Hello

[mahayana]

After listening to Freedomain radio for several years (not consistently), I thought it was about time to visit the forums. I would have come sooner but being a single parent, I don't have a whole lot of time for myself. Finally I can join in with the huge single mom following I'm sure Stefan must have! I have a six year old daughter and I have thoroughly enjoyed the shows on peaceful parenting & Stef's personal stories with Isabella. 

 

I have learned so much in recent years about philosophy and myself that I find I have drifted apart from most of my "friends" after realizing I have very little in common with them. It has been very lonely and as much as I love the philosophical conversations my daughter and I share, I feel I need to make an effort to reach out to other adults with similar morals as myself. Living in Southern California, it seems nearly impossible!

 

So far I'm really enjoying the forums and I'm looking forward to learning from & getting to know people!

[Kurtis]

Welcome!

 

The situation you described of your self discovery leading to alienating most people from your past is very common here. When we find self love, we find high standards for ourselves.

 

This is a great community, but don't give up on finding people that are close to you. You can help foster this change you've found (in yourself) in others by being the best you can for yourself and your daughter. People will take notice, the kind of people you are looking for.

 

Looking forward to your contribution here

[mahayana]

"When we find self love, we find high standards for ourselves." <---- YES! I have always heard this & didn't realize how important this first step is until recently.

Thanks Kurtis! I appreciate the kind words & encouragement.

[Copper_Heart]

So, I really appreciate your being here. You do not know how great it really is! I (kind of) understand how much you must have given up to here.

 

My mother was a single mother(for a period of time), and I know a lot of single mothers(surrounded by them). My aunt is one for example. If my mother or my aunt watched Stef... well, they never would've. Had hard time my self accepting and understanding what he is saying.

 

If you do not mind me asking: how have you found Stefan? why have you stayed?

[mahayana]

So, I really appreciate your being here. You do not know how great it really is! I (kind of) understand how much you must have given up to here.

 

My mother was a single mother(for a period of time), and I know a lot of single mothers(surrounded by them). My aunt is one for example. If my mother or my aunt watched Stef... well, they never would've. Had hard time my self accepting and understanding what he is saying.

 

If you do not mind me asking: how have you found Stefan? why have you stayed?

Thank you for the warm welcome Copper. Sorry I didn't respond sooner, I didn't see your reply until today. Single moms are actually something I didn't have much experience with. I didn't know any while growing up and my parents are still married. Being a single mom, I was hesitant to join the forums out of fear that I would be prejudged & immediately viewed in a negative light. I'm working on not allowing my fears of what others think control me (plus, FDR listeners are amazing & open minded for the most part!) so I finally worked up the courage to post.

 

I discovered Stef while listening to the Adam vs. the Man shows. It was around the time when Occupy Wall Street was gaining momentum. I would be in the AVTM forums or live chat during a podcast & I would always see the name "Stefan Molyneux" pop up. People were speaking about him & quoting him as if he were the authority on all things libertarian. I was immediately skeptical of this man with the funny last name. My first FDR video was Stef's response to the viral Kony 2012 video. At the time, I didn't know it was Stef I was watching, just some bald guy with a fantastic accent speaking the truth. At the end of the video I wanted to know more about Stef & his views. I'd never before heard a person that I agreed so much with (both politically and philosophically) and who was so logical. (My life is flooded with completely irrational people so this was so refreshing!) Call in Shows were life changing for me. They've been far more effective than my experiences with one on one counseling. I still have a long ways to go with undoing damage from my childhood so I imagine I will be staying for quite some time.

[Copper_Heart]

Thank you for the warm welcome Copper. Sorry I didn't respond sooner, I didn't see your reply until today. Single moms are actually something I didn't have much experience with. I didn't know any while growing up and my parents are still married. Being a single mom, I was hesitant to join the forums out of fear that I would be prejudged & immediately viewed in a negative light. I'm working on not allowing my fears of what others think control me (plus, FDR listeners are amazing & open minded for the most part!) so I finally worked up the courage to post.

