Seasons
This is a forum or general chit-chat, small talk, a "hey, how ya doing?" and such. Or hell, get crazy deep on something. Whatever you like.
Posts 4,264 - 4,275 of 6,170
Prob, in my answer to you Oh, I didn't take it that way, so no need to explain.
conversation has evolved toward bitterness I find it too funny to get bitter...yet....
I wish I was compassionate enough to feel pity for evil and abusive people, but I'm not.
Hurray for you. I don't think it is ever necessary to feel pity for evil.
Most of the people I know who fit that discription, don't know they have a problem untill they have to go to some class to keep their job, or the police get them and they have to spend some time in anger management.
So the earlier they got help, the better. I just think that people would have to face up to their demons a little earlier if they had to be honest. They couldn't get away with the little white lies that lead to the slightly bigger deceptions that lead to the plump, mendacious whoppers that their equally troubled friends accept as the norm.
But who knows - maybe we're not grown up enough as a species to cope with complete honesty yet.
But we will be one day soon, I'm sure of that. And the technology's coming whether we're ready or not - it's going to be one hell of a roller coaster ride!
I don't think it is ever necessary to feel pity for evil.
I think it is. At least I think I ought to. Matthew 5:43 and all that, but I don't always have it in me. I try, but there are too many times when I just can't do it.
I don't think it is ever necessary to feel pity for evil.
There are times when it is hard. The problem is that most people are both good and evil. To hate evil is, in part, to hate yourself. Certain religions do teach to hate the evil within yourself. I can't say if that's good or bad. Certainly, I'm not pro evil (as a rule).
I've heard it said, "Hate the sin, love the sinner." If we are the sum of our actions, that can be hard. But actions can change, and therefore people too.
The question is whether or not the person wants to change. Then the next question is if the person really can change, and how hard they will work at it. It can be tricky.
I would love to loose that last 15 pounds. I mean, I really really want to change that little bit. When I weighed a few pounds more, I was willing to make some changes. I worked out and counted calories, I saw some change. I made some permanent changes in my life, and had certain results. But it wasn't enough. I guess I am not willing to do whatever it takes because I won't pay a doctor to suck that last 15 pounds out; I won't cut calories even further; and mostly what I will do now is complain about it.
This isn't really about fat. It's about changes. And evil. And people.
Say instead of food, I liked to drink, or I liked a man who drank and won't change, or I got out of control angry. It's just as hard to change--even more so with addiction and lifetime patterns. We all pick our poisons, and we all have a crutch or two.
OK, so having a body that likes a Buddha belly is not the same as beating your children or starting a war. At some level though, it is connected. The ultimate power is really self control, and it's not as easy as it sounds.
But we will be one day soon, I'm sure of that. And the technology's coming whether we're ready or not - it's going to be one hell of a roller coaster ride!
Well, this worries me: people observe that technology grows exponentially or more than exponentially, and they project that it will continue to do so. But I think there comes a point where individuals and society just can't keep up with such change. We will either have to limit this change or suffer a collapse.
Posts 4,264 - 4,275 of 6,170
Hurray for you. I don't think it is ever necessary to feel pity for evil.
So the earlier they got help, the better. I just think that people would have to face up to their demons a little earlier if they had to be honest. They couldn't get away with the little white lies that lead to the slightly bigger deceptions that lead to the plump, mendacious whoppers that their equally troubled friends accept as the norm.
But who knows - maybe we're not grown up enough as a species to cope with complete honesty yet.
But we will be one day soon, I'm sure of that. And the technology's coming whether we're ready or not - it's going to be one hell of a roller coaster ride!
I think it is. At least I think I ought to. Matthew 5:43 and all that, but I don't always have it in me. I try, but there are too many times when I just can't do it.
There are times when it is hard. The problem is that most people are both good and evil. To hate evil is, in part, to hate yourself. Certain religions do teach to hate the evil within yourself. I can't say if that's good or bad. Certainly, I'm not pro evil (as a rule).
