Started by restlessdriver42 · · 👁 6 views · 64 replies
Dana Brooks3 said:That’s just not the right tone or approach...
Shameful...
Hi, restlessdriver42, glad to have you here... 🙂
restlessdriver42 said:I am uncertain if this topic belongs here... feel free to move my post... though I wouldn't mind staying! 🙂
Let’s spark a minor revolution! 🙂 My first instinct is... laughter!
The second reaction is... "just another lunatic." The third might be "yet another idealist."
If only! 🙂
Personally, I would choose kindness—not necessarily to reach sainthood, but because there is a profound joy in feeling connected to others. It shouldn't matter what their age is, their social standing, their education, their appearance, their politics, the music they listen to, the movies they enjoy, or even their faith. There is an incredible sense of liberation when you approach a conversation with an open mind, knowing nothing about the other person. You can find common ground with anyone!
That is the true challenge: establishing a fundamental connection with every soul you encounter. And you love dogs? Good grief, so do I!
And you enjoy rainy days? I find listening to the rain against the window absolutely soothing.
Simplify things... strip away the noise... close your eyes and look with your soul.
The internet is actually the ultimate platform for exactly this purpose! 🙂
Forget the usual reasons we talk to people. Don't go looking for a partner, a friend, or someone who shares your exact worldview or someone to debate with. Simply aim to connect with a human being.
Keep the premise in mind that our greatest shared reality is that we are all living this life together.
Cast aside the cynicism, the sarcasm, the bitterness, and the suspicion. Choose to believe that any stranger would step in to help you in the best way they could if you were in need. Believe that they would lend a hand if you asked them out of the blue.
Imagine a total stranger online asks you for $167 while telling a story about a sick mother or being evicted from an apartment. You respond with something like, "I'm sorry you're going through this; I'd give it to you if I could, but money is tight," or you simply give it—regardless of whether the story is true. You decide to adopt the stance of a complete naive, believing in the best of humanity.
Even if someone thinks you are making a fool of yourself, you acknowledge the possibility but intentionally ignore it. By doing so, you prioritize human spirit over material wealth and attempt to plant a seed of faith in the human race. Perhaps it takes root, or perhaps people just think you're crazy; either way, the mission remains. A little messiah complex, perhaps!
Because, my friends, I love saying this: 🙂 when a person loses their faith in God—and that happens more often than you'd think—if they are lucky, they realize that in the end, we only have each other.
In the spirit of all the great philosophers and revolutionaries—Viva la revolución! 😁
P.S. I don't actually have cash to give; that was just an example. But I have plenty of good intentions. 🙂
The goal is simply to make a slightly greater effort in our daily lives to act like genuine human beings.
Jacob Sanchez7 said:@rustymaker5: free will
That’s the crux of it. Every soul is free to choose its own path in this life, and every soul is free to learn its lessons on its own terms.
People love to meddle in others' business sometimes, always coming up with excuses for it... various rules, social codes, morality, and all those rigid ideologies being shoved down our throats. Just because we believe we're being "righteous" doesn't mean we have any grasp on the actual reality of what's happening. Maybe she found her peace through that death... who knows? We can't.
Perhaps the best move is simply to let go—to leave her alone and find some peace for ourselves too.
restlessdriver42 said:I am not entirely convinced that these "rotten apples" outnumber the "good" ones by such a massive margin.😁
I have never encountered any data or comprehensive study that actually proves this. It seems to me that this negative assumption is silently reinforced by the fact that bad news is much louder and easier to spot than the quiet, beautiful moments.
Consider this example... I share a small story about a clerk who goes out of her way to help a customer find the perfect shoes, only to have someone dismiss her as uninspiring—sweeping her kindness under the rug without giving her a single thought.
Meanwhile, we obsess over stories of crime until our entire worldview is painted in shades of black.
