RichardY

@barn They reject Absolutes and Freewill: See if they reject absolutes they also reject, the self as an absolute. As you said (40 chess move manipulation) they pick and choose when freewill suits them, not for the 100% responsibility in practice. You have it or you don't pick one.(Only a Sith deals in Absolutes) They censor knowledge of the Darkside: I guess it depend on what people mean by the Darkside and Lightside. If Lightside = Good, and Darkside = Bad. Then why not go maximum "Lightside."? They murder Sith, because they are Sith: See Darkside is evil to the JEDI, so to not hunt them to extinction would be a dis-service to life and the Galaxy. They grant political favours for donations to their temples. They back sides to keep the republic together, while receiving donations, from senate members. I mean where are they getting all of their fancy equipment from? Massive temples, Light Sabres, and Spaceships. Then you have that planet Aldeeran (full of former rich political leeches) that funds terrorism through the "rebellion" and lined their own pockets in the Republic.

The JEDI (The Sith are the opposite) The Jedi are "selfless." i.e the whole self ownership thing isn't going to apply. They use Child Soldiers which they indoctrinate. They censor knowledge of the Darkside. They murder Sith, because they are Sith. They grant political favours for donations to their temples. They reject Absolutes and Freewill. Support other groups to do the fighting for them. Virtue signal while doing next to nothing. Harry Potter It matters how the story is told. (Aristotle and the concept of Catharsis) See what if Dumbledore was a child molester in conspiracy with the other teachers, that would mean Harry Potter was siding in effect with the bad guys. but was trying to feel good about doing so, a kind of Stockholm Syndrome.

@barn Brown (I .) - If I am correctly projecting into the future(humorously a smidgen), your long post is due to be completed in the next 'eon' +/- an eternity & a blink. Do you think we could shave off just a little bit? May I ask that we do that? - Test of Willpower? Yeah I did think about replying/updating sooner. I guess if you already know what your ethos is, opportunity costs are apparent. "Is there something else you'd rather be doing then marching up and down the square??? My mind is a bit tied up thinking about a trip I have planned to Switzerland and Germany on the 13th I agree that willpower requires "integration at heart"(Or Ethos), as opposed to exercising the "Forbidden Donut"/Marshmellow test. I can see the rationale for the later, build the neocortex as if it is some kind of muscle, wire in more fibres, get really good at resisting that Donut. I guess that would make the people with the most willpower anorexics. Ruby (II.) - Would you say it could work to place new, relatively lower priority ideas/concepts on a parking orbit (we agree to come back to it later) and pursue the main path with 'less stuff in our backpacks'? May I ask that we do that or something that nets a near identical outcome? It's 'cos I know myself enough to not give into 'fragmentation' and at the same time I also wish to retain my intellectual integrity towards you, aiming for (rather) quality responses/additions. And I know I won't be able to do 'dat' if I am to partake in the current trend. Sorry. I think there are situations when fragmentation can be useful. There is something called "Professional Blindness"(saw it on a documentary once, talking about sports) where consciousness is temporarily suspended (usually in conditions of "stress" or traffic collisions for instance) leading to various performance gains. True Multi-tasking. Yeah you have only one voice, one train of consciousness, but multiple limbs. I think hiving off topics into different threads; such as Courage, An Ethos, etc may be a better way, can focus on key components one at a time. But yes I know the feeling of having too much stuff in a backpack or usually in "my mind" will sometimes/often have 20 Tabs + open on chrome. Sand (III .) - Quotation are fine I suppose, though they come with the potential of 'interpretation cost' and the obvious nature of them being 'reduced to the core' which is also fine, I guess. What I'm saying is that I don't necessarily experience (see, no judgement on you, it's my perception) YOU IN YOUR POSTS as much as I would desire to. I am perfectly fine with people using their own words more often, trusting that their partner(s) will seek common understanding, signaling if feeling left behind. (ultimately that's my main GIST for 'ya kind Sir!) Not much of a me really, fairly base. I like considering some of the psychological implications in philosophy. I think it would be better if people posted passages from various books they have read so I can gauge the quality, albeit from my opinion. Needful things: Yeah I have seen the Rick and Morty(Back to the Future Connection?) episode on Youtube, tendency to be interested in the absurd sometimes. The movie was better though, haven't seen it in over a decade, instead of cursing items "the devil" "gets" people to kill each other. So A and B don't get on, so he get C to play a "trick on A or B", so A thinks its B. I don't think it technically violates UPB, though I will read it again, always thought the bit where it mentioned pushing someone into a canyon because they asked, pretty odd. Though in "the movies"(yeah its a movie, but still psychological warfare on the unconscious, if you believe in such a thing, Kant's goodwill.)"The Jackal" (quick stand over by the car before you passout) and "Bane" use similar tactics. Wabalabadubdub Hey! rub-a-dub, ho! rub-a-dub, three maids in a tub, And who do you think were there? The butcher, the baker, the candlestick-maker, And all of them gone to the fair. Low Conscientiousness.

