Re: Do you feel this world was designed for you?

September 21, 2005

I don't either.

My world would focus more on limited area size cities with green space in between. Most people would be living in the cities where mass transit could be used and more efficient use of space and resources. Buildings would be required to have very good soundproofing and civil rules on being loud would be enforced. Rules would generally be that you had to keep quiet enough so that you don't annoy your neighbors. If you do can be fined.

The buildings would include some minor retail in the ground floor, something like a convenience store or a room with many vending machines. The machines option would probably be more used with the retail stores every other block. Such small scale retail and other businesses would be mixed in with the residential to provide a variety of close in jobs for the residents.

Each building would also have a social center located at the top of the building which would be open to the residents of the building. If someone wanted to have a party, they could reserve part or all of that area ahead of time. This would allow them to have their party in a place that would not likely disturb the others in the building.

The green areas could contain forests and farms. Small towns and such could remain, but they would be strictly limited in their size beyond which they could not expand. This would have the effect of allowing people to live in small towns if they wanted to, but it would end up costing more in terms of property values. Original residents, long-term residents and workers (store clerks, farmers, etc) would have their property values frozen in terms of taxes they would pay and such. If they sold, they could get market price.

The main thing though we be to make cities safe, clean with privacy and noiseproofing. This would make people want to move back into the citieswhere less land would be needed for residences and roads, but also would save in terms of other resources like gasoline and electricity. It would also be easier to build condominiums to withstand storm winds earthquakes than all the single buildings. It would also be easier to keep power up and restore it for such concentrations than if people were all spread out. This would partly be due to concentration but also the higher tax base.

Another thing I would have would be a kit issued by the government to each household. This kit woud include non-perishable disaster supplies like space blankets, candles, water purification gear and a survival guide for personal and family preparedness and what the plans are in case of emergencies: evacuation plans etc. Most importantly would be a solar/battery/handcrank powered radio so people could listen to the emergency channels to get information. Each dwelling would also be required to have a small pantry space for the storage of up to 2 weeks of food. People could make use of that or not, butwith training most of them should.

Crime would be controlled not by having cameras all over the place all the time, but rather by under cover officers patrolling random areas at random times. Small blimp type long-endurance drones with cameras would also be used to patrol areas from the sky. These drones would be designed to be hard to see from the ground so the bad guys would have a hard time knowing if they were around. Also, people would be encouraged to call in and report crimes as they happened, maybe even taking pictures with cellphone cameras of the offender. First offenders wouldn't get off light, but each offense after the first, prison terms would get longer regardless of severity of the crime. Consider it an "offender tax": the more you show you can't behave in society, the longer you put yourself behind bars.

Along the same lines, I would make rudeness a finable offense. Basic rudeness is one thing, but I mean idiots who talk on cellphones in movies or in the library, cutting in through doors in front of others or trying to bull your way onto an elevator while others are trying to get off. All of those things would be grounds for a fine, which would also increase based on number of offenses on record. Pretty soon people would learn to be civil.

September 21, 2005

In a message dated 9/21/2005 6:10:15 PM Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

We would communicate by telepathy and be receptive to sounds and movies composed in each other's minds.Tom

That could be disturbing. Imagine the dreams coming from a Hilter, Jeffery Dahmer, Manson and the like.

September 21, 2005

Actually Heinlein had something to say about telepathy and all that kind of thing. He said that technology made such things unnecessary. It is easier to make a telephone, radio or TV than it would be to learn telepathy. It would also be more reliable, less intrusive and you could record the transmissions.

I agree with this. Telepathy would be like having the TV, phone and radio in your head. Can you imagine commercials and telemarketers calling directly into your brain at all hours? Consider also stray thoughts? Suppose you were "thinking" to someone and those extraneous thoughts began to intrude. I don't imagine they would like you thinking about other things than the conversation. For that matter, wandering concentration might also affect the "signal" causing it to wander or be lost.

