Everyone is hiding behind a mask. It's as simple as that. No one shows there true colors, not even when they're alone. We throw on false faces and pretend to be someone different. The entire species does this, from the day we realize that we can be hurt. The realization that other people can hurt you not just psychically, but emotionally, it intensely traumatic. So we hide. We throw on thousands of masks, so that no one knows what we truly are. Hell, we don't even know who we are.
I'm just as cowardly in this manner as everyone else. At school, I wear a mask, a tight, leather, strap covered thing like out of some S&M porno. It's tightly secured, so that if I try and act like myself, I reflexively stop and revert to deadpan seriousness. This mask isn't just for school though. It's for any social interaction where I'm uncomfortable (as in I'm conversing with more than one person). I wear the exact opposite mask at home. I act more like myself, with all the oddity that entails, but I repress any impulse to be anything but Mr. Happyshit. I don't even act like myself here. I have real clue what kind of person I am here, or anywhere else.
My biggest problem I think is this identity crisis. I can only point out a couple things I know for sure about myself. I know I want to be a warrior-poet, I know I'm strange, I know I'm intelligent, but the rest of it, I have no clue. This could be part of adolescence, or maybe it's something the entire species suffers from. The part of the problem that is inherently my own is that I don't understand people. Or maybe I do, but dont' realize that I do.
Not being sure whether I'm friendly or cruel, honest or dishonest, anything is incredibly frustrating. But maybe, I'm full of shit, and this is just a result of caffeine intake. Anyone get where I'm coming from here?
Sometimes that mask is a good thing. Run around jabbering and drooling like me, and pretty soon you don't get invited to parties. At least the kind of parties you'd want to be seen at. The parties I get invited to usually involve fetishists and perverts, and half the time I wind up with pulled muscles and unexplained puncture wounds. Once I woke up covered in axle grease, with no memory of how I got into the damn yard shed in the first place.
And is that the kind of reputation you want? No, no, it isn't. Mothers will forbid their daughters from associating with you, and the right people will not even consider your resume. So you'd best keep that mask on nice and tight, and pretend that everything is okay.
But it isn't.
I know my reputation, Roger. I'm generally held to be at best, weird or at worst, dangerous. But that's not what bugs me. I can't point to any characteristic and say "I'm like this". I just don't understand what I am or where I'm going.
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on November 30, 2009, 07:01:02 PM
I know my reputation, Roger. I'm generally held to be at best, weird or at worst, dangerous. But that's not what bugs me. I can't point to any characteristic and say "I'm like this". I just don't understand what I am or where I'm going.
Okay. What's the downside?
Honestly, I don't know. It's not something actually adversely affects me, but it bugs me. It's just another insecurity to get over, I guess.
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on November 30, 2009, 07:06:17 PM
Honestly, I don't know. It's not something actually adversely affects me, but it bugs me. It's just another insecurity to get over, I guess.
Well, shit, you WANT to be sorted, labelled, and put in a nice tidy slot? I mean, that CAN be arranged, if it's what you really want.
This is no century for "stability" or "security", James.
Hmm. Ya, I guess part of me does, depressing as that is. I strive for chaos, but I still end up craving Order like an ex-smoker craves cigarettes. Not good.
QuoteNot being sure whether I'm friendly or cruel, honest or dishonest, anything is incredibly frustrating. But maybe, I'm full of shit, and this is just a result of caffeine intake. Anyone get where I'm coming from here?
Quotedis·cord (dskôrd)
n.
1.
a. Lack of agreement among persons, groups, or things.
b. Tension or strife resulting from a lack of agreement; dissension.
I don't know where you're going, but I think you're in the right place.
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on November 30, 2009, 07:15:52 PM
Hmm. Ya, I guess part of me does, depressing as that is. I strive for chaos, but I still end up craving Order like an ex-smoker craves cigarettes. Not good.
Welcome to the monkey house.
You can leave anytime you want. Ergo, most people never leave.