Other coins: Why wouldn't Amazon, Microsoft or some other bluechip company launch their own coin? Would have the credibility of a large business behind it. People feeling screwed by not buying bitcoin, trade in for other alternatives with the name behind it. Transacting in Bitcoin: So is Bitcoin pretty much untraceable? couldn't the CIA or other shady organisations monitor activity and shut it down, not bitcoin specifically but vendors accepting it in payment? What if the Mafia(Government wants a cut?) Are the Baby Boomers likely to adopt the currency? Outside of Ancaps and chinese blackmarkters/Ancaps, who else? What about the tactile nature of paying cash in hand as a way to keep track of things? What about in a disaster scenario when you need show willingness to provide value now through a tangible currency. Bubble (Psychological) or Pure logic(?)? Bitcoin to represent the totality of economic productivity? 1 Bitcoin = $15,000. Could buy a fiat for that, apparently they rust a lot though, or use to. Fiat in operation; is bitcoin the equivalent of a Platonic ideal all form but no substance? Any expert that knows about the topic: Books or Youtube videos etc Bitcoin = Freedom. What if Bitcoin is seen as the panacea to freedom? Are Islamists likely to adopt it, or would they prefer Gold or Silver by instruction from the Quran? How can NAP, beat Aggression? Money or Currency? What if their is a potential to have two financial systems? Money for Conservatives(Answers), Currency for Entrepreneurs(Ideals). "You know what it takes to trade Bitcoin?" ABC

Canada has enough natural resources to support a way bigger population (36 million and counting) than it has currently. Yeah the temperature falls to -50c in extreme cases, yet they can grow grapes in British Columbia. A lot of people that homesteaded the western provinces are descendents of Ukrainians that were persecuted in the USSR. I know when I was backpacking in Canada at the time of the "M.P expenses scandal" in the UK, that the corruption in the Canadian senate was way worse than the UK. The wages in Canada are better than Europe for the most part, but property prices are insane and regulations are probably as bad or worse than in Europe. I heard that a lot of the cost in BC to do with housing is getting hooked up to the utility companies which have a monopoly. I think one of the longest traffic jams I've ever seen is coming out of Vancouver on the way to kelowna. Also I thought it was funny how expensive cheese is in Canada, kind of random but they had adverts in the cinema as well saying to support Canadian dairy. Many smaller communities got messed up from logging quotas, and Alberta got screwed recently by the "environmentalists". The East Provinces I don't know much about only that they screwed up their fishing industry. The centre provinces I think only have like 100,000 people on the books, I've heard that Europeans sometimes go "missing" in the middle provinces probably a high demand for labour, but then there is also the mosquitoes to eat you alive. Could go live in a Hudderite or Mennonite community "Be living in an Amish Paradise".

"Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries." So basically appetite and courage(for ones kin) are what?, analog in nature? What faculty does rationality provide other than the ability to judge?, create some new soviet man?