Heinlein said, and I agree, what humans should put their energy into developing is the ability to think. Let the machines handle things like communication and let the mind's resources be spent on thinking. By thinking he meant the ability to create and also to absord and synthesize data. He also meant the ability to think beyond one stage of cause an effect or effect and cause. For example: stage one thinking is "I like the beach so I am going to build my house right up on the water" so they do it. Stage 2 thinking would be including thinking about Hurricanes and flooding and balancing those costs against the benefit of living there. Stage 3 would be about future responsibilities of building a house in a danger zone where someone else in the future will live when the builder sells the house, thus putting them in harm's way.

Today's culture focusses only on stage 1: if it feels good do it. Not one bit spared for thinking of possible bad outcomes, which is why when something bad happens, even though it should have been plainly obvious, people act surprised. Schools aren't any help either since all they do is teach kids to feel good about themselves instead of teaching them to think.

If more people were taught to think and be at least somewhat rational or common sensical, the world would be a much better place.

September 21, 2005

> I don't.

No world in the realm of physical matter was designed for me. I'd

rather have a world consisting entirely of ghosts. Less work and no

violence.

September 21, 2005

And who is going to 'grow' the computers, cars, DVDs and all the other stuff

one may need in this agrarian paradise? :-)

Inger

Do you feel this world was designed for you?

I don't.

If I had it my way it would be much different. It would be primarily

rural and agrarian without commercialism.

It would also be quiet and peaceful.

In fact, there would be laws in effect ordering that all people remain

as quiet as possible when speaking in public.

I could think of loads of things I could ad here, but I'm wondering if

anyone else has anything to contribute.

Tom

FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship, support and

acceptance. Everyone is valued.

Don't forget, there are links to other FAM sites on the Links page in the

folder marked " Other FAM Sites. "

September 22, 2005

We would communicate by telepathy and be receptive to sounds and

movies composed in each other's minds.

Tom

> And who is going to 'grow' the computers, cars, DVDs and all the

other stuff

> one may need in this agrarian paradise? :-)

>

> Inger

September 22, 2005

>Kitty: "In fact, I think I'm the opposite of the qualities that most people value, at least in America. I'm very quiet. I'm not materialistic. I'm not aggressive. I'm not ambitious."I second the sentiment! and add that I am very self-centered. Rainbow

September 22, 2005

>Inger: "And who is going to 'grow' the computers, cars, DVDs and all the other stuff one may need in this agrarian paradise? :-)"We will develop our Extrasensory Perception! Rainbow

September 22, 2005

In a message dated 9/21/2005 11:23:20 PM Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

I agree with the general sentiment. As much as many people lead happy, healthy, productive lives, they seem to be brain-dead and intellectual zombies for all that.Tom

Most of them just seem to muddle through. Banks and such depend of people not thinking past phase one though. If people thought ahead, they would realize that that second mortgage they just took out to fix up their home or take a trip or whatever, is going to cost them a hell of a lot of money in interest.

I'm not actually going to run the numbers because I don't remember the formula. Let's say someone gets a 20-year mortgage at 5% interest, the amount of the mortgage being $200,000. Most people think that 5% interest means $10,000 added to the cost. This isn't even close. The 5% interest is figured on the remaining balance monthly, or however often the is listed on the mortgage. It is more likely that if the full 20 year term is run, that the person will end up spending close to $400,000 altogether. The same principle applies to smaller amounts to as well as credit cards.

Prudent people would take that mortgage and then live under a strict budget for about 3 to 5 years and pay off that mortgage fast. Sure it will be a little rough, but they will be saving many years of interest payments by doing this and their home will truly be their much sooner. Not only that, but by paying off the mortgage quickly, if they did sell their house, then all the money would be theirs since they wouldn't have to use some to pay off the bank.

Most people only see the commercials on TV about getting a boat or big screen tv and all that. They don't realize that they would be much better off saving a little bit for a few months and then going out and buying whatever it is. This would take a little planning, but in the long run it would be the much better choice than using a credit card or a mortgage.