QuoteI don't know where you're going, but I think you're in the right place.
So, you're saying the confusion is actually a good thing? That makes a lot of sense actually. Maybe the problem is that I'm not embracing my Identity Crisis.
QuoteErgo, most people never leave.
I don't want to be a monkey. Anything but that. I'd rather be a warrior poet.
I have so many masks...it's hard to keep up.
One for every occasion really.
There's one that I apply liberally, it's the one you get when I'm bored or don't know who the fuck you are. It looks like this :|
Actually, it looks more condescending. And with body language, why I look downright full of myself and unintersted in everyone and everything else.
Trouble is I have know idea when I do this, I didn't even know that I did do this until some people were kind enough to point it out. I can't stop doing it. And I'm not doing it for the reasons they think I do it.
Meanwhile, old ladies love me. One smile and the blue-hairs just melt. Not of all them though. It's funny, sometimes they can see right behind that mask, and they never seem to like it much.
There are so many more and it takes so much effort to keep them in play, keep them spinning around without crashing into each other.
One for work
One for work with different sorts of people
One for my family (though, none for Mrs. Alty. I am AS IS NO REFUNDS)
One for every person I don't want to know but do
Bah. Sometimes I want to throw them at people. Or better yet, hold them down and glue the masks to their faces.
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on November 30, 2009, 07:21:01 PM
QuoteI don't know where you're going, but I think you're in the right place.
So, you're saying the confusion is actually a good thing? That makes a lot of sense actually. Maybe the problem is that I'm not embracing my Identity Crisis.
The problem is that you're using terms like "embracing my Identity Crisis".
This leads me to believe that you're over-thinking it, when you SHOULD be stomping around, spitting blood, and mating with anything that has any sort of orifice whatsoever, alien or primate. STOP READING DR PHIL, AND START LOOKING AT BUG PORN.
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on November 30, 2009, 07:23:04 PM
QuoteErgo, most people never leave.
I'd rather be a warrior poet.
Oh, sweet cat-fucking Jesus. You aren't one of THEM, are you? :horrormirth:
"Warrior poet". Someone fucking kill me.
Quote from: Alty on November 30, 2009, 07:23:32 PM
I have so many masks...it's hard to keep up.
So don't. Wear the wrong masks for given occasions. For a joke.
Quote"Warrior poet". Someone fucking kill me.
It's probably what best applies. But then again, it's another label, which puts me right back where I started, doesn't it?
try and enjoy the next time you contradict yourself.
Hmm. Thanks for the thoughts gusy. Given me some shit to think about.
A mask is all you have - get over it. There is no Real Youtm There's just a bunch of organic slime twitching around, shitting, fucking and biting it's knuckles about the search for troof and justice and honesty and loads of other imaginary bullshit that the grand scheme of things couldn't give less of a flying fuck about if it had its wings and genitals forcibly removed.
Paint your mask however you want to and do your best to live up to whatever arbitrary collection of ideals you hold as your moral compass. Or don't - matters not a jot :lulz:
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on November 30, 2009, 07:29:21 PM
Quote"Warrior poet". Someone fucking kill me.
It's probably what best applies. But then again, it's another label, which puts me right back where I started, doesn't it?
DING DING DING
I want to be The Good Reverend Roger. There are many people I admire, and even some that I emulate as a means of improving The Good Reverend Roger, but I don't want to be a thing.
ESPECIALLY not a "warrior poet". That means one of two things: Someone who watches lots of anime and reads Mushashi jabbering about how cutting a rebellious peasant in half is somehow analogous to lotus blossoms on a fucking river, or someone who is dangerously close to becoming a pagantard and naming themselves Shadowthorn Moonwolf.
QuoteESPECIALLY not a "warrior poet".
We must have some very different opinions on that one. But it doesn't matter anyway. I've still got a lot to learn.
What if people wear masks to hide the fact that nothing is beneath?
Edit: I see P3nt has beaten me to this point.
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on November 30, 2009, 07:41:29 PM
QuoteESPECIALLY not a "warrior poet".
