The noble classist spirit of Europe should again be revived with pride! Not repudiated as a sin that they have committed! — Gus Lamarch

I wish we can do it! At least keeping the noble culture alive and spreading through all the countries. The only real time where Europe was at it’s peak was with the Roma Empire. Same language, currency, and law. True, it was perfect at all due to slavery, constant wars etc... Nevertheless if people read the context of time they would appreciate how different the Latin/Greek culture and empire were towards the “barbarians”. Impressive that Romans called them “barbarians” because they do not have culture at all and they made decisions with the use of violence.
Nowadays those barbarians are the rulers of EU... what happened? I do not even know. A lot of facts I guess. Are they guilty? I think not they are just using the advantages. Could it be different? I guess it doesn’t disappear at all the Latin/Greek culture but sadly this is not “worthy” in the bank system of today.

Sure. Sophist were one of those communities which focused more in the State and its democracy rather than individualism. But I guess they did not get involved enough into politics in general. Consider that back then slavery was legal but Epicurus was against the establishment, etc...
It is interesting the way you described it: Education for technology. Well this situation is due to Spinoza's enlightenment. He decided to divide the knowledge into two different branches: Science/humanists. We keep exactly the same perception of education. Can we change it? I guess No, like you said there are a lot of bureaucracy jobs out there which sustain the State.

I am not sure if that is one of the mandates of Philosophy: to create a better world. There is a trend that subscribes to that, but I don't think philosophers do. The closest philosophers come to this, is moral philosophy, but that in and by itself tells you only (if at all successfully) how to behave morally, and not how to reduce carbon dioxide or how to reduce the accelerating population explosion.

@god must be atheist

Completely agree with you, Sir. What a solid statement. It remembered me when politicians of Athens asked to the Sophist why they do not have the rule of governance and then answered "we are not here to solve the problems. We debate and theorise about these. Without them we cannot develop philosophy itself"
Nevertheless there are people who criticise Sophists. lol

I think this debate is not all about contradiction between existing/non existing God as a perfection. I guess this is an argument that can be put inside the "infinite" realities.
Firstly, it is interesting the quote you used about Leibniz saying perfection is

The magnitude of positive reality, taken precisely, beyond the limits or boundaries in the things that have them. And where there are no limits, that is, in God, perfection is absolutely infinite.

It is very complex this one. Because he is speaking about positive realism. So I guess he wants to put a divisional line between tangible and non tangible realities. Let me put another example of this. Descartes said perfection is that realism which even dreaming does not drive to failure. It is pretty similar as yours but one important point here: Awareness.
It will depend a lot of how is interpreted perfection and "God" in our awareness. This is the main reason that probably you used empiricism like David Hume but I will go for John Locke.
First, we have to understand what is abstract concepts as "perfection" "limits" and "God" What if you never heard of these? Well welcome to extreme empiricism. It is just impossible to give characteristics to something or someone that we do not even know yet. So I think this perspective wants to be as much as "limitless" in terms of skills and then we can say that those characteristics always existed but it was our fault not knowing it.

This also answers the objection that not-existing might be better than existing, and that therefore non existence might be a perfection

This one is so awesome. If you want to develop this existentialism debate I recommend you a serie: "Social Experiment Lain". It is free around internet. Explain the perfection of non-existence pretty well and I think is one the most interesting doubts about human existentialism.

This topic is so interesting and appreciated it because empiricism is one of my favourite philosophy disciplines. As you explained is quite complex why our awareness can be presented or not in our dreams while the reality give us a lot of doubts. Specified terms as "true" and "false" depend of how we learn about the society and our life experience. This point is so much important because opens a debate between empiricists and rationalists.
Descartes once said Reality is when even dreaming you are not wrong. For example, geometry. If you are dreaming about a cube when it is literally the same shape in reality, then that's realism
Ok this can be a good example, our awareness do not give us failure while dreaming but as John Locke so cleverly said... Who taught us this concept called "cube"? If we never been taught what it is a cube we will not name it in our dreams as a "cube" despite we are dreaming exactly the same.
So, in this point I guess experience and empiricism is really important in terms of speaking about your topic. I understand science is giving a lot of effort to explain this futhermore than just philosophy.

