Basher Posted May 11, 2012 Dear All, as a very recent "Poster" on this Forum, I'm delighted to read a great deal of the Posts... as they are usually educational, interesting, thought provocking and / or entertaining. But I've already read a lot of Negative comments about various people / subjects. You know the kind of thing... "I've been practising "XYZ" for 10 years and if you've been doing "ZYX" then you're just a fool wasting your time " If you treat everybody else with Contempt, purely because they disagree with you & your views. then I'd suggest that you're actually not practising the Taoism you preach (if you know what I mean). Basher 8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moonbar Posted May 11, 2012 I think a lot of the contempt you see is a result of frustration. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thunder_Gooch Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) I met a person here, who desperately tried to turn me on to his teacher. He stands around a glowing crystal and channels the spirit of some ancient being and does all kinds of new age crystal chakra balancing. There are a million other men and women just like him, all peddling the same malarkey. These teachers are just idiots, and offer no one anything of substance. Sometimes there is no easy or politically correct way of saying, your teacher is F***ING stupid. You see the spiritual market is such that most of it is just BullS*** Seriously most of it is just mindless drivel, written by frauds, and idiots. They sit at home in their parents basement and write books and pose as experts about a fictional system which gets no results. There is vastly more disinformation on the spiritual marketplace than there is information. Some teachers and systems get results, and others well... not so much. I mean people are free to do as they please, if dressing up in body paint and chanting around a crystal to summon the spirit of some alien being who will help them catch a comet home to beta4-hydrolax which was the original planet all human minds came from, brings them happiness I guess that's their prerogative. It's just a shame though, that anyone looking for any real meat cannot do so, it's like trying to find needles in an infinite hay stack of BS. “It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out.” ― Carl Sagan Some systems and teachings get real results, that can be scientifically validated. If a system cannot produce results, then it is a philosophy, not that there is anything inherently wrong with philosophy. Dear All, as a very recent "Poster" on this Forum, I'm delighted to read a great deal of the Posts... as they are usually educational, interesting, thought provocking and / or entertaining. But I've already read a lot of Negative comments about various people / subjects. You know the kind of thing... "I've been practising "XYZ" for 10 years and if you've been doing "ZYX" then you're just a fool wasting your time " If you treat everybody else with Contempt, purely because they disagree with you & your views. then I'd suggest that you're actually not practising the Taoism you preach (if you know what I mean). Basher Edited May 11, 2012 by More_Pie_Guy 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
三江源 Posted May 11, 2012 Some people do like the sound of their own voices and think they are on a mission to educate and inform, and expose terrible awfulnesses in other peoples, when actually it seems to others that they are just on a mission to post a lot on the interwebs. However. Energy practices have all kinds of funny affects on a persons temperament as the system undergoes alchemy.. excess fire and false yang exhibit themselves on the forum a fair amount.. and it isnt to be underestimated that there are energy exchanges happening via the forum.. people's energy can interlock and swirl around and people respond not quite aware of what is going on or why they are being so activated. It's a process to attend to, be aware of. Perfection, whatever that might be, is not expected... good faith and attitude are aimed for. "Basher" seems to me a peculiar name for someone advocating non - bashing.. and beginning their posting career with criticism... do you have an agenda? 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jetsun Posted May 11, 2012 The curious thing is that many of our own agendas are hidden from ourselves yet clearly obvious to many of the people we interact with, so even if people here do have a hidden agenda they are probably not aware of it themselves even if it is plainly obvious to others. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vmarco Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) Edited May 11, 2012 by Vmarco 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted May 11, 2012 Dear All, as a very recent "Poster" on this Forum, I'm delighted to read a great deal of the Posts... as they are usually educational, interesting, thought provocking and / or entertaining. But I've already read a lot of Negative comments about various people / subjects. You know the kind of thing... "I've been practising "XYZ" for 10 years and if you've been doing "ZYX" then you're just a fool wasting your time " If you treat everybody else with Contempt, purely because they disagree with you & your views. then I'd suggest that you're actually not practising the Taoism you preach (if you know what I mean). Basher If I have a hidden agenda, I'm not telling you. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RiverSnake Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) Generally speaking, people whom put down others practices are "keyboard jockeys" whom lack substance, experience and enjoy acting out of ego. There will Always be these kind of people around...especially on the internet. My secret weapon which i found awhile back is the "ignore post function" available to all users. Friendships in real life are best when synergistic and not parasitic. If i feel that a person through there words or typing is sucking my energy without giving an adequate positive return then i have no time for them and simply ignore. -My 2 cents, Peace Edited May 11, 2012 by OldGreen 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted May 11, 2012 My intent here is to convert everyone to be a Philosophical Taoist. I have been here, Oh!, so long and I have yet to see any progress. Oh well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vmarco Posted May 11, 2012 My intent here is to convert everyone to be a Philosophical Taoist. I have been here, Oh!, so long and I have yet to see any progress. Oh well. Thanks for that admission. I have no agenda to convert anyone,...I am soley here to improve my writing art. V 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Basher Posted May 