We must have some very different opinions on that one. But it doesn't matter anyway. I've still got a lot to learn.
Oh, yeah, I forgot the Carlos Castenada bullshit. That's another option, but it's even worse.
The last actual "warrior poet" was some British tard who was killed in WWI. Everything since then has been utter crap. Either warriors writing bad poetry, or poets erroneously calling themselves warriors. Or people who are neither claiming to be both.
Even Kipling never claimed to be a warrior poet, even though most of his poems were about warriors.
Quote from: Cain on November 30, 2009, 07:44:24 PM
What if people wear masks to hide the fact that nothing is beneath?
Then you're in a WalMart. Or the Whitehouse.
QuoteWhat if people wear masks to hide the fact that nothing is beneath?
Possible. I won't presume to have a clue.
QuoteEither warriors writing bad poetry, or poets erroneously calling themselves warriors.
The warrior poet is an ideal I like. That's about it.
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on November 30, 2009, 07:49:11 PM
The warrior poet is an ideal I like. That's about it.
Okay, so define it.
Creativity and passion like a poet, but with the will and ability to fight for what one believes in. Not the exact definition, but that's how I interpreted it.
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on November 30, 2009, 07:55:03 PM
Creativity and passion like a poet, but with the will and ability to fight for what one believes in. Not the exact definition, but that's how I interpreted it.
Oh, see, I'd define it as a warrior who writes poetry. But I'm silly that way.
What you seem to be referring to is Pournelle's "fighting philosopher".
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on November 30, 2009, 07:55:03 PM
Creativity and passion like a poet, but with the will and ability to fight for what one believes in. Not the exact definition, but that's how I interpreted it.
Fun ideals to mess around with. I say go for it but ffs drop the "warrior poet" label - makes you sound like a Braveheart fanboi
Fair enough. Name doesn't really matter.
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on November 30, 2009, 08:02:42 PM
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on November 30, 2009, 07:55:03 PM
Creativity and passion like a poet, but with the will and ability to fight for what one believes in. Not the exact definition, but that's how I interpreted it.
Fun ideals to mess around with. I say go for it but ffs drop the "warrior poet" label - makes you sound like a Braveheart fanboi
Won't get you laid, either, to the eternal mystification of those who call themselves such.
Lol - they're obviously trawling the wrong pussy-barrels. I know places where declaring myself Warrior Poet would get me more BJ's than covering my johnson in burger meat and walking nekkit through a 3rd world famine zone.
Of course I think the burger plus starving people option is slightly more palatable.
wasnt "warrior poet" Richter's custom title or tagline a while ago, though? maybe he could define it.
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on November 30, 2009, 08:16:31 PM
Lol - they're obviously trawling the wrong pussy-barrels. I know places where declaring myself Warrior Poet would get me more BJ's than covering my johnson in burger meat and walking nekkit through a 3rd world famine zone.
Of course I think the burger plus starving people option is slightly more palatable.
Yeah, I've seen the women who go for that shit. :vom:
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on November 30, 2009, 07:36:03 PM
A mask is all you have - get over it. There is no Real Youtm There's just a bunch of organic slime twitching around, shitting, fucking and biting it's knuckles about the search for troof and justice and honesty and loads of other imaginary bullshit that the grand scheme of things couldn't give less of a flying fuck about if it had its wings and genitals forcibly removed.
Paint your mask however you want to and do your best to live up to whatever arbitrary collection of ideals you hold as your moral compass. Or don't - matters not a jot :lulz:
The mask covers the face, but doesn't make it go away. Beneath lies whatever is left from assault by barstool.
Nah, the Barstool doesn't change you face, it'll just bust up some masks.
So what's the face? Just a collection of nerve impulses and musculature? Is there undeniably nothing underneath?
The face is simply a collection of extended metaphors that have been stretched to the point of being utterly useless.
Oh, wait, that might have been your post I was referring to, instead.