Consciousness, in my view, is the primary driver if we want to see any real progress. We must train ourselves to notice those quiet, small flickers of light. By doing so, a person can shift away from a pessimistic outlook—a state of mind that, ironically, tends to breed even more negative circumstances.
Some argue that the soul forgets its previous mission specifically so we aren't distracted from our current life. It is a bit like knowing your mother was once someone else's wife and how she passed away—it would be quite a burden, wouldn't it? Haha! Now I have wandered into reincarnation territory... but ultimately, we don't know and likely never will. It might be best to accept that uncertainty and focus instead on what we actually control: ourselves.
Jacob Sanchez7 said:Saying someone is more spiritual than someone else is like claiming one person has more carbon in them than another. It just doesn't make sense.
So, take this as my response: http://youtu.be/pwZMzT1kpU4?t=21m30s
Jacob Sanchez7 said:Saying someone is more spiritual than someone else is like claiming one person has more carbon in them than another. It just doesn't make sense.
So, take this as my response: http://youtu.be/pwZMzT1kpU4?t=21m30s
restlessdriver42 said:The reality is that we are all just searching for a way to navigate life that feels right—whatever that means when it comes to finding a little more fulfillment.
Now that the moderators have given me the green light, I feel comfortable clarifying that this thread was started solely to offer a bit of inspiration for anyone who might resonate with it. My intention wasn't to spark an argument or attempt to justify these perspectives, as doing so would actually undermine the entire point.
Personally, astrology doesn't hold much water for me, but I’m certainly not going to jump into those circles and tell people they're being foolish, Haha. What would be the point of that? If it works for them and brings them peace, then so be it. They've found their answers there, and since they aren't shoving it down my throat or forcing me to join in, I see no reason to interfere.
Since I got the green light from the moderators, I feel free to say this thread was started purely as potential motivation for people who see themselves in it. It wasn't my intention (at least for me) to argue or try to justify those desires and thoughts, because that feels like it goes against the whole point.
Astrology might not make sense to me, but I'm not going to start an argument with people by telling them it's nonsense Hhaha and letting them keep self-deluding themselves. What would be the point?!? If it works for them and makes them happier, fine. They found their answers there, and it doesn't hurt me or force me to join in... so why bother...
Jacob Sanchez7 said:We need to drive out the trolls with music! 😁
You've got to believe in something
It's a lonely universe
Be careful what you wish for
Cause your improvement might be worse
Birth is a missing persons file
It's a case of role reversal
Life is a play, sometimes I can remember the rehearsal
I'm kidding, but in all seriousness, stop taking life so damn seriously.*
Paradox* is just reality—two sides of the same coin existing at once. Of course you feel confused. But what can I do for you? Better to just listen to some music and feel good than to overthink yourself into an early grave. ^^
Or, if you insist, go ahead...
Edward Fisher86 said:Great, so what’s the issue with actually answering some questions?
And now I'm getting hit with new ones, like "what defines a better life for you, me, or them?" etc., so we can actually dive deep instead of just staying at a hahahehe level.Since I got the green light from the moderators, I feel free to say this thread was started purely as potential motivation for people who see themselves in it. It wasn't my intention (at least for me) to argue or try to justify those desires and thoughts, because that feels like it goes against the whole point.
An undefined topic—you have plenty of these on this forum, where people just write down their thoughts or link songs if they don't want to debate anything they post.Astrology might not make sense to me, but I'm not going to start an argument with people by telling them it's nonsense Hhaha and letting them keep self-deluding themselves. What would be the point?!? If it works for them and makes them happier, fine. They found their answers there, and it doesn't hurt me or force me to join in... so why bother...
🤷 😁
I commented and asked, but got no response; does that mean nobody knows how to back up what they write?
By the way, something caught my eye in that story of yours about the shoe clerk:
"(Otherwise, she's a wife, a mother of three, an accounting manager at a university, and so on... but that clerk didn't know... that she was someone who could be 'trusted')"
Is the person you described incapable of cheating or betraying?
