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19-05-2018 What a very pleasant surprise! My ears send their very merry thanks! lolBefore remarking on anything else, how do you do it? How do you continually make such eloquent and apparently effortless off the cuff soliloquies full of wisdom and humour and compassion? Don't you know that English isn't your native language and that you should not have such an ability?! Did you sacrifice your soul to Satan for this gift? Brian won't be happy! I would never be able to just turn on a camera or tape recorder (shut up! I'm old), start speaking and be able to replicate what you do. No way, no how, and I'm a motherfucking genius for crying out loud. Apart from knowing I'd hem and haw and basically talk a load of crap which would have midgets everywhere queuing up for first go on that noose, my first stumbling block would be psychological - "I'm essentially talking to myself in an empty room", is what I'd think, and that self conscious realisation would stifle any attempts to speak naturally thereafter. Yet here you are, not content with being beautiful and smart and funny, you've also got to be a master orator as well. Yeah, I know, I'm kissing your ass, but what else is new? Believe me, if you were talking shit I'd be kicking it instead. ... your ass I mean, not the shit. ......... because that would be stupid and ruin my shoes. Where was I? Oh yeah, the bit before the beginning. You started talking about a stinking drunk and ended talking about your blog-ites being like a club. Putting the two together we're kinda like 'Alcoholics Anonymous' for antinatalists. Every so often we come together to grumble about the state of the world and take solace from the fact that there do exist a few others of our kind out there amongst the throngs of abnormally normal. Then we go about our business again until next we meet. It is all so crazy and yet without it I think it's safe to say we'd be so much worse off. I know I would. Your thoughts on death mirror my own, so I won't waste time covering the same ground. Instead, what I would like to know is how the evolution of your pessimistic worldview has gone down with your friends and (quote/unquote) colleagues in the field of psychology? I know you aren't a practicing therapist yourself (which is probably a good thing for any depressed potential patients in need of reassurance! lol), but the job entails trying to help troubled people integrate back into the general populace and, as you acknowledged in your audio diary, a lot of the time the patients are the ones with the more realistic understanding of how the world works. As the saying goes, 'it is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society', and yet that is in essence the goal of psychotherapy. Psychologists, psychotherapists and psychiatrists are still fallible, limited people and really no different from the rest of us. They have their training, but it is far from a hard science. So I imagine that whatever personal bias and quirks the individual therapists possess also comes into play during their sessions. They may endeavour to be objective, however true objectivity is an impossibility. Knowing all of this and how most folk - psychologically schooled or otherwise - are imbued with an irrational optimism bias, how do the ones you know personally react to your views? Enjoy your Scrabble, I'm off to bed. P.S. quote:
surely a rude joke once in a while is not a problem at all in this wonderful world for us lucky-to-be-alives?! You clearly haven't heard of this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Meechan He posted a silly video on YouTube in which he taught his girlfriend's dog to do a Nazi salute and to react to the phrase, "gas the Jews". He did this solely to annoy her and said so at the start of the vid. Even although no-one filed a complaint, the Scottish police force took it upon themselves to arrest him for 'hate speech' and he was subjected to a two year legal ordeal (longer than the Nuremberg Trials lasted!), eventually being given a fine for ВЈ800. He's decided to appeal the decision and set up a GoFundMe page to help with legal costs, which raised him ВЈ100,000 in 24 hours. Here's a mirror of the original video in case you haven't seen it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zERViynKzZM Don't blame me if you are 'grossly offended' by its content; you have been warned in advance! |
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20-05-2018
Always cheer me up your comments)) Thank you. "I'm essentially talking to myself in an empty room", is what I'd think. Yeah, but when you're writing a comment you're also essentially do it in an empty room, nobody's reading it at the moment. Same with writing a snail-mail letter. You only expect sopmeone to read it later, but at the moment you're just there alone, expressing your thoughts to the medium ;) Every so often we come together to grumble about the state of the world and take solace from the fact that there do exist a few others of our kind out there amongst the throngs of abnormally normal. Yep, that's what most of us are about, I think, although 'the new blood' often wants to try and actually change the world and convince it to go extinct. But not only, some people actually continue the path of activism. Have you seen this on my Facebook page? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yll_juvjtus I'm sure if tomorrow they'd find a 'cure for death', Irvin Yalom would've burnt his Epicurus books that same minute :P But he's all right, he's trying to help people cope and at least accepts the fact as it is and that it rightfully disturbs people etc. |