September 22, 2005

Yes, but imagine the dreams coming in from supermodel

Valasquez, Hurley, and Crawford.

Tom

In a message dated 9/21/2005 6:10:15 PM Eastern Standard Time,

no_reply writes:

We would communicate by telepathy and be receptive to sounds and

movies composed in each other's minds.

Tom

That could be disturbing. Imagine the dreams coming from a Hilter,

Jeffery Dahmer, Manson and the like.

September 22, 2005

,

I agree with the general sentiment. As much as many people lead

happy, healthy, productive lives, they seem to be brain-dead and

intellectual zombies for all that.

Tom

Today's culture focusses only on stage 1: if it feels good do it. Not

one bit spared for thinking of possible bad outcomes, which is why

when something bad happens, even though it should have been plainly

obvious, people act surprised. Schools aren't any help either since

all they do is teach kids to feel good about themselves instead of

teaching them to think.

If more people were taught to think and be at least somewhat rational

or common sensical, the world would be a much better place.

September 22, 2005

:

> Actually Heinlein had something to say about telepathy and all that kind of thing. He said that technology made such things unnecessary. It is easier to make a telephone, radio or TV than it would be to learn telepathy. It would also be more reliable, less intrusive and you could record the transmissions.

Right. Though I've sometimes wondered if our reliance on technology is also hindering us from re-developing our higher faculties of perception? The next story in that same book of his (Assignment in Eternity) was about finding these latent abilities and learning how to use them.

> I agree with this. Telepathy would be like having the TV, phone and radio in your head. Can you imagine commercials and telemarketers calling directly into your brain at all hours?

Um, what's the difference from now? If you don't stay at home, turn off the TV and radio, and peel off the labels from every item you buy (as I do), they are still getting directly into your brain at all hours.

Anyway, those who claim to be contactees or have memories of life on other planets all say that in the rest of the Universe, telepathy is the preferred mode of communication. There are strict laws/code of ethics as to how it is used, and one is taught how to shut shield one's own thoughts from unwanted prying or intrusion.

Those who have concsious control over their thought transmissions and receptions may actually be a lot less invaded by other people's thoughs than we are on this planet. The only difference between conscious telepathy and our current unconscious type, is that we are as of yet unaware that most of our thoughts come from without. We automatically assume that anything in our head is our own, but we are constantly giving off & receiving telepatic signals on an unconscious level and affecting both those we come in contact with as well as the general 'ether' with our thoughts. But we are more prone to picking up those frequencies that we each operate on ourselves. That is why we often don't recognise some thoughts as coming from without (including from 'above' and 'below', depending on disposition).

> Consider also stray thoughts? Suppose you were "thinking" to someone and those extraneous thoughts began to intrude. I don't imagine they would like you thinking about other things than the conversation. For that matter, wandering concentration might also affect the "signal" causing it to wander or be lost.

It is no different from conversation. Sometimes we lose our thread because our mind wandered. This is simply human and naturally one would undertand this. The only difference is that we would be pretty much open books and would have a harder time hiding secret agendas from other people. It would be a more honest world.

> Heinlein said, and I agree, what humans should put their energy into developing is the ability to think. Let the machines handle things like communication and let the mind's resources be spent on thinking. By thinking he meant the ability to create and also to absord and synthesize data. He also meant the ability to think beyond one stage of cause an effect or effect and cause. For example: stage one thinking is "I like the beach so I am going to build my house right up on the water" so they do it. Stage 2 thinking would be including thinking about Hurricanes and flooding and balancing those costs against the benefit of living there. Stage 3 would be about future responsibilities of building a house in a danger zone where someone else in the future will live when the builder sells the house, thus putting them in harm's way.

