I'm here for that too. But that's exactly what you didn't do in this case. You ignored what Tao was telling you in this conversation and reached back into previous conversation in—what I perceived—an attempt to play "Gotcha!"
Apparently, I simply did not communicate very well. I had no intention of "gotcha"-ness- just confused as to where Tao was at on the spectrum of positivism to subjectivism. I actually thought the OP was asking a question, not making a statement... as in, Tao was asking opinions about the quotes and science, not making a clear statement of his own opinion at the moment. It's entirely plausible that I mistook his OP, though. I thought Tao and I were doing pretty well with working through the issue though.
Pulling out the tape recorder before giving the person a chance to speak for his/herself is the unseemly aspect which I will endeavor not to repeat.
I think that's odd. It's not exactly a tape recorder, is it? To say- hey, I thought you believed/proposed XYZ a while back... how does that jive with this over here? Tape recorder is something I (quite frankly) don't have time or patience for-- it would be to actually find his old quotes. So now you know my weakness- I might assert you said X or Y, but I'd have to be really bored to actually back it up with direct quotes from the past. It's a rare day when I don't have a life outside of the internet.
And yet you and he still differ in agreeing with what has been said and meant in all these past and present conversations. It sounds to me as if the wheel is still being made for the very first time.
My own perspective of Tao and I's ongoing conversations is that we experience many of the same things, interpret them pretty differently, and like to bounce ideas off each other, often calling each other on our respective baseline worldviews. He with his leaning toward positivism and I with my leaning toward mysticism. So, I dunno. I pretty much talk with him just like I would a friend that I have coffee with regularly. I figure if he gets sick of it and dislikes it, he'll let me know. He isn't normally very reserved with his criticism. LOL
You weren't being rude... just misleading and maybe not even intentionally (believe me, I know intentional rudeness, and I am trying to minimize it). But you do seem to have something of a pollyanna self-image, incapable of seeing when you're being manipulative. You might ask your husband about this, but he'd likely be hesitant to tell you the truth. (Oh! There's that rudeness again!)
Thanks for the long-distance psychoanalysis of my relationship and my self-image. Now if you could just divine my future and perhaps prescribe a course of herbs and crystals to balance my chakras, I'd have something to work with. LOL
To be honest, I'm very, very hard on myself. I can be misleading, and yes- it is nearly always unintentional because I want to be understood. As for manipulation, to be honest, I am entirely unsure of what I would be trying to manipulate people into in a conversation like this, but I'm sure with your long-distance skills at psychological assessment, you could inform me.
As for my husband, he's very similar to me in personality and we are more the type to have passionate arguments and then fall passionately in love, over and over, than the type to manipulate each other. We're both kind of moody, artsy, and fiery that way. Not necessarily a good thing, but hey, it's the personality I got.
I believe you're somewhere in your early 30's and I must say a fine example of a young adult: very capable, polite, intelligent and reasonable. But self-awareness and improvement is a never ending pursuit and I'd suggest you look a little more deeply into some of your motivations.
Thank you, O Wise One.
Nah, seriously, CZZ, thanks for the compliments, but I realize that this stuff is a journey. I think I've been pretty clear about that in my posts and my assessment is I am far from the other shore, but I do try and I have some idea of where I am rowing toward. As for motivations, I don't know what you're referring to- my motivations for being here, for my career, for my spiritual practices??? It's all too broad. In general, my motivations in life are: to love and be loved, to have fun, and to pursue stuff that makes me curious. That's about all. Oh, except for my plan for taking over the world...
You are now more than welcome to tell me what a [DELETED] I am and how I should keep my nose out of your business.
So far as I can tell, you're a relatively nice guy with a sarcastic streak whose sound-bites make me amused. But, yeah, you really should keep your nose out of people's business (especially those you don't really know except for on the internet).
The inability to measure something beyond it's capability is not a flaw. A sonar is not flawed because it can't pick up TV signals. All we pointed out was the fact that the device's inability to detect brain activity does not prove that no brain activity existed.
I guess it's a matter of semantics to me. I wasn't saying that the instrument is flawed, but rather that the methodology of measurement is flawed if it is not adequately measuring something that is actually there. We need the new and improved brain wave reader if there are brain waves we can't read. But it's really quibbling over inconsequential details, don't you think?
I'm not trying to turn this into a personal attack. But this is after all a forum on faith and spiritual practice. And Buddhism (my faith) in particular is about closely examining our thoughts, emotions, perceptions and motivations in order to see what is wholesome and needs to be nurtured and what is unwholesome and needs to be throw out.
Well, it is rather an odd spot in the forum for you to talk about these subjects, and it is being done in a rather personal manner, don't you think? But in terms of the principles, I agree- it's rather common sense to me. Now,
how to do this is another question, and far more interesting... I've found Buddhism pretty helpful as well in that regard.
In Buddhism there is no savior, nobody responsible for our progress, nobody who will grant us enlightenment other than our own self. The investigation into my mind and motivations has long been and rewarding endeavor and I urge you to continue the pursuit in your life. I know you will.
Peace.
I agree- at the bare minimum, investigating one's mind and motivations is a way to fill time in an entertaining manner. No matter where one is at- on the freeway, in line at a store, in the hell we call the DMV- even if devoid of a magazine or pen and pad on which to doodle, one always has one's own mind. That, and society at large. Two great gifts to stave off boredom.
