The Only Thing Worth Discussing

There's nothing to discuss because everything is worth discussing.

If you close your physical eyes your spiritual eyes will open.

 

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Hi Quixotic,
"People inability to accept their flaws." In the first place, I'm not sure most people recognize their flaws. (I'm defining flaws as personality traits that cause others to suffer. This is not an iron clad definition, because I think it's not possible to interact with others without, at some time, causing suffering.) However.... So, the first need is to recognize your 'flaws'. This cannot be done if one is too attached, or identifies to stongly with his/her opinions, beliefs, ways, etc. The way to see them then, is to observe oneself with detachment, and accept whatever comes in a non judgemental way. This, obviously, is hellishly difficult to do, but I think it is absolutely essential. Once one has identified and admitted a problem the biggest step toward changing it has been made.
John

 

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Interesting replies... well some of them anyways. Thanks for the grammar lesson I hope you can feel secure in your supposed superior writing abilities. Its funny how defensively some replied to a post saying that people are too defensive of their flaws, and proved exactly what I meant. Yes that’s right shakushinnen. And heck yes it hard to do. In fact like many people who probably read this post most will shoot this necessity down instantly. Their funeral.

By the way I usually talk in reference to MY ideas coming from ME instead of taking the stance that all my ideas are absolutes. Since this turns all debates into an argument over whose right, not what - which is useless.

 

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I think I can shed some light on this subject you have fired up some thinking, thanks.

The inability to see your own flaws is due to a dangerous and fundamental evolutionary flaw that besets us all.

Mental homeostases is more important than psychical homeostasis. So as long as we can believe we are 'okay' we will be 'okay' even if we are not.

The tool we use to obtain this mental state is cognitive dissonance.

Another aspect that could be at play here is the human need for control. Surely the main aspect that seperates us from animals is our innate need for control? How can we be seen to be worthy of control if we are flawed?

You could also look at social comparison here as well. As we get our reference point of who we are from others how can we allow the 'enemy' the pleasure of us admitting to our weaknesses?

Also on a social level people play one huge game with one universal rule. That rule is 'you don't disturb my reality of myself and I won't disturb yours'.

 

This same problem can be characterized in a number of different ways...

I think if you just stated it as lack of ability for a person to admit when they are wrong it would hit the nail on the hammer.

Another way I like to address it is to call it a "straw man epidemic" because in order for a person to maintain that they are better or more knowledgable than everyone around them they must produce a fake reality with straw man versions of everything that if taken for what it really is would undermine the person's beliefs.

 

Hi Alexb,
"So as long as we can believe we are 'okay' we will be 'okay' even if we are not."
Yes, I've long found this idea tantalizing. Really, why bust your ass trying to understand, or be compassionate, or anything, as long as you believe you're right, or justified, or viindicated, or good, or pure, or god's on your side, or ???? Those who never question themselves, i.e. consider that they could be wrong, or to blame or ??? have the world by the ass. I can't seem to manage this attitude, but I harbour a secret jealously for those who can.
Shit, I'm not even going to sign my name to this post.

 

Hi Quixotic,
"By the way I usually talk in reference to MY ideas coming from ME instead of taking the stance that all my ideas are absolutes."
Yes, me too. But sometimes I lapse, and slip into the illusion that I've learned something of universal significance. HA!
John

 

thats nice to know, shakushinnen nice to know.

 

The price to be paid for too much understanding is great, after all isn't a neurosis caused by our level of understanding being too high? I'm not saying you have a neurosis but you seam stuck in an internal conflict between how you think and now the 'world' thinks.

 

Hi Alex,
".... you seam stuck in an internal conflict between how you think and now the 'world' thinks."
.....Perhaps, but I cannot dismiss another's opinions because they differ from my own. Everyone comes to their way, just as I have, albeit by a different route and starting point, but none the less by the same process. This makes everyones ideas as justifiable as mine.
.....I do know though, that this 'internal conflict', as you call it, indcates that I'm either not seeing, or not accepting, something. And it's not others who need to GET IT, it's me.
John

 

So, if i was to admit all of my flaws, i would then become perfect. And i would be worshiped. Ragnarok the flawless one!!!

not a chance