What will happen? Science could provide us if awareness is innate or empirical. Nevertheless, this debate will still there because is one of the most important aspects inside philosophy.

You are Mediterranean. Also your ancestors are. That's the truest nature of an Italian. Coming from the Mediterranean sea that means: Culture, politics, different concept of State, philosophy quite different from the north-Europeans, another concept of living and use of resources (agronomy or another concept of materials) and the best important thing of all: Roman law.
Yes you are right. Probably an Italian from the north is not the same from another one from the south. But you are come from the same roots. I guess that negative concept of Naples is due to how Austria was in the north of Italy. These kind of countries have the bad custom of classifying everything and everybody in ethnics, cultures, races, etc... So this is the reason why they inculcated that thought of Naples or southern Italy.

Today's Europe forgets that the West was founded thanks to the base of the romance countries, who are descendants of the Roman Empire, which was also sustained and developed at the expense of ancient Greece.

While this kind of irrationality takes place in Europe, we Americans forget that we owe everything and more to Europe itself, and so on.

@Gus Lamarch

Finally I meet someone who understands Europe as its truest spirit. Thank you so much.
Me, as a Spaniard, I do not how to express how thankful I am to Roman and Greek culture. They completely sharped my country. We never had to forget Spain was a very important Empire with those cultures. It is just my humble opinion but I think Mediterranean empires and culture was the basic starting point to all the Occidental countries (government, sociality, economy, State, law, philosophy, etc...)
Nevertheless, sadly, we live in a paradigma where the people do not give a damn about culture and roots. Most of Americans or Asians (no them all but the most) when they hear Europe they quickly think just UK, France, Holland and Germany (provably some Nordic too though). As I named previously the "north European". Yes, they have a better economy, industry and salaries than mine. But... These do not make them more european. A Greek (Mediterranean) is European as much as a German, French, Hungarian, Croatian... It is crazy how European continent has a lot of cultures but they only put economics first.

I would say Karl Marx could be a economist/politician philosopher. Like Plato wrote more or less about is one back in the day in his “Republic”
Apart from communism I guess he was important because He pretended establish a new social system starting from the beginning: social class, equality, justice, and a critical to the capitalism of his era.
Nevertheless is quite complex how to classify Marx and Engels because he studied a State using diferent philosophy principles.

this plays into stereotypes Dutch people (and Swedish, Austrian and Danish) have of southern european countries like Spain, Italy and Greece. You're lazy, and we're hard working. — Benkei

I get your point but...

As I said previously Greece and Spain are the countries with more hours of working along EU. We are not guilty our corrupt system give to us low incomes and bankruptcy.
If you say it works for those countries have zero respect for Mediterranean countries because it work for the nationalists... it disappoints me a lot. Aren’t you supposed to have a better education system tan us? Aren’t you supposed to be more “open minded” or modern?
I do not how it works tourism in Greece (I guess similar as here) but is full of “perfect north European countries”. So I do not know if you are truly happy of being in “hard working” country when it looks like you need so much to come here in summer time (you even buy properties). Probably I am from a lowest country economy but I do not have that “anxiety” to abandon it.

Again I respect your point of view and I guess you are not of these kind of people but if you say that easy argument of “they are taking our money in south while we are working in north” is so convincing in your population it disappoints a lot coming from countries with better universities, welfare State, modernism, open minded.

To my knowledge, the Spanish flu was less contagious, but don't quote me on that, not sure. — Paul S

A Spanish here. Fun and interesting fact: it was the called the Spanish flu due to the neutrality of Spain in WWI. It was the only European country speaking about it in press without censure. Some people say it was so contagious that probably died around 20 - 40 million of humans. But as you said it was so difficult to record it back in 1918.

It is indivisible because elementary particles are indivisible.
- It is a monistic theory. — SolarWind

Well I like your theory and I do not think it is crazy. It is so interesting. It reminds me the Greek philosophers called “atomistcs”. Leucippus was the author and developer of such theory. He shared the same theory you defend about consciousness that it is completely indivisible.
But let me ask you something. Is consciousness static or is in movement?