11, 2012 Ok then.... Moonbar, I quite agree. IMO it's a lot easier for somebody to understand what you mean when you're talking face to face. Your tone, inflection, body language, expression, etc all add to the message you're trying to convey. So it's undoubtedly frustrating if somebody misunderstands, or just won't listen to you. More Pie Guy, once again agree wholeheartedly. It is difficult sorting the "Wheat from the Chaff", the jems of real insight from the made up BS. Cat, thank you for your post. The nickname was bestowed upon me many years ago at work, after I accidentally smashed into a petite secretary who was half my size, during a "friendly" after hours Softball Match. As I looked a bit thuggish, I kinda enjoyed the name at the time. But these days it just reminds me of how far I still need to travel, to get away from my alter-Ego. It's also useful on-line, as several TCC (on-line only) friends know me by that name alone. Jetson: Interesting Point. Vmarco: I'll come back to you if I may. Stosh: Old Green: Quite. Marblehead: try offering some cheap plastic Lao Tzu figurine, with every "conversion". :D Basher (PEACE to all, have a great weekend folks, I'm outta here) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vmarco Posted May 11, 2012 Yeah, I noticed that you don't really cultivate conversations. No,...what you've noticed is something very different,...but won't or can't admit it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chang Posted May 11, 2012 The curious thing is that many of our own agendas are hidden from ourselves yet clearly obvious to many of the people we interact with, so even if people here do have a hidden agenda they are probably not aware of it themselves even if it is plainly obvious to others. The nail has been hit on the head! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Informer Posted May 11, 2012 The agenda is clear to me. Nothing hidden. The site's scheme is marketing, yet in the greater good, truth is shared for free. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apech Posted May 11, 2012 Thanks for that admission. I have no agenda to convert anyone,...I am soley here to improve my writing art. V That is either very funny or you need to learn to spell 'solely'. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) The curious thing is that many of our own agendas are hidden from ourselves yet clearly obvious to many of the people we interact with, so even if people here do have a hidden agenda they are probably not aware of it themselves even if it is plainly obvious to others. I agree, and would add that it seems part of our challenge is to discover for ourselves what our own hidden agendas are. Telling someone what his/her hidden agendas are rarely works, in my personal experience, because I reject their existence until I stumble across them on my own. I liken it to the old process improvement metaphor of lowering the water level to expose the rocks... Edited May 11, 2012 by A Seeker 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taomeow Posted May 11, 2012 That is either very funny or you need to learn to spell 'solely'. Excellent kungfu! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Informer Posted May 11, 2012 Thanks for that admission. I have no agenda to convert anyone,...I am soley here to improve my writing art. V If you want more of a philosophical challenge you should try at the shroomery in the philosophy section: http://www.shroomery.org/forums/postlist.php/Board/11 Or in the spirituality section: http://www.shroomery.org/forums/postlist.php/Board/82 It's a cool site, they let you upload pictures to share. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted May 11, 2012 "Do you have a hidden agenda?" Yes, a few of them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thelerner Posted May 11, 2012 I WISH Agendas were more hidden. Instead they tend to be out in the open and very repetitive. Half the annoying stuff is less agenda driven then the usual clash of ego's, exclaiming my way is best and Look at Me. Traps that are easy to fall into. The line between educating and pontificating is thin. There's enough to insight and good conversation here to make it worthwhile. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve Posted May 11, 2012 Dear All, as a very recent "Poster" on this Forum, I'm delighted to read a great deal of the Posts... as they are usually educational, interesting, thought provocking and / or entertaining. But I've already read a lot of Negative comments about various people / subjects. You know the kind of thing... "I've been practising "XYZ" for 10 years and if you've been doing "ZYX" then you're just a fool wasting your time " If you treat everybody else with Contempt, purely because they disagree with you & your views. then I'd suggest that you're actually not practising the Taoism you preach (if you know what I mean). Basher Great question - I think it is very instructive to look carefully at why we participate, why we post what we do, why we react in certain ways based on others' responses to our contributions. Nothing more instructive than looking at all of that with brutal honesty. Rather than point out other folks' failings and foolishness, why not become an expert on one's own? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vmarco Posted May 11, 2012 If you want more of a philosophical challenge you should try at the shroomery in the philosophy section: No,...I have no desire for philosophy,...the love of wisdom,...that is, wisdom as in an accumulation of knowledge. I walked away from philosophy in the mid-80's, following a private dinner with the Dept Heads of two US University's. After dinner we were to play a few rounds of pinochle,...they spend nearly two hours philosophizing on the rules,...not unlike the useless circular arguments of several here on TTB. Of course we are media-ted to put philosophers on pedestals,...but can anyone name a single philosopher who "awakened" or understood the Tao? Philosophy, by the very definition of the word, has no interest in reality,...only wisdom. Wisdom literary means: knowledge accumulated through philosophic, (and since Descartes) scientific learning. No one desireous to understand truth could possibly maintain an interest in philosophy. V 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vmarco Posted May 11, 2012 That is either very funny or you need to learn to spell 'solely'. Yes, of course. I should be a slower, more meticulous typer,...as many here may not understand the meant content through such an error. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Posted May 11, 2012 soley solely or even soully (?) Or maybe Gordon Solie? (Dating myself, I fear...) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