An accounting manager and a married woman is blindly trusted? Auj aj🤣
Come on, at least try to clarify this, because it seemed to me in your first post you were advocating for trusting people and such, and this just doesn't fit the narrative.
It seems to me that's selective trust, with boundaries drawn based on marriage, motherhood, or social status...
nimbleranger5 said:@restlessdriver42 👍
Just wanted to say hi and let you know this topic is fantastic—really interesting stuff. It’s honestly such a struggle to get into a real discussion here when people show up just to inflate their egos, double down on what they already think, and try to prove how "brilliant" or "intellectually superior" they are. Trying to explain anything to someone who walks into a debate with nothing but rigid stances and deep-seated prejudices is almost impossible... I guess that's why they say the mind is like a parachute—it only works if it's open.
A great sage once said, "Know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free." That's why we have to strive for the Truth, and only the Truth, and nothing else. As long as we're living in lies, we're essentially prisoners; we aren't truly free because our egos are running the show. But at the same time, we're the only ones who can break free from those lies—we have to discover the Truth ourselves. No one else can do that work for us.
...Arguments with people who are closed off to different perspectives or beliefs can just go on forever, much like how
Cantwait beautifully put it in this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQCIC4NTFvc 👍
Edward Fisher86 said:Confused? 🤣
Are the ones who actually think the confused ones to you?
What is this, some kind of cult or 🤷
restlessdriver42 said:Haha, alright... let's take this one step at a time.
In my initial post, I was actually prepared to explain that if your intention isn't to prick people or destabilize their convictions simply because they differ from yours—and if you truly care about understanding the reasoning behind certain perspectives—then both you and I could have attempted an answer. However, I reconsidered once I saw you framing the question around that whole karma concept. Since I didn't write that part and it wasn't part of my original point, I decided there was no sense in pushing a narrative that wasn't mine. Auj aj.
What constitutes a better life? I can only speak to my own experience. For me, it comes down to peace—true inner peace. It’s that state where I don't harbor resentment toward anyone, where the agitation, irritability, and sadness simply aren't there. Everything, for me, boils down to emotion. Naturally, those feelings are tethered to my environment—the people around me and the circumstances I encounter. Those situations trigger specific thoughts, and those thoughts, inevitably, blossom into emotions.
I have arrived at a rather tidy conclusion: humans simply cannot control other people. As for life's circumstances? Well, we might influence them slightly, but ultimately, they remain largely out of our hands. I initially pushed past that thought because the realization felt unsatisfying. But truth is, life is messy and unpredictable—one just has to accept it.
In the opening sequence of Woody Allen's Annie Hall, he recounts a joke along these lines:
Two women are sitting at a resort when one remarks, "Good grief, the food here is terrible!" To which the other replies, "As if that weren't enough, the portions are tiny!"
Then he builds upon that, suggesting that is essentially his worldview. He views life as being defined by loneliness, misery, and suffering—a race toward an early finish.
It seems that, at some point in everyone's life, we all find ourselves in relative agreement. I used to align with that sentiment myself, though I struggled to actually accept it.
If you are truly seeking a solution, it is possible. I have managed to forge my own sense of resolution through reading, which has shaped my current philosophy: since we possess zero control over other people—unless we resort to threats, of course—nor over our circumstances, the only viable strategy is internal. To navigate "unfavorable" situations successfully, one must cultivate a state of consciousness where emotions and moods are no longer dictated by anything outside of oneself.
That’s a whole separate topic entirely, and if I tried to go into detail here, I’d end up writing a novel... so if there’s something specific you want to know about it... just ask! 🙂
As for the story about the clerk—that woman who is a mother and a boss all at once... you might have missed it, but I put the word "trust" in quotes specifically to highlight how much of a relative term I find it to be. 🙂 I really should have put the entire phrase in quotes: "someone you can trust!"