Pyramid: The metaphoric representation of the pillars inside the State. Also as we know today as pyramid class where it can be shown all of us in different levels. Nevertheless, it is supposed that the masonry doesn't have to be there but are the "engineers" or "architects" of the new system established in the new world. For this reason the emblem says Novus ordo seclorum

Eye: It is a religious representation. It is called the Eye of Providence and it means the "eye which can see everything and everyone all the time" I guess it is quite related to God and its omnipresent power. Important fact to say here that this exactly eye can be seen in another masonry representation about clocks/time or just a simply triangle.

For example. In this image you can see the Eye is upon all the society pillars, world, law, ethics, etc... And a brief representation of quite the principles of all the States.
[img]http://

But I am not sure how ECT would address nihilism.

@Jack Cummins

I think ECT will not make an impact to a patient who is experiencing nihilism. I guess this happens due to nihilism is just a way of thinking not a mental illness. Therefore, as you commented, I am also opposed to this technique. It is old and I guess it not provides good results in the most of cases.
Yes these are the main reasons why we are agree that depression has to be taken care of immediately. Nevertheless, it is a complex situation where professional do not know how to act properly so they decide just to give antidepressants and see what happens. Let's remember here that this one of the biggest problems of modern societies. They tend to take a lot of antidepressants. I do not know what to say here because I am not a specialist but I guess it is not a good recommendation take chemical drugs so quickly despite the context of where we at. For example, as you said, elderly people or those with critical situation whom not have another path to find a solution.

Interesting point of view. But remember that masonry never wanted get involved into politics. They just stayed there. I cannot prove what was the real role of masons in the decadence of Roman Empire because sadly we do not have enough facts to speak about it. I am just trying to put evidence about their existence not how important they could be.
Also, this strange topic is so free interpreted. So my guess is masonry back then was important but they just wanted to survive despite the circumstances of society. Probably they did not do nothing to help the empire because they already knew it wasn't profitable at all.

Yes. Completely agree with you. It is impossible know what the future holds. Sometimes it can be even scaring. At least we already established that nihilism and depression are quite different experiences of living. For this reason I do believe nihilism can back or go many times during lifetime because is another philosophic way of living.
Nevertheless, depression is a hard pathology that has to be treated as quickly as possible. Because I guess it is even worse feeling sad rather than "not having a life purpose yet" how nihilism predict.

Existentialism is on of the other feelings I remember experiencing it but not as hard as nihilism. I am agree in the point that the concept of nihilism can be used in different perspectives. Nevertheless I never had it in a religious perception because I always been atheist. So my nihilism period never came from a believing crisis of God.
As you said there are literally hard or soft nihilist. I mean as I said previously it dependes a lot od circumstances. I remember one of friend of mine who was experiencing nihilism said to me he was scared because nihilism could kill philosophy so he decided not getting further information about it.
When I was nihilist I remember waking up with lack of ambition and saying to myself "just another day until the end comes" but exactly in this difficult situation I started a new period that I keep in nowadays.

One of the most important points inside masonry is keeping it secret as much as they can do it. This ks the main reason we have less documents that could prove their existence as institution before XVIth century as you propose.
Nevertheless I have some evidences that can prove their existence since the Ancient Times.

Example 1. Roman Empire. Also called roma collegia it is written in de Digesto. One of the most important Roman laws ever made. Look carefully the picture. You will see all masonry symbolism we speak previously.
[img]http://

Example 2. The so called masonry pyramid here you can see that literally it is represented all social institutions along history and civilisations. It is true is free interpretive. But I think it is quite clear how indirectly they represent how always been there administrating the States from the shadows.
[img]http://

Yes. I think after my personal experience I defend it depends a lot of circumstances. We are agree that nihilism and depression are completely different but in some cases depression somehow can drive you to nihilist ideas.
It will depend in the stimulus because I guess when you are having an active life (work, studies, friends, etc...) it is quite difficult to experience nihilism. I was the opposite. I remember wasting a lot of time of worth living in my nihilism era. When I change my mind and discovering other motivations, nihilism started being something from the "past"
It is literally a blurry spectrum as you said. Because do not know how "randomly" appears and you do not know how to avoid it. Also, in the way of living a nihilist life you can hurt others when they see you quite "absort" from reality.
Nevertheless, I still have the door open because I cannot confirm I will never live it again. I hope the next time as you explained, it would be more philosophical rather than depend on circumstances (sadness, depression, low motivation) that provoked the past experience.

