals who feel a bit "broken" by this flawed society—is the task of recognizing our own limits and the potential in others...

Truth is a deep ocean, and plenty of people drown trying to dive too deep. I've always felt that whatever is churning inside us eventually spills out into our physical reality... everything we see playing out in our own lives or in the lives of those around us is just a reflection of what we've managed to dredge up from within ourselves...

People who prefer the shallows are probably better off staying there, since there are so few Exceptions like we talked about—and even then, some of those Exceptions never find a partner, not because they aren't special, but simply because they've admitted to themselves that they're terrified of the deep water.😁

Ryan Wilson2 said:I find myself questioning whether this truly constitutes progress. Is it not far more pleasant to exist as an idealist and an optimist?

Then, consider the matter of integration. A straightforward example can be found in religion: do Jewish people marry non-Jewish partners? Or perhaps Muslims marrying Catholics? And I am refraining from even touching upon racial lines...

When I refer to a "union," I am including cohabitation and everything that naturally follows such a commitment.😁

There is no amount of love that can overcome those fundamental barriers. Of course, Exceptions exist—there are always outliers—but they certainly do not constitute the rule.🧐

Well, yeah—we all saw what happens when someone stays stuck in that rigid idealism, right? We saw how that turned out for folks about 2,000 years ago. 😉

Quoth:

Then you’ve got this whole idea of blending lives together. A classic example would be religion—like, do Jewish people marry non-Jewish people? Or Muslims marrying Catholics? And I won't even get started on race... When I talk about "living together," I mean the whole package—sharing a life and everything that comes with it. 😁 There isn't enough love in the world to overcome those barriers. Sure, there are Exceptions—there always are—but they aren't exactly the rule. 🧐

I know plenty of those Exceptions personally, but honestly, I couldn't tell you how or why they actually made it work... though I suppose those rare cases are exactly what you should study if you ever wanted to find a "formula"—if such a thing even exists.

In my own opinion, there's just way too much compromise involved. Maybe for some people, love makes those sacrifices worth it, but for most? Probably not. Time will eventually tell.

On the flip side, if love were truly powerful enough, a Catholic wouldn't feel the need to convert an atheist, and vice versa—they’d just accept each other for who they are. But when you look at the foundations of mainstream Christianity, you see this underlying programming where they view anyone different as somehow "lesser," or even a potential "threat" to their own faith (whether they say it out loud or just whisper it to themselves).

And no matter how intense that love feels, it usually can't compete with the deep-seated programming people hold onto as being absolutely vital to their identity.
That's why knowing yourself—and figuring out what actually matters to you—is really only half the battle... so, what about the other half?

The whole concept of marriage or living together is strictly a business arrangement in some countries—it's based on having a similar philosophy (not necessarily religion, maybe just similar education levels) and shared goals, like wanting kids, traveling, or even just having the same hobbies. That kind of setup seems to have a much better shot at lasting... we're seeing that model slowly becoming popular again, which is a far cry from that "Space" romance that ends with a single click on Facebook.

Ryan Wilson2 said:I suppose I used to pretend I was some kind of intellectual or a wide-eyed idealist 🤣, and frankly, reading my old posts makes me cringe 😁

The truth is, love alone cannot dismantle the social or religious indoctrination that is pumped into our minds from the moment we are born. It is even more futile if your very survival depends on conforming to the society you inhabit; in those cases, there is simply no escape.

It is all well and good to read about such romantic notions in a novel, but in the real world, they just don't hold up.

But hey, at least you actually moved forward somehow... I guess I'm still stuck being that same old idealist. To me, there just isn't a cure—well, at least nothing pharmaceutical... or maybe my body just rejects the chemicals entirely (it's basically calling it an Exception) 🤣

wearyowl29 said:Sometimes, if you mix things just right, you hit that perfect ratio. It’s like having two distinct ingredients that somehow balance each other out perfectly, creating a totally harmonious blend.
Exactly! Just like in chemistry.
Life is really just a messy pile of rules and exceptions. In the real world, it's incredibly hard to experiment with people—trying to fuse them together or pull them apart—if they haven't truly integrated first.

I was reading this heartbreaking story in the news about a woman whose children were kidnapped and taken all the way to Baghdad. An interracial marriage. You had different cultures, different customs, different ways they were raised, and entirely different environments... yet they shared that one single spark: love.
Everything feels fine while it lasts, as long as those differences can be smoothed over or kept to a minimum. There's an old saying that goes, "As long as love is strong, we can sleep together on the edge of a knife; but once it fades, even a king-sized bed won't feel big enough to hold us."

But whenever a crisis hits, those differences start to swell, and trying to force a connection at that moment just feels unnatural.
Differences always stand out eventually. Unlike the parts of a person that have successfully blended together, the friction points are impossible to ignore.

So, what do you all think is the secret "formula" for a successful blend?😲

Look, I’m a firm believer that everyone has to go out and find their own little formula for life—you know, that specific rhythm that just makes things click for you. There isn't some magic handbook handed out at graduation or a one-size-fits-all cheat sheet waiting around the corner. It’s more like... well, it's like trying to find the perfect coffee roast or the right pair of hiking boots. You can listen to all the experts you want, but until you actually step out there and trial-and-error your way through it, you won't truly get it. It’s a personal journey, really—kind of messy, a bit trial-and-error heavy, but ultimately yours to figure out.