Regarding the debating... it isn't actually about having the best arguments. It’s more that once you enter a certain headspace, all debates and logical points start to feel redundant. If someone truly understands what I’m talking about, they understand it because they’ve felt it, not because I presented some airtight case to "win them over" to my side. :P
I suppose that could sound like an excuse—like I’m just being flighty and don't have anything smart or concrete to back up my "positions" with actual "arguments"... just rambling, haha. But even if that's the case, so what?! Why should anyone care if some silly girl feels a sense of connection and happiness and decides to write a silly little piece about human love? Why does anyone feel the need to try to convince her it makes no sense and, however subtly, shut down an obvious attempt at positivity? Is it because it's foolish? Or because it lacks solid logic? Why do we constantly feel the need to justify the desire for positivity, for happiness... or even for silliness itself?
Judging by the tone of your replies, it seems like your intention isn't really to understand different ways of thinking... if I'm wrong, my apologies, but it's difficult to read someone through a screen. 😁
Let's just let each other live.
A better life...I can only tell you what that looks like for me... it’s peace... inner peace... when I don't carry hatred for anyone, when I don't feel agitated, or nervous, or worked up... when I'm not sad. For me, everything boils down to emotions. Of course, that is always directly tied to my surroundings, the people around me, and the various situations life throws my way... things that trigger certain thought patterns... which then evolve into specific emotions...
I eventually reached a pretty clear conclusion: obviously, a person cannot control other people, and as for life circumstances, there's only so much we can do, but even that is largely out of our hands! I moved past it because I wasn't satisfied with that realization... life is just messy and complicated... you just have to accept it.
In the opening of the film Annie Hall by Woody Allen... he tells a joke along these lines:
Two women are sitting at a resort and one says, "Ugh, the food here is terrible!" and the other replies, "I know, and the portions are tiny!"
He follows that up by saying that’s essentially how he views life. It's full of loneliness, misery, and suffering, and it ends far too quickly.
And with that, almost everyone can relate to that sentiment at least once in their lives. I found myself agreeing with it, even if I couldn't quite embrace it.
If you actually want to find a solution... it’s possible. Personally, I’ve managed to carve out a sort of answer for myself through books I've read, which eventually led me to this way of thinking: since we have zero control over other people (unless we decide to threaten them somehow :P), let alone our life circumstances... the only way to successfully handle "unfavorable" situations is to bring my own state of consciousness to a point where I train myself so that my emotions and moods aren't—at least not as much as they are now—conditioned by anything outside of myself!
That is a whole topic in itself, and I can't go on writing extensively about it without basically authoring a book... so if you want to ask me something specific regarding that... just ask! 🙂
And regarding the story about the clerk, the woman, the mother, and the boss... I see you missed it, but I put the word "trust" in quotation marks specifically to highlight that I consider it a relative concept. 🙂 I should have probably put the entire phrase in quotes: "the person who can be trusted!"
As for arguing... it isn't about arguments... once you reach that certain mental state... it starts to feel like all debates and arguments are redundant... if someone knows what I'm talking about... they know it because they have felt it or are feeling it, not because I had great arguments in a debate and "convinced" them to "join my side" :P
That could sound like an excuse... like, maybe I'm just being silly and don't know how to write anything smart or back up my "views" with something concrete like "arguments"... so I'm just blathering, Haha... and even if that's the case... so what!?! Why should it bother anyone... that some silly girl felt connected and happy and decided to write some silly text about love between people... why would anyone feel the need to try and convince her that it makes no sense and, in whatever subtle way, negate an obvious attempt at positivity? Just because it's stupid? Or lacks good arguments? Why do we have to justify the desire for positivity, for happiness... or even for silliness?