We are agree in the point of the impact of masonry back in the past. Probably they have different names or meaning but it looks like they always been there. As much as I hare the comment of Ciceronianus about symbolism in Hermeticism, I going to put two different interesting views of important symbols that are too much related to masonry. Also, as Nada said, of course, masonry doesn't have to be a negative statement in the bases of society.

Example 1. United States Dollar. (1 $). If you check the emblem in the pyramid it says: nevus ordo seclorum This literally means "new order established". It is interesting to point out how a clearly meaning from masonry is in the most famous currency of the world... Right?
[img]http://


Example 2. XIXth century was one of the toughest for Spain and Spanish institutions. The lost of colonies, one republic and zero perspective on the horizon. Nevertheless, the State gave their best and did not disappeared or whatever even worse to Spain and its citizens. Well, if you check it out this picture reflects all the Spanish governments during an important period (1868 - 1874) when we had two kings and one Republic in just six years. All the politicians and militates you see are from freemasonry called in Spain as "Gran Oriente de España" formally established in 1899.
[img]http://

You are the first to speak of the way in which I have mentioned nihilism in my introduction. I am not sure if it is a red herring or not, because I do think that the experiences of nihilism is a position of despair, but it is not simply the experience of depression, or is it?

@Jack Cummins

No. It is not simply being depressed but it is an important fact of experience nihilism. It all occurred back in 2017 when my best friend and I (we both love philosophy, ethics, psychology, etc...) decided the experience about nihilism. Nevertheless back then I was already experiencing it because I did not like the life I was living.
Talking about it during months we entered in a difficult situation where we reached not feeling sad but at the same time not having a goal/purpose in life... So I and my friend did not know what to feel about it. We were even close tl end our friendship because nihilism says nothing has a "reason" to believe by.
The months keep passing and we started becoming more "adults" in our 20/21 years old so we learned something about nihilism: This feeling happens sometimes when you are depressed but also when you have stimulus around that give you the opportunity of thinking in other thing instead of being like a vegetable "standing" there with zero reason. I accepted myself (as my friend did) and then my life went better.

In this point, I do not know if nihilism will back again in my life. I hope not. It will depend in my behaviour and stimulus around me.

The European Union is an economic prison created by a State larger than the States that compose the European nations.

@Gus Lamarch

Agree with this point. Of course it is an economic prison just to make richer other countries, well better called as "elites". Since covid started the last years it has been patent how different the north/south of Europe actually is. Here is where you have a lot of "positive" prejudices to the north (they are workers, keep their money better, industries, etc...) while the south has the "negative" prejudices (lazy, poor, bad workers, insult, etc...) I remember the Dutch primer minister said about my country (Spain) we are citizens who waste the money in women and wine. It is completely a lie. Nevertheless, that is the economic trap. Sometimes I think norths European countries want the south to be poorer just to get more benefit and zero competition. This is why I do not understand how Greece and Spain are the countries which have mora labour hours despite they have the lowest income (?) interesting.

The oldest lodge known according to Wikipedia dates from the 16th Century — Nada

Yes because this was the century where it is supposed that they decided organised them as a society. But I guess the meaning of “masonry” has a large recording since ancient times probably just to another secret organisation who wanted fight or threaten the State/Church.

However even if craft guilds were involved in the actions against the Jews it is not clear this can be attributed to the Freemasonry as it is known today. — Nada

It is very hard to attribute something to masonry in terms of historic impact. We all know that George Washington was a mason because he literally joined in the Virginia group and confessed it in his memorials. Also it looked like he was important inside the secret organisation itself. Nevertheless, we do not have the enough documents to prove how important was the masonry in the American independence.
They prefer keep it secret.

People grow up and are socialised to begin to go to the pub, almost as soon as they outgrow the pub. Alcohol is the legal narcotic. — Jack Cummins

Interesting fact about this: I am from Spain and alcohol is legal due to a lot of taxes it produces to the State. It also happens to the tobacco. So I guess my governors think it is worthy having theses substances because despite they are drugs are kind “soft”. Nevertheless my country is not the only one who manages alcohol and tobacco as taxes I guess...

