People who smoke marijuana often become much more content with where they are in life and many do not feel the need to take part in the inflated consumerism, to the degree that non marijuana smokers might.

Do they? — TimeLine

Yes, as I said above, people who smoke marijuana often become much more content with where they are in life.

So, people who smoke marijuana don't have an iPhone or a pair of Nike sneakers, because apparently they're more content in life considering the drug itself is very cause of this temporary alleviation of anxiety that enables this contentment? — TimeLine

I don't agree with your statement "considering the drug itself is the very cause of the temporary alleviation of anxiety that enable this contentment". You are assuming that there is anxiety about not having the 'stuff' consumerism promotes such as an iPhone or a pair of Nike sneakers.

What I am suggesting is that people who smoke marijuana, are often the same people who share a car instead of owning two, who give away more than they keep or who will cover the difference of someone who comes up short for their purchases, all which fly in the face of falling victim to an inflated level of consumerism. It would be erroneous to believe that people who smoke marijuana are any less caring just because some don't see the value in the consumerism happening around them. Having said that, some marijuana smokers are indeed tempted to be constantly upping their financial consumption, who are jumping into their leased car, heading to a 9 to 5 career, only to be standing next to a fellow college, with drink in hand at the bar by 6pm.

Or that addict that walks around on the street, lacking hygiene and unable to take care of himself, he must be content? — TimeLine

I am not speaking about "that addict" I am speaking of some marijuana smokers. Not everyone who smokes marijuana is an "addict" (I will use your word addict and let it pass because physically you cannot become addicted to marijuana, habitual addiction yes, physical addiction no) anymore than the person who attends happy hour for alcohol, being an alcoholic.

@Banno A portion of your reply has been posted on The Philosophy Forum Facebook page. Congratulations and Thank you for your contribution!

@Cavacava A portion of your reply has been posted on The Philosophy Forum Facebook page. Congratulations and Thank you for your contribution~

There's been a strong tendency from the government to prevent the use of marijuana. I don't entirely know how to put this; but, marijuana tends to break down the drive for consumerism or at the very least provides a short sense of relief from the utter urge to consume (apart from food). Governments have recognized that marijuana tends to break down the desire to consume or follow with the social conditioning that many people are brought up with — Posty McPostface

I think you understand more than you realize for you are describing how the theory actually works. It has been said that "Weed will get you through times of no money, better than money will get you through times of no weed." People who smoke marijuana often become much more content with where they are in life and many do not feel the need to take part in the inflated consumerism, to the degree that non marijuana smokers might.

It is addictive, I see no reason to suppose it would be beneficial, but many reasons to expect that it wouldn't be. — Agustino

We, every breathing human and animal, have an endocannabinoid system in all of us a reason. We are discovering daily that Cannabinoids work just as effectively with the body as do Opiates for pain, without the physical addiction of Opiates. Now I will agree with you that a person can become 'habitual' in their use of Cannabis but you cannot become Physically addicted to Cannabis.
Knowing that, might make it is easier to see the benefits, especially in the face of the Opioid Crisis that we have here in the USA. Cannabis has always been considered the "Gateway Drug to harder drugs" when in all reality it is Cannabis that is being proven to be the gateway to get off of hard drugs.

Heading North with my best friend for a night at her cabin in the woods. There won't be snow but we will be chilled into below 60*....brrrrrrrrr

@Lone Wolf
Very nice collection. I am drawn into the Black and White for some reason which is odd as I am usually all about the colors. The Buffalo reminds me of the song Buffalo Soldier but I might be dating myself in saying that.
Either way keep snappin!

You are too kind. I will take the time to copy it out of the book for it to make total sense but until then Cheers!

The Pina Colada was a reference to a friend's writing about meeting God when he was out of it medically after having a heart attack. He was facing death boldly and writing about it as he did. Anyway the Chap had a grip on Philosophical humor that I have not come across since. He talks about leaving his body and walking around the clouds until he meets this casual chap, wearing board shorts and Ray Ban sunglasses, sipping on an never ending Pina Colada while he swings in a hammock. The author has a lot of questions for this man, beginning with what his name is to which the man answers, some call me God, others call me Allah and still others say I don't exist at all. The author asks if he can call the man "Sly" after Sylvester Stallone and the story continues.
I went looking for every place I can think of on the net where it could be without me digging out his book and copying his writing here but I will at some point because he really was an amazing thinker.
Cheers~

I have heard that coffee is the Nectar of the God's. I also heard their choice is a never ending Pina Colada with a straw long enough to reach his mouth as he relaxes in a hammock. True story

Eeeeeeeeeeek!! Cool costume! Are you a real Ninja? Because I see this creepy spider on the wall that you could take care of with your slick, kick Ninja moves!

