No, never been out of my village

One of the reasons why I enjoy reading and writing on the forum is interacting throughout the world, with people from very different backgrounds. Some people stay within familiar territories in social life, which may be a comfort zone. This may be in one geographical area, or in a specific social group.

It may be out of fear that one stays in safe zones. It can shake one's beliefs. Probably, the reason why I am happy to venture into other territories is because I never experienced 'comfort of belief' in the first place. My 'mental breakdown', of awareness of cultural differences in beliefs, had set in during childhood.

Sorry to hear of the COVID. Get well. :smile:

When I read your outpost I missed seeing the bit about you having Covid, so hope that you get well soon.

Sometimes, after all the rules and regulations, it as if Covid is ignored almost. It is still around, alongside so many issues which were brought on by the pandemic/lockdown, which have been the trigger for so much psychological and societal breakdown.

Sometimes, after all the rules and regulations, it as if Covid is ignored almost. — Jack Cummins

It's treated the same as any relatively scarce illness.

so many issues which were brought on by the pandemic/lockdown — Jack Cummins

For sure. Which is a shame, in light the first bit.

It's treated the same as any relatively scarce illness — AmadeusD

Did you get Covid?

I am not at all sure of what I think I know. — Athena

That can be a very good thing. It can be what leads to an epiphany.

I think you can know that many here wish you well.

Couple of times, yes. Less often than the common cold over the same three year period.

One way to avoid Covid is to shun other people, who are nothing but hell, according to J. P. Sartre. Fuck Sartre.

Kant asked, "What can I know? What ought I to do? What can I hope?"

There are clear positive answers to the first two questions, which we can at least hope is the case.

Can you relate to that? — Athena

I pursue the growth of my ignorance. So, yes.

Fuck Sartre. — BC

I'm sure he'd oblige, but I, for one, prefer your context.

When I read your outpost I missed seeing the bit about you having Covid, so hope that you get well soon.

Sometimes, after all the rules and regulations, it as if Covid is ignored almost. It is still around, alongside so many issues which were brought on by the pandemic/lockdown, which have been the trigger for so much psychological and societal breakdown. — Jack Cummins

I was not aware of how complacent we have gotten! Some stores don't even carry masks any more. I was freaking out just trying to find a store that have masks and the store clerks thought I was a little nuts until I said I have COVID. Then they were glad I was wearing a mask, but it was a used one that I left in the sun to sanitize. We do what we can. :mask:

It has spread rapidly because we are tricked into thinking it is only a cold. I thought I had recovered from a cold and went in public. Then a friend called and said he had COVID so I got tested. By then I had exposed people. If he had one day early that would have been avoided.

I hope this is my last day of isolation. I have 2 test kits and will stay home until I get a negative result.

One way to avoid Covid is to shun other people, who are nothing but hell, according to J. P. Sartre. Fuck Sartre.

Kant asked, "What can I know? What ought I to do? What can I hope?"

There are clear positive answers to the first two questions, which we can at least hope is the case. — BC

Those are some interesting questions that fit the spirit of questioning my mind. What are your answers?

With Hall and his interest in cultures in mind, I googled if Kant traveled and got this...

Kant is certainly among the five most influential philosophers in history. A curious case, this Kant. They say that travel broadens the mind, but Kant never in his whole life traveled more than ten miles from his home city of Königsberg (now Kaliningrad).

Kant 200 Years On | Issue 49 - Philosophy Now

That is amazing, isn't it?

That can be a very good thing. It can be what leads to an epiphany. — wonderer1

Oh yeah. I have epiphanies often and that is why I engage in forums. However, when I am busy with life I don't have much time to think. When reality demands we be in the here and now, we have an epiphany and immediately snap back to the moment in time that demands our attention. But when nothing demands my attention my brain can get flooded with thoughts. If anyone experiences this, how are such moments best managed?

That leads me to another wonderful quote...

Bertrand Russell - The whole problem with the world is...

BrainyQuote
https://www.brainyquote.com › quotes › bertrand_russe...
Bertrand Russell Quotes ... The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.

I hope that you cope with the virus and rules. Part of the problem which I see is a lack of compassion for those who become unwell. It can come down to ideas of protecting others with lack of concern for those who are unwell with the virus.

On another level, the breakdown of the virus by those who experience it, like all forms of suffering, may be the apocalyptic breakdown for all kinds of personal transformation.

My knowledge of Kant is from snippets I've read elsewhere. His work IS, however, on my list of things I would have read had I been born in an alternate universe.

His anchorage in Königsberg is, perhaps surprising for a seminal intellectual of the time. Some people certainly traveled around at that time, thinking of composers like Haydn or Mozart. Napoleon covered a lot of territory. On the other hand, there is Blake's "To see a World in a Grain of Sand / And a Heaven in a Wild Flower / Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand / And Eternity in an hour". A quick look at his bio in Wikipedia showed that he published a paper showing how the gravity of the moon slowed the rotation of the earth and eventually became tidally locked. He also explained that the great Lisbon earthquake was caused by caverns of hot gases. Not the case, but at least it's a theory based in nature rather than theology. Plate tectonics weren't discovered until the 20th century.

I'm not a big fan of traveling, though I have been to Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C.,San Francisco, Denver, and the Grand Canyon; East Africa, England, the Netherlands, and--high point of anyone's travels--Winnipeg, Manitoba. What can compare to Winnipeg? Well, it's colder than Minneapolis, but otherwise not much different. Probably won't make it to Omaha, Cleveland, or Buffalo.

How about you? Traveled much?

Kant asked, "What can I know? What ought I to do? What can I hope?" — BC

What are your answers? — Athena

At the risk of foot-in-mouth-disease...

a) the world is understandable.
b) our sensory information is reasonably reliable
c) BUT we are perfectly capable of ignoring reality
d) AND we often believe our own bullshit over the facts of the matter

e) what we OUGHT to do is often clear enough
f) BUT that doesn't mean we want to do it or will do it
g) BECAUSE we are neurotic semi-evolved primates and not divine beings

h) we can hope that we will be sensible
i) we can hope we won't be disappointed too often in our hope for sensibility

Conclusion: It's not looking good for us.

I hope that you cope with the virus and rules. Part of the problem which I see is a lack of compassion for those who become unwell. It can come down to ideas of protecting others with lack of concern for those who are unwell with the virus.

On another level, the breakdown of the virus by those who experience it, like all forms of suffering, may be the apocalyptic breakdown for all kinds of personal transformation. — Jack Cummins

I turned in paperwork today and my Supervisor made it clear she did not want me to stay. A few years ago, she got COVID from her grandson and developed a very serious heart condition. In my group of people, there is a lot of compassion. Mostly my life is full of older people who have developed a lot of compassion because of going through hard times themselves. I sure would not want to expose my Supervisor to a new strain of COVID and she wants to protect everyone.

I am guilty of avoiding people who are different and trying to stay within my comfort zone because I feel vulnerable in my later years. I love my life that is senior centers, senior housing, and senior nutrition sites. Now that I am thinking on this, I see it separates me from my family. I think our different times in history give us different perspectives.

How about you? Traveled much? — BC

No. I know the West Coast of the US from Washington to California. :lol: As a newly wed in the 60's my X took us to live in Newport, Oregon. I thought he had taken me to the end of the world. People were still chopping their own wood and heating their homes with it. There was no live theater nor very many signs of civilization. :lol:

He preferred small towns, the bars, and the ladies who took him home. :lol: I wanted to be in the city! I sure wish we had the Internet back in the day. I can handle anything as long as I can come to forums like this one and get the intellectual stimulus I crave. I have engaged in forums since dial-up. I love to pounder our past and how wonderful it would have been for women stuck on a farm far anyone with her children and chores. If only they had the internet.

And today when I watch the mothers in war zones being interviewed, I am horrified by their living conditions which were not that good before the war and made impossible to survive once the wars broke out. I wonder where their governments are, that like Ukraine, should be able to ask the US for armes so that they may defend themselves and restore order. How can the rest of the world ignore their suffering and believe what is happening to these women and children does not effect them.

In case it is not obvious, my world view is based on being a mother. I share this with all women in all countries and then later in life, I see older women struggling to care for their husbands and needing care themselves that they may not get because of how the men and women see their different roles. I think women around the world share much in common.