Stage 4 would be developing higher faculties like reliable precognition so one would know in advance where to build. ;-)

And I've been thinking some more about Heinlein & thinking. I have noticed that my perception of the world is flawed, not because I don't think or analyze the data well enough, but because I do not have enough reliable data to make accurate conclusions from. For me to really know anything about other people, I need to not only have met them but also to know them rather well. Just looking in big sweeps at whole groups (of people, animals etc) can not yield reliable information about the individuals in that group. The more individualised and complex the species, the harder to extrapolate info about some individuals to the whole group.

> Today's culture focusses only on stage 1: if it feels good do it. Not one bit spared for thinking of possible bad outcomes, which is why when something bad happens, even though it should have been plainly obvious, people act surprised. Schools aren't any help either since all they do is teach kids to feel good about themselves instead of teaching them to think.

One can also be TOO focued on security. Having a world view based on reincarnationand karma makes one less afraid of dying, and more prone to trust that one's intuition will lead one to the place where one will best learn the lessons one needs learning in this particular life.

I thus don't necessarily see everything bad as "bad" even though it can be a real inconvenience and pain in the butt. This is a more trusting way of living that does not poison one's existence with excessive fear of what could go wrong. Though of course, some really stupid and unecessary mistakes can still be avoided by just a little planning ahead. I think there should be a balance.

> If more people were taught to think and be at least somewhat rational or common sensical, the world would be a much better place.

There will be, once enough of us reproduce. ;-)

Inger

September 22, 2005

Aw, but banks have to make a living too, . ;-)

If everyone thought like you, they'd soon be bankrupt, lol!

But I know what you mean. I get equally annoyed when people think that 'energy savers' actually save energy, just because someone said so. Or that milk is good for your bones.

Inger

Re: Re: Do you feel this world was designed for you?

Most of them just seem to muddle through. Banks and such depend of people not thinking past phase one though. If people thought ahead, they would realize that that second mortgage they just took out to fix up their home or take a trip or whatever, is going to cost them a hell of a lot of money in interest.

I'm not actually going to run the numbers because I don't remember the formula. Let's say someone gets a 20-year mortgage at 5% interest, the amount of the mortgage being $200,000. Most people think that 5% interest means $10,000 added to the cost. This isn't even close. The 5% interest is figured on the remaining balance monthly, or however often the is listed on the mortgage. It is more likely that if the full 20 year term is run, that the person will end up spending close to $400,000 altogether. The same principle applies to smaller amounts to as well as credit cards.

Prudent people would take that mortgage and then live under a strict budget for about 3 to 5 years and pay off that mortgage fast. Sure it will be a little rough, but they will be saving many years of interest payments by doing this and their home will truly be their much sooner. Not only that, but by paying off the mortgage quickly, if they did sell their house, then all the money would be theirs since they wouldn't have to use some to pay off the bank.

Most people only see the commercials on TV about getting a boat or big screen tv and all that. They don't realize that they would be much better off saving a little bit for a few months and then going out and buying whatever it is. This would take a little planning, but in the long run it would be the much better choice than using a credit card or a mortgage.

September 22, 2005

In a message dated 9/22/2005 12:32:32 PM Eastern Standard Time, catgrrl522@... writes:

That would be cool, if our minds could have an 'off' switch. :)Kitty

Kitty,

I would agree. There are times when I would just love to put the mind in park for a while and relax. Relaxing the body is fairly easy, but getting the mind to slow down is not.

September 22, 2005

That would be cool, if our minds could have an 'off' switch.

Kitty

> > And who is going to 'grow' the computers, cars, DVDs and all the

> other stuff

> > one may need in this agrarian paradise? :-)

> >

> > Inger

September 22, 2005

Really what I would like is a unification of consciousness.

Immediately after 911, I think many American's felt a little of

that, as though somehow the nation got a lot smaller. it's very

difficult to explain.

Naturally, with the passage of time, society reverted to how it was

before the event.