Quote from: Alty on November 30, 2009, 08:38:25 PM
So what's the face? Just a collection of nerve impulses and musculature? Is there undeniably nothing underneath?
This thread has reached navel lint contemplation.
Quote from: LMNO on November 30, 2009, 08:40:10 PM
The face is simply a collection of extended metaphors that have been stretched to the point of being utterly useless.
Oh, wait, that might have been your post I was referring to, instead.
Beat me to it, you bastard! :argh!:
:whack::hi5::ninja:
Quote from: LMNO on November 30, 2009, 08:40:10 PM
The face is simply a collection of extended metaphors that have been stretched to the point of being utterly useless.
Oh, wait, that might have been your post I was referring to, instead.
I love that I can't get away with that shit here.
I hate that my brain doesn't seem to want to leave the metaphor, or can't find another way of looking at this.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on November 30, 2009, 07:45:26 PM
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on November 30, 2009, 07:41:29 PM
QuoteESPECIALLY not a "warrior poet".
We must have some very different opinions on that one. But it doesn't matter anyway. I've still got a lot to learn.
Oh, yeah, I forgot the Carlos Castenada bullshit. That's another option, but it's even worse.
The last actual "warrior poet" was some British tard who was killed in WWI. Everything since then has been utter crap. Either warriors writing bad poetry, or poets erroneously calling themselves warriors. Or people who are neither claiming to be both.
Even Kipling never claimed to be a warrior poet, even though most of his poems were about warriors.
Are you talking about the guy that always carried a sword and used it in combat too? i seem to remember him single handedly capturing about 50 enemies at once.
though i thought he was in WWII?
i could look this up ofcourse, but i really need to get some sleep now.
Quote from: Alty on November 30, 2009, 08:56:21 PM
Quote from: LMNO on November 30, 2009, 08:40:10 PM
The face is simply a collection of extended metaphors that have been stretched to the point of being utterly useless.
Oh, wait, that might have been your post I was referring to, instead.
I love that I can't get away with that shit here.
I hate that my brain doesn't seem to want to leave the metaphor, or can't find another way of looking at this.
That's okay, I'm still stuck on the Curley idea, and people put up with it for some reason.
hahaha
We wear layers upon layers of masks and even contemplate the inner masks with the outer ones, as well as the reverse.
If there is an essential self, good luck finding it. :roll:
As for what got this discussion started, it isn't that weird to assume different roles without much overlap...
When I'm playing a song that's in major, just because I'm not using a minor scale at the moment doesn't mean I'm a "major scale kind of guy".
But if it makes you feel better, understand the (helpful) patterns that can be carried over from one situation to another. You can translate concepts from one situation to another by understanding what is important about the concepts and where the situations diverge.
You can take a major riff and turn it into a minor riff, just by lowering the right notes by a half-step.
Quote from: Brotep on November 30, 2009, 10:16:09 PM
hahaha
We wear layers upon layers of masks and even contemplate the inner masks with the outer ones, as well as the reverse.
If there is an essential self, good luck finding it. :roll:
As for what got this discussion started, it isn't that weird to assume different roles without much overlap...
When I'm playing a song that's in major, just because I'm not using a minor scale at the moment doesn't mean I'm a "major scale kind of guy".
But if it makes you feel better, understand the (helpful) patterns that can be carried over from one situation to another. You can translate concepts from one situation to another by understanding what is important about the concepts and where the situations diverge.
You can take a major riff and turn it into a minor riff, just by lowering the right notes by a half-step.
Zing! Essential self is what it is ... if it even is all that. Just accept it. Make up a personality you like and play it like and actor. Do some embarrassing monkey based shit that your body can't help. It's funny. Who's laughing? The essential self or some bullshit like that. Enjoy. Don't get too wrapped up in finding teh one true troof or any of that bullshit. The answer is there but you'll waste years of your life looking for it and it's a boring anticlimax when you do.
Whoa there...
Alls I'm saying is, unrealistic searching sometimes disguises itself as introspective, and gets in the way of genuine introspection.
