weird glitch

[Art Blade]

No, that would be me. :-()

I suggest we just stick with what we've got and give him a chance to check his new title. Did you see yours, at all?

[Art Blade]

Just in case: everybody may change their own titles in their forum profile (same menu where you edit what games you're currently playing, above the signature box, called "custom title")

[durian]

No, that would be me. :-()

I suggest we just stick with what we've got and give him a chance to check his new title. Did you see yours, at all?

Yeah Sirthinkalot is a much more accurate than Sirwritealot which is basically the same as yours. Just realized I've got new title  :-D :-X

Anyway, I found myself recently enjoy thinking (specifically philosophy and psychology) which I wouldn't imagine myself doing it many years ago as it's utterly boring. I've just checked out a wonderful introduction book of Stoicism titled,"A guide to the good life: the ancient art of Stoic joy" by Prof. William Irvine (Wright State Univ, in Dayton, OH) . I'd  thought Western philosophy is completely superfluous unlike the Eastern counterpart but I've recently realized it's not necessary so.

[Art Blade]

 :-D +  :-D :-X

Me, on the other side, I've had enough (both as in sufficient and as in fed up with) of the Western philosophy and found joy in Eastern philosophy and literature. I went through Zen and Taoism which is a different way of thinking; Taoism being the one that fascinated me the most.

[mandru]

 8)

[Art Blade]

that.. was kind of anticlimactic, mandru. :-D

[durian]

:-D +  :-D :-X

Me, on the other side, I've had enough (both as in sufficient and as in fed up with) of the Western philosophy and found joy in Eastern philosophy and literature. I went through Zen and Taoism which is a different way of thinking; Taoism being the one that fascinated me the most.

Let me tell you one of my little secrets: Taoism has been my favorite school of philosophy as well  :-X :) But Stoicism may replace it soon. There are some things Taoism and Stoicism share in common: they stress the value of tranquility which is the ultimate goal of their respective philosophies; and in order to attain it, the practitioners must not persue valueless, superfluous things like fame and fortune, and learning to accept one's death. However, there's at least one difference  between the two is that while Taoists avoid social duties, the Stoics are active members in their society (Seneca was Nero's counselor, Marcus Aurelius was emperor, ect) This is why I said Stoicism might replace Taoism as my favorite philosophy. Anyway, one of Stoicism's techniques that fascinates me is their use of humor as the most effective way of dealing with other's insults (whether direct or indirect).

One excerpt from the aforementioned book to illustrate this technique:

[The Stoic philosopher] Cato was pleading a case when an adversary named Lentulus spit in his face. Rather than getting angry or returning the insult, Cato calmly wiped off the spit and said, "I will swear to anyone, Lentulus, that people are wrong to say that you cannot use your mouth!" ;D

In my observation, Westerners don't need to look to the East as the only source of wisdom to cope with their daily stresses as there are many Western philosophy schools such as Stoicism, Epicureanism, ect that offers valuable and insightful advices and guidelines that help them to achieve tranqulity, peace, or enlightenment, nirvana or kingdom of God ...

[Binnatics]

I never actually felt truly bonded with one philosophy stream, although I feel much for the existentialism in Kierkengaards thinking. I feel like a thinker myself and have always tried to find 'the solution' for 'the questions' of life. Somehow I came to the conclusion it's easier living when you accept the fact that there are things unknown, and will be unknown forever. I think life would collapse if it knew itself.

About Asian thinkers I read an interesting point of view in a recently read novel written by Yalom, a well known psychiatrist and psychotherapist... and novel writer ^-^

one of the persons in his roman called The Schoppenhauer cure went to the far east to go in "retraîte" to be able to cure herself from psychic pain after intense psychotherapy and group sessions weren't able to help her. On following the path 'inside' she did finally feel relief, but then another thought came to mind; I am hiding for the problems and the people I deal with, and being so devoted to myself and myself only isn't the way I want to live. I want to live my life with the people around me, including the problems we share and suffer from.
This thought made her terminate the treatment and go back to the group sessions, where a miraculous social interconnection was unfolding and taking place. The story didn't end all bad but the interesting point I remember is the refusal to deny life as a way to cure problems caused by that life. Life in its most social, complicated and paradoxal form.
That doesn't mean the  unbinding process of inner concentration helps people take distance and see things from another perspective. It is a way to reach a desired state, but not a goal in itself.