No, Tiff, you're amiss in thinking that that's what I was thinking. I took care with the wording of my prior comment which you referenced. I merely noted that it was after the aforementioned event that your behaviour towards me noticeably changed - and I was not the only one to take notice.

You may well have had a bee in your bonnet long before that encounter. I accept that, with marked indifference. — Sapientia

Yes Sapientia, your attitude changed, followed by a marked change in your behavior. To which I did follow the forum protocol and converse with the administration asking for moderation, so I am glad that you are aware that others noticed more than just me.

The "Bee in my Bonnet" is not the way you as a fellow forum member treat others in a condescending attitude, it is when you are a moderator with that same condescending attitude towards forum members that is unbecoming of a leader.

@Sapientia
You are amiss in thinking this stems from the gun control discussion as the condescending attitude you liberally use with forum members spans more than one one topic.

I've defended you lots of times, and I hope that you don't think I've ever disrespected you, we's tight. — Wosret

I've never felt disrespected by you Wos and you have defended me more times than I can count and I Thank you for that. I feel emotionally safe with you, always have.

What actual female contributors has Sapientia made leave because of clashes of values and ideologies? How do you know what the women want out of their philosophy, do you attract them to the forum, or scare them outs? — Wosret

I can also fact check part of this for you. unenlightened has been someone that I have expressed my concerns to over the last decade. I am not going to leave as a result of the clash I am having with Sapientia, regardless of his condescending attitude towards me and it may even be towards the discipline of Philosophy, I don't really know.

Give me life by caffeine and Death by Chocolate!!!

I'll take -40* please and you can take the +40*. Fair?

In my experience if there are a few active posters showing contempt for the forum's staff it ends up being very unpleasant for everyone. Members get frustrated with the toxic environment, since public conflict between staff and member groups quickly becomes an institutional problem. — fdrake

What you express is very true and I know that for myself, it is the very reason I always try to address a concern such as this, in private with another moderator or if necessary an administrator.

I couldn't tell if that exchange between you both, ArguingWAristotleTiff, @Sapientia was sincere, camaraderie, camaraderie laced with poison or so steeped in irony it inverted itself. — fdrake

fdrake, the exchange was sincere on my behalf and I do appreciate you asking because I have tried to always speak directly with someone I have a difference of opinion with such as Sapientia. It wasn't that long ago that I began to feel a condescending attitude being expressed lavishly over myself and other longtime members and asked politely in thread to tone it down, which was met with more of the same condescending attitude and I walked away from the thread instead of resorting to what is happening here. Within 24 hours, on a completely different thread, my post was met with another snarky reply directly to me.

I cannot tell you how many snarky replies I posted and then immediately deleted it because I felt that it would be inappropriate as a member, to speak that way to a moderator. I believe there is a level of respect that comes down from the top being the owner, then the administrators, to the moderators and finally to the members. It sets a precedence as to how the owner wishes the forum to operate in spirit and in actual application.

I miss Winter. I'll trade you my 88* days for your cold weather.

I have filed your "unsolicited advice" in my "special cabinet". — Sapientia

Would that be your moderator folder?

It is as I said, and I have nothing further to add. — Sapientia

But your adding unsolicited advice at every turn has a negative effect that subtracts from the love/pursuit of wisdom.

To reply to your edit:

I have been quite open, for quite a long time now, about my lowered estimation of the value of philosophy. Hence my unsolicited advice. It's nothing personal at all. — Sapientia

But in the process of you lowering your estimation of the value of philosophy and offering unsolicited advice, it makes me question the purpose of your responses, especially when you could give a flip as to how your responses are received.

It wasn't a lecture it was unsolicited advice.

Why would I do that? I do not want you to leave. I will ask you instead not to read things into what I say and then jump to conclusions based upon your own imaginings. If my comments were intended to be about you, then I would have mentioned you by name. A little less paranoia wouldn't go amiss, my dear Tiff — Sapientia

I am afraid I am going to have to go on being me and you being you.

Just remember when you speak on an authoritative thread such as this, you are part of the staff holding the moderator position, not just another member of The Philosophy Forum. You see, that key of responsibility in being a moderator, which, un gave up so he could freely speak on threads like these, holds any key holder to a higher standard of conduct.

Any disagreements?

Oh but that's quite impossible, my dear Tiff. — Sapientia

I imagine it is. What a burden in life, eh?