One of the latest trends is therapy online but I am not convinced that this will be enough for many who are struggling. Also, mental health cannot be separated from real problems in the physical world, including poverty and homelessness. — Jack Cummins

Agree with this point. It will not enough online therapy. Also as you said it depends a lot the social context of the patient: additions, poverty, bankruptcy, etc...
But as you explained I do not get about getting related to “community”. Do you mean socialising and having friends, etc...?

There's such a huge difference in valuations and cognition that it makes it impossible to impose your truths on people whose understanding of everything stands in stark contrast to yours. — Nagel

The way of we looking our reality will always contrast others. I guess this happens because there is not exist a worldwide assumed truth at all. It depends a lot of with the way of thinking with the other person you are speaking with.
For example: I don’t believe I can find love hanging out with girl because I never had a girlfriend. Nevertheless, the other person has a girlfriend and responds me I am so “pessimistic” because I am not keep trying. We have here two different realities according two different experiences.
So yes the interpretations dependes a lot from a personal/culture experience. I guess the cleverest movement here is stay neutral when you meet someone so different from you instead of impose our thoughts.

How much of it is really continuous with historic racism, and how much of it is the outlet for today's fears? — frank

I think it is unmeasurable. There a lot of traditions and social ruptures that comes from historic racism. Today’s fears about having in your own country citizens from other cultures dependes of the quality of education level. Some States are used of it for example UK, USA, Canada, etc... others are not so openly like Russia or Japan.

Sure. Here you have an interesting link related of how supposedly masons contributed to the build of cathedrals back in the Middle Ages: http://pedro-mundodebabel.blogspot.com/2014/12/pasajes-de-la-historia-xviii-el-origen.html

It is in Spanish but I guess you can change it in English or whatever language.

did he also encourage racists across the world? — frank

Yes he did. I guess he woke up the beast that was sleeping since 1945 when Second World War ended. It is so complex determine what is a race war and if it actually exists. I think it is related to the context of the country: jobs, rent, economy and other social values. Covid-19 brought us a very big breach in the social pyramid/structure, people lost jobs, GDP losing percentage, companies shutting down...
so when you are in a critical environment, some people prefer to start putting labels and differences to just empower their selfishness. It is common if the easy argument of “they are quitting our jobs”
Which jobs? I guess the lowest paid... because sadly immigrants always have the shittiest jobs of society.
I wish when life comes to normality, we would forget this differences and confrontation between us as humans.

Sorry. I did not explain myself accurately. I referred them as a “cult” due to its secrets. Probably the correct word is society/fraternity.

Nevertheless, untreated mental illness can have a terrible impact, including suicide risk. It would just be so much better if people's difficulties could be addressed at a stage earlier, with a view to people talking about stresses. — Jack Cummins

Probably sometimes mental illness is untreated because it is still a taboo issue in some societies that do not respect the big problem actually means. Since the day we make as ordinary go to the therapist probably the context would change and then we could prevent many risk of mental illnesses as suicide.
I wish one day we start having more exercise of empathy with others and not making bad jokes because they are sad or living a bad moment.
I remember when I was university I was depressed. Nobody understood me and even made fun of me so I felt so lost that I was in the risk to take drugs (LSD). Hopefully I met the right therapist and I didn’t do so and I starting seeing the life with a different point of view. This is why I always recommend go to a therapist when the context starts going wrong.

The people drinking alone, with no one to talk to me may be a whole group needing therapy at some point in the future. — Jack Cummins

Of course this situation will lead many people go to a therapist in the future. Covid-19 and its pandemic taught us how difficult is live in loneliness. All of those who were frequently visiting pubs didn’t know how to pass the shut down properly so they decided drink alone.
I don’t know how much affect drinking alone but I guess it could be so interesting to see in the future how this people interact in society when everything would be again in “normality”. Will they still drinking in house alone or in the pub socially? This point that you commented is so interesting.

