Is this phrase supposed to mean any kind of thinking that induces "pleasure"? Doesn't living qualify as a form of "pleasure" for anyone not depressed enough to commit suicide? Anything useful about it?
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmySlade/000548.html from above link: pleasuring oneself mentally. It's true meaning is: "to create the illusion in your own mind and the mind of others that you possess certain socially redeeming qualities". Note particularly the reference to "the mind of others". The term, mental masturbation, was originally coined to describe the thought processes of the "trendy Left" who are known variously by other terms such as Dinner Party Socialists, Bollinger Bolsheviks, the New Left or just simply, mental masturbators. Such persons are devoid of all morality. They adopt a set of political beliefs purely as fashion accessories. When expressing those views, they luxuriate in feelings of intellectual superiority and also in the thought that they have established the notion in the minds of their audience that they are indeed intellectual superior. But of course anyone who surrenders to the primitive urge for tribal supremacy, cannot, of course, truly be "intellectually superior". "
Ah, thanks Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! guess I should've googled it, then. Sounds like a mixture of 'smug' and 'clannish'.
indeed, which is not as I would have expected at all, I'd have thought more mere case of giving your brain the ride of its life, good book perhaps? Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
"Mental Masturbation" I'm more inclined to decide for a secondary definition: Artificial Intelligence. There's taking on the world and Universe as they are, and then there's checking out your own reflection in the mirror. Who's the fairest of them all?
It's just participating in any endeavor of an intellectual nature that has no real purpose or reward. Philosophy ? Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
me thinks you need to practice the art of 'masturbation' Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Think about it: most of it is useless in day-to-day life. I don't jest baby, I groove! *uh huh uh huh*
If you find it useless in every day life... then you've only been masturbating with 2 left hand fingers.
You're obviously not understanding my post on a deeper level. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Exploring metaphysics, epistemology and ethics is fine... but when even the most profound of questions are left with unsatisfactory answers, one is left with one final question: what was the point of all this cogitation ? You can think yourself wiser than your fellow man for taking the questions this far, but you're as clueless as he his, so it's ultimately useless. It's mental masturbation at its best. Fun, but still pointless. Period.
If your masturbation, mental or physical is pointless, then as already stated you are not doing it right! The point of masturbation is pleasure and comfort. If you are not deriving pleasure or comfort from your 'cogitation' then it's not masturbation. You can't toss off if you can't arouse yourself? If you are aroused then its not pointless?
I defined "mental masturbation" properly: erroneously associating the expression with joy doesn't make my examples any less true. Besides, I never said I didn't partake of this philosophical jerking off. ;-)
I don't agree that you did define it properly, u said how is that correct? We have established that 'masturbation' involves purpose and reward.
You're improperly using the term. I won't engage in this pointless argument: this is EXACTLY what mental masturbation is...