It seems from the tone your posts are taking that your real intention isn't actually to try and understand how other people think... if I'm wrong, my bad...it’s hard to truly read a person through a screen 😁
Let's just let each other live.
restlessdriver42 said:(Haha, me again with this broken quoting... I really need to check the manual... :P)
It isn't a cult, haha... it requires thought. I spend my entire life thinking; it is the most productive thing we can do with the minds we've been given. 🙂
People simply get defensive when they feel attacked... 🙂 which happens, as I noted earlier, when we identify too closely with our own thoughts. It creates the illusion that WE are those THOUGHTS. We forget how much more we are than just fleeting ideas or weak attempts at conceptualizing this existence...
Just ask. I will do my best to provide an answer...
I am sorry if you felt unwelcome... or like you "weren't allowed" to ask questions... 🙂
People just get defensive when they feel attacked...🙂 and that happens, like I said before, when we identify too closely with our own thoughts...it creates this illusion that WE are our THOUGHTS. And we forget even more...just how much more we are than fleeting ideas and weak attempts at conceptualizing this life...
Just ask. I'll do my best to answer...
Sorry if you felt unwelcome... or like you "weren't allowed" to ask questions...🙂
nimbleranger5 said:@restlessdriver42 👍
Just wanted to say hi and let you know this topic is fantastic—really interesting stuff. It’s honestly such a struggle to get into a real discussion here when people show up just to inflate their egos, double down on what they already think, and try to prove how "brilliant" or "intellectually superior" they are. Trying to explain anything to someone who walks into a debate with nothing but rigid stances and deep-seated prejudices is almost impossible... I guess that's why they say the mind is like a parachute—it only works if it's open.
A great sage once said, "Know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free." That's why we have to strive for the Truth, and only the Truth, and nothing else. As long as we're living in lies, we're essentially prisoners; we aren't truly free because our egos are running the show. But at the same time, we're the only ones who can break free from those lies—we have to discover the Truth ourselves. No one else can do that work for us.
...Arguments with people who are closed off to different perspectives or beliefs can just go on forever, much like how
Cantwait beautifully put it in this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQCIC4NTFvc 👍
Edward Fisher86 said:By choosing an explanation like that, do you actually feel at peace? Does karma truly cover up all the bullshit in this world?
To me, that feels like turning a blind eye, or to put it more gently, it's just the easiest way to deal with the darker side of existence. Fine, everyone has their own model.
But still, every single time, I find myself wondering... if you're all so spiritual, does it never occur to you to acknowledge some form of injustice toward lives that were cut short against their will? (The whole... maybe it was meant to be, maybe it wasn't thing from the previous quote)... it's just so cruel, it's hard to imagine anything being worse.🤷
It's not like you can bring them back, but a little bit of pietá, for instance.
It isn't about counting the bad apples; it's about the sheer amount of rot they create.
We don't count the rotten apples; we count the amount of rot they create.
Edward Fisher86 said:Great, so what’s the issue with actually answering some questions?
And now I'm getting hit with new ones, like "what defines a better life for you, me, or them?" etc., so we can actually dive deep instead of just staying at a hahahehe level.Since I got the green light from the moderators, I feel free to say this thread was started purely as potential motivation for people who see themselves in it. It wasn't my intention (at least for me) to argue or try to justify those desires and thoughts, because that feels like it goes against the whole point.
An undefined topic—you have plenty of these on this forum, where people just write down their thoughts or link songs if they don't want to debate anything they post.Astrology might not make sense to me, but I'm not going to start an argument with people by telling them it's nonsense Hhaha and letting them keep self-deluding themselves. What would be the point?!? If it works for them and makes them happier, fine. They found their answers there, and it doesn't hurt me or force me to join in... so why bother...
🤷 😁
I commented and asked, but got no response; does that mean nobody knows how to back up what they write?
By the way, something caught my eye in that story of yours about the shoe clerk:
"(Otherwise, she's a wife, a mother of three, an accounting manager at a university, and so on... but that clerk didn't know... that she was someone who could be 'trusted')"
Is the person you described incapable of cheating or betraying?
An accounting manager and a married woman is blindly trusted? Auj aj🤣
Come on, at least try to clarify this, because it seemed to me in your first post you were advocating for trusting people and such, and this just doesn't fit the narrative.