In chemistry, we’re always talking about that whole "trial and error" thing—you know, just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks—but even then, there’s a certain logic guiding us. It isn't like we're just tossing random ingredients into a blender and hoping for the best, creating some huge mess from the bottom up... there's a method to the madness, really.

It’s kind of like dealing with people, isn't it? You really ought to take the time to get to know someone deep down—and honestly, you should probably try to get to know yourself just as well—and always try to listen to that gut feeling, that little inner compass we all have... but even then, there are just no guarantees. Not even then.

You actually set this up over seven years ago—give or take seven months, I think? It’s been quite a while! 😁

Nancy Chase3 said:I wasn't even under much stress when this all kicked off, and mental fog wasn't even my first symptom. It started in my gut. I’m dealing with constant constipation—that annoying feeling where you desperately need to go, but it's just gas. Total blockage. Then everything else started aching, and honestly, my skin turned a nasty shade of yellow. The pain was so draining that I finally just snapped. It feels like something is rotting me from the inside out. My headaches are brutal too; five Advil wouldn't even touch them. Sometimes I can barely breathe. For two days straight, my chest felt so tight I thought I was actually suffocating. As for food, fruit, veggies, meat—pretty much everything is an issue. Weirdly enough, I feel best when I barely eat anything at all. Sounds crazy, but it's true.
I've been reading up on heavy metal poisoning, so I'm wondering if anyone here has dealt with that?

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gerd/symptoms-causes/syc-20366300
Take a look at these GERD symptoms—especially since you mentioned that chest tightness and feeling winded...

Honestly, seeing a therapist or a psychiatrist is a solid move—definitely worth looking into—but since you're dealing with all those mysterious physical aches and pains without a clear cause, I’d say it wouldn't hurt to check out a reliable chiropractor too. Maybe even look into some osteopathy or a deep tissue massage, like those specialized medical massages you can find in big cities... it might really help get things moving again

Joseph Bailey41 said:It's pretty straightforward, really. Kundalini rises up, while the Holy Spirit descends.

(Source: Structuralism for Dummies.)

Short and sweet, really. 👍

This is such a great topic, though I honestly think we’re all just guessing here... just throwing out little fragments of thought... To me, the whole idea of "forgiving yourself" or trying to work through guilt feels almost masochistic—like a totally misguided way to handle things. We aren't saints, after all; we're just regular people tripping up over big or small mistakes every single day... there's really no reason to put yourself through some kind of mental penance because of it.

When you're talking about those massive errors or total delusions, I feel like you don't even need to judge yourself or offer forgiveness—life has already handed down its verdict. For instance, if someone loses their entire social circle because of that impulsivity mentioned in the opening post... well, that's the consequence right there.
I mean, what exactly is there to forgive when every single move you make triggers a reaction from everyone else anyway? It's all connected...

It almost feels pointless to forgive yourself for not knowing better or for failing to control yourself in the moment. If you actually had the capacity to act differently or stay in control back then, you would have done it. Simple as that.

But I will say, forgiving yourself for those major life choices or the times you fell for huge illusions... that's the real mountain to climb. I'm still stuck on that one myself—I haven't quite figured out how a person is supposed to find peace with those kinds of things.

The spirituality chat doesn't actually have any moderators, but honestly, it kind of moderates itself... once people start fighting, everyone just goes silent for days or even weeks at a time. 🤣
Maybe we should all take a page out of that chat's book. 😁

I noticed the thread about Chihuahuas got shut down right after I posted, so I went looking for the reason—turns out the original poster was the one who asked to close it.

If you take a monkey and start draping it in flower petals and fancy leaves, at the end of the day, it’s still just a monkey... and I think it works pretty much the same way with people, too—though, let's be honest, I'd say monkeys are actually a bit more evolved than us 😁

frozengardener7 said:Temperament doesn't. But character? Hmm. I feel shifts. I'm calmer now. Less dramatic, less theatrical, less impatient, less fearful. I stand my ground on a single position or goal, though those shift when reality demands it—because, my God, nobody knows everything.

But, but, but... there's that "but" again. Are those mood stabilizers talking?

Honestly, even if they are, so what?
The bottom line is just being okay and being able to actually get through your day and interact with the world around you normally.

I mean, is a guy using a cane or crutches to get around somehow less of a man because he needs a little help walking? It's the same thing, really.

hiddenhound3 said:... if you were to cross paths with your own self, would you actually like the person looking back at you?

It is understood that this inquiry remains purely hypothetical. Let us attempt to envision a scenario where you encounter your true self in its purest form. What would be the very first thing you noticed about your own being, and what kind of impression would you leave upon yourself? Ultimately, would you find yourself to be someone you truly admire?

That’s a killer question. 👍

Honestly, we should probably be asking ourselves that almost every single day—or at least once in a while, kind of like how we go through the house and clear out the closet when the seasons change.