But it really seems that that isn't your cup of tea as you don't spend time writing about it and instead come here highlighting all the negative shit going on trying to convince yourself you shouldn't care about it. — Benkei

Empaths such as myself, are largely affected by both the negative and positive happenings around us. There are times when we literally have to convince ourselves that there are people out there in this world that really don't care. I still cannot accept that there are people who truly don't care but that is an issue for me because I don't believe people have mal intent.

But to suggest to an empath not to care, is like to say to a toddler not to be curious or to an adult not to be logical. Sure we could ask that of them but would they be able to deliver? And if they were able to play the game of life the way you see it, would you expect that change to be permanent or are the prior examples just supposed to fake who they are?

If the Stoic's goal is just to maintain his "calmness and tranquility" in the face of injustice, barbarity and stupidity, then, yes, the Stoic is a monster. But I doubt this caricature does justice to the Stoic, so I'm a little upset. — Πετροκότσυφας

I am pleased to read that you do not view Stoic's as "calm and tranquil" as that is not what a Stoic embraces. I have sat with Socrates for years and his teachings suggest that Stoic's embrace the idea that events and happenings around us are not going to shake us. That however does not make us without feelings or emotion, it is just not going to dictate our actions.

According to its teachings, as social beings, the path to happiness for humans is found in accepting the moment as it presents itself, by not allowing oneself to be controlled by the desire for pleasure or fear of pain, by using one’s mind to understand the world and to do one’s part in nature's plan, and by working together and treating others fairly and justly.

What I am not pleased to see is the vile video that I couldn't even watch based on your links first frame. I think it was rude to post and was intended to hurt. Hurt maybe to make a point? It is ridiculous to post such a response but you are entitled to post it, just as Posty was to post his video.
BUT, please, could you place such a video in "reveal" just like others do for videos or memes that might be offensive.

But, my point seems to be that this spinning seal is sort of the point to life. Just relax and take it easy. There's no need to be upset. — Posty McPostface

Posty, I applaud you for watching something that hits you in the "feels" because too many are walking around numb unable to help themselves to calm down.
My guess is you have read the following as I have posted it for years and even though I am not a religious person per say, I am a Spiritual person and this little writing reminds me to focus on the joy and laughter in the moment. Maybe it will you too.

This poem was written by a man, Hugh Edmondson Prather the 3rd, who was an American writer and lay minister from the Desert Southwest.
You might recognize the nursery rhyme “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” but the wisdom Hugh found in it, about God was amazing.

Rowing Home
When my wife Gayle and I were living in Santa Fe, 3 young men from Idaho came to visit me. They said they wanted to ask me about a Course in Miracles. We met at the Patio of The Forge restaurant and halfway through the lunch one of them stood up and said: “I think God has a message for you; I’ll go to the bathroom and get it.” I smiled matter-of-factly, not knowing how they prayed in Idaho. When the young man came back, he said: “God did have a message. It was ‘Row your boat gently down the stream’.”
Two weeks before, Gayle had said to me: “Have you ever considered how spiritual the lyrics to ‘Row, Row, Row your boat’ are?”
I had not, and told her so, and really didn’t give it much thought to it until later.
Now God had my attention.

Row, row, row
We all begin in 4-quarter time! We start off knowing everything is for fun! Bedtime, mealtime, everything! True, adults have forgotten that, but haven’t we been told that a little child leads us home?
Your
Row your boat, not someone else’s. Why? Because we are all in the same boat! Heal your-self and you simultaneously offer healing to all the other passengers.
Boat
You are NOT your boat. You JUST row it. The body is a floatation device. Therefore, you want to remain aware of how you treat it and all of those your rowing touches.
Gently
God’s little joke. If you are rowing gently down the stream, are you really moving the boat?
No. You are just interfering. But it is important to do something because a gentle occupation keeps your ego gently occupied. Gentleness which combines; peace, love and harmlessness, the core of this song and of a spiritual path.
Even when you try to row up the stream, if you row gently, you are still swept in the right direction.
Down
Just lean into your destiny, do not anticipate, do not expect, do not brace yourself. Above all, do not tell the river what must be on the shore around the bend.
Instead, develop the sense of letting the shore come to you, of letting today’s events come to you. In other words, when you stay in the present, you coast.
The Stream
The stream knows where to go because the stream is love. God is carrying you piggyback all the way Home. You do not travel on money, your wits, health, time, good looks or success, you travel on God.
Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily,
Notice that you get 4 merrilies for every 3 times you row. That is a 33.3% return! A spiritual path is just learning what makes you happy.
Life is But a Dream
Life is but a dream – it is merely a dream. If you loathe a dream or fight it, or worship it, your mind remains locked on it.
BUT, when you dream ‘gently’, when you float in the dream and when you take the dream as it comes, remembering that YOUR boat is in it, BUT that YOU are not, you infuse the dream with many merrilies. Merrilies are the WAKING state! Thus, you will flow into the Vast Ocean of God’s Great Merriment, where you are FREE even of rowing and the SMILE of God is YOUR smile Forever.