Tom

And who is going to 'grow' the computers, cars, DVDs and all the

other stuff one may need in this agrarian paradise? :-)

Inger

September 22, 2005

,

I used to think about mirrors in a different way. Instead of going through to a backwards world, I would think how cool it would be if you could link one mirror with another rather like a wormhole (not the term I used back then) and be able to move between them. You could think of it like the way in Harry Potter they used fireplaces to travel.

I always thought that with mirrors all over the place how convenient it would be to be able to step through one at your house and emerge somewhere else. Of course, thinking about this is probably why I didn't like having mirrors in my room when I was a kid. I still don't really like them to tell the truth.

September 23, 2005

I'm still looking for that elusive 'off' swithch :-)

Even my dream life is active - and I sometimes tend to act my dreams

out - like sitting up in bed shouting etc.

I have been told melatonin(sp?) helps for people on the spectrum and

regulates sleep - I have been told it is used for jet lag - I still

need to do some research, but does anyone have any experience of

melatonin - or know anyone who has taken it - and with what affects?

> > > And who is going to 'grow' the computers, cars, DVDs and all

the

> > other stuff

> > > one may need in this agrarian paradise? :-)

> > >

> > > Inger

September 23, 2005

Mmmmmmmmm flying dreams - I have had many of them in past and when I

was younger I couldn't quite figure out why I couldn't fly in waking

life when it was so easy in my dreams.

As for mirrors - I had a fascination with mirrors as a child

(actually any reflective surface) and I used to think that there was

perhaps another world in there, if only I could find the way in - of

course this world was similar to ours, but reversed - as in the

mirror - so I used to speculate how this reversal of things would

affect this other world.

I used to love placing mirrors to see endless reflections too - like

infinity stretching far away into the distance - Ahhhhhhhhhh fond

memories - Mmmm where did I leave those mirrors? :-)

> ,

>

> I have tried melatonin but I can't say for sure that it had much

affect on

> me. I was taking it to help me get to sleep. Maybe it worked, maybe

it didn't,

> can't really say.

>

> My dreams are very real too. Much of the time it is hard to realize

that I

> am actually asleep and dreaming. Very rarely do I do anything that

couldn't be

> done in real life in my dreams. The oddest thing to happen is that

usually

> the surroundings will changewhen I am not looking directly at

them. So I could

> be looking down a wide street, look through a shop window and then

the street

> has become a narrow indoor corridor with lots of doors, things

like that.

>

> However, these changes seem so natural that they aren't really a

giveaway.

> Hard to explain but that's the way it is. Also odd is that very

often in my

> dreams I am travelling from place to place. Even though the

geographt can change

> so much, I still know where I am going and how to get there. Other

times I

> am just going without any destination in mind.

>

> Only rarely do I fly or anything like that. Even then it seems a

perfectly

> natural thing to do. I'll tell you, there are times in the real

world that I

> would like to be able to do that little stutter step and take off

over the

> crowds. It would also be kinda of fun to step through a mirror like

a door and

> travel that way. That would really freak people out.

>

September 23, 2005

Mmmmmmmmm flying dreams - I have had many of them in past and when I

was younger I couldn't quite figure out why I couldn't fly in waking

life when it was so easy in my dreams.

As for mirrors - I had a fascination with mirrors as a child

(actually any reflective surface) and I used to think that there was

perhaps another world in there, if only I could find the way in - of

course this world was similar to ours, but reversed - as in the

mirror - so I used to speculate how this reversal of things would

affect this other world.

I used to love placing mirrors to see endless reflections too - like

infinity stretching far away into the distance - Ahhhhhhhhhh fond

memories - Mmmm where did I leave those mirrors? :-)

> ,

>

> I have tried melatonin but I can't say for sure that it had much

affect on

> me. I was taking it to help me get to sleep. Maybe it worked, maybe

it didn't,

> can't really say.