When serfdom was ended in Scotland after the Battle of Culloden with Scottish aristocrats being executed and death warrants being issued, including on Bonnie Prince Charlie. The nullification of feudal contract led to the "Highland Clearances". I remember from listening to "Will to Power" on Youtube, regarding the whole reluctance of people in general to take on the responsibility of law enforcement and to instead divide it up or outsource it to some other authority. "Better the Devil you know, than the Devil you don't". Stefan is also wrong about the tallest people being the Danish. The tallest people are in fact the Dutch, specifically people from the Rhineland region. Just think of how tall the Amish are or if you play video games "Forlorn Hope Landschneckt" (Massive guys wielding two-hander swords, spearhead troops), had a great grandfather, whose mother was from the Rhineland region in Germany, massive people. Although considering Stefan seems to be the only guy (which I still can't quite comprehend) covering in detail current events and bringing to light the injustices in society in a straight talking non-conspiratorial fact based format, perhaps a lot of non-public virtuous people out there, kind of a lack of public ones. Any effective anti-hero's out there? People who aren't fundamentally interested in virtue, more with saving their own skins and wider society by proxy?

Ecclesiastes 10:19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things. I remember asking a similar question once to my father about a £10 note for my Birthday when I was 11. The answer was something like. Father: "Well if you don't want it, I'll have it." Me: "No, just wondering what £10 is actually worth." Father: "Well I don't know, maybe some economist could tell you". Contrasted to Bitcoin or fiat Currency, I believe the purpose is not to provide answers and is more speculative in nature. Piano Teacher: If I pretended I could teach you a Beethoven's fifth, by Tuesday week I'd be telling a lie and I can't afford to do that. Not for financial reasons Mr. stickler but because of self-respect and that my boy is more valuable to me than 50 guineas a half-hour. I feel you should go now we got nothing more to discuss. Mr Stickler: First class, never has anyone spoken like that to me for years, I like your style, I like the cut of your jib, integrity that's a valuable thing and I'm willing to pay for it. I'll Pay you 100 Guineas per half hour! Piano Teacher: That's more like it boyo! Now you'll find a black notes play, a bit louder than the white ones.