kombucha, — praxis

Everyday, first thing I consume and it removes any sugar craving I might have had. Lots of energy and a healthy stomach...it really is the fountain of youth, in a bottle, for the same price of beer. :roll:

There were a couple of moments that were painful, but not terrible and very short -- when they turned the head of the scope backwards to view the asshole from the inside out. — Bitter Crank

Hmmm now that approaches the level of pain that a lady endures for the first 4 hours of a 12 hr labor. Thank goodness for modern medicine because I was at a level of 15, dying from pain when I asked for my Epidural and within minutes I was filing my nails watching my beloved Cubs lose yet another game. That flippin meter that I was dying at 15 hit 133 in my 11th hour and all I was supposed to feel was "pressure" but alas as the baby nears Oxygen they taper the Epidural down so the woman can "feel" to push. BULLSHIT! It's not "feel" it's flipping barbaric levels of pain. But enough about me... :scream:

The results were zero polyps, zero cancers, all good. — Bitter Crank

Woo Hooo that is AWESOME news!
Damn again to modern medicine. When my Mom was a Nurse just starting out was in the lab, doing smear screens under the microscope, looking for Cancer cells that took dayssssssssss….. peace of mind is such a necessary part of our overall health.

I was starving: a can of soup, a piece of cold chicken, some toast, cheese, a sweet potato with fresh apple sauce and cranberries (now in season). — Bitter Crank

Mmmm sounds good then again ANYTHING would sound good!

Btw, for Americans to immigrate to the Nordic countries is very difficult — ssu

Why is that? Do Nordic countries use the Merit system? Is there a limit to how many immigrants are allowed in annually? What happens when someone does enter a Nordic country without permission?

The way you speak of traveling with ease within Nordic countries is how United States citizens move throughout the states of our nation and our districts (D.C. and our territories Puerto Rico ect) with the currency, laws and protected rights remain the same for citizens. The states themselves offer up a diversity in religion, food and traditions native to their state. The greeting you would get from @Hanover in Georgia would be VERY different than the greeting you would receive at our ranch here in the Desert Southwest. From attire to manners, dialect to burying traditions, our state are very different cultures.

I am not sure of what the size differential is between the Nordic countries and United States of America, which leads me to wonder if it wouldn't be a fair correlation between the two as far as mobility within the defined borders. Maybe Nordic countries collectively are what the States are of the Union represent? Would that be accurate?

The last word is "thwap".
Now ask me who.... :zip:

No one knows.
I don't know and you don't know either.
What is it we are talking about again?

Just FYI: have a child and toddlerhood will break you of always having to ask another person "why". :cool:
And so help me....if you ask why.... :confused:

The backlash on the Sessions firing will be interesting. — ssu

It will have a very positive effect on the nations' legal attitude towards cannabis both medical and recreational. Following Canada's lead of course. :wink:

Thank you! I've had one before, so it won't be a complete surprise. The worst part right now is drinking 2 more quarts of salty slop. — Bitter Crank

Never 2 quarts but I have had my share of salty slop. :razz:

There's snow on the ground this morning, 31º. The weather ball is green so frigid lows are foreseen. A low of 15 for Saturday. Brrr. — Bitter Crank

Okay now your making me jealous! It is another cloudless sky, 78* and perfect weather that I am absolutely done with! :angry:
I am so wanting the soft, quite sound of snow falling. It makes the world look virginal of all mans' victories and defeats against Mother Earth. :halo:

Have a good day. :flower: — Bitter Crank

Awwww I would still like to come over and bring you a little dinner. You have got to be starving and I promise, nothing salty, only sweet. :flower: :flower: :flower:

One did. He still won. — Michael

:rofl: Only You as a non-American would know that! To add a little absurdity to it, Exiled Sheriff Joe Arpaio shared the same stage with him the night before he died. :eyes: :rofl:

@Bitter Crank I wish you well on your procedure today. Make sure you demand a good amount of Twilight sleep! I wish I could be near you to care for you this afternoon~ :flower:

I haven't been posting much. :eyes: — Waya

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! <<<Did you hear that cause my dogs are howling now! Buahahaha pays to get up early!
How are your classes going?