>

> My dreams are very real too. Much of the time it is hard to realize

that I

> am actually asleep and dreaming. Very rarely do I do anything that

couldn't be

> done in real life in my dreams. The oddest thing to happen is that

usually

> the surroundings will changewhen I am not looking directly at

them. So I could

> be looking down a wide street, look through a shop window and then

the street

> has become a narrow indoor corridor with lots of doors, things

like that.

>

> However, these changes seem so natural that they aren't really a

giveaway.

> Hard to explain but that's the way it is. Also odd is that very

often in my

> dreams I am travelling from place to place. Even though the

geographt can change

> so much, I still know where I am going and how to get there. Other

times I

> am just going without any destination in mind.

>

> Only rarely do I fly or anything like that. Even then it seems a

perfectly

> natural thing to do. I'll tell you, there are times in the real

world that I

> would like to be able to do that little stutter step and take off

over the

> crowds. It would also be kinda of fun to step through a mirror like

a door and

> travel that way. That would really freak people out.

>

September 23, 2005

My flying dreams always consisted of myself walking along and an aircraft military or civilian would crash and I would be walking through the wreckage surrounded by charred corpses and smoking wreckage. Evangreebohere <julie.stevenson16@...> wrote:

Mmmmmmmmm flying dreams - I have had many of them in past and when I was younger I couldn't quite figure out why I couldn't fly in waking life when it was so easy in my dreams.As for mirrors - I had a fascination with mirrors as a child (actually any reflective surface) and I used to think that there was perhaps another world in there, if only I could find the way in - of course this world was similar to ours, but reversed - as in the mirror - so I used to speculate how this reversal of things would affect this other world.I used to love placing mirrors to see endless reflections too - like infinity stretching far away into the distance - Ahhhhhhhhhh fond memories - Mmmm where did I leave those mirrors? :-)> ,> >

I have tried melatonin but I can't say for sure that it had much affect on > me. I was taking it to help me get to sleep. Maybe it worked, maybe it didn't, > can't really say. > > My dreams are very real too. Much of the time it is hard to realize that I > am actually asleep and dreaming. Very rarely do I do anything that couldn't be > done in real life in my dreams. The oddest thing to happen is that usually > the surroundings will changewhen I am not looking directly at them. So I could > be looking down a wide street, look through a shop window and then the street > has become a narrow indoor corridor with lots of doors, things like that. > > However, these changes seem so natural that they aren't really a giveaway. > Hard to explain but that's the way it is. Also odd is that very often in my

> dreams I am travelling from place to place. Even though the geographt can change > so much, I still know where I am going and how to get there. Other times I > am just going without any destination in mind. > > Only rarely do I fly or anything like that. Even then it seems a perfectly > natural thing to do. I'll tell you, there are times in the real world that I > would like to be able to do that little stutter step and take off over the > crowds. It would also be kinda of fun to step through a mirror like a door and > travel that way. That would really freak people out. > > __________________________________________________

September 23, 2005

A bottle of Rum makes am marvellous 'off' switch :-)

Evan

P.S. I think NT's dont understand the concept of being able to switch off because their minds naturally are enabled that way, ie they dont have to absorb things that conflict with their worldly order.

catgrrl522 <catgrrl522@...> wrote:

That would be cool, if our minds could have an 'off' switch. :)Kitty> > And who is going to 'grow' the computers, cars, DVDs and all the > other stuff > > one may need in this agrarian paradise? :-)> > > > Inger__________________________________________________

September 23, 2005

my personal reply to this is YES, this world can be hard at times,

but it certainly also knows beauty and I feel in a way this world

also welcomes me by having created me and given me a chance to

exist... BUT: people made/make a mess out of this world! And this

society they've made is definitely NOT made for me and I haven't

found a society yet (maybe India?) where I'd feel more comfortable,

accepted, respected, welcome, home, and not treated like totally

inferior and essentially unnecessary and unwanted.... but as I said,

I think nature is less cruel to me than homo sapiens (as in it is

possible to create a society which is both kind to its members as it

is in balance with nature as well, but this current society is

neither a home to me, nor does it treat nature well). That's my

current view on things.

