Saturday, April 27
I feel really shallow. The things i've been thinking about, revolve all around the same issues everyone always thinks about. Friendships. Relationships. Future occupation-ships. Hardships. It's a never ending cycle of analyze, criticize and re-prioritize. It kind of gets mad boring. I'm sick of being me. As a friend said, "I feel like an old record on repeat."
posted by The Wizard
So if you feel this way, why don't you do something about it?
posted by Tin Man
What am i supposed to do? The only time i think about tons of other stuff is when i'm engaged in a book or something. When i get inspired or fired up to think and tackle big issues. Like why the world goes round-and-round. Instead of what makes the world go round-and-round, and how i fit into it.
posted by The Wizard
We're kind of a selfish generation and culture by default. I think it's okay to dwell on all those ships you mentioned. But if u have to do something more stimulating, then read more.
posted by Tin Man
All the books here are in chinese and i re-read everything i brought already.
posted by The Wizard
I see your dilemma.
posted by Tin Man
I'll just have to go on thinking about myself. Damn.
posted by jon
Wednesday, April 24
Ok, so here's a question for you. Say you're taking a shower. And the water isn't quite the exact temperature you wanted. Barely warm and just cold enough to leave you shivering. The options are to (a) walk down to the next room, through an intervening freezing corridor, to adjust the temperature. because that's how they do it here at the factory. or (b) shower in lukewarm water that leaves neither a fresh nor clean feeling. What do you think?
posted by The Wizard
This is metaphorically speaking right?
posted by Tin Man
No. Literally, what would you do?
posted by The Wizard
I guess i would be...stumped. A warm shower is always nice. But the corridor. Sounds nasty. What would you do?
posted by Tin Man
Well, i chose just to forego showers altogether.
posted by The Wizard
Oh. Nice solution. Sort of the enlightened answer i see. I'll be moving right along now.
posted by Tin
Saturday, April 20
How many different kinds of friends are there? There are good friends, great friends, fabulous friends, not so great friends, etc. I used to have this personal theory about three circles of friends. (No diagrams exist sadly. Imagine three circles.) The most outside one is just acquaintances and people who you see but don't really bother to get to know beyond a certain level. The middle one is someone you would proudly call friend. Someone who you know for a purpose. Someone you could talk to and feel comfortable with and ask opinions of. After all that, there's the inner circle of really really good friends whom you trust your entire being with. The people who you carry around with you on a lifely basis.
posted by The Wizard
So everyone else besides this inner circle is expendable?
posted by Tin Man
No, not at all. These are just like.....the people you respect the most, trust the most, need the most, et al. For whatever reason, these people make your world go round and round. And keep you upright.
posted by The Wizard
Um, I see. Are there certain qualifications necessary to be included in this inner circle?
posted by Tin Man
None that make sense. But this theory isn¡¯t my point. I think the theory is outdated anyway. I was thinking about how many friends I would keep nothing from. Who I would treat as an extension of myself and allow to know everything about me. All the secret horrible things that no one really wants to admit to. Because when you tell someone something, it becomes that much more real.
posted by The Wizard
And your conclusion is?
posted by Tin Man
I don¡¯t have one. But I guess a lot of times we filter stuff, because we have preconceived notions of what our friends will think or say. It¡¯s kind of sad.
posted by The Wizard
Agreed. Really good friends should have the audacity to say the most horrible things to you. Because no one else will do it.
posted by Tin Man
As difficult as it is. I think to be a true friend, you need to disengage the ability to judge. You have to accept someone as a whole. I guess that¡¯s a good barometer of friendship. I think.
posted by The Wizard
Not a lot of people can do that. Not judge.
posted by Tin Man
Yeah. I know.
posted by jon
Friday, April 19
I read an article, which i can no longer find, about how reading can make you knowledgeable, but not smart. Because reading is just like talking to someone and the opinions expressed are just as flawed as anything else. The mere act of reading can increase your knowledge base but the ability to process and integrate is a separate ability. And the article goes on to state that people who read alot shouldn't come across as being smarter than everyone else. Because they aren't.
posted by The Wizard
I find it ironic that you read this. And now you present it as a pseudo-fact.
posted by Tin Man
No, i just agree with his rationale. I mean, reading is pretty much the main reason we, as humans, have inherited the earth. Knowledge from the past can be passed on forever if we take the time to mine other people's words and wisdom. But this alone doesn't make us smart. If anything, we've just become pompous and abusive.
posted by The Wizard
Good one. You read that somewhere too?
posted by Tin Man
...........
posted by The Wizard
You've just convinced me that you know nothing.
posted by Tin Man
So now the truth comes out. My cover's blown.
posted by The Wizard
It wasn't really all that great of a cover anyway.
posted by Tin Man
At least i CAN read.
posted by The Wizard
Whoop de doo. Look at how far that's taken you.
posted by Tin
Thursday, April 18
How do you get holy water?
You boil the hell out of it.
How is this not the funniest thing ever? Or this?