Nowadays, this same trap has been transformed into a much more complex and rigid form through the use of the sum of:

Nationality + Religion - or in the case of the Western World, "Ideologies "-. — Gus Lamarch

Yes. Completely. I totally forgot the Religion context. I thought it was needed in the Middle Age but no... we have a lot examples in the present of how Religion divide the individual and then makes conflict against the State: Nigeria (Boko Haram issues with Muslim religion or his constant conflict against the State) Israel vs Palestine (they are conflict for more than 50 years due to religion. Well we can see here another facts as land occupation but it is all related to religion).
I said it was a trap because there are a lot of people out there who literally will give their life for the nation they come from. I think is ridiculous since the day the world is more connected than ever through internet and also abstract things like “customs” are not working in economics. This is the example of European Union (different nations and culture but they have to unite together trying to make a powerful market).

Yet, because I assure you that the objective of the current job market is to use you as much as possible. — Gus Lamarch

Will we work until the 70 or 75 years old? Probably.
Will it disappear the jubilation as we know today? Probably too.

I remember one art psychotherapy saying that the most important aspect of therapy is having the right therapist. Perhaps, part of this is finding someone to relate too, but I would also think that it has a lot to — Jack Cummins

Having the right therapist is a gift. Also I am not here to criticise all the therapists because I would sound so ignorant. Being a professional in something so complex as human psyche could be sometime so difficult to find the “right” solution for each person. Nevertheless, I am agree with you said about knowledge. Yes I guess there actually exists some basic “parameters” which could help each individual and try to find a solution.

That is because emotional suffering does have such a profound influence upon biochemistry — Jack Cummins

This one is so interesting and thank you for clarifying this concept. I guess I spoke in so general terms previously. True, sometimes it is very important the medication but clearly when someone really needs it (as you explain, people that could suffer of psychotic). But those are special cases.
In the other hand, I still maintain the danger of taking so much pills if you can avoid it. I mean, I wish taking this medication would be the las thing to do if it’s necessary.

Does therapy help to the people when they are suffering from depression, negative thoughts, etc...? Of course yes. But in the terms of how it could be improve the therapy itself is quite difficult. I do not have as much as experience as you in this field. But I guess it depends a lot of individual's motivation to change. I can't go to a therapist pretending they are like "wizards" and then they will change my life forever to be happy. This is the main reason why the psyque is so complex I think. Sometimes I don't even know why I feel stress or with lack of motivation so I can't imagine how I have to explain it what happens to my mind to a therapist.

Nevertheless, I think therapy is essential for mental health because it prevents you from taking drugs. I mean all kind of drugs (permitted by pharmaceutical companies like "Prozac" or forbidden by States like weed or heroine). This is exactly what I am wanting to go. Sometimes we all have problems related to mental issues or order that we don't know where to scape for. In this complex context I will always recommend go to a therapist just to being listened by instead of consuming pills and get "quick happiness"

But again I am not so experienced in the world of human suffering and I do not know why sometimes psychiatric recommends taking "prozac" to be "less" depressed.

The more you ask for happiness, the more you will be in suffering

@Anand-Haqq

It can be applied in other kind of abstract meanings in human behaviour. Sometimes this is why the youngest generations feel frustrated for not getting the properly "happiness" why? Because they ask a lot of it.

If you ask for being attractive for a girl/boy, the opposite you will get.
If you ask too much for attention, the rejection you will get.
If you ask too much for happiness you will not be full filled in your life or opportunities.

I guess we have to accept our circumstances and yes working hard to get better every year but not being obsessed with "happiness" because it is quite impossible.

We're really all bequeathing to our children a legacy of ashes. The far-right, ready to demolish the pillars of civil society to get their way, more than any other party

@Count Timothy von Icarus

One of the issues that tear me apart the most is the way new generations (where I am included in) totally forget how difficult in the past was the establishment of peaceful criteria. Ridiculously most of them think this is easy and happened "randomly" through the years having zero confronting with all of those who died/worked hard trying to find a better world to live in.
I like the image you shared. Hard times comes from the context where the educational level is in their lowest. Here is when dictators o emperors labelled the people as "ethnics" or "social classes" with a huge difference between all the citizens included in. They are not strong enough to create a social solution so they just go for the easiest way: Taking advantage of the weakness in terms of education, salary, culture, access to well paid jobs, etc...

