Fortune Cookies

Discussion in 'Eastern Philosophy' started by oscar, Nov 10, 2004.

  1. oscar confusoid Registered Senior Member

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    315
    Well since this is Eastern Philosophy and I don't think I've seen too much talk on Chinese Philosophy, I'm starting off with something almost trivial, though interesting.

    I just came from lunch at a Chinese place and for the first time my fortune cookie didn't say something either stupid or obvious like "Man who work hard, ends up with much prosperity and a backache". This time, the saying in the little piece of paper inside the cookie read something along the lines of "You were born with a silver spoon, in your mouth" and it really left me thinking of all the possibilities..well, just another stupid saying, you were born with something yadda yadda...so, what's your take on that guys? Have you ever come across funny / strange / interesting "Fortunes" in your Cookies?

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  3. robtex Registered Senior Member

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    I almost never read mine. They are typically real general advice, but in the positive or lottery numbers to pick.
     
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  5. pixel Registered Senior Member

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    Their value for me, is in my internal reaction to them. For example, if it says something like "Education is a seed which bears fruit...", I could have several reactions:

    - I could think, 'yeah, I really want to go back to school', or
    - 'the fruit it has borne for me is sour', or
    - 'i'm not doing a good-enough job for my students"...

    So, I'm interested in what first springs to mind -- it's like one of those touch-your-subconscious tests.
     
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  7. 0scar J'aime La Moutarde Registered Senior Member

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    One of the best ones i ever got read "Life is a tragedy for those who feel and a comedy for those who think" It doesnt really make sense because you have to feel for it to be comical, but I like it because I always felt that life is playful. Its a little off subject, but it reminds me of one of my favorite Tom Robbins quotes "The Chink is right; life is essentially playful. Of course it plays a bit rough at times. Maybe life is like a baby gorilla. It doesnt know its own strenght."
     
  8. TheERK Registered Senior Member

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    369
    In bed!
     
  9. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    I found one once that was blank, nothing was written.
     
  10. robtex Registered Senior Member

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    I read one two days ago....since you got me into this oscar...it said I was going to start a new adventure. Ironically I was at a business lunch with the two business partners that had just hired me to work for them.
     
  11. oscar confusoid Registered Senior Member

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    4 days ago: "When you lose, do not lose the lesson"...sounds more Western than it does Eastern

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    so much for fortune, I've been sick this week cos of some bad chinese food I had just last Monday, the doctor says I got intoxicated with the chicken

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    whoa, there's another oscar around

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  12. pixel Registered Senior Member

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    I find it hilarious and yet tragic that, among the gems of wisdom that can be found in Eastern philosophy, we're discussing fortune cookies.
     
  13. Insanely Elite Questions reality. Registered Senior Member

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    Yeah, fortune cookies aren't even Chinese. They are an American invention.
    Even as most Chinese resturaunts are owned by Koreans.(in US)
    Still it is eastern to reflect, western to make money at it.
     
  14. hotsexyangelprincess WMD Registered Senior Member

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    The people who write fortunes are just college students with a need for money and a knack for words. its still pretty cool though, despite the fact that i used to eat the paper with the cookie, since i never knew there was paper in there. :m:
     
  15. TruthSeeker Fancy Virtual Reality Monkey Valued Senior Member

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    Most of them are. Most of the ones that you described are very western. That's why it sounds stupid and meaningless..

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    I've found some insightful ones, But I still keep some that are not insightfull. Here's a couple of them:

    "You will be recognized and honored as a community leader."
    I got this about a year ago, when I was starting working with homeless. It might come true, who knows....

    "You are one of those people who "goes places in life"."
    That's actually true. I'm always wondering around and trying new things.

    "Many people will be drawn to you for your wisdom and insight."
    I got this one in 2001. I lost it but I still remember it.

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    I remember it because many people have told me that anyways...

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    It seems that there are 4 kinds of fortune cookies:
    - foretelling
    - personal insight (tells you about yourself - either something that you
    know or don't know)​
    - insightful (tells you something general in an insightful manner that you
    never thought about.​
    - western meaninglessness (lotery numbers, for example)

    I like the two middle ones. I don't care about foretelling cause I don't know wheter it is going to be true or not and I cannot find out unless it actually happens. Western meaninglessness is just stupid.
     
  16. isis25 Registered Senior Member

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    most of the fortune cookies i have comsumed did not contain actual "fortunes" but instead a piece of general advice. i believe in astrology and i believe one can predict the future....but fortume cookies? i think i will stick with my horoscope for predictions.
     
  17. marv Just a dumb hillbilly... Registered Senior Member

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    ...in San Francisco restaurants, in the late 1800's, catering to Chinese imigrants. Absolutely correct!
     
  18. TruthSeeker Fancy Virtual Reality Monkey Valued Senior Member

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    Horoscopes are not accurate. They only look at your sun sign. If you want something accurate, you gotta do your map which includes the date, exact time and location of your birth. But the real strenght of astrology is not foretelling but self-discovery.
     

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