Got room for one more? :lol:

Missing me some PB!! :sparkle:

Space Cowboy Party — Jake

Who was it at PF that had an avatar of the SpaceCowboy?

It's all about their attempt to obtain power at all costs. It has nothing to do with righteousness. To think otherwise is incredibly naive. — Hanover

What group of people are we talking about again? :razz:

Before dawn, first in line to cast my ballot!
:up:

Not a single fuck given — unenlightened

I tried to in a veiled attempt to keep the waters calm. :flower:
I have endured the wrath of a ticked off Jeremiah in a FB quote. I just wish him peace where ever he lands. And for the love of Tiff, let it not be on FB. :pray:

While the Church recognizes boarders, and acknowledges their need, it does not see them as superior to human rights. — Rank Amateur

Whose church decides what church is going to support the human rights of all looking for refuge?
The church knows that the word is easily spoken but deed is quite another undertaking. Who is carrying out to the masses, the words that are promised in the church of the people?

Sorry should have been I have NO reason to believe..... — Rank Amateur

Freud?

Is anyone else nervous about society right now? I'm nervous. I haven't been this nervous in a while. Since the twin towers fell. But I think I might be even more nervous now than I was then because it feels like America is starting to war with it'self and it's neighbors and it's planet with no concern for ethics what so ever. — Lif3r

It's going to be okay, Lif3r, just stay with me. Like you, I was shaken to the core by the attack on our country and I still to this day have a very difficult time with accepting the reality of what happened that day and how those looking to find a "reason why" seemed to remove the humanity from it all.
But that doesn't mean that we as a nation are going to fail, we as a nation are in the middle of change. When people use platitudes like "The only constant in life is change" this is what they are talking about. The only problem is that we are the ones walking through the storm, making it impossible to see the other side of change, the sunny side of the storm we are currently walking through. If you could see it from a distance, you could see the edges of the storm framed by sunshine but it's not always that easy.

What we have to do, when we find ourselves walking in the storm we are currently walking through as a nation, is to keep walking for it does no good to stop and get soaked nor do we wish to turn back through the storm we have made it so far through, only to have to walk through it again.

No, take my hand and together we will weather this storm and make it out the other side, I have faith in you and I have faith in me to succeed at that. Just understand, we have a shared responsibility to bring with us grace and understanding of what others may be going through that we are unaware of, never losing sight of the fact that we need to take care of ourselves before we can offer assistance to another no matter how desperate they may be. Much like the Oxygen we are required to breathe, you need to tend to your own self, before helping another traveling with you, in the event of the loss of cabin pressure on a plane for without the instinct of self preservation, you will be of no help to anyone including; but not limited to yourself.

You will be okay, I will be okay and together we as a society will be okay and with that secured, we will then be able to reach out to help others. :sparkle:

Based on my personal interactions I would gently advise against making too much of the decision of banning this member.
Peace

looks like about 4 or 5 corporal acts of mercy in that post. — Rank Amateur

I am sorry, could you please point to the act of mercy that says I am willing to lead you into a place I am unwilling to travel to and leave you there.

Human beings of equal moral value should be free to move about the world to maximize The value of their lives, as they define it. This freedom should only be limited by the inherent conflicts of similar freedoms in others. The nature of a particular political border may or may
not be a moral entity to the extent it is justly or unjustly resolving the issues of just conflicts of inherent human freedoms from the equivalent human beings it separates. — Rank Amateur

The border of any country is not "moral" or "immoral" the border of the country "is". How it is respected by those within its' "border" and those outside of its' "border" may at times seem to be perceived as "political" but that waxes and wanes with time, at most countries borders do.

To apply whether or not a countries border "is justly or unjustly resolving the issues of just conflicts of inherent human freedoms from the equivalent human beings it separates" one needn't look far to see whether or not that works over the long term. My state of residence is one that shares a countries border, in addition to its' state borders within the nation of the United States. Likewise, the residents of Mexico share a border with the USAs' nation states of Texas, Arizona and California as well as the USA's country border. When our (both the USA and Mexico) nations' borders are respected we can handle the daily flow of people and commerce between our nations.