Bono and Mary J. Blige, U2 - One

Take care not to overrate it. — Sapientia

My dear Sapientia, I will consider your unsolicited advice, Thank you.
My unsolicited advice to you is to: take care not to overate your own advice.

Why not just ask me to leave Sapientia?

Yes, that's exactly how we should operate. If you're unsuited, then you're unsuited, regardless of your gender. In the case that you're unsuited, you could either work on that or find another hobby. — Sapientia

I am so glad I have found my lifelong hobby and interest in Philosophy~ (L)

Indeed, it's alls about the content, and not the form. — Wosret

Time will flesh that out, it always does.

Thinking that one has to remove the possibility of harm in order to make vulnerability possible is to vastly misunderstand something. — Wosret

It is not removal of harm as it is a degree of respect of one another's positions without fear of personal attack.

Regardless, we had a group of informed women who could've provided us invaluable insights into the reality of their treatment, but we couldn't get them to come forward even privately to suggest anything we could do as admins to get the number of active woman posters up. — fdrake

I have invited five ladies here to TPF. Three of the five had accepted invites and joined our old place but they were overwhelmed with what looked like the infinite number of threads that were active. They said hello in the Lounge and were warmly welcomed by myself and The Mayor Of Simpleton welcomed them because we both tried to keep up on that thread. The sudden lack of the Mayors presence here should have been an indicator that things were 'off' but that is just my read.

My suggestion is simple and can be achieved which is to be able to say:

"Relax, this is a safe place."

And before someone says that I am asking for that motto to be applicable here because of any female fragility, it is not. I am talking about safety in the expression and respect of that persons position, that allows and encourages the inclusion of 'emotional vulnerability' which is vital to the pursuit of wisdom regardless of gender.

What were we doing wrong?

We weren't doing anything wrong. — Bitter Crank

As long as you can objectively assess your own behavior and label it benign, then nothing is wrong.
Right?

Ideologically focussed women, or ideologically focussed conservative theists, are probably going to find a lack of like-minded posters disheartening. It can't be helped. — Bitter Crank

BC, with all due respect, what you said here sure does sound like 'it happens and it cannot be helped'. And maybe that is true SOME of the time but there are cases in which it could have been helped.

I never complained about you sweetheart — Agustino

Nor I of you. I tell you my issue to your face, in real time, so we are on fair footing.
Now get off of my foot! :P

Of all of the forums that I've ever participated in, this is the only one with genuinely effective moderation, ...and with moderation that isn't abused.

Michael Ossipoff — Michael Ossipoff

Thank you~

Females today are not fragile little creatures needing your protection. — Thorongil

You are right in that we "are not fragile little creatures" but I can tell you that losing one lady is a HUGE loss when we have less than five ladies regularly on the boards. (N)

One of the moderators told me he was getting complaints about me from member X. I concluded that I should, could, and would leave member X alone. Ignore, not comment on, not annoy further. — Bitter Crank

It is human nature for everyone reading this thread to think and ponder for a moment if they are the "Kevin" in the story. So a LOT of people would think they were you and not member X or member X and not you. My point being that without being vulnerable to brutal honesty, that veil that protects the innocence of member X, also shields the rest for understanding.

You could and ought to just ignore him, as someone else in this thread suggested, but that would require giving up the pleasure of unearned moral superiority. — Thorongil

Not only is this rude but I think it is completely uncalled for. (N)

I'm so sorry. For you, for the ignoramuses of the forum, including myself. I'm crying.

Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone? — unenlightened

Before she left, I asked her to please stay and she said okay. Then I got another message that she had to go, I wished her well and told her this will always be her home.
Another strong woman, a moral woman and such an empathetic soul, I still had much to learn. I asked who it was over or what happened and she just said it was time, not sharing the whys.

Hmmm Is Paul a vegetarian?

From the outside of the magic moderating circle, (and actually from the inside too), one does not really know how many complaints have been made, how seriously, and how many folks have just moved on, and how many are struggling to maintain a discussion in the face of Kevin's naughtiness. For moderators and members alike it is easier and safer and stirs up less controversy to do nothing. — unenlightened

I just found this thread today and all you have to do is ask. There are people around the forums that are pretty good at gauging the 'vibe' so to speak of the balance of the forum. If an admin is curious just have @jamalrob send a PM asking what's new, who's leaving and why.

It just takes a bit of small group communication, which by the way is the hardest form of communication.
Back to page one ;)

"The future is the drink that makes the present sweet." — Cavacava

Hmmm....had not heard that before.