It seems to me that's selective trust, with boundaries drawn based on marriage, motherhood, or social status...
I commented and asked, but there's no answer anywhere. Does that mean nobody knows how to actually argue their point?
By the way, something else caught my eye in that story about the shoe clerk:
"(Otherwise, she's a wife, a mother of three, the head of accounting at a university and all that... but that clerk didn't know... that she was someone who could be 'trusted')"
So the person you described is incapable of lying or betraying someone...?
An accounting manager and a married woman is just automatically trusted? Auj aj
Let me try to clarify this, because it seemed like you were advocating for trusting people in your first post, and this doesn't fit at all.
Basically, it's selective trust based on marriage, motherhood, social status...
restlessdriver42 said:Haha, alright... let's take this one step at a time.
In my initial post, I was actually prepared to explain that if your intention isn't to prick people or destabilize their convictions simply because they differ from yours—and if you truly care about understanding the reasoning behind certain perspectives—then both you and I could have attempted an answer. However, I reconsidered once I saw you framing the question around that whole karma concept. Since I didn't write that part and it wasn't part of my original point, I decided there was no sense in pushing a narrative that wasn't mine. Auj aj.
What constitutes a better life? I can only speak to my own experience. For me, it comes down to peace—true inner peace. It’s that state where I don't harbor resentment toward anyone, where the agitation, irritability, and sadness simply aren't there. Everything, for me, boils down to emotion. Naturally, those feelings are tethered to my environment—the people around me and the circumstances I encounter. Those situations trigger specific thoughts, and those thoughts, inevitably, blossom into emotions.
I have arrived at a rather tidy conclusion: humans simply cannot control other people. As for life's circumstances? Well, we might influence them slightly, but ultimately, they remain largely out of our hands. I initially pushed past that thought because the realization felt unsatisfying. But truth is, life is messy and unpredictable—one just has to accept it.
In the opening sequence of Woody Allen's Annie Hall, he recounts a joke along these lines:
Two women are sitting at a resort when one remarks, "Good grief, the food here is terrible!" To which the other replies, "As if that weren't enough, the portions are tiny!"
Then he builds upon that, suggesting that is essentially his worldview. He views life as being defined by loneliness, misery, and suffering—a race toward an early finish.
It seems that, at some point in everyone's life, we all find ourselves in relative agreement. I used to align with that sentiment myself, though I struggled to actually accept it.
If you are truly seeking a solution, it is possible. I have managed to forge my own sense of resolution through reading, which has shaped my current philosophy: since we possess zero control over other people—unless we resort to threats, of course—nor over our circumstances, the only viable strategy is internal. To navigate "unfavorable" situations successfully, one must cultivate a state of consciousness where emotions and moods are no longer dictated by anything outside of oneself.
That’s a whole separate topic entirely, and if I tried to go into detail here, I’d end up writing a novel... so if there’s something specific you want to know about it... just ask! 🙂
As for the story about the clerk—that woman who is a mother and a boss all at once... you might have missed it, but I put the word "trust" in quotes specifically to highlight how much of a relative term I find it to be. 🙂 I really should have put the entire phrase in quotes: "someone you can trust!"
Regarding the debating... it isn't actually about having the best arguments. It’s more that once you enter a certain headspace, all debates and logical points start to feel redundant. If someone truly understands what I’m talking about, they understand it because they’ve felt it, not because I presented some airtight case to "win them over" to my side. :P
I suppose that could sound like an excuse—like I’m just being flighty and don't have anything smart or concrete to back up my "positions" with actual "arguments"... just rambling, haha. But even if that's the case, so what?! Why should anyone care if some silly girl feels a sense of connection and happiness and decides to write a silly little piece about human love? Why does anyone feel the need to try to convince her it makes no sense and, however subtly, shut down an obvious attempt at positivity? Is it because it's foolish? Or because it lacks solid logic? Why do we constantly feel the need to justify the desire for positivity, for happiness... or even for silliness itself?
