On 12/27/2013 9:34 PM, steve.sun...@yahoo.com wrote:
But, yea, I think it is a good thing.
Years ago, back in 1996, when the internet was relativly new, I got a
modem with a dial-up connection (1400 bps) and went to Compuserve to
look around. A few week later I discovered Usenet and Deja News stated
by a few pals in Austin, Texas. Deja was a pretty neat news reader back
then. I started reading posts by Barry, Judy, Lawson and Lon P. Stacks
and a few others. It was interesting, but when I browsed to the site in
message view, most of the posts had titles that were pretty inane,
almost dumb. And, the forum was almost overrun with the anti-TMers and
Maharishi-bashers.
I was trying to write a book about spiritual paths around that time,
from my handwritten notes I had been saving since 1968. When I got my
first computer (a DOS IBM PC) I started to digitize some notes and some
poetry I had written. After reading the alt.meditation.transcendental
site for awhile I decided to try and contact some old friends that might
be subscribers to the list, and I posted a few messages to the group. I
was met with mostly derision and hostility by the antis and not much
support except from BillyG, another early adopter of TM, that had been
around in the old SRM days and early SIMS days at 1015 Gayley.
I started posting a few more notes with catchy subject lines like "TM:
It's Not Waht Yo Think". My idea was not so much to display my
knowledge, but to just to provide some counter-balance to the almost
rabid messages of the antis. I wanted to at least to have the site look
interesting for any TMers that might stumble on the group. I had been
reading some ISKCON news groups around that time and was impressed by
the almost scholarly discussions about the Hare Krishna Movement. In
comparison, the alt.m.t. group looked like a laughing stock, except for
Judy, Barry, and Lawson and sometimes Delia and BillyG.
Then, I started adding some comments and continued with posting my notes
and reviews of some of the books I had read and a few personal
experiences I had with teachers. It got to be a challenge and a hobby,
and I was getting my notes in order for my book. In the face of a of of
negativity, I just continued along trying to ignore the neganauts as
best I could. What I wanted was some feedback so I could re-write my
notes for more accuracy and nuance. Most of my stuff sucked, but it was
fun to post after work and on weekends and I learned a whole lot about
posting, writing, debating, and the mechanics of consciousness too.
So, it's been about fourteen years now - I don't post much to alt.m.t.
anymore, although it's an open forum with no moderators. But, that site
has been mostly taken over by spammers and there's no one left to talk
to - Lon P. Stacks is dead (RIP) and most of the interesting informants
came over here to FFL anyway. I've got at least fifteen more years to
post (knock on wood) and my book is looking better every year. Maybe I
can get it into shape by the time I'm dead! You can read some of my
stuff on my website: Reflections on the Transcendent (it needs some
updating but I'm really busy these days):
http://www.rwilliams.us/quest/