Hudson: "Maybe we got 'em demoralized" - Aliens

@barn NOTE: Highly fragmented, will edit and add to, posting as unsure of autosave and to maintain focus. Usually get a shotgun blast of an answer, that then fragments as I further get caught up in thought and distraction. (25/11/2017). 1st Edit (7/12/2017) 1) Will to Power(metaphysics, A then B, "B=B") 2) Update "Courage" section. 3) Type Fluidity/Freewill 4) Ghouls and Vampires 5) Psalm and "Needful Thing". Psychological Identity & Ethos: Perhaps, I do not know. Though is the "I" defined as is, or is the "I" relative to the other? Perhaps the answer is that it can be either and that there are advantages and disadvantages to the consequential personality emergence. Though presumably if psychologically one believes they are adopting or reinforcing an Ethos to a higher authority, Freewill, God, Civic Nationalism,The Father, The Quantum God, The Area 51 God(Atheism), Determinism, Well being, Demolition Man, Enlightenment etc Willpower(unity) or Will to Power(fragmentary): To impose upon becoming(teleological) the character of being(Ontological)--that is the supreme will to power. Nietzsche. “It has gradually become clear to me what every great philosophy up till now has consisted of – namely, the confession of its originator, and a species of involuntary and unconscious autobiography; and moreover that the moral (or immoral) purpose in every philosophy has constituted the true vital germ out of which the entire plant has always grown.” Nietzsche Deontological (Duty/Moralists) ISTJ, ESTJ, ISFJ, ESFJ, Teleological/Ontological (Will to Power): INTP Teleological (Becoming) ENTJ, INTJ, Ontological (Being) ENTP, ISTP, , ESTP, ISTP, INFJ, INFP, ENFP, ENFJ. ESFP. (1)Vanity & (2)Community Courage: Looking at the concept of truth I have noticed perhaps archetypal "Significance" relating to the number 3. "We Three Kings of Orient are"(or Magi) Baring gifts; Gold: Simpliticity, Sovereign(also a gold coin). Frankincense: Kindness, Noble(Frank). Myrrh: Humility. "Lion, Scarecrow & Tin Man" Lion: "No Nerve", therefore kindness, Tin Man: "No Heart", therefore simplicity. Scarecrow: "No Brain", therefore humility. Holy Trinity(Father, Son, Ghost) Wednesday (Woden all Father). Mecredi in French (Occult figure Hermes "Thrice Great" Apparently....) Daoist Three Treasures: Simplicity; "With which it is possible to be generous." Kindness; "With which it is possible to be courageous." Humility: "That one can lead." Verse 67 Tao Te Ching "Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe" In what way could fragility be applicable? Trials of Hercules: As you can see I'm also working through conceptual thought myself. "Fixed Variables", so perhaps the leopard does not change it's spots? (Interestingly from the bible). Jeremiah 12:23 23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. 24 Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness. 25 This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the Lord; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood. 26 Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear. Keeping reality in one piece: Yeah my mind does go around in circles regarding "Freewill", must keep reality in one piece. If freewill is actual then reality can be other than it is, hence fragmenting. But is freewill actual? Or do people just rationalise after already making a decision unconsciously. If actual then who arbitrates? Vampires. Perhaps have something to do with conscientiousness, there's a low conscientious aspect in that, they have no reflection tend to blend into the background, bloodlust, association with the darkside, not virtuous though sometimes, perhaps "necessary evil". Revere God. They become stronger when they are able repress their hunger, become weak when they indulge or succumb. If someone can't repress their hunger when converted, tend to become a ghoul. Indefinitely alive. Why live? To die would be easy, to live is hard. Maybe the better question would be how to live. looking for the "he who has a why can be bare any how". (ORIGINAL QUOTE "Twilight of the Idols" ->) - "If we have our own why in life, we shall get along with almost any how. Man does not strive for pleasure; only the Englishman does." Willpower Short vs Long Term: So how do you distinguish between Long and Short term Willpower? @barn Psalm 23 A reference to @Mishi2 saying that willpower "requires a want" when in fact that may not be necessary. There are after all plenty of "Needful Things" that people may want, but not exactly helping in the willpower department. @barn reading your following post in the thread about Ethos; identity, ideals, courage and conviction. Is interesting. Perhaps can get a thread going on Ethos specifically, kind of the foundation.

Like the Movie "American Psycho"? covers all of the above. “There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman, some kind of abstraction," "But there is no real me: only an entity, something illusory. And though I can hide my cold gaze, and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe you can even sense our lifestyles are probably comparable...I simply am not there."

@GatoVillano Like these guys?

Alternatives? To FDR, anyone?........ Quite a few independent video producers on Youtube, "NOW, a warning?!" ..... on "The crisis in Europe" and "soon" to be Canada and the USA. Often conspicuous I find is often the lack of information on things or where you don't hear much about the present state of a country S.Africa and Venezuela as examples. Sometimes can read interesting information on "Far Right" political websites (red pill moment, immigration is wonderful, uhhhhh, why is virtually everyone saying it, got to be at least one person who is different), but pretty sure most of them are bought off or infiltrated as "Enemies of the State". Syrian Missile Strike."If it was Hillary in power are you telling me you wouldn't be holding her to the same standard, and don't give me any of that 4-D Chess Crap." Stefan, then talking about Trump making a "mistake" with the Syria strike though he could "understand from a realpolitk point of view" and how Merkel and co were praising him. Stefan playing ping pong in contempt at the Syrian Strike, when the press secretary Sean Spicer made a Holocaust gaffe. Personally I couldn't see why a follow up invasion would go through, given what happened with Libya. Lot of "I"m off the Trump Train." though with people staking their reputation on Trump, easy to see why there was the "tension". The Wall. Something along the lines of, just get the military to do it and cut out the bureaucracy. and if the "Left wins". "Do you know what they do to soft, bald, overweight Republicans in prison Ernest?" Like some kind of soap opera.

Reminds me of the Ghost in the Machine speech from the movie "I, Robot". "triunal brain" (reptilian, mammalian, and neo-cortex) - The r/K thing is something I have been thinking about with regards to this very matter. Right wing Conservatives less evolved, (but more selectively evolved) bigger neo-cortex. Liberals more evolved, (earlier births therefore more generations, but less selectively evolved), more reptilian or rat like etc, but with superior instincts in general. Kind of like the book The Time Machine or the movie Idiocracy also featuring a "Time Machine". Many thoughts on the subject, early where I am, tend to get caught up in thoughts, having less impulse control, evidently does have many advantages in modern society. Modular Brain - Would be interesting to learn a bit about how the modules interact. I remember from watching a J Peterson lecture, that the reason the eye doesn't have all colour sensitive light cells, including packing them into peripheral vision, is that there physically would not be enough space to "wire" all the cells into the visual cortex. What instead happens is the eye rapidly scans from a relatively small point and constructs an image, economising on space. Also something that if you cut out a Cat's neocortex(?) it retains 99% of it behaviours."You did it. You cut up his brain, you bloody baboon!" - Planet of the Apes

@barnWouldn't quite be an action movie though. Be kind of bizarre to have a buddy blown to pieces or be subjected to abuse and not think anything of it, at least for first time exposure, could make a joke about it in a sick way, if you're British I guess. Though could have kind of a rabbit mentality, kill one and the others get back to eating grass as if no care in the world. "Well, no shit. What have we got here, a fucking comedian? Private Joker, I admire your honesty. Hell, I like you. You can come over to my house and fuck my sister. [he socks Joker in the gut] You little scumbag! I got your name! I got your ass! You will not laugh! You will not cry! You will learn by the numbers! I will teach you! Now get up! Get on your feet! You had best unfuck yourself, or I will unscrew your head and shit down your neck!" - Full Metal Jacket Besides near the beginning of the movie the police officer didn't want him walking through "his town", maybe Rambo could have accepted some money or cheap cigarettes to go the other way, rather than feign compliance/etiquette, but he still had dignity, if not pride. "They drew first blood, not me." - Rambo

Rambo: NOTHING IS OVER! NOTHING! You just don't turn it off! It wasn't my war! You asked me I didn't ask you, and I did what I had to do to win, but somebody wouldn't let us win! Then I come back to the world, and I see all those maggots at the airport, protestin' me and spittin', callin' me baby killer and all kinds of vile crap! Who are they to protest me?! Huh?! Who are they?! Unless they been me and been there and know what the hell they yellin' about!

Earth and Water.

Good question perhaps the guy thought he was being virtuous or maintaining integrity in someway instead. If he is not wise then why should anyone listen, but then if you are wise, why keep on talking for the sake of it. Makes me think of the term "Wise Guys" from mafia movies. If you have all the truth, then why would you speak in the first place? I think talk might be a better logical translation, not really decided. I mean you'd be a bit of a jerk if you didn't warn of landmines, I guess or occasionally tell people to "mind the gap" or something. Tao Te Ching Verse 56 The wise does not speak. He who speaks is not wise. Keep silent and close one’s mouth. Keep guard on one’s sensory organs. Round off one’s edges. Untie the entangled. Harmonize with the glory. (Perhaps do not go against the grain Mix with the lowliness. This is called the Mystic Unity. Because the wise is unified with all and has no distinction, Thus, one cannot get close to him, Nor can one keep far away from him, One cannot benefit him, Nor can one harm him, One cannot honor him, Nor can one disgrace him. Therefore, he is honored by the whole world

@barn Had a few ideas I thought relevant to Willpower, kind of a big subject to tackle imho. "Hack at it" like sugar cane and "distil" it down. Make some spirits or something eventually. ----------- Willpower requires....an Ethos (in the affirmative) ,which must be embodied(i.e not just some words or conceptual ideas. For example, holy sacrament or "service guarantees citizenship") because the complexity of being is far greater than for any one person to comprehend. In order to possess willpower it's greatly beneficial... 1) to not be vain. 2) live in a community that shares an Ethos. ----------- Courage requires kindness. ------------ Trials of Heracles. The imposition of the masculine upon the feminin. Trial 5)Washing out the stables, a situation where "willpower alone in insufficient". Willpower part of the trials, not the task in itself. ------------------ Tangible vs Abstract. The MBTI (INTP personally, but also was close at one point to ISTP) is abstract, I tend to think of it as semaphores or valves in a way 1)Thinking & Feeling 2)Intuition & Sensing. But I guess with "The Big Five" can look at particular instances and consider ways of dealing with effects or not. Try to "optimise", as if designing an RPG (Roleplaying Game Character). Whether this could be considered as a manifestation of freewill or the evolution towards greater consciousness. Another thing is that "The Big Five" also split into subtypes, so Conscientiousness is: Orderliness and Industriousness. Maybe you have some ideas on how to influence the personality traits? Big Five Agreeableness - High Agreeableness; perhaps correlated with high ext feeling. I've gotten "very low agreeableness" on a couple of Big Five Tests. I wonder if it is possible to destroy Agreeableness all together as a concept. Neuroticism - High Neuroticism; correlated with Int Sensing and Int thinking. Low Neuroticism = Sloth, High = Rabbit. To lower neuroticism apparently raising conscientiousness makes a difference, smoking a joint perhaps or perhaps meditation. Conscientiousness - High Conscientiousness; with Int Intuition(orderliness), High Int Sensing(orderliness), High Ext Thinking(Industriousness). I'd imagine that Conscientiousness is the most limitless of the Big Five. Perhaps a "stable" society will tend to raise industriousness, where as a "disorderly" society "order", which may occur gradually or through mass slaughter. Openness - High openness; High Ext Intuition, High Int Thinking, High Ext Sensing. Which makes me think that increasing neuroticism will also tend to increase openness on an intellectual level. Where as those with high preferences for material resources or novel items (High Ext sensing) will tend to be leftists and open border advocates. Extraversion - High Extroversion; Ext Sensing, Ext Intuition, Ext Thinking. -------------------- Why covet willpower? multiplier factor? -------------------- Psalm 23 23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. --------------

Maybe it would help to have some baseline personality types to look at. In terms of having the most willpower those most conscious of their thinking and passions with an internalised ethos (ENTJ's) could perhaps be said to have the most will power imho, although personalities do change and someone could go to an ESTJ with slightly less willpower. Those heavy in introverted sensing imho will tend to be the conservatives and social conservatives and more akin to stubbornness, making environmental changes more significant, than any ethical or abstract argument. Thinking (Most Masculine): Te (conscious, Masc), Ti (unconscious, Fem) Intuition (Masculine): Ni(Formulaic, Masc), Ne(Pattern Matching, Fem) Sensing (Feminin): Se(New Material, Masc), Si(Old Material, Fem) Feeling (Most Feminin): Fi(Intrinsic Motivation, Masc), Fe (Extrinsic Motivation, Fem) ENTJ: Executive (Maximum Willpower, Most Masculine Personality) Napoleon, Julius Caesar, Trump, Aristotle, Stefan(?) INTJ: Scientist (High Willpower) Thomas Edison. INTP: Thinker (Low Willpower) Socrates, Plato, Nietzsche, C.G.Jung. ENTP: Visionary (Minimal Willpower) Da Vinci. ENFJ: Teacher (No Willpower, Collective) ESFJ: Provider/Carer (No Willpower, furthest from it, Most Feminin Personality) - Most Instinctual hormonal?, mother and her young........ ISFP: Artist (Fanaticism) Van Gogh, Mozart. INFP: Healer (Altruism) Jesus Christ. Florence Nightingale

Vanity (From Google) 1. excessive pride in or admiration of one's own appearance or achievements. 2. the quality of being worthless or futile. 3. a dressing table. Origin: "Vanus" meaning empty. Either the primary standard definition is incorrect and most of society is vain and empty, and Nietzsche was correct. Or he was wrong and pride is arbitrary and up to other people to tell you, how you feel. Still Why would you feel pride? I mean on a basic level you can take pride in appearance(tidiness) whilst having relatively little materially wise. Carly Simon You're so vain You walked into the party Like you were walking on a yacht Your hat strategically dipped below one eye Your scarf, it was apricot You had one eye on the mirror (why pay particular attention to yourself if you have pride?) And watched yourself gavotte And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner They'd be your partner, and You're so vain You probably think this song is about you You're so vain, I'll bet you think this song is about you Don't you? Don't you? Oh, you had me several years ago When I was still naive Well, you said that we made such a pretty pair And that you would never leave But you gave away the things you loved And one of them was me (Implies lack of openness and originality, of course still only an opinion, hence the questioning) I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee Clouds in my coffee, and You're so vain You probably think this song is about you You're so vain, you're so vain I'll bet you think this song is about you Don't you? Don't you? Well I hear you went to Saratoga And your horse, naturally, won Then you flew your Learjet up to Nova Scotia To see the total eclipse of the sun Well, you're where you should be all the time And when you're not, you're with some underworld spy Or the wife of a close friend, Wife of a close friend, and You're so vain You probably think this song is about you You're so vain, you're so vain I'll bet you think this song is about you Don't you? Don't you?

So why would you feel pride? To be clearer I consider hubris a sin. "Vanity is the fear of appearing original: it is thus a lack of pride, but not necessarily a lack of originality." Nietzsche (as often referred to by Stefan)

"Work Will set the Catalans Free." An ancestor of mine opinioned that slavery was legal. Yorke–Talbot slavery opinion. Not sure how it could be any other way, as Stefan has said "If you want to get rid of slavery stop catching them". Don't have to provide subsistence living to slaves, could work them to death so they're too weak to put up any resistance, work the marrow out of their bones or something, then bury them in the concrete or foundations. Burma railway, Norway death road, Great wall of China, N.Korea, Saudi Arabia, Salt mines in the Ancient World etc. Have to control communications though. Besides why is there an economic incentive for the motivation to own slaves, perhaps it is the cruelty of those involved. I mean if the "slave owner" rapes the "slaves" and then says, "look but I provide you Bed and Breakfast, oh here some money to get yourself something nice at the market, here's your wage." Is it really a wage? I remember reading a passage from Von Mises Human Action where he comments on the Industrial Revolution in England and the long working hours and early deaths of the workers and wearing out of ligaments, wasn't necessarily that people lived much longer more that children stopped dying like flies.

@GlenWillson Hi, welcome to the forum. Bit of a tease the essay, where is the depth, personally would like to have seen much fewer references, and more importantly whole passages or paragraphs from the authors quoted, instead of generalist introductions. I wouldn't really call it an essay either more of an overview, of some influential people in the field of psychology and literature. Wikipedia - "An essay is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument — but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of an article, a pamphlet, and a short story. Essays have traditionally been sub-classified as formal and informal." It is actually a topic I have been thinking about recently. Had a person message me on the forum about "The wise does not speak, he who speaks is not wise. Tao Te Ching" I think in the search for truth there are two methods 1) The Western Socratic Dialogue in the pursuit of truth in Virtue. 2) The "Eastern Socratic Dialogue" in the pursuit of truth of (mind and body) to nature. At the end of the day you still need balls(in one form or another) to back up Virtue. Speculation: Psychedelics are something I've been thinking about as well. Imho they fragment conscientiousness making high or moderately conscientious people less so, perhaps also shifting them politically more to the left. Even though they may increase IQ and openness to experience imho (breaking a bone to have it grow back stronger, perhaps). Although what would they do to someone already low in conscientiousness? Having looked at MBTI personality types (I'm INTP) on the Internet one thing I have seen mentioned is that people who suffer with schizophrenia should not take psychedelics, Why? imho because they are already very low in conscientiousness so doing so is going to fragment their reality even more. A question that has recently entered my mind is if a person could "somehow" influence their psychology to go from a less stable learning matrix( low conscientiousness) to a more stable productive matrix (High conscientiousness). Freewill(even though I think it is a fabrication, I don't agree with determinism either another fabrication) perhaps maybe one way of going about it, dawn of the Nietzschean overman or something.

Yeah I don't consider Pride a sin. Hubris, but not pride. It is possible to be proud and humble, often pride gets confused with vanity; which is a lack of pride.