Are there any important lessons / things that you have learned throughout time, throughout life? Tell me: I want to know and maybe learn from your input, as others can learn too from your words. Especially those older members -- above 30 -- I'd like to read from, though age doesn't really matter.
Here are some of my own (mostly old):
-- passion can distort truth and cloud reason
-- pain, suffering, and toil might bring the mind to seek higher purposes
-- to seek truth is a virtuous thing to do
-- there are many simpletons in the world
-- many care not about truth especially if it isn't palatable: palatable lies are much more preferred by them
-- many are still controlled by their emotions, desires, selfishness, irrationality, etc.
-- to rid oneself of passion, emotions, desires, is virtuous and can lead to a clear mind not distracted by those factors, and this in turn will aid in seeking and finding truth
-- conflict is a constant; it is the hard-wired way of nature whereof we're part, and conflict is what humans exercise
-- ^therefore, human peace exists not and is most likely impossible
-- while people suffer, while wars are fought, while people die, while many starve of hunger and thirst, while some are tortured, and so on, many simpletons who have no such problems care about trivial (selfish) matters
-- power, in whatever form whatsoever, doesn't necessarily corrupt people but in most cases just exposes them for what they always were: they were monsters to begin with
-- there's no need for a b'lief in Heaven and Hell: just look at our planet, nature, our way of doing, etc., and there you see a hell already
-- if God is there, He's not almighty or He's an almighty Sadist
-- ^to believe and trust in God is like being a crazy fool
-- many draw outer strength from inner weakness
-- very important things are: justice, truth, virtue, peace, and human-social responsibility.... too bad they are hardly practised.
-- perhaps "we're better off" if we, and everything else, the whole planet, are totally destroyed, our foolish human race, and the cruelty of nature, never to return
-- the more (ugly) truth you know, the more you might suffer
-- a clean-cut well respectable-looking person does not signify a good, moral, etc., person
-- it's not always about who's saying what, but about what's being said
-- if I'd drop dead right now, I'd be the happiest man alive
-- humans, what are they? A bunch of fools that works and plays.
-- a girl broke a nail and told me it was such a bad thing to happen. I told her honestly that it was indeed a terrible thing to overcome her, as her problem was truly much more significant and more grand than other problems of the world such as starvation, war, criminals, corruption, and so on.
-- if this whole planet would explode and everything on it, I'd be the happiest man in the world
And for the record I'm not cynical nor pessimistic nor sarcastic :)
Emotion, passions, and desires are, thus peace is not.
Emotion: you have it or it has you.
I would add that a person seeking to be considered honorable, humble or moral, ceases to be, once their focus and measure of argument becomes the humbling of their opponent.
"There is a true glory and a true honor; the glory in duty done and the honor in the integrity of principle."
"The truth is this; the march of Providence so long, that of the individual so brief, that we often only see the ebb of the advancing wave. It is history which teaches us to hope."
If I werent playing games Id be killing small animals at a higher rate than I am now - SFTS
Si je n'étais pas jouer à des jeux que je serais mort de petits animaux à un taux plus élevé que je suis maintenant - Louis VI The Fat
"Why do you hate the extremely limited Spartan version of freedom?" - Lemur
From "All I really needed to know I learned in Kindergarten"
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.
And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." *Jim Elliot*
China is not a world power. China is the world, and it's surrounded by a ring of tiny and short-lived civilisations like the Americas, Europeans, Mongols, Moghuls, Indians, Franks, Romans, Japanese, Koreans.
Nobody has ever laid in their deathbed regretting having wasted so much time with family, wishing they'd spent more time doing things for themselves.
"A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man."
Don Vito Corleone: The Godfather, Part 1.
"Then wait for them and swear to God in heaven that if they spew that bull to you or your family again you will cave there heads in with a sledgehammer"
Strike for the South
Are there any important lessons / things that you have learned throughout time, throughout life? Tell me: I want to know and maybe learn from your input, as others can learn too from your words. Especially those older members -- above 30 -- I'd like to read from, though age doesn't really matter.
One thing I learned as I ventured out into the wide world was the emotional investment/component that underlies so many positions people hold and that this applies regardless the level of education.
