" I need to learn more about Eastern ways. I have read some things but have not really integrated them into practice and thinking. I am intrigued."
Don came back with a stereotype pic of India. I found it too idiotic a start to take it forward. People who visit India say they are " overwhelmed !" When there's everything around you, anybody would be overcome. When you see conmen and that fakir who'd pee on piled billions without a thought... it simply becomes inexplicable... the poorest slum before the richest mansion in the world, and the integration flowing in between, before our eye, make it impossible to reduce the world, life and being to black and white images. Judgement then would only add to the chaos ! So much misery and so many smiles... it's a chaos that works all right. But if it doesn't blow up in a million mutinies, the credit must go to those cooling thoughts from millenia before that spread all over from Asia Minor, Central, East and Far East. Welcome to Eastern Thought ! On Oct 13, 6:41 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > Some Protestant religions equated material success with God's favor so > that also played a part but yes- the West loves its rags-to-riches > darlings, consider those who succeed have the right ambition and > virtues- it's rather like a sport, isn't it? I seem to be missing a > profit incentive in my genetic make-up- my parents were fiercely > materialistic but then I think they had seen the Great Depression with > their own eyes even though they were doing fine during the 30's- like > one of those peppy films. Yet ownership has risks because you are > stuck and culture-laws-wars can turn life upside down so mother saved > string and rubber bands as well as a slew of dire warnings. :-) > > I need to learn more about Eastern ways. I have read some things but > have not really integrated them into practice and thinking. I am > intrigued. > > On Oct 11, 11:32 am, Vam <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > The West admires those who push themselves to the top... that's how > > they've structured their entire reward and punishment regime, and > > their economics... marked by ownership. > > > The East has always propagated and believed in abnegating oneself, > > putting one's ego aside... marked by compassion... despite that alpha > > tendency of raising and riding on the ego that nevertheless happened > > all the time. > > > These are TOTALLY different perspective to living, and values to guide > > oneself by ! But the eastern way is possible, and perhaps the only way > > out, if only China can unlearn its western ( marxist ) ideology ! > > > On Oct 11, 5:17 pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > I am currently reading Hoffer- books left "behind" by my ex while he > > > has my copy of the libretto of "Tristan and Isolde" and Goethe's " The > > > Sorrows of Young Werther", etc. Quite amusing, at this point, as he > > > was a staunch Republican and I, an artsy type back in the 70's- > > > perhaps we were trying on each others "shoes". The Hoffer books are > > > "The True Believer", "The Passionate State of Mind" and "The Ordeal of > > > Change" and I find "Believer" right on the mark re today's various > > > protests- if one can truly call them that. > > > > By "manners", do you mean ettiquette? I think the function of both is > > > to prevent humans from ripping each other apart- literally- and > > > provide "space" to navigate society. > > > > The competition among humans is fierce and that's the myth of liberty/ > > > democracy- since groups/ideologies are safer than independence and > > > individuality. > > > > "Faith in a holy cause is to a considerable extent a substitute for > > > the lost faith in ourselves."//The less justified a man is in claiming > > > excellence for his own self, the more ready is he to claim all > > > excellence for his nation, his religion, his race or holy cause."// "A > > > man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth > > > minding."//"The burning conviction that we have a holy duty toward > > > others is often a way of attaching our drowning selves to passing > > > raft. What looks like giving a hand is often a holding on for dear > > > life. Take away our holy duties and you leave our lives puny and > > > meaningless. There is no doubt that in exchanging a self-centered for > > > a selfless life we gain enormously in self-esteem. The vanity of the > > > selfless even those who practice utmost humility, is boundless."// > > > from "The True Believer"- Eric Hoffer > > > > Beyond these early quotes, I am reminded over and over again of > > > Obama's style and appeal to the masses. Some things never change. > > > > On Oct 10, 6:24 pm, archytas <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > I'm always rather saddened when you bring up something like this rigsy > > > > - only because our UK newspapers are so unlikely too. Civilisation > > > > and Its Discontents is a key volume in my subject area, through > > > > Melanie Klein and the Tavistock School. I tend to the view of Freud > > > > in the eloquent link, though there was madness in his practice. My > > > > own stuff tends towards the way 'manners' prevent a transparency of > > > > interests (Elias, Veblen) and how much intellectual effort is wasted > > > > in this. It's pretty obvious that the material could be a very small > > > > part of human existence if we weren't in such competition in it. > > > > > On Oct 10, 7:03 pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > >http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/09/freud-as-philosopher > > > > > > A lively essay, I felt, explained some conservative views well- on > > > > > repression and self-restraint, ambivalence, emotional unawareness. > > > > > Cheer up! He feels the "good life" consists of love and work- and I > > > > > agree. > > > > > > Among works of Freud offered in one of my courses are "The Future of > > > > > an Illusion" (religion and tradition) and "Civilization and Its > > > > > Discontents" (individual vs. society). Perhaps others would like to > > > > > discuss these books- very slim books but "meaty". > > > > > > Or we could delve into some Eric Hoffer?Or get carried away with > > > > > Lenin's "State and Revolution"?- Hide quoted text - > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -
