If you were to scrap your person and rebuild from scratch, where would you start and from what materials would you build? The lumberyard is full and there is plenty to choose: Body Gender Sexual Orientation History Religion Feelings Hopes and Dreams Opinions Politics Country Devotion Personal Ethics Home Family Friends Work Education Community Etc, etc, etc...
Wouldn't do it. It is along the lines of the 50-50-90 rule I learned in the Navy. If you give a sailor a 50/50 choice 90% of the time he will pick the wrong thing. I assume whatever I tried to change would make my life worse. The reality is my life is so fucking easy compared to the average human in this world that, I should be kicked in the ass for any complaining I do.
I'd make it so I could predict the future. Thinking that I maybe able to choose differently again in the future. But I can't predict the future, hence, I don't know if I'd have the choice again.
Lots of sympathy for that. The reality though is that a significant proportion of us will be diagnosed with a mental disorder (as a matter of course?). Almost by definition they will be open to this kind of a rearrangement of the deckchairs.(allied to the "normal" predeliction society has for scapegoating and humiliating those considered to be outside the pale) There seems to be no way out of this vicious circle. Look at Michael Jackson. He had everything going for him and yet he managed to fuck himself (and arguably his entourage) up like nobody's business. It is enough to make a body turn to religionPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
The "claim" of genetically engineering humans has already begun: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07573-w And I believe scrutinized sperm banks are already for sale. So, it's all a matter of time and money from now...
I heard once that genetic engineering is the most dangerous potential. There seems to be a time and place everything and everyone.
I'd love to know quantum physics better so it would tell me how much I don't know about the human brain.
Whenever posed with a question of transporting myself to another place/time/culture/body etc. I usually start to think of all the cool things that could be different - but this is almost always overwhelmed by the way things could be very uncool. For example "Wouldn't it be lovely to live in the time of Gone with the Wind?" No. I wouldn't be one of the ones living on the acreage that is Tara, I'd be one of the ones eking out a living in town - which burned. I think it inevitably causes me to to realize just how good I already have it, and a shift in the foundations of that would more likely lead to a worse result than a better one. I'm smart enough to know that I definitely have only "first-world problems". The things I seek aren't beyond my control (though I may be too complacent to chase them). If I want nice things (for example, time spent in nature) I can change my life, in the here and now, to achieve them. This doesn't answer your question. I guess my answer is: I'm counting my blessings.
Is that the same as not being "self" servingly dishonest ? I mean ,should we actively engage with those defensive mechanisms or just learn to recognise them fwta when they appear ?(and not be too brutal with oneself unnecessarily) Is it slowly slowly catchee monkey? Actually ,might the problem be worse when this behaviour is forced upon one from outside ?(keeping up appearances under external duress rather than as a consequence of one's own approach)- And how can we discourage this behaviour in others? (an impossible task?)
I have heard that courage is the cardinal virtue -but also that you cannot learn it (outside of your everday experiences)
Define courage. I was followed today on my way to the train stop, verbally attacked. Was it courage that I chose not to react, or should I have responded with verbal assaults of my own? Perhaps I should have became physical?
Courage depends on each individual situation,which it cannot be learned . One has to do what one thinks is right.Sometimes retreat is the best course. I remember being gobsmacked when as a young one I asked a friend what he did when he got into a fight when out of an evening .He said he would run away,which at that innocent time I took to be cowardice and lack of self respect. But ,of course he was right (and funny too). A different matter when the group is attacked but ,as I say courage has to be relearned every time ;there is no algorithm.
Being true to yourself is true courage. As said above. sometimes being brutally honest with yourself is the highest virtue. Also, if you can stand as an individual when confronted by a group of individuals, that is courage.
