Philosophy Now Forum

simplicity wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:37 pm I've participated in many internet forums since its inception [mostly philosophy, economics, religion, and automobiles] and have "met" many very nice people. As well, I've had hundreds of interesting conversations. I actually became quite friendly with a guy on a Porsche list from the early nineties [Porschefiles], and he went on to become somewhat of a mentor to me up to his passing some ten or fifteen years ago.

One thing I have learned over and over in life is that if you wish to know somebody, look at what they do, not at what they say. This, of course, is the great disadvantage of these written forums...they're all about saying and nothing [or very little] about doing. Because of this, perhaps folks should not take what participants write so seriously, instead, take what these forums can give you...the opportunity to refine your writing skills and work out some issues through self-discovery. Attempting to convince others that your way is THE way is not going to happen. Everybody has a completely different life experience so their way is their's alone [another reason why collective-ist thinking is a complete disaster].

Anyway, I've enjoyed chatting with many of you and look forward to many more interesting conversations. Try to include examples of things that you have done [to your arguments] which will allow others to "know" you better. Otherwise, relax and enjoy. Everybody is essentially trying to do their best to get by in a world that is difficult by any measure.

simplicity wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:37 pm the great disadvantage of these written forums...they're all about saying and nothing [or very little] about doing. Because of this, perhaps folks should not take what participants write so seriously, instead, take what these forums can give you...the opportunity to refine your writing skills and work out some issues through self-discovery. Attempting to convince others that your way is THE way is not going to happen.

simplicity wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:37 pm One thing I have learned over and over in life is that if you wish to know somebody, look at what they do, not at what they say. This, of course, is the great disadvantage of these written forums...they're all about saying and nothing [or very little] about doing.
Because of this, perhaps folks should not take what participants write so seriously, instead, take what these forums can give you...the opportunity to refine your writing skills and work out some issues through self-discovery.
Attempting to convince others that your way is THE way is not going to happen.
Everybody has a completely different life experience so their way is their's alone [another reason why collective-ist thinking is a complete disaster].

Lacewing wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:59 pm

simplicity wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:37 pm the great disadvantage of these written forums...they're all about saying and nothing [or very little] about doing. Because of this, perhaps folks should not take what participants write so seriously, instead, take what these forums can give you...the opportunity to refine your writing skills and work out some issues through self-discovery. Attempting to convince others that your way is THE way is not going to happen.

Agreed. There appears to be a lot of different reasons why people use these forums. I think it is an opportunity to discuss different perspectives and ideas, any of which might offer interesting insights (about truth, falseness, delusion, etc.) in one way or another, and expand/shift what and how we think. Many of the exchanges may offer entertainment: for example, those who seem obsessed with casting themselves in uniquely 'knowing' positions of 'truth and answers' are hard to take seriously. Why would the potential of such a vast Universe be reflected through the claims and perspective of any one person on an internet forum?

At times, I have asked people how their 'truths' have improved their life, and what they're doing with it. I've never gotten an answer. I'm guessing it's because they're actually only being served by the intoxication of 'knowing it all' right now (and perhaps primarily acting it out on a forum). I think the awareness of our evolving states of mind throughout our lives is very revealing. For me, it points to how much more there always is.

There have been times in my life where I wished I could 'unsee' the reality that had opened up before me, or I thought 'being wrong about everything' was almost worse than death, or I thought maybe I could pretend and never have to admit to it and no one could force me to, or each time there was a new revelation I thought 'this is IT - NOW I know how it is!' , or I thought I could control or repair all sorts of things if I tried hard enough or loved enough, or I identified with a certain idea of being a good and kind person no matter what. I don't think in those ways anymore -- I feel at peace with not knowing (nor controlling) everything or anything specific. There have been lots of paths and revelations and lessons... which I accept will continue... and it's an amazing unfolding I am grateful to experience.