That is, we often hide behind the questions we cannot answer, in order to avoid the questions we can answer.
What "we are" is always dynamically different. Sure, theres tendencies, but even those can change.
Categorize yourself = pigeon-holing. (or wtf is that other term...)
When somebody puts on a "mask" i see it as prioritizing a certain task at hand...
Thats the thing behind dressing in a suit, or having a "poker face".
Do you want to come to an agreement on a contract, partnership or whatever?
Masks on - let not our personal tastes that could create interference or antagonism not get in the way of what we want.
Let nothing to be seen, felt or smelt that could produce a negative reaction.
When dealing with things on which you depend on (money, jobs), i find putting a mask on as acceptable.
On the other hand, when you take a mask and use it for your personal life, purposes of not being alone such as in friendships and relationships, now i find that disgusting.
Having to play with your appearances, so you are appealing all the time, that i couldnt do even if i tried.
But many seem to consider that being an expendable sacrifice in order to get what they need and what they want.
JohNyx, your posts appear to contradict each other.
Masks have their limits, as a metaphor.
What we are talking about is not really masks, but behavioral patterns.
Patterns make communication possible. Excess repetition shows a lack of subtlety and nuance, but unless the pattern is destructive there is nothing really wrong with that.
First post was in reference to what is underneath the masks.
The second was in reference to the masks themselves.
Im considering your interpretation of masks as behavioral patterns, not sure if i have something to add to that in particular...
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on November 30, 2009, 11:13:26 PM
Quote from: Brotep on November 30, 2009, 10:16:09 PM
hahaha
We wear layers upon layers of masks and even contemplate the inner masks with the outer ones, as well as the reverse.
If there is an essential self, good luck finding it. :roll:
As for what got this discussion started, it isn't that weird to assume different roles without much overlap...
When I'm playing a song that's in major, just because I'm not using a minor scale at the moment doesn't mean I'm a "major scale kind of guy".
But if it makes you feel better, understand the (helpful) patterns that can be carried over from one situation to another. You can translate concepts from one situation to another by understanding what is important about the concepts and where the situations diverge.
You can take a major riff and turn it into a minor riff, just by lowering the right notes by a half-step.
Zing! Essential self is what it is ...
This is truth, despite its overtones of French philosophy.
Quote from: JohNyx on December 01, 2009, 02:20:00 AM
What "we are" is always dynamically different. Sure, theres tendencies, but even those can change.
Categorize yourself = pigeon-holing. (or wtf is that other term...)
Yes...The problem is that introspective realizations expire faster than milk. Whatever one has figured out about oneself, if one's current understanding does not reflect one's current patterns of behavior, it must be updated.
Question of what one is is irrelevant. Ask instead what one could be. What one would like to be. Then be it. Til you get bored. Wash, rinse repeat...
If nothing else you'll end up with a kickass mask wardrobe come Halloween :D
Quote from: Brotep on December 01, 2009, 06:56:39 PM
Yes...The problem is that introspective realizations expire faster than milk. Whatever one has figured out about oneself, if one's current understanding does not reflect one's current patterns of behavior, it must be updated.
I agree with that, but i would also say that
a posteriori and with cumulative years one can possibly see tendencies of oneself.
At least thats a point of reference to some sort of an understanding. Even do im not saying that those recurring tendencies are something one wouldnt like to change...
Making introspection in "the present" about what have we become/are is indeed something hard or maybe even impossible due to ones own slanted view and lack of perspective.
Other than that, i think that also looking at oneself in the pespective of relationship dynamics can give more information. Or deriving characteristics by comparison to other people.
Quote from: JohNyx on December 01, 2009, 08:36:12 PM
Making introspection in "the present" about what have we become/are is indeed something hard or maybe even impossible due to ones own slanted view and lack of perspective.
Strongly disagree except in the case of most ordinary people. There is a level of critical self awareness that can be assumed. Aint that difficult either. Key is dropping the whole ego trip. Tear your precious self to bits and what you are left with is a pretty clear picture.