WHAT GOES CLOP, CLOP, CLOP, BANG, BANG, CLOP, CLOP,CLOP?
An Amish Drive-By Shooting.
posted by jon
Wednesday, April 17
I have this great urge to be something. I worry that in five years i will be no closer to achieving life goals than i was five years ago. I want a job that will fulfill me. That will allow me to use my creativity and individuality, without making me toss aside my morals and ethics. I want to feel like i am doing something with my college level education before i am thirty so that by the time i'm forty, i'll have accomplished something great and unique. I also want to live comfortably. Not bling bling mind you, but capable of affording the necessities of life, like new DVDs and the latest in techno wizardry.
posted by The Wizard
Coming from someone who wears pseudo cubic zirconian earrings, I don't think you're in any danger of living the bling bling lifestyle. Who taught you to say "bling bling" anyway? Puff Daddy? What's next? You want to get jiggy with it?
posted by Tin Man
Please, getting jiggy with it is so three years ago. And it was the Cash Money Millionaires. Not Puffy. Allow me to continue.
posted by The Wizard
Please.
posted by Tin Man
I also would like to be able to meet and attract beautiful members of the opposite sex (beautiful inside and out, because i am not shallow). I want to change the world. But I want to do it my way. And in my own time. I do not want to sacrifice or suffer too much. I would like things to be dropped into my lap. I also want to be recognized as a special person. Because my mommy told me I'm special. And so I am. I want to be all the colors of the rainbow. And have the pot of gold to boot. And I want to be happy. Twenty four seven.
posted by The Wizard
You sound like you want to be the poster child for your generation.
posted by Tin Man
That's sounds nice. I can do that. One thing though.......how much does it pay?
posted by jon
Tuesday, April 16
The Five Branches of Philosophy
Metaphysics. Study of Existence. "What's out there?"
Epistemology. Study of Knowledge. "How do i know about it?"
Ethics. Study of Action. "What should i do?"
Politics. Study of Force. "What actions are permissible?"
Esthetics. Study of Art. "What can life be like?"
There is a hierarchical relationship between these branches. At the root is Metaphysics, the study of existence and the nature of existence. Closely related is Epistemology, the study of knowledge and how we know about reality and existence. Dependent on Epistemology is Ethics, the study of how man should act. Ethics is dependent on Epistemology because it is impossible to make choices without knowledge. A subset of Ethics is Politics: the study of how men should interact in a proper society and what constitutes proper. Esthetics, the study of art and sense of life is slightly separate, but depends on Metaphysics, Epistemology, and Ethics.
posted by jon
Monday, April 15
I used to be always a "go with the gut" kind of person. My philosophy was that whatever i felt like at that moment, it was the right thing. No regrets. The gut (or the heart) must speak the truth right? Always trust that first instinct. As time has passed by however, i've decided to be completely the opposite. The gut is wrong. First instincts are like first impressions...often wrong. So now i try to rationalize and think everything out.
posted by The Wizard
Why did you start doing this in the first place?
posted by Tin Man
I dunno. It just seemed too roller coaster-y to be going with the gut all the time. Emotions swing way too much and you end up riding all sorts of highs and lows. I didn't like it. So i stopped.
posted by The Wizard
That easy hunh?
posted by Tin Man
Not quite that easy but yeah, i guess.
posted by The Wizard
So now you repress everything?
posted by Tin Man
I didn't say anything about repress. I just think everything through until things make sense and i know what to do. With a clear mind and a clear plan.
posted by The Wizard
So you will things away. That's repression.
posted by Tin Man
You're getting the wrong idea here. I just decided that thinking is more powerful than feeling. That's not repression is it?
posted by The Wizard
Actually, that might be denial. It's kind of hard to tell because I'm no psychiatrist and there's kind of a fuzzy line.
posted by Tin Man
I need some better amateur help. You're no good to me.
posted by jon
Friday, April 12
I think sometimes that i could just marry anybody. I mean, if it's all about sacrifice and stuff, why not just bite the bullet and pick someone? Anything can be worked out through the power of love. Why not begin the process earlier as opposed to waiting for someone?
posted by The Wizard
This is all assuming you get married of course.
posted by Tin Man
Of course. This is all very hypothetical. I think the amount of effort used to pursue a life partner could be used in many other, much more constructive ways. I think i could be twice the man i am today if i stopped thinking about girls forever.
posted by The Wizard
Twice the man hunh?
posted by Tin Man
At least. There's too much hype about finding someone. We spend a quarter of our lives hunting for someone, a quarter of our lives dealing with someone, and the other quarter living for our kids. It's not worth it in the grand scheme of things.
posted by The Wizard
Your math seems a bit funny.
posted by Tin Man
Marriage is a bit funny.
posted by jon
Wednesday, April 10
Every system of ethics that preached sacrifice grew into a world power and ruled millions of men. You must tell people that they¡¯ll achieve a superior kind of happiness by giving up everything that makes them happy. You don¡¯t have to be too clear about it. Use big vague words. ¡®Universal Harmony¡¯-¡®Eternal Spirit¡¯-¡®Divine Purpose¡¯-¡®Nirvana¡¯-¡®Paradise¡¯-¡®Racial Supremacy¡¯-¡®The Dictatorship of the Proletariat.¡¯ Internal corruption, Peter. That¡¯s the oldest one of all. The farce has been going on for centuries and men still fall for it.
