When you see a person expressing a view repugnant to you, potentially with an air of confidence, maybe even arrogance and pride, maybe even gloating, you should only understand a number of things: IDEAS MATTER AS IDEAS, i.e. even WITHOUT contact with the world — they matter for you for their own sake, and …
Tag: Reality
how to GET WHAT YOU WANT (2026 version)
You getting what you want is NOT completely mysterious, but it is confusing First It has to be POSSIBLE, and preferably plausible There are CRAZY goals that are likely impossible -having everything, sacrificing nothing -being remembered, immortal physically or historically -having THAT PARTICULAR thing, that particular way -etc Then there are AMBITIOUS …
I Can Condemn You and Still Love You
It’s not just that we can be DIFFERENT — and I shall still love you I could still love you — even if I condemn most things about you For instance I obviously condemn MOST things about CATS: -I hate killing mice and eating (or not eating) them -I hate licking my anus -SLACKING …
Fake Acceptance; The Problem vs. The Attitude
There’s something in you, around you, near you, about you, that’s LESS than desirable Maybe that undesirability is clear — maybe less clear Maybe it’s justified, maybe it’s a fair trade-off — maybe not But your attitude to that thing is what really matters There are many attitudes to take The …
Private Worth vs Seriousness
Seriousness should be earned, respect should be earned Your viewpoint is worthwhile merely because it is yours, when it is honest. I agree But that doesn’t mean it earned the attention of others (NOR does it mean that those viewpoints that have the attention of others — were earned) A viewpoint can be …
If You Got Lucky — You’re Left With a Tall Order or Stagnation
Let’s say you got LUCKY, what now? -you think you deserve it, naturally -you think you’ve earned it -you think more great things will keep happening to you, your growth will continue at this dazzling pace Ironically it sometimes works this way, At least you’re not lacking confidence And you can use the accumulated …
No One Is Exempt From Madness Unless Reality Brutally Humbles Them
NO ONE, ABSOLUTELY NO ONE, IS EXEMPT from becoming UTTERLY UTTERLY DERANGED — when REALITY ceases to INVALIDATE THEIR DELUSIONS no one, It doesn’t have to have ANYTHING to do with INTELLIGENCE or INSIGHT or EGO, If REALITY around you is WARPED ENOUGH — you’re actually RATIONAL to BELIEVE what you see TIME AND …
The Bastard Child of the Serious and the Common
I like the marriage of the serious, the formal, the academic, the rigorous, the theoretical with the casual, the informal, the vernacular, the everyday, the practical I also despise it Because this is yet another way in which we mislead others and ourselves Not everything can be formulated rigorously And then even if …
You’re Confused About Public Sentiment and Power
Public sentiment is just people = number of individuals = individual magnitude doesn’t so much matter = so basic statistics will do, e.g. asking the same question and seeing the answers Likewise for contexts like democracy, where each vote is equal = then you can extrapolate what the state is like politically (albeit politicians …
Think Big and Give Up are Not in Contradiction
Similar idea is explored here: The World as Paradise and Great Disappointment consider this a more practical extension going after what you want striving trying things exploring evolving are obviously good What does good even mean here? Selfishly, solipsistically, they make you happy They make you thrive, before you die We don’t have …