Letting go and flowing more broadly than my ego (so to speak), has manifested amazing things in my own life -- so that seems to be a pretty good indication/outcome for me. I do not take any of it for granted. This is probably why, however, I feel motivated to respond feistily to people who claim they uniquely know absolute truth or answers. Do they really? -- what personal evidence or proof are they basing it on, otherwise it seems to be nothing more than bluster and imagination in service to their ego. I think such exploratory discussions would be interesting and reveal more truth.

simplicity wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:37 pm I've participated in many internet forums since its inception [mostly philosophy, economics, religion, and automobiles] and have "met" many very nice people. As well, I've had hundreds of interesting conversations. I actually became quite friendly with a guy on a Porsche list from the early nineties [Porschefiles], and he went on to become somewhat of a mentor to me up to his passing some ten or fifteen years ago.

One thing I have learned over and over in life is that if you wish to know somebody, look at what they do, not at what they say. This, of course, is the great disadvantage of these written forums...they're all about saying and nothing [or very little] about doing. Because of this, perhaps folks should not take what participants write so seriously, instead, take what these forums can give you...the opportunity to refine your writing skills and work out some issues through self-discovery. Attempting to convince others that your way is THE way is not going to happen. Everybody has a completely different life experience so their way is their's alone [another reason why collective-ist thinking is a complete disaster].

Anyway, I've enjoyed chatting with many of you and look forward to many more interesting conversations. Try to include examples of things that you have done [to your arguments] which will allow others to "know" you better. Otherwise, relax and enjoy. Everybody is essentially trying to do their best to get by in a world that is difficult by any measure.

Age wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:34 am How, exactly, is the 'world', supposedly, "difficult", by any measure?

Lacewing wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:59 pm

simplicity wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:37 pm the great disadvantage of these written forums...they're all about saying and nothing [or very little] about doing. Because of this, perhaps folks should not take what participants write so seriously, instead, take what these forums can give you...the opportunity to refine your writing skills and work out some issues through self-discovery. Attempting to convince others that your way is THE way is not going to happen.

Agreed. There appears to be a lot of different reasons why people use these forums. I think it is an opportunity to discuss different perspectives and ideas, any of which might offer interesting insights (about truth, falseness, delusion, etc.) in one way or another, and expand/shift what and how we think. Many of the exchanges may offer entertainment: for example, those who seem obsessed with casting themselves in uniquely 'knowing' positions of 'truth and answers' are hard to take seriously. Why would the potential of such a vast Universe be reflected through the claims and perspective of any one person on an internet forum?

At times, I have asked people how their 'truths' have improved their life, and what they're doing with it. I've never gotten an answer. I'm guessing it's because they're actually only being served by the intoxication of 'knowing it all' right now (and perhaps primarily acting it out on a forum). I think the awareness of our evolving states of mind throughout our lives is very revealing. For me, it points to how much more there always is.

There have been times in my life where I wished I could 'unsee' the reality that had opened up before me, or I thought 'being wrong about everything' was almost worse than death, or I thought maybe I could pretend and never have to admit to it and no one could force me to, or each time there was a new revelation I thought 'this is IT - NOW I know how it is!' , or I thought I could control or repair all sorts of things if I tried hard enough or loved enough, or I identified with a certain idea of being a good and kind person no matter what. I don't think in those ways anymore -- I feel at peace with not knowing (nor controlling) everything or anything specific. There have been lots of paths and revelations and lessons... which I accept will continue... and it's an amazing unfolding I am grateful to experience.

Letting go and flowing more broadly than my ego (so to speak), has manifested amazing things in my own life -- so that seems to be a pretty good indication/outcome for me. I do not take any of it for granted. This is probably why, however, I feel motivated to respond feistily to people who claim they uniquely know absolute truth or answers. Do they really? -- what personal evidence or proof are they basing it on, otherwise it seems to be nothing more than bluster and imagination in service to their ego. I think such exploratory discussions would be interesting and reveal more truth.

Veritas Aequitas wrote: ↑Sat Oct 16, 2021 6:02 am I was also critiqued for narrow and shallow thinking, so I made the attempt to cover widely and deeply. This is why I spent 3 years full time on Kant Critique of Pure Reason.

I believe one can learn of somebody from his writings and doing, but both are also limited especially if someone has something to hide they will not act it out in front of others.

simplicity wrote: ↑Mon Oct 18, 2021 6:15 pm

Age wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:34 am How, exactly, is the 'world', supposedly, "difficult", by any measure?

Human life is full of suffering.