I've spent yesterday thinking all of this over, including what you guys posted in response. And I decided that I'm going to embrace the confusion. I'm going to start experimenting with rapid switches in behavior. It will be fun, switching from deadpan serious to joyously manic to just plain weird. While I'm still a big fan of introspective, it seems that by thinking over and observing my own character, I'm changing it. So I just need to relax and go with the flow.
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on December 01, 2009, 08:52:56 PM
It will be fun, switching from deadpan serious to joyously manic to just plain weird.
Missing the point, ITT.
But you go, dude.
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on December 01, 2009, 08:43:27 PM
Quote from: JohNyx on December 01, 2009, 08:36:12 PM
Making introspection in "the present" about what have we become/are is indeed something hard or maybe even impossible due to ones own slanted view and lack of perspective.
Strongly disagree except in the case of most ordinary people. There is a level of critical self awareness that can be assumed. Aint that difficult either. Key is dropping the whole ego trip. Tear your precious self to bits and what you are left with is a pretty clear picture.
MMMM? You do really find it easy? What is your method? Im curious
My way of doing it is either go to a psycho-analyst (thats a sure way of putting things on perspective, ofc if you pick a good one...), or looking at my friends life and how they act and what they do and comparing to how i act and what i do...
Or booze it up and just write two pages of rambling and look at it when im sober the next day.
QuoteMissing the point, ITT.
Hmm. Okay, since there's something I'm missing then mind explaining it?
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on December 01, 2009, 08:52:56 PM
I've spent yesterday thinking all of this over, including what you guys posted in response. And I decided that I'm going to embrace the confusion. I'm going to start experimenting with rapid switches in behavior. It will be fun, switching from deadpan serious to joyously manic to just plain weird. While I'm still a big fan of introspective, it seems that by thinking over and observing my own character, I'm changing it. So I just need to relax and go with the flow.
Meh; volitionaly switching your behaviour from "serious" to "joyously manic" i find it to be mere entertainment and approaching the issue superficially.
Quoteentertainment
That's sort of what I'm going for, at least in day to day interaction. I'm still going to be introspective, I'm just not going to bother myself with "who I am."
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on December 01, 2009, 08:59:33 PM
QuoteMissing the point, ITT.
Hmm. Okay, since there's something I'm missing then mind explaining it?
Your personality, everything you are, your essential self, your ego ... the whole damn shooting match either happens by action or by accident.
Decide which. Or be normal.
Ah. I thought I made that clear. Action, definitely action.
Yeah but I think you drastically underestimated rabbit hole depth.
Hmm. Explain, please? I'm never sure whether I get what you mean or I'm way off.
You're talking about "just not bothering with who I am" and making yourself happy and sad and shit. That's ass-backwards imo. Start with who you are, right down to your core beliefs, morality, emotional responses ... all the big defining stuff and wipe it the fuck out. Tear the tower down, one brick at a time, til there's nothing left that's recognisable as you and then build the whole thing back up the way you really want to be. It'll take fucking years of hard work and dedication but you'll end up what you want to be instead of a twitching bag of random instincts and drooling neurosis like 99.9% of our earths population.
Okay. Now I got ya. Fair enough, I'll keep that in mind. More stuff to think about.
If you only care about action and entertainment why even bother writing a rant like this.
Go watch some TV and after that perhaps go hiking.
Goddamnit, you're a fucking sack of meat
what is this "essential self" bullshit
go to goddamn California and live on a commune until you "find yourself™", hippie.
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on December 01, 2009, 08:59:33 PM
QuoteMissing the point, ITT.
Hmm. Okay, since there's something I'm missing then mind explaining it?
Look, it's really easy. Instead of acting like a manic-depressive, just act the way you want to act at any given time. If you FORCE it, then you're just tossing on another mask. It's just more bullshit.