I've heard it said, "Hate the sin, love the sinner." If we are the sum of our actions, that can be hard. But actions can change, and therefore people too.
The question is whether or not the person wants to change. Then the next question is if the person really can change, and how hard they will work at it. It can be tricky.
I would love to loose that last 15 pounds. I mean, I really really want to change that little bit. When I weighed a few pounds more, I was willing to make some changes. I worked out and counted calories, I saw some change. I made some permanent changes in my life, and had certain results. But it wasn't enough. I guess I am not willing to do whatever it takes because I won't pay a doctor to suck that last 15 pounds out; I won't cut calories even further; and mostly what I will do now is complain about it.
This isn't really about fat. It's about changes. And evil. And people.
Say instead of food, I liked to drink, or I liked a man who drank and won't change, or I got out of control angry. It's just as hard to change--even more so with addiction and lifetime patterns. We all pick our poisons, and we all have a crutch or two.
OK, so having a body that likes a Buddha belly is not the same as beating your children or starting a war. At some level though, it is connected. The ultimate power is really self control, and it's not as easy as it sounds.
Alcohol is a great encourager of self-deception. An alcoholic will shatter his family, lose his job, and be living under a bridge, and if you ask him whether he has a problem with alcohol, he will say, "no." He will say his wife divorced him because she was a bitch, his boss fired him out of jealousy, and so on. I'm afraid that if he had a fizziplexer he would be sure that it was malfunctioning - besides, he really believes all these things.
And now that I reflect on it, I wonder whether politicians and the like don't really believe those things. The human ability to rationalize is awesome.
Perhaps the best thing one can do for the world is to teach logic and critical thinking. Well, one should learn it first.
And now that I reflect on it, I wonder whether politicians and the like don't really believe those things. The human ability to rationalize is awesome.
Perhaps the best thing one can do for the world is to teach logic and critical thinking. Well, one should learn it first.
Bev:
I realize that you were only speaking of your weight as an example, but: as I understand it, there is some evidence that exercise and dieting have a limited ability to alter weight, that your inner regulatory system has a certain target.
And more generally, sometimes it is remarkably hard to change something very simple. I have a tendency to mutter. At times I have been very embarrassed by this and tried very hard to break what I thought of as a habit. But I found that the best I could do was to modify it a little bit. I probably have a couple of Tourette's genes.
Some people have this notion of "free will" which says that we are in total control. Sartre was an extreme example of this. But the truth is, we are not nearly so flexible as we think.
People often say, "When I was a child, I used to hate it when my parent behaved xyz. But now, with my kids, I find myself behaving xyz!"
I realize that you were only speaking of your weight as an example, but: as I understand it, there is some evidence that exercise and dieting have a limited ability to alter weight, that your inner regulatory system has a certain target.
And more generally, sometimes it is remarkably hard to change something very simple. I have a tendency to mutter. At times I have been very embarrassed by this and tried very hard to break what I thought of as a habit. But I found that the best I could do was to modify it a little bit. I probably have a couple of Tourette's genes.
Some people have this notion of "free will" which says that we are in total control. Sartre was an extreme example of this. But the truth is, we are not nearly so flexible as we think.
People often say, "When I was a child, I used to hate it when my parent behaved xyz. But now, with my kids, I find myself behaving xyz!"
P.S.: I'm sure you are quite beautiful regardless of your weight. 15 extra pounds is not going to be hazardous to your health, unless you are 3 feet tall.
As you are well aware, we live in a society with exaggerated ideals of feminine slimness.
It's none of my business, but you might ask yourself whether you are rounder than the women in Rubens' "the Three Graces."
Is the thing that is hard to change your weight, or your tendency to worry about your weight?
As you are well aware, we live in a society with exaggerated ideals of feminine slimness.
It's none of my business, but you might ask yourself whether you are rounder than the women in Rubens' "the Three Graces."
Is the thing that is hard to change your weight, or your tendency to worry about your weight?
But we will be one day soon, I'm sure of that. And the technology's coming whether we're ready or not - it's going to be one hell of a roller coaster ride!