 

I discovered Stef while listening to the Adam vs. the Man shows. It was around the time when Occupy Wall Street was gaining momentum. I would be in the AVTM forums or live chat during a podcast & I would always see the name "Stefan Molyneux" pop up. People were speaking about him & quoting him as if he were the authority on all things libertarian. I was immediately skeptical of this man with the funny last name. My first FDR video was Stef's response to the viral Kony 2012 video. At the time, I didn't know it was Stef I was watching, just some bald guy with a fantastic accent speaking the truth. At the end of the video I wanted to know more about Stef & his views. I'd never before heard a person that I agreed so much with (both politically and philosophically) and who was so logical. (My life is flooded with completely irrational people so this was so refreshing!) Call in Shows were life changing for me. They've been far more effective than my experiences with one on one counseling. I still have a long ways to go with undoing damage from my childhood so I imagine I will be staying for quite some time.

 

It is alright respond when you you feel comfortable! I am prone not to answer immediately mysefl.

 

I can understand your fear. Stef pretty much is the only guy around here being vocal about the issue(as far as I know), and being media how it is his stance on the issue looks particularly radical. It is not irrational to expect few people from such community to be even more radical then the host himself. I can only speak for myself, but I think it is not the case for this community. Here people are less afraid to have serious problems(by which I mean admit them and try to solve them). And one thing I tell you for sure: people who are trowing stones have huge issues of their own, which they are not working on and are dead set to hide. And here people came to admit and to work on issues. So ain't gonna find those fellas in this town!(Read with rich southern accent) One can't meat a person who is set on making world(and himself) better with hostility! But I am repeating myself. Your courage is commendable and your desire for truth will bear fruit!

 

This said I expect this community to be honest and honesty cuts deep, but it is never malicious nor is it's effect. Just remember you are never alone here and your desire to learn and to talk about will never be looked down upon.

 

Yeah, Stef prety much introduced me to every philosophical and political aspect I am holding right now. And his call in shows, I never expected so much to hear so much honesty, to hear people talking so openly about such difficult issues, never expected to find it in my life. I doubt I knew it even existed.

 

I am reading for quite long time, though I have a very few posts. I guarantee you are welcome here. Don't be afraid to take your time aether.

 

You have written that you had ineffective counseling, so few words about that too. I also have bad experience, but I found a book "Unlocking The Emotional Brain"(it is a book for psychologists not self help guide) mentioned and this forum and got it in my closes library(cause no money ^o^). http://www.coherencetherapy.org/files/Unlocking_the_Emotional_Brain-Ch1.pdf First chapter available to every one. This book is based on actual neurological research in a laboratory that was successfully replicated all the times. Which is important because in psychology only 10% gets replicated(and most of this replications fail!), so 90% is unbacked hoax(can find a link an article about problems of psychology in this matter if you want it)! I am very excited about this book, have recommended it to my friend and she never answered me back(probably reading ~_^).  And it matches perfectly what Stefan is saying. Or you can find a psychologist who does coherence therapy.

 

P.S. This was lengthy...

[mahayana]

It is alright respond when you you feel comfortable! I am prone not to answer immediately mysefl.

 

I can understand your fear. Stef pretty much is the only guy around here being vocal about the issue(as far as I know), and being media how it is his stance on the issue looks particularly radical. It is not irrational to expect few people from such community to be even more radical then the host himself. I can only speak for myself, but I think it is not the case for this community. Here people are less afraid to have serious problems(by which I mean admit them and try to solve them). And one thing I tell you for sure: people who are trowing stones have huge issues of their own, which they are not working on and are dead set to hide. And here people came to admit and to work on issues. So ain't gonna find those fellas in this town!(Read with rich southern accent) One can't meat a person who is set on making world(and himself) better with hostility! But I am repeating myself. Your courage is commendable and your desire for truth will bear fruit!

 

This said I expect this community to be honest and honesty cuts deep, but it is never malicious nor is it's effect. Just remember you are never alone here and your desire to learn and to talk about will never be looked down upon.