Well, that's it for tonights thinking ^-^

[Art Blade]

What I've learned is that there is no one true philosophy or religion. I take what I like best from any source and am much closer to a happy life than with any single philosophy or religion and I've learned to strictly avoid extremes (i.e. not "only" Tao, not "only" Stoicism, and so on -- walk in the middle) also that some things just happen or don't happen, no matter how hard you try to achieve something or avoid something. It will just happen or it will never happen and indeed, some things cannot be explained -- I've already accepted all that. So I live a very relaxed life with a smile on my face almost every day. :)

[durian]

I have the same attitude to philosophy as you guys. Because of my relative open mindedness and my conviction that there's not "perfect religion/philosophy, every single philosophy has its own strengths as well as weaknesess, therefore I don't follow a single philosophy either, instead I cherry pick the best elements from multiple schools of philosophy and mix them together to form my own.

Art, I now don't know which title would best suit your personality: Sirpostalot or Sir-smile-a lot  ;D

[Art Blade]

thank you :) Maybe both fit but there are other people who smile a lot, too, yet there is only one extreme posting guy which would be me, then  :-()

[durian]

You're right  :) It's easy to find someone who smiles a lot but how often do you come across a guy that posts a lot ? The odds is even smaller than that of winning lottery's jackpot   :)

[Art Blade]

when I started out here, I didn't even plan to post much at all. It just so happened :) One reason would be that I am not active anywhere else and another reason that discussions here tend to be really inspiring.

[durian]

snip
(...) also that some things just happen or don't happen, no matter how hard you try to achieve something or avoid something. It will just happen (...)

It's an example of what you said earlier  :)

[Art Blade]

 :) I just let it flow. Follow the stream of life.. :)

[fragger]

You're right  :) It's easy to find someone who smiles a lot but how often do you come across a guy that posts a lot ? The odds is even smaller than that of winning lottery's jackpot   :)

And what are the odds of finding another online forum where the members all respect one another and don't engage in puerile insult contests? At least as small, I'd say.

The only other online community of any sort which comes anywhere near close is among the CG-modelling community, however the discussions there are almost entirely CG art-oriented. OWG is the only place on the net I've ever found where I can interact with people who have such a wide range of interests, viewpoints, topics of conversation and terrific senses of humour. It's way, way more than a gaming site and it's everything that social networking should be. A pretty small network to be sure, but all the more valuable for the close camaraderie of its active members.

This is my favourite place online :-X I feel a kinship with the members here that I've never experienced anywhere else on the net. I know that every time I visit, there will be something of interest to read. It's unique.

[mandru]

Yeah, what fragger said.   :-))

[Art Blade]

agree  :) :-X

[durian]

Amen* to that fragger   :-X :)

*Though I'm no longer a Catholic.  Having abandoned it 4 years ago due to doubting God's existence.

[Art Blade]

lol, I used to be a Catholic too, but not by choice, so I freed myself about 20 years ago. Same reason, plus it saves me from having to pay church taxes  :-() Not belonging to any party or religion and for other reasons, I feel like a free man in many an aspect :-D

By the way, nice signature, durian.  :-X

[durian]

 ;D I think if we keep talking, there's a good chance we know more common things we share , e.g. your ex girlfriend was also my ex  :-()

Cheers  :)

[Art Blade]

she already told me  :-D See, the problem with pretty girls.. you can't keep 'em  :-()

[durian]

 :-()

[nexor]

Thanks to OWG oz and sa became friends...... :-D

[fragger]

 :-))

Who would have thought it possible? We should be diplomats, eh nex? :-()