"We are lovers of beauty without extravagance and of learning without loss of vigor." -Thucydides
"The secret of Happiness is Freedom, and the secret of Freedom, Courage." -Thucydides
Lessons...uh:
whatever opinions you may hold, please don't ever think you're Jesus and should shoot 32 of your fellow students to make your point. And don't blame the illuminati, Americans or Jews. And war is not the solution.
Also, remember that if you think emtions are the root of all evil, that the world is better of destroyed, that girls shouldn't worry about girlie things, then you probably need to get laid.
Anything unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Texan by birth, woodpecker by the grace of God
I would be the voice of your conscience if you had one -Brenus
Bt why woulf we uy lsn'y Staraft - Fragony
Not everything blue and underlined is a link
There, but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford
My aim, then, was to whip the rebels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom.
I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation.
Words I try to live by, written by a guy smarter than I:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.
I like Hosakawa Tito's selection too. Good advice.
Also, please understand: I don't recommend anyone adopt the Desiderata principles early in life. The teens and 20's are apparently the designated time for self-identification and conflict involvement. Sometime in the 30's or later, after one knows who one is, having gone through those conflicts, is a good time to re-assess one's perspective, and seek real strength and truth.
Oh, and two other valuable ones: never pee uphill, or spit into the wind.
A variation on that theme that I've learned on my own:
When everybody is running around, declaring that the end is nigh, and the market is in a state of collapse, and the talking heads on TV say things will never be good again ... buy.
When you read editorials about how market cycles are a thing of the past, an the boom will last forever, and all the fundamentals have changed, and everybody's gonna be rich ... sell.
Learn to distinguish between pleasure and happiness. A lot of the time it is possible to hold onto both, however if it comes down to a choice of which to pursue go for happiness even if the path is far more painful.
To respect the humanity in others is a good thing. To not acknowledge the humanity in others is an evil thing.
Laugh at yourself before you make fun of others.
Men use their personalities for contraception.
The world does not owe you anything. It is a gigantic toy store and it is up to you to assemble the pieces and play with your creations.
Try to understand the power of compounding interest. More importantly value yourself and learn time management. Money can always come back to you, the past is gone.
Most of the flaws we see in others is our perception.
Once we learn something it is very hard to unlearn it. So if you want to look happy, calm and professional as you do something... learn it in such a fashion.
Stress might be the little mind killer, but its a good buzz along with caffeine, sexual tension and deadlines. Stress will always crop up, learn to enjoy it and it becomes an acquired taste. Once stress stops clouding your judgment you will find that it is far easier to deal with the underlying problem.
Enjoy the journey.
Our genes maybe in the basement but it does not stop us chosing our point of view from the top.
Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat
Pape for global overlord!!
Originally Posted by English assassin
Squid sources report that scientists taste "sort of like chicken"
Originally Posted by frogbeastegg
The rest is either as average as advertised or, in the case of the missionary, disappointing.
Things are only as important as you value them. Your life will not end if you don't get a degree, you don't need to be the best musician in the world, nor the greatest author or the fastest runner. Life is pointless, enjoy the ride.
Drugs make you dumb, MJ certainly in the short run, alcohol in the long run.
You CAN have enough money. You don't need every friggin' gadget out there.
The most valuable resource of all is time. Unfortuantely you can't store it.
Yes, Iraq is peaceful. Go to sleep now. - Adrian II
People are *********, don't worry about what they think of you
Family comes first
Don't worry about things you can't do anything about
Don't give advice, cos then it'll be your fault when it all goes wrong
Phone your mum regularly
Laugh
There's no such thing as equal rights
People don't mind being laughed at if you laugh at yourself too
You don't need 6 pairs of underwear for an overnight trip no matter how many times she tells you that you do.
Women are mental
Don't write lists
Don't be scared to change your mind
Admit it when you're wrong
Oh yeah, and Satan invented bacon, apparently. Not sure about that one.
Not possible.
If there is one true proof of the awesome existence of a magnanimous, loving God it is the bacon sarnie.
Even Professor Dawkins concedes that argument.
"If there is a sin against life, it consists not so much in despairing as in hoping for another life and in eluding the implacable grandeur of this one." Albert Camus "Noces"
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