Sunday, May 13, 2012

Quote: oversimplifying

There is a tendency, considered highly rational, to reason from a narrow set of interests, say survival and procreation, which are supposed to govern our lives, and then to treat everything that does not fit this model as anomalous clutter, extraneous to what we are and probably best done without. But all we really know about what we are is what we do. There is a tendency to fit a tight and awkward carapace of definition over humankind, and to try to trim the living creature to fit the dead shell.
***
We inhabit, we are part of, a reality for which explanation is much too poor and small.

--Marilynne Robinson

46 comments:

  1. 1st (the order is restored)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tomorrow you will not be so lucky, and your tears will fall like sweet spring rain.

      Delete
    2. king for a day...

      Delete
    3. Ahhh... Got to love a glass of the tears of the innocent...

      Delete
  2. Yes, yes, YES. Awesome quote, M.E. I cannot help but wonder whether the first segment of this post constitutes your own observation...

    This causes me to reflect upon a recent, brief exchange in the forum between Alia and PMS. I think I will shun my ADD and embark upon an informal study of logic.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Shut it, TCO, or whoever always posts "first". I am always up later than you. Perhaps it is time you faced a bit of competitive action. ;)

    Or not. Meh, whatever.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're kinda hot for a Christian, Alter

      Delete
    2. I cannot tell a lie
      it is I

      Delete
    3. You ain't so bad yourself, for a... Buddhist?

      Delete
  4. Not to be rude, but may I ask what the point of these quotes is supposed to be?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ever heard of "thinking"?

      Delete
    2. * face-palm* WHAT HAS THIS WORLD COME TO!!!

      Delete
  5. Similar people are easier to control. Tendencies were created by people from high places, so they could control or atleast predict actions of others. Sociopaths/psychopats are unpredictable, hard to control, that's why important people consider us dangerous, make us movie villains and so on. If they can't control something, they call it a threat. That's how it works. Simple.

    ReplyDelete
  6. If they can't control something, they call it a threat.

    Not a challenge ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Challenge? No... challenge implies that they have a possibility at succeeding ;)

      Delete
    2. unpredictable things are to blame for the feeling of insecurity that haunts modern thinking, modern politics, moder religion and modern society. We must tackle with it definitely if we want to survive as a species.

      Delete
    3. Rock on with your bad self, Jose!

      Delete
    4. I will tackle myself *puts head in vice*

      Delete
  7. It may sound weird, but I don't think democracy will be real until it stops being emotional. Political parties would be in a real mess if they could no longer appeal to the feelings of the electorate. If emotions were not in the middle of the scene in economy, in social issues, crisis would be something unheard of.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Politicians should use the bully pulpit more.

      Delete
  8. Psychos live in the same world in which we all live, they see what empaths do. They understand and learn manipulation because they see the empaths manipulate each other all the time. Unlike them, psychos don't need self delusion to suck other people's blood, and in the end that makes them scary. Not what they do, but their attitude. Empaths care for the image, not for the content.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Is there something "wrong" with having a controlling personality ? When all you are doing is looking out for your best interests? Why is that a bad thing if you do it with other people's consent? i mean if I don't get my way I pout. I don't want to pout. So I manipulate. I might bend the truth if I have to to get my way. Why should I have to care if they don't know? Give me a reason, please.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like the image of them thinking it is their idea to have control over my pouting. It's unpleasant for them, so they will have to be better for me if they don't want to see a pouting face. But lately I do not pout. I just use logic and don't waver. But my strong arm is light. Why is that bad? Of course I care about image. I am very considerate when I let people think it is their decision to make me happy. They SHOULD make me happy.

      Delete
    2. It is only "wrong" when you see it doesn't work, girly. And when you want to leave because you don't get your way. And you have to fight with yourself every day to find a reason to stay with someone when you don't get your way. Spoiled much?

      Delete
    3. Nope. Entitled.

      Delete
    4. It's the same thing.

      Delete
    5. I don't think so. You put a negative spin on it. I a only now learning that being treated well is my fucking right. I have to learn to speak up. If I were spoiled I wouldn't have had to think about it. I'd just whine and get what I want. I wouldn't have to think about whether getting my fair share in the world is good or bad.

      Delete
    6. Sorry, you are right. You are always right, dammit.

      Delete
    7. Wait I want to retract my statement. But I am anonymous so I can't. I will have to tell you more and clarify, and bore you some more, if you don't mind too much. Do you?

      Delete
    8. I'm going to fucking vomit.

      Delete
    9. That's ok with me.

      Delete
    10. "It isn't only now I learn being treated well is my right....?" That is not true. That is me being delusional to myself and making myself look weak for others. I have always been strong. Always.

      Delete
    11. Now you go and think about that. You go and think about that and don't come back here till you can figure out why you would have the desire to make yourself "look weak" to others.

      Delete
    12. I must have had a nice little pay off to make myself look weak. It allowed people to come in and protect me. But I don't need protection, not anymore. I just need peace and quiet.

      Delete
  10. Feeling guilty is neither more nor less than simplifying yourself and admitting your weakness in front of the group. You learn to do that, and you cannot learn it if it doesn't bring you any advantage. Beta dogs show submission to the alphas because that makes them escape unscathed or nearly, that makes them survive, if they didn't do it they would be killed or expelled.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Did anyone see the baboon who shared the lettuce? The animal was being threatened by another baboon who wanted his head of lettuce. He broke the lettuce in half and gave it half to the other in order to avoid confrontation, ie killed.

      Delete
    2. It would be very wrong to imagine that empathy is an aptitude of supernatural origin. It appears in the course of evolution because it can bring benefits to the individual as well as to the group, (that is, again to the individual)

      Delete
  11. responsibility and guilt are not necessarily connected. You may well remain totally irresponsible for the whole length of your life, being able to show an extremely deep feeling of guilt at the same time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What of the reverse? May a person feel responsible their whole life without feeling guilt?

      Delete
    2. I think you can feel responsible if you have a clear understanding of how things should be and have built up plans and strategies on how to attain those goals. You feel responsible for the success or the failure, first of all to yourself, then to the others.

      Delete

Comments on posts over 14 days are SPAM filtered and may not show up right away or at all.

Join Amazon Prime - Watch Over 40,000 Movies

.

Comments are unmoderated. Blog owner is not responsible for third party content. By leaving comments on the blog, commenters give license to the blog owner to reprint attributed comments in any form.