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21-05-2018 Irina,I hope you're doing well. Maybe there's life after death? Check out my boy Howard Storm, an atheist Art Professor that had a life-changing near death experience in 1986. I read his book and talked to him on the phone. He's the real deal, I think He's been talking about it every since https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=howard+storm+nde+ |
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23-05-2018
Well, Brian, if there's life after death come by and say hi at the 'afterparty'. :P I think you might enjoy this movie then https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2039338/ |
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22-05-2018 Rinkiness,quote:
Yeah, but when you're writing a comment you're also essentially do it in an empty room, nobody's reading it at the moment. Same with writing a snail-mail letter. You only expect sopmeone to read it later, but at the moment you're just there alone, expressing your thoughts to the medium Don't try to obscure the issue with facts! Lol It's probably some kind of inherited societal stigma which deems it ok to write alone and not talk alone. Traditionally, folk seen talking to themselves are considered loopy. In any event it clearly doesn't apply to you one iota. You can talk as freely and naturally as if an audience were right in front of you at the time of dictation. I'm envious. Yep, I saw the Theophile de Giraud speech on your FB. In one sense I want to say, "good for him", and then another part of me says, "it's a waste of time my friend". The latter feeling is the realistic one. Did you see the faces of the people when the camera panned around? Smirks and contemptuous giggling abound. People don't take this seriously and you can tell they think he's nuts. I mean, how can he not be? If life is so bad then he should just kill himself, right? I am too weary to fight such an impossible battle and also too Inmendham-ish, i.e. I can be civil for a very short period of time before getting mad at my interlocutor. So I purposely stay out of such games as best that I can. Still, I say good luck to the guy and to those others who still have the drive to try. quote:
Essentially, Epicurian approach. Where death is I'm not etc. How do you feel about that? I think it's the view that actually comes closest to being somewhat consoling. I actually used the very same quote in one of my previous responses to Brian on the parents-create-targets-for-harm thread. Having watched the video you linked to I didn't get an overtly zealous sense of life affirmation from Yalom. Granted, he did try to put a positive spin on the inevitability of death by talking about living life to the fullest while we're here, which (cliched or not) is good advice. "The physicality of death destroys us, the idea of death can save us" - was one such quote I jotted down from his speech. He contends that a lot of the fear of death can be attributed to the subconscious regret of not having done all the things in life that one would like to have achieved or given more attention to. I think this is partly true and is akin to what you spoke about in your audio file when discussing Maslow's concept of self actualisation. It is still a very small or superficial part of the fear in my opinion. But then again, without knowing his true thoughts and feelings on the issue I have to keep in mind what I said in my last post. He has a job to do and that is to try and 'help' people. Telling them, "hell yeah you should be afraid! All of this stuff that you hold dear is going to be ripped away from you. You're a goner, buddy! Nobody can save you. You're NOT going to see your loved ones again; everything you've been told by your religious teachers is bullshit; and all in all it will be like you never existed............. That will be $300 for the consultation, thank you. See you same time next week?", would probably not do much to assuage a patient's anxieties. Time for me to sign out and go to bed. I'm sure you've seen the meme: I like sleep. It's like death without the commitment. P.S. Brian! Keep your options open! NDE-ers are seeing their favourite fairy friends all across the place. Don't just settle for tired and plain old Jesus when there's a whole host of crazy characters to be seen right before you pop your clogs! Wanna go out with a bang? Then pick the most explosive religious experience of our time: Muslim NDE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hjr1aCW28g Who wants to spend eternity worshipping just one deity, especially a boring, gay carpenter? Why not pick an eight armed blue guy or that dude with the elephant face... no, no, not Joseph Merrick, I'm talking about that Ganesha nutter: Hindu NDE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWcs-AykknQ Fancy sporting a snazzy skull cap and having your sideburns styled into ringlets while an old guy cuts the excess skin from your dick and then sucks away the blood? You don't have to ask me twice! Join here today: Jewish NDE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CzpjTGHNwM Still can't shake your fondness for Mary's (cough, cough) 'immaculately conceived' love child with the big horny guy in the sky, but secretly wish he'd made an almost-modern-day sequel to the Bible in your homeland? Why didn't you say so?!: Mormon NDE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-SSgsmRG8g Beginning to lose your hair and looking for a way to justify a reason to shave the rest? Have a penchant for the colour orange and enjoy the sound of gongs going 'bong'? Sign on right here: Buddhist NDE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YOA_hHPVFQ Still unsure and willing to take a gamble then why not choose our mystery option? Nobody has a fucking clue what these clowns are about, but I'm betting it's divine!: Bahai NDE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVm3nL4tTbQ Just kidding you. If you take comfort in your beliefs then go right ahead. All I ask is that you put in a good word for me with the crispy Christ critter, because I don't think he'll take too kindly to some of the things I've said about him over the years. |
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22-05-2018 DOB,Thanks for the link. There's a book called "Imagine Heaven" and another book (I forget the name) about NDE's from India, dozens of them, and none of them saw the Hindu gods, they only saw a man in white, with a beard (hint, Jesus ) Sure, I'll pray for you! |
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22-05-2018
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they only saw a man in white, with a beard (hint, Jesus ) It's a fine theory. Then again, maaaaybe.... |
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24-05-2018 Irina,Thanks for the movie link! I'm surprised I never heard of it. It sounds interesting Here are some medical studies on Near-death experiences. https://www.magiscenter.com/4-important-studies-for-evidence-of-the-soul-and-heaven-from-near-death-experiences/ My boy Howard Storm has an interesting story. You can see a ton of his YouTube interviews. They still interest me. I e-mailed him a ton of questions and called him. I talked to him for an hour and a half in February. I asked him "Howard, how do you know your NDE was real?" He said "it was more real than any moment I've ever lived, including now." He was an atheist and tenured Art Professor when it happened and he was so changed by the experience that he became a Christian pastor. I'm almost positive that Howard isn't lying about what happened to him. It was either actually evidence of heaven or just fake. Wild stuff! |
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28-05-2018 Irina, exactly how many cocktails did you have before recording this? Just kidding. I rather enjoyed your inner-outer monologue. It helps to know there is someone out there who understands. Thanks for your honesty, it is most refreshing in this disingenuous world of ours. |
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02-06-2018 Hi Irina, please keep making video on your channel if you want, I love your pessimistic (realistic) vision of life, I could listen to you for hours and hours,Big hugs fro Italy |
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03-06-2018
Thanks, Massimo! :) I will try to make videos again one day, there's reasonably high probability of that. |
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11-06-2018 Hey, Irina, this is Lone Wolf checking in. I was watching an older video of yours this morning on Youtube from December of 2015 where you are "rambling" about yourself and stumbled across a quote that reminded me of you, " A mind without purpose will wander in dark places", which I found highly personal. Listening to you talk it occurred to me just how similar we think, which I find strangely fascinating because we have never met and come from very different worlds. The strangest of this life cannot be measured - how I relate to someone oceans away better than my own family and neighbors is an irony not lost upon me. This reminds me of yet another quote by Jim Morrison, " This is the strangest life I have ever known". It is not my intention to muddy your blog with my own ramblings, but I wanted to let you know how closely your work has touched me from such a great distance. They say a mind is a terrible thing to waste, but you are definitely not a victim of that particular travesty. Keep up your endeavors, in exercising your unique mind - for they are appreciated more than you know. You make me feel less alone in this bleak existence we share. Thanks, and be well in this cruel world. From me in lucidity. |
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19-06-2018
Your ramblings are welcome on this blog. Just that I can't promise to react timely or every time, sorry about that. Maybe if I win the lottery one day all I'll be doing is having conversations on the internet or writing my blog :P No, I won't :D Especially since I never buy lottery tickets, haha))) |
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14-06-2018 Privyet Irina,Did you hear about the American celebrities committing suicide last week? Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain; both rich and famous. I watched Anthony Bourdain a lot. He had a travel and cooking show. He went to Ukraine a few years ago. So sad |
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19-06-2018
Hi Brian, nope, I haven't been reading much news, and celebrity news almost never reach me. I see no direct corellation between wealth and subjective sense of well-being. I mean, on my post on breeding in slums I was describing how some people are totally cool living in abominable poverty... Some people who suffer will commit suicide, irrespective of their financial security/wealth, suffering can be caused by a multitude of things in our lives, anything from health issues to psychological and philosophical reasons and various combinations of them. It is sad, and especially for those who remain living and grieving over their loved ones, wondering whether they could've done anything to prevent that outcome. |
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17-06-2018 There is a lot of talk about rising suicide rates here in the States and, as usual, no realistic perspective on the subject. Everyone seems surprised when someone wealthy offs themselves, which always vexes me. As someone who comes from a wealthy family himself I can attest to the fact that " money ain't everything". Jim Carrey made the comment some time back that he wished everyone could become rich and famous so they realize it is not the answer. Happiness and a better world cannot be bought. |
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19-06-2018
«Money ain't everything» is correct, but it reminds me of this play on the famous saying «Alcohol won't solve your problems. But then again neither will milk». :) Because it does solve most problems, if one is smart about how they use it. And nothing solves all problems, nothing «is everything». It probably takes a lot of luck first and foremost, to be happy, because it all starts from where your personality is being formed, your family, and if one is lucky to be born into a relatively sane one, he or she has more chances of growing up being able to enjoy life and feel good about themselves and their place in the world than someone who is growing up beside a narcissistic bitch or an alcoholic. Can't choose that, and that's a baggage that a lot have to pay big bucks to sort out - if they got them bucks - or carry their whole lives feeling inadequate or deeply insecure or unworthy of love. But all things being equal, a person from a healthy family with a good potential to enjoy life + a bit more money ;) would be better off than with a slim, severely limited budget. Would you say anyone is better off with less money, for example? Can losing income bring more happiness? Is the money a source of unhappiness? Because I think that's what people who wish they had more money but know they can't tell themselves so they feel better :P |
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23-06-2018 Privyet Irina,My opinion is that money doesn't bring happiness but poverty usually brings unhappiness. Does that make sense? I've been dirt poor and had to live with parents and now I can live independently (although I'm not even close to rich) and money does help because it provides you with independence and some security. But, money is only a part of life. I read a few studies that show that money brings happiness up to a certain point and after that, more money makes no difference. Money won't solve your problems, but it will solve your money problems I think I asked you this before, but have you heard of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? I read the book "Feeling Good" by Dr. David Burns and liked it It's a classic. |
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10-07-2018
I think you're spot on there, Brian. My financial circumstance has alsop improved much since childhood and college and I can testify that life IS better with more money. I'm inclined to agree it's only up to a certain point. CBT is an approach. It's examining and working with your beliefs. I like it, it's sometimes more rational than some other methods concentrating on emotions. But of course it varies from person to person how they apply this method. If you liked the book - good on you. I don't suffer from any self esteem problems or sudden mood swings to try and mend, I easily say 'no' to people and spend very little time worrying what someone thinks of me, so I am fine with me, in harmony :D It's the world around me that's random and dangerous and will eventually end my own and everyone I know lives and that is not curable by any self-help guru. Just something I push out of my mind and go work or play. Or rant about. Because that's the reality I can't change. But if you have problem with your 'inner demons', solving those will greately improve your quality of life and an ability to enjoy it, so keep on reading if real psychotherapy is not covered by your insurance. |
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