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on December 01, 2009, 09:11:32 PM
Quoteentertainment
That's sort of what I'm going for, at least in day to day interaction. I'm still going to be introspective, I'm just not going to bother myself with "who I am."
You and 6.75 billion other primates.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on December 02, 2009, 06:41:11 PM
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on December 01, 2009, 09:11:32 PM
Quoteentertainment
That's sort of what I'm going for, at least in day to day interaction. I'm still going to be introspective, I'm just not going to bother myself with "who I am."
You and 6.75 billion other primates.
That's what I fucking hate about you Rog, I waste half a dozen posts and you manage to explain it perfectly with as many fucking words :argh!:
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on December 01, 2009, 09:28:59 PM
You're talking about "just not bothering with who I am" and making yourself happy and sad and shit. That's ass-backwards imo. Start with who you are, right down to your core beliefs, morality, emotional responses ... all the big defining stuff and wipe it the fuck out. Tear the tower down, one brick at a time, til there's nothing left that's recognisable as you and then build the whole thing back up the way you really want to be. It'll take fucking years of hard work and dedication but you'll end up what you want to be instead of a twitching bag of random instincts and drooling neurosis like 99.9% of our earths population.
But, aren't we the way we are because that is who we "really" want to be?
Okay. Where to start...
QuoteIf you FORCE it, then you're just tossing on another mask. It's just more bullshit.
Valid enough point. I really need to phrase shit better. What I meant was that I was going to just go with the flow, not really worry about it. If I'm feeling serious then I'll act serious, if I'm feeling weird, I'll act in accordance. The way I put it pretty much fucked over what I meant, so my apologies.
Quotego to goddamn California and live on a commune until you "find yourself™", hippie.
Not much I can say in response. If you feel it's bullshit than, well, whatever works for you. I was just working out a couple self issues.
QuoteIf you only care about action and entertainment why even bother writing a rant like this.
Once again, I messed up my message. Instead of what I actually meant, I spewed out the other stuff. I wrote the rant because I had something that was bothering me, and I wanted some advice on it. I got said advice, thought it over, and concluded that the only thing that made sense was to just not worry about it.
I dunno, I like to just be. I try to be the best me I can be, and often I am not the best me I can be, but I think that figuring out "who" I am is a moot point. I am. That's all.
Don't overcomplicate it. You're a bundle of neurons cased in meat.
That's pretty much what I've concluded. You just put it better than me. :)
Be that as it may, even a single neuron is capable of being conditioned. Just think of all the fucked up complicated patterns billions of neurons can be conditioned into following.
It's not just a question of "Omigosh, who is the really real me?"
It's "what patterns of thinking and acting am I stuck in?"
Just do shit, FFS. You're still stuck in this "is this right or is this wrong?" mentality. Just do shit, and once you can do shit without asking "is this who I really am?", THEN you can worry about the consequences, THEN you can start tempering yourself (if you feel like it). Its the "is this right or wrong?" that is keeping you from being yourself.
Or maybe you'll just be stuck in existentialism forever.
QuoteJust do shit, FFS. You're still stuck in this "is this right or is this wrong?" mentality. Just do shit, and once you can do shit without asking "is this who I really am?", THEN you can worry about the consequences, THEN you can start tempering yourself (if you feel like it). Its the "is this right or wrong?" that is keeping you from being yourself.
That's a work in progress. We'll see how it pans out.
Quote from: Brotep on December 03, 2009, 02:50:37 AM
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on December 01, 2009, 09:28:59 PM
You're talking about "just not bothering with who I am" and making yourself happy and sad and shit. That's ass-backwards imo. Start with who you are, right down to your core beliefs, morality, emotional responses ... all the big defining stuff and wipe it the fuck out. Tear the tower down, one brick at a time, til there's nothing left that's recognisable as you and then build the whole thing back up the way you really want to be. It'll take fucking years of hard work and dedication but you'll end up what you want to be instead of a twitching bag of random instincts and drooling neurosis like 99.9% of our earths population.
