THE LESSON (Nobody Wants to Learn)

[MikeW]

...My sin is indifference and having become desensitized and dettached. They go hand in had with my selfishness.

I recently found a need, almost a compulsion to become frivolous too.

So...hey...this is me taking blame to be one of these people you describe.

Over my lifetime, I've seen a lot of younger people take on this attitude of, as you put, "indifference." To me it is a kind of "defense mechanism," that is meant to protect us from the pain, the suffering, of not only being aware, but feeling the existential angst of it all. All of which only adds to the painfulness of it.

If I'm right, then, as I see it, it doesn't really work as a strategy. It is, in fact, that "wall of illusion" being spoken of in the song lyrics. I try to protect myself from the suffering inherent in being by pretending to myself that I'm indifferent, desensitized, detached. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Would you agree?

[Cobalt]

Needed this today, thanks.

[East]

I forgot if I posted this here or not...I know I did on JUB.....printed it out for my inspiration and the first paragraph will be my mantra in 2016...I loved finding it....

The best thing I mastered last year was learning to turn around and face and even embrace the chaos... instead of avoiding it.....POWERFUL STUFF...and so simple....

....and running/hiding form fears only fuels them and makes them stronger....

DIONYSIAN MANIFESTO

I kick my own ass and wash my own brain.
I push my own buttons and trick my own pain.
I burn my own flags and roast my own heroes.
I mock my own fears and cheer my own zeroes.

Nothing can stop me from teasing my shadow.
I'm full of empty and backwards bravado.
My wounds are tattoos that reveal my true beauty.
I turn tragic to magic and make bliss my duty.

I honor my faults till they become virtues.
I play jokes on my nightmares
till I'm sure they won’t hurt you.
I sing anarchist lullabies to lesbian trees
and love songs with punch lines
to anonymous seas.

I won't accept gifts that infringe on my freedom.
I shun sacred places that stir up my boredom.
I change my name daily, pretend to be nobody.
I fight for the truth if it's majestically rowdy.

I brag about what I can't do and don't know.
I take off my clothes to those I oppose.
I'm so far beyond lazy, I work like a god.
I'm totally crazy; in fact that's my job.

[kindy64]

Since we are on songs that inspire:

Well, I met an old man
Dying on a train.
No more destination,
No more pain.
Well, he said
"One thing before I graduate
Never let your fear decide your fate."

I say ya kill your heroes and
Fly, fly, baby don't cry.
No need to worry cause
Everybody will die.
Every day we just
Go, go, baby don't go.
Don't you worry we
Love you more than you know.

Well, the sun one day will
Leave us all behind.
Unexplainable sightings
In the sky.
Well, I hate to be
The one to ruin the night.
Right before your, right before your eyes.

Absolutely love this song....

"Come With Me Now"

Come with me now
Come with me now

Walk, come with me now
I'm gonna take you down
Walk, come with me now
I'm gonna show you how

Walk, come with me now
I'm gonna take you down
Walk, come with me now
I'm gonna show you how

Afraid to lose control
And caught up in this world
I've wasted time, I've wasted breath
I think I've thought myself to death

I was born without this fear
Now only this seems clear
I need to move, I need to fight
I need to lose myself tonight

Walk, come with me now
I'm gonna take you down
Walk, come with me now
I'm gonna show you how

I think with my heart and I move with my head
I open my mouth and it's something I've read
I stood at this door before, I'm told
But a part of me knows that I'm growing too old

Confused what I thought with something I felt
Confuse what I feel with something that's real
I tried to sell my soul last night
Funny, he wouldn't even take a bite

Far away
I heard him say (come with me now)
Don't delay
I heard him say (come with me now)

Far away
I heard him say (come with me now)
Don't delay
I heard him say (come with me now)

Walk, come with me now
I'm gonna take you down
Walk, come with me now
I'm gonna show you how

Afraid to lose control
And caught up in this world
I've wasted time, I've wasted breath
I think I've thought myself to death

I was born without this fear
Now only this seems clear
I need to move, I need to fight
I need to lose myself tonight

Walk, come with me now

Walk, come with me now
I'm gonna take you down
Walk, come with me now

[Thundanton]

As for distractions, I'd like to suggest you not think of them as "distractions"... but as "content". Frankly, I'm not quite sure how to put what I mean by this into words in a way that can be understood precisely. You understand that there is an observer, or perhaps we might better say an "observing." There is that possibility of SEEING in a new way. Then you bring forward the problem of "distractions" that take our attention away from that seeing. But if I see the distractions not as "distractions" but as *that which is seen*... IOW, if I *include* them in that which is seen... they cease to be "distractions".

yes your right, they shouldn't be thought of as distractions... just really hard to put into words, and no matter how hard you try, meaning is lost... but we have to try.

Also... lets be clear. We're not talking about "thoughts"... we're talking about the actual experiences of seeing and being, being aware, attentive, alive. Not "thinking" about those possibilities. Right?

I agree, I should have said experiencing or conceptualising.

[Insertnamehere]

Over my lifetime, I've seen a lot of younger people take on this attitude of, as you put, "indifference." To me it is a kind of "defense mechanism," that is meant to protect us from the pain, the suffering, of not only being aware, but feeling the existential angst of it all. All of which only adds to the painfulness of it.

If I'm right, then, as I see it, it doesn't really work as a strategy. It is, in fact, that "wall of illusion" being spoken of in the song lyrics. I try to protect myself from the suffering inherent in being by pretending to myself that I'm indifferent, desensitized, detached. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Would you agree?

I don't even have to agree, I only need to look at the results. The strategy doesn't work. You end up feeling everything anyway and sometimes worse. And then, you find yourself in need to change a lot of things. The time wasted is not worth it.