I guess "strong" man as you image reflects, are not those who built an empire. Are those who manage it and govern it through the centuries. Roman Empire was clearly a beautiful example of how you must rule a vast territory: Application of law equally in all the lands, acting and fighting by the same flag/state, respect (or at least try to) the Emperor and also having a common language.
Since the day where slowly these started disappearing, Roman Emprie went to their final days. Some other towns got into it with other cultures and destroy it. As Juliua Caesar said devide et vinces
Roman Empire was divided in 476, then disappeared through the years.

Also good times never will create "weak men" this is another debate. I do not want go tangent from your topic but it is interesting to debate about why some people think that in peaceful times the citizens and States go "weaker"

The laws of physics are indifferent to time-reversal so what kind of language we apply to forward or backward in this case is only our purely linguistic decision and it has no impact on the reality of the situation. — antor

Thank you for sharing your thoughts from a professional point of view as physicist. But it is interesting how dependens the notion of "time" in our reality when we introduce it in the vocabulary.
I guess it is impossible to fraction the time, i.e "30 minutes less to end the class" or "how the life flies by" etc...
Probably it isn't impact in terms of reality but it makes a huge impact in our days and living. We fraction the time just to make a chronological order and then make the life "easier" this is another example of how the humankind can be so abstract sometimes. Why the year is ordered by 12 months? Why are we exactly in "2021"? Etc...
Speak about time not only in science but in philosophy is so interesting from my point of view and I guess it is not dead as Einstein or Bergson proposed.

I would conclude that the secrets and specificities of Freemasonry have been so diluted for so long and for so many different cultures, that it is impossible to truly know its dogmas and its own internal culture — Gus Lamarch

This was one of the mistakes from the cultures and nations over the years. I guess they misunderstood the way of acting from the masonry. It was just another cult but it is plagued of overrated legends or myths that are not even proven.
You put the example of Wall of Theodosius. I am full agree with you that probably masons were somehow part of it. But I guess they were part of barely most of historical moments in the civilization. I put another example: when Spain conquered the Peninsula and kicked off the jews and Muslims. It is known that probably masonry was part of the "strategy" or somehow had an important role.

Nevertheless, this is organisation is so secret that we cannot clearly put historical information on the table and then prove it. This is why is full of truths and myths/legends.

This is so interesting. I like how you explained it as the Cosmos is entangled itself. It is hard to understand a vast topic like Cosmos and its varieties.
I think this is where it coincides all the possible debates: philosophy, physics, mathematics, etc... We put basic vocabulary to this vast topic saying "whole Cosmos" as monism/primary and then all the parts as pluralism as you explained previously.

While I understand that humans tend to like labeling and categorizing things — GTTRPNK

Absolutely. We the humans always had to labeled and categorized things just to make an order in our living context. Not only in gender but in time, seizure, ethnics, nations, etc...
Nevertheless, as you put the example of your friend that sometimes we have other cases that are not in the "order" I guess the pronoun usage will be more showed in the future because we are taking the reality furthermore than basic labels like "he/she" patrons....

I do not know if this is needed as you ask. It depends of your friend and other non-binary people way if see it. I guess they choose this patron or "label" because it is the one which fits the most with them. If it is helpful to them who are the ones what are living it, it is helpful then.

which evolved to a "belonging to the State" - Classical Age -. — Gus Lamarch

Here is where we find for the first time the feeling of "nationalism" I belong to x State because my identity, culture, customs, language were born here. But I think it is just another trap. As you said previously it is difficult to quickly change a statement that was ruling on the world during 5,000 years.
Yes, probably today we will not die in our works for the conditions or lack of rights but... It terrifying looks like so similar like in the older ages.

Avoid selfishness in this world is so difficult. I guess it is even more difficult than ever because we are living an era where the "strongest" has "success" and doesn't matter how is living the other part. There is no empathy. Just look the vaccine of Coronavirus. I wish as you say after the pandemic change the way of thinking and then probably (just probably) make a great transition in governments

Freemasonry may have played a role in the separation between church and state. — Metaphysician Undercover

Absolutely. They played an important role against the Church as a system of fight powers. But in this context we also have protestantism and Henry VIII opposing against the Church/Clergy.
But we both agree here that one of the doubtful things about masonry is being that secret. This is the main reason why is full of legends and not analysis or scientific theories.