 

Yeah, Stef prety much introduced me to every philosophical and political aspect I am holding right now. And his call in shows, I never expected so much to hear so much honesty, to hear people talking so openly about such difficult issues, never expected to find it in my life. I doubt I knew it even existed.

 

I am reading for quite long time, though I have a very few posts. I guarantee you are welcome here. Don't be afraid to take your time aether.

 

You have written that you had ineffective counseling, so few words about that too. I also have bad experience, but I found a book "Unlocking The Emotional Brain"(it is a book for psychologists not self help guide) mentioned and this forum and got it in my closes library(cause no money ^o^). http://www.coherencetherapy.org/files/Unlocking_the_Emotional_Brain-Ch1.pdf First chapter available to every one. This book is based on actual neurological research in a laboratory that was successfully replicated all the times. Which is important because in psychology only 10% gets replicated(and most of this replications fail!), so 90% is unbacked hoax(can find a link an article about problems of psychology in this matter if you want it)! I am very excited about this book, have recommended it to my friend and she never answered me back(probably reading ~_^).  And it matches perfectly what Stefan is saying. Or you can find a psychologist who does coherence therapy.

 

P.S. This was lengthy...

 

Thank you, I'm definitely here for the honesty and I anticipate it to be painful! You're right, Stef is the only person I know of that discusses the issue. The first time I heard him go in depth on the topic of single moms was definitely hard for me but all of it made sense. My daughter didn't choose to be born to a single mom. She's at a disadvantage compared to kids born from a two parent household. The least I can do is learn whatever it takes to increase her chances for being successful and not following in my footsteps.

 

"Yeah, Stef prety much introduced me to every philosophical and political aspect I am holding right now."

That's awesome! For me, Stef brought clarity to my own political views. I had pretty much tuned out on politics since my early 20's. I've always been disgusted at the corruption in politics but had never really considered the immorality of the basic concept of government.

 

Thank you for the PDF, I downloaded it & will hopefully get a chance to read it this week. Right now I have a shit ton of tabs open in my browser from all the links I came across in the forums! I love coming across so much good stuff. I have Kaiser insurance so I'm limited on the type of therapy I have easy access to. When I was living in Los Angeles a couple years ago, my therapist had bookshelves lined with memoirs from Hillary Clinton. I tried to overlook that but she ended up being a crappy therapist anyways. I need to give it another shot though.

[Dermot]

Welcome mahayana! 

[Copper_Heart]

"Yeah, Stef prety much introduced me to every philosophical and political aspect I am holding right now."

That's awesome! For me, Stef brought clarity to my own political views. I had pretty much tuned out on politics since my early 20's. I've always been disgusted at the corruption in politics but had never really considered the immorality of the basic concept of government.

 

Thank you for the PDF, I downloaded it & will hopefully get a chance to read it this week. Right now I have a shit ton of tabs open in my browser from all the links I came across in the forums! I love coming across so much good stuff. I have Kaiser insurance so I'm limited on the type of therapy I have easy access to. When I was living in Los Angeles a couple years ago, my therapist had bookshelves lined with memoirs from Hillary Clinton. I tried to overlook that but she ended up being a crappy therapist anyways. I need to give it another shot though.

 

I was a commie! I think politicians are like narcissists who fog their victims so that at some point you just fed up with staff that makes no sense and become apathetic.

 

>I tried to overlook that but she ended up being a crappy therapist anyways

 

I am talking obviously from my own bad experience, so do not take it seriously:

 

Something similar happened to me too: I expressed my feeling about some matter and therapist asked "Well you are exaggerating". I explained my point of view and all, but this incident was always on back of the head of my mind making me feel uneasy. Long story short, if you loose respect to your psychologist if you can not be honest and at easy at her presence, if you are "managing" your relationship it is pretty much over. Loosing respect for your counselor means you are proactively closed to her and can not trust her. Money lost.

 

I would argue that psychologist who is openly expressing political or whatever preferences is not really good one, because this action are polarizing. I do not know how to say it, but if he is expressing his identity too much or pushing his opinions it is no good.

 

You should voice it if you want to continue with same psychologist and may be it will work out, other vise just change him.