Lacewing wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:59 pm

simplicity wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:37 pm the great disadvantage of these written forums...they're all about saying and nothing [or very little] about doing. Because of this, perhaps folks should not take what participants write so seriously, instead, take what these forums can give you...the opportunity to refine your writing skills and work out some issues through self-discovery. Attempting to convince others that your way is THE way is not going to happen.

Agreed. There appears to be a lot of different reasons why people use these forums. I think it is an opportunity to discuss different perspectives and ideas, any of which might offer interesting insights (about truth, falseness, delusion, etc.) in one way or another, and expand/shift what and how we think. Many of the exchanges may offer entertainment: for example, those who seem obsessed with casting themselves in uniquely 'knowing' positions of 'truth and answers' are hard to take seriously.

Lacewing wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:59 pm Why would the potential of such a vast Universe be reflected through the claims and perspective of any one person on an internet forum?

simplicity wrote: ↑Mon Oct 18, 2021 6:18 pm At times, I have asked people how their 'truths' have improved their life, and what they're doing with it. I've never gotten an answer.

Lacewing wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:59 pm I'm guessing it's because they're actually only being served by the intoxication of 'knowing it all' right now (and perhaps primarily acting it out on a forum). I think the awareness of our evolving states of mind throughout our lives is very revealing. For me, it points to how much more there always is.

There have been times in my life where I wished I could 'unsee' the reality that had opened up before me, or I thought 'being wrong about everything' was almost worse than death, or I thought maybe I could pretend and never have to admit to it and no one could force me to, or each time there was a new revelation I thought 'this is IT - NOW I know how it is!' , or I thought I could control or repair all sorts of things if I tried hard enough or loved enough, or I identified with a certain idea of being a good and kind person no matter what. I don't think in those ways anymore -- I feel at peace with not knowing (nor controlling) everything or anything specific. There have been lots of paths and revelations and lessons... which I accept will continue... and it's an amazing unfolding I am grateful to experience.

simplicity wrote: ↑Mon Oct 18, 2021 6:18 pm Letting go and flowing more broadly than my ego (so to speak), has manifested amazing things in my own life

Lacewing wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:59 pm -- so that seems to be a pretty good indication/outcome for me. I do not take any of it for granted. This is probably why, however, I feel motivated to respond feistily to people who claim they uniquely know absolute truth or answers.

Lacewing wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:59 pm Do they really?

Lacewing wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:59 pm -- what personal evidence or proof are they basing it on, otherwise it seems to be nothing more than bluster and imagination in service to their ego.

Lacewing wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:59 pm I think such exploratory discussions would be interesting and reveal more truth.

Lacewing wrote: ↑Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:09 pm It seems to me that if we cannot acknowledge the ways in which we have been wrong or limited throughout our lives, then we are not acknowledging that our awareness can shift and expand, and therefore we cannot acknowledge how much more there can be than what we claim in any given moment/circumstance.

Lacewing wrote: ↑Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:09 pm It's as if we might get stuck in perpetually protecting whatever our current awareness is -- as if we are at a pinnacle of 'rightness'.

Lacewing wrote: ↑Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:09 pm It doesn't make sense. There are so many different ways to view life and this world. And any individual person may experience many of them throughout their lifetime, based on all sorts of contributing factors.

Lacewing wrote: ↑Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:09 pm What if we simply acknowledged that there can be alternative understandings/realizations/potential for everything we are so certain of the definition or limits of?

Lacewing wrote: ↑Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:09 pm Theism... political parties... prejudice... science... etc. Instead of identifying everything as being made up of two-sided, black and white markers... it seems more reasonable to see everything as constructed of multi-faceted prisms reflecting a much broader range of potentials. So all of the claims that are built on defining everything or everyone in black and white terms, are not only primitive, but they're false. They are a made-up illusion that serves one's agenda in an extraordinarily childish and foolish way. And shouldn't people on this forum be smarter than that?

Lacewing wrote: ↑Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:09 pm Anyone can ask themselves: "How much more is there than what I think?"

Lacewing wrote: ↑Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:09 pm Perhaps the answer can reveal how small or large their Universe is, and how much of it is filled with themselves.

Age wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 11:32 am WHY then do 'I' NOT suffer.

simplicity wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 7:01 pm

Age wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 11:32 am WHY then do 'I' NOT suffer.

Well, congratulations! You are the first member of our species who has lived a life without any suffering.