Mister Mister

Yes I think it's #2995 with Hank Pelisser. So many shows on IQ lately it's hard to keep them straight. The argument if I remember, was more to do with that Jews were not allowed to own land, and so they invested in hard assets, precious metals and jewelry, as well as human capital. The most intelligent members of the society tended to go into clergy in those days. Jewish Rabbis were encouraged to marry several women and have many children, while Christian Priests took a vow of chastity. I think this is what he meant by "castrated". I found this fascinating, because it was my first introduction to the idea of culture and genetics - that different cultures select for different genetic traits over time, and produce different kinds of populations. One of the most appalling things about the modern welfare State, is the extent to which it discourages breeding for more intelligent and successful people, and encourages it for the less-so, effectively decreasing the IQ of the total population through the generations.

Yes Mike is touching on what I was going to say about this. Asperger's, or high-functioning autism, tends to be associated with high intelligence, along with kind of social awkwardness, difficulty or inability to process social cues, particularly non-verbal communication. Many of these kinds of people, like the independent journalist Charles C Johnson, have gotten in trouble for saying "hate-facts" in the public sphere, and they seem genuinely surprised and confused at the backlash and slander they get in response. This same social backlash is what prevents many naturally skeptical people from criticizing religion, so it makes perfect sense to me that this correlation would exist. In fact, Sam Harris comes to mind.

I actually found your post very touching and heartfelt, and I'm kind of startled at the insensitivity in a lot of the responses. I see this post as a cry for help. If you were really committed to living in the matrix, you wouldn't have written a two page post on this forum of all places. Has that thought occurred to you?

I think I understand. By a "Gnostic", you are referring to direct mystical experience, spiritual enlightenment, etc. There's no question to me that this is a real phenomena, which I myself have briefly experienced, and I don't know how well it is understood. But to me the problem lies in what conclusions you draw from this kind of experience. For example, Plato believed that the privileged few who experienced this mystical illumination, could not communicate it to the masses, and therefore had to rule as Philosopher Kings. This kind of authoritarianism is very dangerous, and is the basis of most religions, from the Gurus of the Hindus, to Zoroaster or Christ or Buddha or Mohammed, they all believe that "their guy" had the divine revelation that we should all follow. But the problem is that they didn't all say exactly the same thing? So how do we deal with differences of opinion between mystics? Without reason and evidence, how do you settle these disagreements? If on the other hand, you believe you gained insights from your inner experiences, that you can then demonstrate to others, great! The history of science is full of weird stories of random inspirations and epiphanies, that people later tested, and turned into real world results. Similarly, many artists have turned these experiences into products that they believe can inspire others. Here, the test is the market, how well people respond to it. But that's the difference, they tested it. If it can't be tested, it has no validity or usefulness in the real world.

I also wonder how much of it is related to the unnecessary trauma of giving birth in a hospital, and the extent to which children are often separated from their parents during this process.

your friend doesn't think that men are important or valuable for children???

Can you elaborate? I don't entirely understand this sentence. Of course this is something I've always heard, that fat women (more like plump, nothing like the level of obesity you see now) used to be thought of as attractive, because it was a sign of wealth and status; but it could very well be untrue, like many other bits of conventional wisdom. If this is false can you point me to where I can learn more?

Yes well the answer is, I don't think it's necessarily one or the other. In it's megalomaniacal crusade to micro-manage the affairs of the whole world, the US Empire has picked a fight with people who love war as you said, don't fear death, and can't be intimidated or broken. I always have to point out to conservatives also, that American foreign policy, in my opinion, is mostly driven by maintaining the petro-dollar. So long as countries trade for oil in Federal Reserve Notes, the dollar has apparent value, which the government can use to its various ends. But if oil-rich countries start to turn away from this practice, the dollar and by proxy, the mega-state we have, is doomed. That's why Saddam Hussein and Muammar Qaddafi and Bashar al Assad are these HORRIBLE people, but the Saudi Royal Family are great and get to walk through the White House gardens holding hands with the President.

hi Tux. Apart from appealing, do you also find libertarianism, right, valid, just, useful and practical? Welcome to the boards. Tell us about living in Sweden please. Also what are your thoughts on the refugee situation in Europe.

Also I would recommend "The Body Keeps the Score", and "Taming your Inner Critic", both by pioneering IFS therapists, for an introduction to the ideas.

-They have evolved sufficiently to recognize the principle of non-interventionism, especially with primitive violent cultures.

I would say that, within a person, there are multiple desires, which can sometimes be in conflict, in the same way that there are conflicts of interest between people in a society.. And learning to reasonably negotiate the conflicting desires within yourself, is similar to learning to negotiate conflicts of interest in society. But none of this requires a State or authoritarian ruler. Once we have rational and consistent methodology for validating truth, exposing falsehood, and resolving conflicts, you don't need the false authority of gods and States. The only authority is reason and evidence, to which we subject ourselves willingly for integrity and happiness.

Why don't you quit beating around the bush and tell us what it is you would force ME to do that I don't want to do, for the sake of greater consideration.

I'm not sure that the excerpt really argues the point in question. I'm no expert on the subject but I have some thoughts. I have heard, that the US was popular in the Mid East in WWII, whAlereas England and France were not. Obviously that has changed. Most Muslims in the world are in Malaysia and Indonesia. But that's not where radical Muslim terrorists are coming from. Also they are not attacking Switzerland or Belgium or New Zealand as far as I know.

I meant to quote you, not upvote you. You make it sound as if he would only target their parents. If this is the case, do you also support drone-bombing all parents of murderers regardless of religion or nationality? I mean, if there is an argument there, which I admit is interesting, why not just try them as accomplices, like a civilized society? But if I understand, I think it was implied that wives, siblings, children, etc. would also be targeted, so...that's completely evil

nope. you control your whole body with a thought. a government can only control a whole population with force and fraud. you don't have to threaten your pinky toe to get it to move, it just moves. so....nope

To be fair, people also vote for "defensive" reasons, and to protect themselves from imaginary or highly exaggerated external threats. Political parties are good at terrorizing people with threats of global jihad, global warming, and so on, and many people are convinced that if the "other guy" gets in it will be catastrophe.

To be clear, voting is not the initiation of force. It is an attempt to influence others who initiate force. If everyone stopped voting this year, do you think the State would cease to exist, would cease to initiate force against people?

As an inhabitant of Israel I have to ask, do you think if the U.S. and U.K. rescinded aid from Israel tomorrow, would anything change for Israel.

Wow that's amazing. Can you tell us more? You are a man who wanted to change to a woman? When did you first get this desire? What do you mean when you say "I got my answer"? How did you find FDR? Can you briefly comment also what you think of the trans phenomena in general. There are some who are saying that all or many of "gender dysphoria" is actually a mental disorder, and that sex change is just feeding their delusion and not helping. Is that wnat you now believe? Thanks for your courage and honesty. What a fascinating story.

Like what? Try to explain it to me like I'm five years old.

wait,so ancaps have no principles? and this one man is the only person who can provide the right ones? I don't even know what you are saying

I agree Anuojat, and it's important to stress philosophical consistency at times, but I think having some perspective also is important. Yes we have problems in the West, but still we have more freedom than most people in the world for most of history. I think Stef is pushing back against the race-baiting narrative, that considers any skepticism of government run multiculturalism to be racist. If things continue as they are, I see a race war coming to the US, and possibly Europe as well, so I understand Stef and Trump and others talking about this issue.

great, thanks Mike

Thanks Darius, I'm really enjoying and learning from these posts of yours, and your website in general.