I have to go now, almost finished with work... )) but I'll read

more when home. Very good question!! Food for thought

bye bye

maYa

> I don't.

>

> If I had it my way it would be much different. It would be

primarily

> rural and agrarian without commercialism.

>

> It would also be quiet and peaceful.

>

> In fact, there would be laws in effect ordering that all people

remain

> as quiet as possible when speaking in public.

>

> I could think of loads of things I could ad here, but I'm wondering

if

> anyone else has anything to contribute.

>

> Tom

September 23, 2005

> In contrast, I find most people brash, desensitized, over-stressed

from

> working too much so they can buy bigger and better things, and

> judgmental (sometimes to the point of cruelty) towards people who

are

> not like them. I have taken so much crap for my lack of " ambition, "

but

> people don't realize that this world is too overwhelming and

> frightening for me to even be able to think that way. I dislike

being

> labelled as " disabled " for being this way. Why can't I just be

> different without there being something " wrong " with me?

I just wanted to say, you really got the point with the 'judgmental'.

It's one of my major problems with society: it evaluates. It's like

we're cows on a market being labelled " good for slaughter " , " good for

milk " , " good for getting more cows " , " not good at all " ....

As for " ambition " . I was attacked very much on that point when I was

depressed and uttered some words of low selfesteem. I was actually

told (partially behind my back, I heard from the person it was told

to) that " I could draw, at least that's something " - as if, I need to

be good at something to be worth anything. not just that, the person

suggested I'd use that to sortof proove myself worthy of life by

becoming succesful in it... (after I was actually told by the same

person what a complete misfit I am!!!) well, you can guess, if I do

that, focus on one trait, my entire selfesteem would be based on that

specific trait, so if I see anyone is better at drawing (and a looooot

of individuals are better at drawing imo) than I'd feel bad (cause I'd

not be 'indispensable' but essentially 'not good enough') so

this 'advice' didn't really help and I'm pretty much stuck with an

inferiority-complex actually and didn't find a cure yet!! so if

anyone has a better idea than the above (n.arcissistic i.ntervention

t.echnique), please mention!

Also good reasons for me not to do it: drawing for me is also fun, a

method of self-expression, selfhelp-therapy and a way of communicating

my experiences, feelings and ideas to others. I want it to stay that

way. How can I enjoy and how can I be honest in expression and

communication if I feel it's constantly being esthetically evaluated,

instead of being UNDERSTOOD?!? I don't mind making 'pretty things',

but I also want these things to be seen in the value they have for me,

their emotional value to me. And this is something I don't feel is

understood at all in society. That what I make is symbolic,

communication, it has meaning. It's self-expression. It's real value

to me lies in being understood, or maybe in giving joy or relief to

another, but not in being evaluated on 'appearance'. I want to know:

do you understand? Do you agree on this topic? Do you feel the same?

Do we share something? Could we be friends? Could we make something

together? Not: 'is this pretty enough according to you?'

my biggest problem with society/humanity - it evaluates, but it

doesn't know how to feel true compassion. It bases its entire moral

and self/other-evaluative system on old habits, written doctrine,

unnaturally invented 'templates' of what 'ought to be best' and

economic pressure from rich ppl who want to be richer - which it then

forces UPON its members (and INTO its members by brainwashing),

without experiencing internal ethical evolution or heartfelt

compassion, understanding or care for others (or oneself).

*am I frustrated or what?* ::]

September 26, 2005

I feel the same way.

But I don't think things are better in India. That is probably an old

Flower-Power illusion created by the likes of Maharishi to make money out of

gullible Westerners. According to a member who was born in India, there is

hardly a society on the planet more obsessed with social status and

unaccepting of neuro-difference. :-(

Though there is the odd sanctuary here and there, of course. Like Auroville:

http://www.auroville.org/