But, aren't we the way we are because that is who we "really" want to be?
I'd guess most are largely a product of their environment. If you don't choose then there's someone out there who'll decide for ya. I've lost count of the number of times I've heard "I wish I could be more like..." or "I wish I wasn't like..."
Funnily enough wishing doesn't seem to be working out for them. Go figure.
Quote from: The Right Reverend Nigel on December 02, 2009, 06:38:11 PM
Goddamnit, you're fucking a sack of meat
Personally, I prefer to just staple two chicken breasts together.
Basically, this all seems like another instance of
"How am I not myself?"
\
(http://www.wadelhardt.homepage.t-online.de/B/s3/Law.jpg)
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on December 03, 2009, 09:02:52 AM
Quote from: Brotep on December 03, 2009, 02:50:37 AM
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on December 01, 2009, 09:28:59 PM
You're talking about "just not bothering with who I am" and making yourself happy and sad and shit. That's ass-backwards imo. Start with who you are, right down to your core beliefs, morality, emotional responses ... all the big defining stuff and wipe it the fuck out. Tear the tower down, one brick at a time, til there's nothing left that's recognisable as you and then build the whole thing back up the way you really want to be. It'll take fucking years of hard work and dedication but you'll end up what you want to be instead of a twitching bag of random instincts and drooling neurosis like 99.9% of our earths population.
But, aren't we the way we are because that is who we "really" want to be?
I'd guess most are largely a product of their environment. If you don't choose then there's someone out there who'll decide for ya. I've lost count of the number of times I've heard "I wish I could be more like..." or "I wish I wasn't like..."
Funnily enough wishing doesn't seem to be working out for them. Go figure.
Obviously this is because they aren't wishing
upon a star.We meet the environment halfway. Or two thirds of the way. Or some other fraction. We do what we can under the circumstances.
To be sure, you're not much of a musician if you just play the same thing over and over--variation, and ability to move across different riffs and styles, is important.
Quote from: Triple Zero on December 03, 2009, 10:00:20 AM
Quote from: The Right Reverend Nigel on December 02, 2009, 06:38:11 PM
Goddamnit, you're fucking a sack of meat
Personally, I prefer to just staple two chicken breasts together.
Staples chafe. That's why
I use cinch straps.
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on December 03, 2009, 09:02:52 AM
I'd guess most are largely a product of their environment. If you don't choose then there's someone out there who'll decide for ya. I've lost count of the number of times I've heard "I wish I could be more like..." or "I wish I wasn't like..."
Genes, family, school, society. Before one turns 11 and comes to a higher stage of self-conciousness and decision making, its at the mercy of the other factors.
You're absolutely right. So many factors have so much influence before you even get an opportunity to step back and see the effects that by the time you do, for most people, it's already too late. Takes time and effort to wrestle control of your avatar from the forces that formed it. So most don't. They conform to psychological cliche's, they are comparatively easy to manipulate. They eat what the system tells them to eat, they believe what the system tells them to believe. They're all the fucking same. They would bore me if it wasn't for the fact that fucking with them is so much fun.
Everything we do and say is in danger of becoming a cliche.
Step on the same spot twice, and your footprint gets deeper.
"Know Thyself" was a joke.
Also:
Quote from: Triple Zero on December 03, 2009, 10:00:20 AM
Quote from: The Right Reverend Nigel on December 02, 2009, 06:38:11 PM
Goddamnit, you're fucking a sack of meat
Personally, I prefer to just staple two chicken breasts together.
:lulz:
Almost everything the organism does is only distantly related to the intentionality of the 'mind', in my case. In a system like that, everything but deliberate agency is trivial. It does not matter how you define yourself, unless you do so in your decisions.
The walls don't come down because you say you're a battering ram at heart.
Quote from: Felix on January 03, 2010, 08:10:41 AMThe walls don't come down because you say you're a battering ram at heart.
This is true. However, while descriptions are unreliable by themselves, they are only a small part of the performance of identity.
There is more that is available to analyze.