November 2011
"Religion is a crutch" →
squashed:
I’ve always found this criticism a bit perplexing. What do you have against crutches? As medical technology goes, they’re not terribly controversial. If you break an ankle, there’s really no substitute. It’s great to have a crutch around when you need it.
And that’s the essence of the criticism—that we shouldn’t need a crutch. We’re not broken people. From cradle to grave, we’re...
What are you going to do with that? →
Moral imagination is hard, and it’s hard in a completely different way than the hard things you’re used to doing. And not only that, it’s not enough. If you’re going to invent your own life, if you’re going to be truly autonomous, you also need courage: moral courage. The courage to act on your values in the face of what everyone’s going to say and do to ...
I Believe In Elves
Fear sleeps when we trust in elves even fear sleeps when we know ourselves but wakes when elves are placed on mental shelves— Our true selves, Our true elves Grown-ups mock elves because they do not know themselves for true selves think not themselves wise nor do they hide themselves in logical lies No, true selves see beyond their eyes and rely on elves to symbolize— Their true selves,...
“Humans are only complete when we embrace our darkness and our light. Our...”
– Kellen
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This quote explains very thoroughly why I think Black Swan is perhaps the greatest film ever made.
What You Hate Most in Others May Be the Shadow in... →
heartmindspirit:
“The Shadow in ourselves consists of all the emotions and thoughts we repress as being socially inappropriate. Jealousy, rage, that evil twinge that relishes the thought of your boss being called on the carpet? That is shadow material. The more we repress shadow material, the more of a hold it has on us.
An example? I think this is most easily seen in homophobic...
Are you a good listener? →
Give yourself a listening test: Note all the statements you can affirm. One point each.
1) I make a great effort to enter other people’s experience of life.
2) I do not presume to know what the other person is trying to communicate.
3) My close friends would say I listen more than I speak.
4) When people are angry with me, I am able to listen to their side without getting upset.
5) People...
The War
After the exceedingly great length of the war between the man and the woman, many had hardened their hearts because of how long the war persisted, while others had softened their hearts.
Think of it: one war, two very different reactions.
Dating is like war.
We gear up with flying colors to impress, move into enemy territory (i.e. fear), hope to capture the heart of someone trying to do the...
“The final destiny of the self is the next higher... →
heartmindspirit:
“The final destiny of the self is the next higher self. Before that, the destiny of the self is the destiny of its various personalities (incarnations), the path the self wanders from causalization to essentialization. The self determines its destiny by itself in accordance with its individual character, department, and self-acquisitions. With each new developmental level,...
The Dalai Lama, Science, Buddhism and the Kalama... →
“What if science confirms something that contradicts your faith?”
James: How many belief systems out there are willing to adapt when new scientific proof contradicts their teachings? Not many. The Dalai Lama’s sane and realistic response echoes one of my favorite sutras, the Kalama Sutra. It also happens to be a large chunk of the foundation of my Buddhist belief. In short,...
Facebook is a CIA Databank →
mamitah:
anti-propaganda:
‘The Associated Press reported November 4 that the CIA has an entire center dedicated to monitoring Facebook and Twitter. They also monitor TV stations and print newspapers. “The Open Source Center,” established in 2005 by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence [4], has been operating since the 9/11 Commission’s call for foreign counterintelligence....