Our (both the USA and Mexico) ports of entry used to be able to process both of the countries citizens through on a daily basis with the likely delay being the person in front of you having to empty their pockets as they walked through the guarded turn style. Residents of both countries know both the benefits and the drawbacks of having each other to trade with, cooperate with lawfully and orderly.

We (both the USA and Mexico) have done it for decades which means we have experienced borders being tested by those who do not reside in a countries border state trying to govern the respected borders. I am speaking of both of "us", both sides of each nations' borders. When the light is not shinning on who is governing the countries' border that we share and there is regular flow of transactions both legal and illegal, the border works. It doesn't work legally nor morally but it works for the humans involved.

It works for the self appointed border possessors, both the Zeta and Sinaloa associations, who have their own laws of safe passage that must be followed. It works for the residents of the USA because our nations' border is functioning as a guide, so those who wish to cross either way, at a legal point of entry, can and be processed in a reasonable amount of time.

Neither of our individual nations' borders cannot handle the influx of a large amount of people at once. I do believe that Mexico and the USA, in a governmental alliance not tried before (that I have witnessed) are trying to respectfully handle all humans involved. We are not sure how to handle the sheer numbers but we are trying to find the best way possible, knowing there is no perfect way to do it. We both know how to do it orderly but again, neither country can handle the sheer number at once. Who is morally at fault? Neither of our countries, we are all doing the best we can, with what we have.

The network of churches encouraging these travelers, providing food and comfort, recognize our nations' borders and also acknowledge that they themselves cannot handle the sheer number of people wanting to come in at once. The churches along the way to the USA are handling those traveling, not final destinations. The final destination for many travelers is not within Mexico but within the USAs' nations' border and that involves the churches of the USA finding permanent places simply for survival. But once here, the ability to thrive becomes limited because of the legal status of the traveler and that is where the church falls out of grace.

Can an organization claiming religious status simply be laundering people through our nations' without any future lined up for them?

What position does that leave the traveler in? In a country that is ruled by laws, but in being in either country, without that countries permission leaves the traveler vulnerable to any personal crimes as they cannot report to the authorities of that country because of the ramifications of being 'found'. Does that equate to "is justly or unjustly resolving the issues of just conflicts of inherent human freedoms from the equivalent human beings it separates"?

Is the church acting morally when it does not inform the travelers of the known obstacles that those they are encouraging and guiding are going to encounter?

Interesting fyi - from US Conf of Catholic Bishops.
I say that because our reporters on the ground, traveling with the folks coming from the south to the USA, have been organized, guaranteed safe passage to the USA border, food, places to rest, medicine and support by the catholic churches. The folks that have been part of the separation of families that took place 6 months ago are being dropped off by the hundreds at churches here in the Valley. ICE is transporting them to the churches because the 21 day time limit has run out and these folks need somewhere to go. They are dropped off at the churches and from there they can contact family members across the country and are given a bus ticket or a plane ticket to get them there. One church being interviewed said they normally receive 10-15 immigrants a week and are now receiving people by the hundreds. The first day, of the first wave, of released immigrants cost the church over 2k in medicine, personal hygiene supplies and basic needs.
These churches are not equipped to handle the influx of immigrants they are receiving but they will not say no to anyone.
When I consider the validity of what is being said and what I am actually seeing, I am almost 100% convinced that the churches are the ones encouraging the migration through other countries to get to the USA.

I do remember many kids at school that were good students and very interested in what they were learning, but they lacked direction, not really paying attention to what courses were needed to graduate, and sort of just dabbled until they quit. There's something to be said about pushing through it. If there's something that's really interesting, do it on your wn time, but don't let it slow you down from the finish line. — Hanover

My problem with school was that I was a good student but I was also a total flirt with the teachers. So between a smile and a plate of my infamous oatmeal raisin cookies, I aced my classes. :love:
Now that I am a few years older, I am in it for the information. I have sharpened my communication skills here in the forum and along the 21yrs I have been out of school, so in some ways I am much better prepared. I have always felt the desire to be helpful and leave people feeling better for having interacted with me so counseling comes natural. I am toying with different final destinations but right now I am considering being a Social Worker in the field of Addiction or a Social Worker for Hospice.

Now before you might point out the absolute difficulty that I have had and still am experiencing the grief of losing my Dad, understand that I have been there in the 11th hour for more than one patient I didn't know until I was lying in bed beside them, trying to bring peace of mind to their departing body.
I have what it takes when it is someone else. I know how to ease people's concerns about passing over to the other side and the wonder about what is there if anything. I easily adapt to other people's religious traditions and can speak softly about things I know nothing about, to people I have never met before the hours before they cease living.

