[MD] Doug Renselle & Language

[John Carl]

On Sun, Aug 22, 2010 at 1:23 PM, Krimel <Krimel at krimel.com> wrote:

[Krimel]
> I think the whole notion of good and bad is relative. Rain might be good
> for
> farmers and bad for picnickers. But the idea that whatever happened in the
> past is, if not good then at least OK, goes beyond "illusion" into full
> blown "delusion." We accept the past because we have limited options. We
> can't change the past but we can change our opinions of it. Given that, the
> healthiest option is to paint on a smiley face. We learn not just to live
> with it but to like it.
>


John:

When I posit a "constructive" attitude, I'm talking more than painting a
smile on because it feels good.  I'm saying there is an attitude which
causes engagement and action vs an attitude which blames, grumbles and
retreats into a shell.


Krimel:


> Seeing the world as chaotic and purposeless is difficult. As noted people
> recoil from it in horror. I can tell you it was not an easy transition to
> make personally but it finally came on like a religious experience a flash
> of insight that radically reorganized my entire conceptual continuity. I
> don't know if I recommend it. But I don't see any way around it and
> eventually I found a way to paint it with happy faces. Shit happens and it
> is up to you to decide if it's good shit or bad shit.


John:  I see cynicism as disillusioned idealism.  There's some expectation
raised, and when it's not met we automatically retreat into a childish fit
of pique saying - It's not fair, or even - there's no such thing as fair,
it's all just random chance.

I can see the logic of such a reaction, in overthrowing previously held
error.  But clinging to it strenuously beyond its usefulness will only put
you back on the yo-yo pendulum swing.

But hey, radically reorganizing your entire conceptual continuity sounds
like a fun hobby.  Try and do it every day.

Or put another way, Kill all intellectual patterns...