Yet the test should be so simple: just listen to any prophet and if you hear him speak of sacrifice- run. Run faster than from a plague. It stands to reason that where there¡¯s sacrifice, there¡¯s someone collecting sacrificial offerings. Where there¡¯s service, there¡¯s someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice, speaks of slaves and masters. And intends to be the master.
But if ever you hear a man telling you that you must be happy, that it¡¯s your natural right, that your first duty is to yourself- that will be the man who¡¯s not after your soul. That will be the man who has noting to gain from you. But let him come and you¡¯ll scream your empty heads off, howling that he¡¯s a selfish monster. So the racket is safe for many, many centuries.
-ayn rand, the fountainhead-
posted by jon
Tuesday, April 9
It's a good thing the human body is made to forget physical discomfort quickly. Imagine if we always retained what it felt like to stub a toe or to get a paper cut. We wouldn't be able to function. Sadly, the converse holds true. We forget physical joys much too quickly also.
posted by The Wizard
What kinds of physical joys?
posted by Tin Man
Um. All kinds.
Aniwaise, like i was saying, i wonder if this is the case for mental joy and anguish too. Like we are built to remember happiness and sadness for only a short amount of time. I mean, the only reason we even remember being cold or hot or being in pain is because we say to ourselves, "wow, that really hurt back then." Is this the same sort of thing we do with mental anguish? Are we doomed to always be happy and unhappy in varying cycles? Or can we rise about our physical states to always be emotionally and mentally happy?
posted by The Wizard
I think it's possible to always be happy. Or to negate sadness at the very least. I don't think mental and physical states of being are necessarily connected. I think it's nature's defense mechanism for us to forget physical pain but mentally, we can be however we want to be.
posted by Tin Man
Well, if that's the case....why isn't everyone happy all the time?
posted by The Wizard
I dunno. Fear. War. Chaos. Hunger. Future. Death. Girls.
posted by Tin Man
But at the very least we have the potential to be happy all the time right?
posted by The Wizard
I'd have to say so. Good luck getting there though.
posted by Tin
Thursday, April 4
I think I want to try to simplify life. Isn¡¯t that what growing up is all about? Priorities? Letting the dandruff drift away? The big sprawling lives that we lived in college and high school inevitably will have to be pared down into something more manageable. Friends, hobbies, interests and frivolous needs and desires will have to be scrutinized and jettisoned. Excess baggage needs to go.
posted by The Wizard
But then you¡¯ll be miserable. Without a big complicated sprawling lifestyle, you¡¯ll have nothing to distract you from the real issues of life. You¡¯ll actually have to think about things and deal with things. Instead of running around avoiding them. Plus, you¡¯ll be boring. One of those forty year olds who are constantly repeating ¡°I remember when I did that! I used to do that! Blah blah blah.¡±
posted by Tin Man
Well, I think that maybe I can be happier that way. My inner beam of light needs to become focused, like an intense laser, capable of reaching places and cutting through things.
posted by The Wizard
That¡¯s the worst analogy I¡¯ve ever heard of. ¡°My inner beam of light?¡± WTF?
posted by Tin Man
You¡¯re just jealous because you aren¡¯t a beam of light. Or a ray of sunshine.
posted by jon
Wednesday, April 3
Which one do you think is the better friend? The one that knows you the best, inside and out, but you never ever see. Or the one that knows what’s going on in your life but doesn’t necessarily understand or approve?
posted by The Wizard
Hum. Well, I guess I would have to go with….the one that knows you the best.
posted by Tin Man
But they don’t get to see you ninety percent of the time, in your daily life. They aren’t really involved or attached to you physically. They can only react and not interact.
posted by The Wizard
Yeah but see, anyone can know what you do everyday, it’s the friends that understand and support you that count the most.
posted by Tin Man
So basically the best friends are the people who can understand and support your excuses while actively being disengaged from your life?
posted by The Wizard
Well, it sounds so ugly when you put it that way but…..yeah.
posted by Tin
Monday, April 1
The things we think and do not say.
-jerry maguire-
posted by jon
powered by blogger
the
wizard
our naive
protagonist. think harry potter. but older. and not as cool. the wizard
has feelings and emotions and all of that human bs. the wizard is lost,
lonely, and curious. aren't you?
tin
man
the batman
to the wizard's robin, the jordan to wiz's pippen, the britney to the
wizard's justin, the skipper to the wizard's gilligan, the jon to the
george...yeah, you get it. the tin man is stronger, faster, and more powerful
than any locomotive. but he's not real. just a heartless, soulless, practical
machine. who happens to talk.