I really do believe I will get greater inner satisfaction in helping others transition over to the other side and helping the family along the journey that their loved one is on. That is what is in my heart right now but I am open to entertaining other fields.

In the end, I might want to teach the up and coming Hospice Social workers. I have found a new hill to die on. The first hill was to see that when offered up a scrip for Opiates that a script for Cannabis is offered at the same time to the patient and Governor Cuomo of NY is passing that law and it is only a matter of time before that is the offer across the country. So I needed a new hill and one came to me.
My new hill, that I am willing to die on is an advanced attitude towards Kevorkian's cause and having the right to take your own life, at the time of your choosing, with those you wish to have around you.

For me, it is worthy of pursuing making legal for too many reasons to count and for names I wish to hold close... :broken:
It's not time, it's past time. :brow:

Do you see any separation between your own subjectivity, and all the (ever-shifting) things that go up to make ArguingWAristotleTiff? — bert1

Hmmmmm… you have me thinking.....

What you should do is find out the fastest track to graduation, get the best grades you can, and then enter the work force and do whatever it is you want to do. — Hanover

Hanover is right. :100:
Posty, I have returned to school and am on "a" track, one that I have been on for over 30 yrs but had a 21 yr delay in raising our Indians. Now that they are both out of the house, my youngest is a Sophomore at college and frankly I realized that I have been standing at the same cross roads for far too long. So I enrolled in college and from what I know, you would likely qualify for the Pell Grant that will cover any load of classes you might want to take at a Community College. There are also a plethora of free online courses at a few of the Ivy League schools back East that will catapult you over any class you need to take locally.
Whatever you do, do SOMETHING! :strong:
And I say that knowing I am speaking from a place of hypocrisy but if I can do it now, you can too.
Here is the scary thing: :gasp:
Once you make a decision, you will be surprised how quickly your goal is realized. So be careful what you choose to do because the Universe has a line of work waiting for your attention. :up:

Ahh, dear MOS. How is he? — Posty McPostface

He is doing awesome! Traveling and keeping busy! Lot's of art and Cats! :hearts: :up: :flower:

Can anything at all be said about attitudes? — Posty McPostface

From the mouth of my favorite cat Mayor of Simplton: Attitudes are like assholes every one has one. :brow:

Personally, I'm not a fan of all this "life is meaningless" business, but when they tell me I have Parkinsons disease, well, I'm not sticking around for that. Adios amigos! — Jake

Jake, there can be a great degree of time between the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and a quality of life not worth living anymore.
Tell me something in this hypothetical, how are you going to take your own life and are you going to tell your loved ones? Will they be present? And, as easy as people talk about suicide, it is not so easy to carry out successfully. What happens if you only make it half way and are mentally incapable of making your own decisions?
I've seen Parkinson's raw and up close and as rough as that is? It ain't nothing in comparison to being a body without a mind.

The thing with suicide is that you can't be wrong about it, and that's a scary prospect. — Posty McPostface

Maybe. I think you can be wrong about suicide in so much as not every attempt at suicide is successful. I say that in all seriousness because the only thing worse than trying to leave a world by suicide, is only making it halfway and actively choosing to be a burden to your loved ones.
And speaking of your loved ones left behind, YOU would be the one to selfishly leave the suicide legacy in your family history, something that can be looked to by future generations.

Why am I me? — JohnLocke

Because only you can be you and I can only be me.
Entertaining the idea of two of me gives Aristotle a headache. :wink: And before the obvious is pointed out to me, Aristotle would not be alone in his headaching. :joke:

Sorry for the confusion. Someone deleted it for me. :up:

But overall I am wondering how philosophically we should approach and cope with irrationality. — Andrew4Handel

Maybe try a perspective that Aristotle suggested which is "It is a mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain the thoughts of others without taking them on for own".

Listen to what they have to say, mirror it back so they know they have been heard, acknowledge that is or isn't in line with your thoughts, turn and walk away. Maybe even feel a bit of sympathy that they have to live with their ideas.
Just my two cents... If I can get my change, I will be on my way

@Hanover
May Peace and Love prevail. :heart:

Can you send that message by PM next time please? Along with my bank account details. — Baden

I already have your bank account details Baden :smirk:

Thank you!

Thank you for showing me the path forward. Maybe I could ask you to delete it? That would be Awesome if you could :up: