barn

Hi @ancapper I also asked a similar question before, in a thread called 'pinot'. Perhaps I'm wrong but I see you speak of utilitarianism, where the value of things is established by their utility (pretty straightforward, right?). If we accepted it to be valid for arguments, we wouldn't have to be concerned about lying or other ramifications such as morals because the end justifies the means. No UPB neither. i.e. - I want to get rich because that's how I can support my every financial, materialistic needs. Therefore working hard is okay, stealing too as both have the same result, my only focus. No difference. Asking a bank robber why does he rob banks, he answered: - Because, that's where the money is at! - What do you think about this?

Very good on you!

Awesome, hope you get good grades for it. Compared to who? I can't program, on a computer. I think you should do as much as you can, keep an eye out for and ask for help...Lucky things do tend to happen more, much more often to those that are 'in motion'. But if you didn't want to do it, I'd understand. Again, if you thought I could be of help... any menial stuff, typing up text, finding things... dunno. Give me a shout! Yes, you did. I was just checking in way ahead of time, trying to be practical. Sorry if my asking came off annoying. You could look at what you are doing, like that. Certainly. I look at it differently. To me, you are working on something that has the potential of changing lives. Regardless how old, proficient or experienced you were. I know Nathaniel Branden's sentence completion is GOLD, I've seen what it can do. Furthermore, it's a challenge within your realm. Yet again, compared to what... How do you eat an elephant? In pieces. It doesn't have to be pretty, nor streamlined. Can the first version be text based, hell yeah! Focusing on the achievable, working on the next consequent step is how amazing things get done by great people. And then people who haven't been following are mesmerised and think it just materialised out of nothing. You could do it. I will respect your choice, whatever it'll be. Have a think about it, focusing on the practical and achievable!

Most people I have met in Europe having lived in China have mixed feelings about the country, they usually say something along the lines of 'weird wild west' but obviously all that matters is how you feel about it. I asked that, because I think it is much easier to see yourself happy in an environment where people share your values. There's no place with only pros or a location with just bad stuff but I made some pretty awful decisions to appreciate some places / types of people more, while others I try to avoid. If you asked me how to maximise your decision making process, I'd figure out what truly was essential for your happiness. What sorts of people you seem to get along better than others. Self-knowledge.

Hi @Ronin_3000 Which of these places would have the people that you consider hold the most similar values as you? What values are you looking for in a place?

This is a special song, make sure you listen to it, uninterrupted. (Hint: It'll take you some places...) 255. Dhafer Youssef Quartet - Les Ondes Orientales 256. Capercaille - Inexile

Hi thinkers and alike, Question 3: One tiny reference, a fact check if you'd like to call it... Asimov's son, David: It's not something I was happy to find out initially. Meh, part of the truth. short, chubby and with a dark secret... almost a cliché

Fishing for compliments, eh?! That's all-right, it's clear as day you've been keeping busy plus the things you eluded to/did in your own account are what usually describes a small minority, in a small minority of a small minority. It's as if you've got Nike sport-trainers, not Jordans but Hermes edition on your feet. The 'wing' thingies on the heels? Swiftly, effortlessly flying, just like the wind? Your affinity to the technical and the verbal acuity you mentioned speak of very high I.Q. , to me... to name a few things I'd picked up on. (theorised) Alguien, a quien podrías llamar 'un/a crack' , verdad?! Let me ask you something different if you don't mind. How did you find, all the moving around have affected your groups of people you call your real friends? (As someone who have also moved around quite a lot, though nearly not as much as you... I wonder sometimes if the benefits gained really make up for the price I've paid.) ref. - 'swift steps'

Even if I disagree, I appreciate you updating that 'tidbit', good on you. (That's why I had used the expression "completely different animal" earlier, maybe I should have been more explicit.) i.e. (pardon me, I'll be butchering your quote to illustrate a point...) 'Ok - I think if we define robber as ‘unexpected guest’ (seems reasonable) then everything is dandy' I think, we must be clear on what these things really are if we hope to affect them in a meaningful way. Perhaps you might think I'm hung up on linguistics. Instead, my only aim is to show, how mistaking appearances (superficiality, popular narrative based) coupled with lack of 'calling things by their true name' (reasoning from first principles) mostly facilitates thinking close to sophistry, one form or another. I'm not calling you that, I'd like to believe you are just as interested in the truth as I am. It's a friendly discussion.

Are you sure? Isn't that analogous to saying: A person driving it's own vehicle can be classified the same as one who drives a company-car? I guess, sure they're both driving... Welfare is actually making people's life worse, on top of forcing others to pay for it. Charity doesn't. It's voluntary, the opposite of wasteful and has the highest built-in incentive for actually improving people's life, more often than anything else making them independent (the list goes on...).

"eek" - as in, a sound made by a mouse? (lol) Sorry, I don't see how does that answer my question. (maybe you did, I just don't see it) The reason why I asked comes from: The differences between, ° buying yourself something with your own money ° buying a present for someone with your money ° buying a present for someone with someone else's money ° getting more presents paid by others for buying someone something with someone else's money, regardless if they liked it or not °... same as the previous, plus forced participation and punished for not increasing spending, while gradually shuffling/receiving less in value at the same time. Welfare needs coercion, is against free-will regardless how small scale. If not, it's charity and a completely different 'animal'.

252. Black Market Audio - Our Consumer World 253. Rhythm Plate - Rush On Me 254. 4hero - Planeteria

Thanks and that's reasonable, a good enticement. I'm gonna have a look eventually. A quick question. Do you think welfare could exist without the state? (non-charity) If yes, is there any way in which any sized state wouldn't become self-interested, biased against serving actual needs of individuals?

Hi thinkers and alike, What a great interview the FDR team has just put out, fully packed and really interesting... (quote from the video's description: ) "Human intelligence is an important construct in psychology, with far-reaching implications, providing insights into fields as diverse as neurology, international development, and sociology. Additionally, IQ scores can predict life outcomes in health, education, work, and socioeconomic status. Yet, students of psychology are often exposed to human intelligence only in limited ways. ... We found that 79.3% of textbooks contained inaccurate statements and 79.3% had logical fallacies in their sections about intelligence." The study can be found, here. Good mind expanding, Barnsley

Hi @fluxrazza Would you like to make a case for people, why should they read it / take their time? Maybe it's just me, I don't know what benefit would it mean for me. Thanks in advance, Barnsley

That sounds like strides of improvement. Additionally, good on you for chiming back about it. Nice one! I hope you won't take it the wrong way if I mention that what had happened for you (remembering it) coupled with a bit of foresight (prevention) will save you many a headaches down the road in similar situations... I strongly recommend, in my opinion. Thumbs up, man!

H. A. W. / 20. Shakti - Mind Ecology

250. Carmen Mcrae - How Long Has This Been Going On (Mj Cole 're-touch') 251. Junkie XL ft. Dave Gahan - Reload / Please, give it a try... 'Pick yourself up and dust yourself down!' /

Hi @leahcim1985 Oh, dear! No, don't worry about it the slightest. I mean, I don't think you were unjustly venting or that your frustration is founded upon a false narrative. The way I see it, you are more 'woke' than to just 'fall in line, join the propaganda'. Silly, isn't the best word but since I know very little, I don't want to rule out that it's only a temporary confusion... I hope it is, at least. It could be very well the consequent step in a form of a 'fall', but I can't ascertain that, as of yet. I would feel anxious too, even mocked to the point of wanting to find out more about the 'unexpected change of heart'. To put it again, mildly. (Worst case scenarios should be proven first, not expected immediately imo. The investment is too high for 'hot-headedness,' right?! Baby with the bathwater and all... ) A few ideas that might be useful: ° It's morally positive to not interfere with people's choices, yet show disagreement IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACE AND TIME. Keeping your wits about you is of essence. 'Check in !!!' (Mike Cernovich - Gorilla mindset) I'm paraphrasing: 'Truth is a sword that shouldn't be drawn at any cost.' ... in other words, you should choose well, when to say WHAT, TO WHOM, FOR WHAT REASON. ° You are just one person from the few who'd noticed the 'direction of the wind changing,' I gua-ran-tee you that... Or I'm wrong because the size of the group/congregation is too small statistically. (e.g. less than 30, hand-picked, intrinsically zealot-like individuals... very unlikely.) ° Some people have felt it, though not yet have been able to formulate it in words. It's there, a splinter embedded now. Patience... you'll get those roses. ° You haven't noticed the signs, the brief and fleeting looks of desperation for sanity, rationality... Or just abrupt bewilderment, quickly dialed down as the person realised it'd invite unwanted attention. Could be, you hadn't been looking prior to it, right?! ° Austerity is strong in your community, bet you it wasn't the first time people who contemplated deviance chose against it (different types have different capacity for BS, some twigs snap under stronger stress... ). ° There's a few dozen actions you and others could take, many of which consists of mainly figuring out what the heck is going on. Identifying who, why, what, to what extent... curiosity. ° People make mistakes, good people try to fix them. Simply seeing what they choose to do with what they have done, tells you more than if you'd asked them directly. Again, you don't need to act as/be the focal point to see if you should be... wisdom. Hope that helps, stay curious... is my summary of my two cents. Barnsley

Bla bla-blabla bla blalba, Bla bla bla-blabla.

Hi thinkers and alike, I had posted a highly relatable list of things in a thread under science that will be immensely informative if you are looking to understand a thing or two. Furthermore, I also advise you checking out the following arguments if you cared about how information is being treated nowadays by the 'big broth.. I mean, boys:' These are compelling arguments, not perfect by any measure but they will definitely expand your views, forever. That bit is guaranteed. (I guess, pun intended.) Barnsley

248. Vangelis - Damask Rose 249. Emiliana Torrini - Gollum's Song

To the first caller, Hi John, Hope you read this... A fair amount of your story deeply resonated with me. I have only good wishes for you, really appreciate you sharing all that! Get off drugs, 'stop running' man (from the truths you already know) it's exhausting and pointless, you know you can't keep it up... Mourning the past, assigning responsibility where the onus is due, IS GOING TO sure up the holes, stop your soul from sinking further, feeling constant pain deep down will disappear. (Dealing with the root cause makes the symptoms vanish, only that can make them stop: the things that you think you are addicted to, but they're just a form of self-medication, avoidance of facing questions you had formulated a long time ago and have been carrying for ages. It was time you listened to your true-self, right?! ) If you want to be your true-self, be a good parent (not photocopy, potentially repeat/inflict unexamined harm because you don't see it having been done to you...) and have more quality interactions, in order to do that you neeeed to 'stop running'... talk therapy, man! Do it, before you 'solidify'! Time is getting shorter. Do it as a favour for yourself! It's a lot easier to be natural when you know what virtues you bring to the world. (at peace, confidence based on evidence, truth) Live in a solid house rather than constantly keep propping up a crumbling shack and wasting your energies on chasing illusions! I wish you 'stopped running.' All the best to you John, Barnsley p.s. (You're smart, use it. FDR Podcast 1927, have a listen. )

There's a simple solution, have all the politicians locked up in a field somewhere with nothing but knifes (the British might need to seek an exemplary permit btw to carry, aww... the irony, as rolling pins do tend to be less threatening) and let them sort it out amongst them. You'd be surprised how quickly things de-escalated. Not in my name! No war, thank you f**ing much!

246. P.O.D. - Sleeping Awake 247. Goldfrapp - Utopia