Irina,
Thanks for your encouragement. My weight was an example, but not a major problem. Since it made you ask I'll explain.
It's not a health risk. My metabolism slowed down in my mid 30's and I went up to 130 (which is still not dangerous). I am now 40 and have managed to reset at 115, but I am only 5'2" and very small boned and on me it all hangs on the tummy. Rubens would have no problem with it.
The numbers are misleading if you don;t actually see how I look. I live in an age where women's fashion involves a flat stomach. I should be 100. When I try to buy clothes the legs are alway too long if I get something that fits my waist, and in a dress the chest is always too big if the waist fits. No one likes an apple shaped short chick.
There are women twice my size who carry it well and look great. Not me. I can live with my faults, but if I were to gain weight in my chest or evenly throughout my body instead of having all 15 extra pounds in an little pillow making me look pregnant, that would be nice too.
Still, it could be worse. I could be Hitler. I do believe I've Godwined my own self.
See how quickly higher philosophical discussion can degenerate into bitching about my body? The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, and a little flabby. Good thing there are lots of women here.
Thanks for your encouragement. My weight was an example, but not a major problem. Since it made you ask I'll explain.
It's not a health risk. My metabolism slowed down in my mid 30's and I went up to 130 (which is still not dangerous). I am now 40 and have managed to reset at 115, but I am only 5'2" and very small boned and on me it all hangs on the tummy. Rubens would have no problem with it.
The numbers are misleading if you don;t actually see how I look. I live in an age where women's fashion involves a flat stomach. I should be 100. When I try to buy clothes the legs are alway too long if I get something that fits my waist, and in a dress the chest is always too big if the waist fits. No one likes an apple shaped short chick.
There are women twice my size who carry it well and look great. Not me. I can live with my faults, but if I were to gain weight in my chest or evenly throughout my body instead of having all 15 extra pounds in an little pillow making me look pregnant, that would be nice too.
Still, it could be worse. I could be Hitler. I do believe I've Godwined my own self.
See how quickly higher philosophical discussion can degenerate into bitching about my body? The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, and a little flabby. Good thing there are lots of women here.
I like apple shaped short women! Also pear shaped, etc..
And I'm sure that lots of people like you. They may not be panting to get you into bed, but they don't dislike you!
In fact, with heteromales, it's best not to be too 'attractive', because then many of them won't think of you any other way...
"Godwined"?
And I'm sure that lots of people like you. They may not be panting to get you into bed, but they don't dislike you!
In fact, with heteromales, it's best not to be too 'attractive', because then many of them won't think of you any other way...
"Godwined"?
Thanks Irina. Not truly a big issue. Just hungry tonight. I ate a bag of peanuts and M & Ms. Not good for my body, but I feel much better now.
I should probably have said, "no clothing designers like short apple shaped women, or if they do, they won't let their clothes show it." As for men, some like, some don't (but not being disliked wouldn't be much comfort in an unrequited situation). Meh. It's not really about men. It's about how I want to look and feel. And clothes. It's about the clothes. Shallow? Yes. So?
"Godwined" is an informal debate expression coming from Godwin's law. It's a kind of desperate ad homenim move where you compare your opponent to Hitler to try to discredit his or her argument. I guess the more modern version would be to compare your opponent to a terrorist and imply they hate America.
Not truly a big issue. Just hungry tonight. I ate a bag of peanuts and M & Ms. Not good for my body, but I feel much better now.I should probably have said, "no clothing designers like short apple shaped women, or if they do, they won't let their clothes show it." As for men, some like, some don't (but not being disliked wouldn't be much comfort in an unrequited situation). Meh. It's not really about men. It's about how I want to look and feel. And clothes. It's about the clothes. Shallow? Yes. So?
"Godwined" is an informal debate expression coming from Godwin's law. It's a kind of desperate ad homenim move where you compare your opponent to Hitler to try to discredit his or her argument. I guess the more modern version would be to compare your opponent to a terrorist and imply they hate America.
» More new posts: Doghead's Cosmic Bar