Judging by the tone of your replies, it seems like your intention isn't really to understand different ways of thinking... if I'm wrong, my apologies, but it's difficult to read someone through a screen. 😁
Let's just let each other live.
restlessdriver42 said:Haha, thanks! Discussions become entirely futile when one—or both—parties enter them with an idea so deeply entwined with their ego that any attempt at disagreement is perceived as a direct assault on their very identity. It’s why we all get so defensive whenever someone tries to "prove" our logic is flawed.
And yet, if people didn't bother asking questions, this thread would have withered away long ago. I suppose I should be grateful for them. Besides, when the supporters finally chime in, I can actually feel the warmth in their words of encouragement. 😁 What could possibly be more beautiful than all of this!
Once I finally dive into that process and manage to crystallize my thoughts a bit more clearly, everything will fall into place. 🙂
But then again, if people didn't ask questions... this whole topic would have dried up much sooner, so I'm at least grateful for that. Plus, then the supporters chime in, and I get to feel that love through their supportive words! Which is the best part of all!
And besides, diving into this helps me crystallize my own thoughts a bit better!
Edward Fisher86 said:Confused? 🤣
Are the ones who actually think the confused ones to you?
What is this, some kind of cult or 🤷
restlessdriver42 said:(Haha, me again with this broken quoting... I really need to check the manual... :P)
It isn't a cult, haha... it requires thought. I spend my entire life thinking; it is the most productive thing we can do with the minds we've been given. 🙂
People simply get defensive when they feel attacked... 🙂 which happens, as I noted earlier, when we identify too closely with our own thoughts. It creates the illusion that WE are those THOUGHTS. We forget how much more we are than just fleeting ideas or weak attempts at conceptualizing this existence...
Just ask. I will do my best to provide an answer...
I am sorry if you felt unwelcome... or like you "weren't allowed" to ask questions... 🙂
Edward Fisher86 said:It doesn't really matter who I quoted; anyone can jump in on any thread.A better life...I can only tell you what that looks like for me... it’s peace... inner peace... when I don't carry hatred for anyone, when I don't feel agitated, or nervous, or worked up... when I'm not sad. For me, everything boils down to emotions. Of course, that is always directly tied to my surroundings, the people around me, and the various situations life throws my way... things that trigger certain thought patterns... which then evolve into specific emotions...
I eventually reached a pretty clear conclusion: obviously, a person cannot control other people, and as for life circumstances, there's only so much we can do, but even that is largely out of our hands! I moved past it because I wasn't satisfied with that realization... life is just messy and complicated... you just have to accept it.
What we truly crave isn't material; it's emotional.
Material things are just intermediaries used to reach desired emotions. We all differ in how we pursue them, the tools we choose, and how we attempt to either achieve a feeling or avoid one. It happens both externally and deep within ourselves.In the opening of the film Annie Hall by Woody Allen... he tells a joke along these lines:
Two women are sitting at a resort and one says, "Ugh, the food here is terrible!" and the other replies, "I know, and the portions are tiny!"
He follows that up by saying that’s essentially how he views life. It's full of loneliness, misery, and suffering, and it ends far too quickly.
And with that, almost everyone can relate to that sentiment at least once in their lives. I found myself agreeing with it, even if I couldn't quite embrace it.
Maybe occasionally someone might stumble upon that idea, but generally speaking, that is the worldview of the neurotic character played by W. A.
There is also this:
The horrible and the miserable
The horrible and the miserable. I feel that life is divided into the horrible and the miserable. Those are the two categories. The horrible are like, I don't know, terminal cases, you know, and blind people, crippled. I don't know how they get through life. It's amazing to me. And the miserable is everyone else. So you should be thankful that you're miserable, because that's very lucky, to be miserable.If you actually want to find a solution... it’s possible. Personally, I’ve managed to carve out a sort of answer for myself through books I've read, which eventually led me to this way of thinking: since we have zero control over other people (unless we decide to threaten them somehow :P), let alone our life circumstances... the only way to successfully handle "unfavorable" situations is to bring my own state of consciousness to a point where I train myself so that my emotions and moods aren't—at least not as much as they are now—conditioned by anything outside of myself!
That is a whole topic in itself, and I can't go on writing extensively about it without basically authoring a book... so if you want to ask me something specific regarding that... just ask! 🙂
I don't have a solution in the form of a recipe; it's more of an ongoing adjustment.
On that note, what would passive consciousness development look like?And regarding the story about the clerk, the woman, the mother, and the boss... I see you missed it, but I put the word "trust" in quotation marks specifically to highlight that I consider it a relative concept. 🙂 I should have probably put the entire phrase in quotes: "the person who can be trusted!"
I saw the quotes, but they didn't serve any purpose, because it was stated: but that clerk didn't know.... so putting what she didn't know in quotes has no effect, since the importance of something she lacked was already clearly indicated at the moment the decision to trust or not was made.As for arguing... it isn't about arguments... once you reach that certain mental state... it starts to feel like all debates and arguments are redundant... if someone knows what I'm talking about... they know it because they have felt it or are feeling it, not because I had great arguments in a debate and "convinced" them to "join my side" :P
Just look at it as rambling; you'll feel better. Nobody is trying to persuade anyone to change their views or anything like that.That could sound like an excuse... like, maybe I'm just being silly and don't know how to write anything smart or back up my "views" with something concrete like "arguments"... so I'm just blathering, Haha... and even if that's the case... so what!?! Why should it bother anyone... that some silly girl felt connected and happy and decided to write some silly text about love between people... why would anyone feel the need to try and convince her that it makes no sense and, in whatever subtle way, negate an obvious attempt at positivity? Just because it's stupid? Or lacks good arguments? Why do we have to justify the desire for positivity, for happiness... or even for silliness?
Well, you don't have to. I don't see anyone asking for justification for anything, but this isn't a place to just dump your ideas and record your emotions; there are specific threads for that, and you could have joined those if you didn't want to hear echoes 🤷It seems from the tone your posts are taking that your real intention isn't actually to try and understand how other people think... if I'm wrong, my bad...it’s hard to truly read a person through a screen 😁
Let's just let each other live.
Why bother trying to read people? Just focus on the text; you'll deal with less nonsense and have more substance to work with.😁
Are you trying to act like some high-and-mighty politician? 🙄 😁People just get defensive when they feel attacked...🙂 and that happens, like I said before, when we identify too closely with our own thoughts...it creates this illusion that WE are our THOUGHTS. And we forget even more...just how much more we are than fleeting ideas and weak attempts at conceptualizing this life...
Just ask. I'll do my best to answer...
Sorry if you felt unwelcome... or like you "weren't allowed" to ask questions...🙂
In reality, we are our thoughts in a way... and no passing idea goes without leaving its mark. As for that feeling of being attacked, that's complete nonsense—it's just pure insecurity.
So, what would "passive consciousness development" look like?
I saw the quotation marks, but they weren't working, so it was phrased like this:But the clerk didn't even know.... then putting what she didn't know in quotes doesn't really change anything—it's already pretty obvious how much that missing info mattered when she was making her decision about whether to trust the deal or not.
Look, just think of it as venting; you'll feel better that way. It’s not like anyone is actually trying to pressure anyone else into changing their minds or anything.
Stop focusing so much on the people; read the text more, and it won't bother you as much—you'll probably pick up more grammar along the way too.
In a way, we really are just our own thoughts... no passing idea ever goes completely unnoticed. And that whole thing about feeling attacked? That's nonsense, just pure insecurity.
Edward Fisher86 said:This whole thing is a perfect example of being closed minded... basically, the parachute failed to deploy.