So I think I'm god but not that god

[Baruch]

Well maybe easier than you think, if it isn't simulated information, but simulated ignorance ;-)

[aitm]

Well maybe easier than you think, if it isn't simulated information, but simulated ignorance ;-)

very true, we buy our children expensive toys and they spend days playing in the box. It is our ignorance that suggests they need more, and our arrogance to think we know what will make someone else happy.

[Nihil-ist]

again, and not trying to be a butt head here but its a pretty arrogant assumption to think that something would create a simulated universe with this much information and all these surroundings when a big glob of dirt and us being worms would be a far far simpler simulation. The life of a worm would be equally satisfying to us and accomplish the same thing at a fraction of a percentage of the cost to create such a simulation.

You still think I'm taking about that kind of god/creator. I'm not even talking about that at all haha.
This isn't even part of what I was talking about just another idea I'm interested in.
I only say it's more likely in theory. The idea being if only 2 civilizations in the "real" universe make a simulated universe then the chance becomes 1/3. This doesn't account for many worlds interpretation or simulations within simulations.
Are we living in a simulation? Maybe, maybe not... does it matter? Probably not. Is it interesting to think about? fuck yeah

Back to the main idea of the thread maybe a couple quotes will help out.

    Higher people hear of the Tao
    They diligently practice it
    Average people hear of the Tao
    They sometimes keep it and sometimes lose it
    Lower people hear of the Tao
    They laugh loudly at it
    If they do not laugh, it would not be the Tao

    Therefore a proverb has the following:
    The clear Tao appears unclear
    The advancing Tao appears to retreat
    The smooth Tao appears uneven
    High virtue appears like a valley
    Great integrity appears like disgrace
    Encompassing virtue appears insufficient
    Building virtue appears inactive
    True substance appears inconstant
    The great square has no corners
    The great vessel is late in completion
    The great music is imperceptible in sound
    The great image has no form
    The Tao is hidden and nameless
    Yet it is only the Tao
    That excels in giving and completing everything

The idea being you're it... and it is you. Make a fist... now explain to me exactly how you did it. You don't know you just do it.
Even if you read on how you do it, it doesn't help you make a fist any better.

Then was not non-existent nor existent: there was no realm of air, no sky beyond it.
What covered in, and where? and what gave shelter? Was water there, unfathomed depth of water?
Death was not then, nor was there aught immortal: no sign was there, the day's and night's divider.
That One Thing, breathless, breathed by its own nature: apart from it was nothing whatsoever.
Darkness there was: at first concealed in darkness this All was indiscriminated chaos.
All that existed then was void and form less: by the great power of Warmth was born that Unit.
Thereafter rose Desire in the beginning, Desire, the primal seed and germ of Spirit.
Sages who searched with their heart's thought discovered the existent's kinship in the non-existent.
Transversely was their severing line extended: what was above it then, and what below it?
There were begetters, there were mighty forces, free action here and energy up yonder
Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it was born and whence comes this creation?
The Gods are later than this world's production. Who knows then whence it first came into being?
He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it,
Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not.

We look at everything as separate things but it's all a blending of everything.


I don't like this translation but couldn't find a better one I could copy/paste

All things are produced by the Tao, and nourished by its
outflowing operation. They receive their forms according to the
nature of each, and are completed according to the circumstances of
their condition. Therefore all things without exception honour the
Tao, and exalt its outflowing operation.

This honouring of the Tao and exalting of its operation is not the
result of any force, but always a spontaneous tribute.

Thus it is that the Tao produces (all things), nourishes them,
brings them to their full growth, nurses them, completes them, matures
them, maintains them, and overspreads them.

It produces them and makes no claim to the possession of them; it
carries them through their processes and does not vaunt its ability in
doing so; it brings them to maturity and exercises no control over
them;--this is called its mysterious virtue.

[stromboli]

I know a guy sits in a lotus position spouts this shit all day long. doesn't accomplish jack, but people throw money at him and he is highly venerated.

I put in a chain link fence last year by myself. I paved a walkway, built a paver stone front piece for my deck. I just installed gate wear for locking and positioning my chain link fence gate. This year I built a solar dryer to make raisins from my grapes and am exploring making wine. I am building a new deck behind my work shop for my table saw so I can do wood working. The rack for my camping gear on my car was also built by me with my welder.

Sit and philosophize all day, strum your Sitar and strew blossoms on the pathway you walk on. Or build the fucking pathway and make it wheel chair accessible. This is why I eschew philosophy, because for the most part those that philosophy the hardest accomplish the least in the real world. So have at it, groom your Einstein hair and smoke your Meerschaum pipe. I'm making oatmeal raisin protein bars in my kitchen. See ya.

[Baruch]

Stromboli ... this is a philosophy called American Pragmatism.  As an American, I can't agree more.  See, to be a full time thinker, one has to have a lot of time on one's hands ... either voluntary poverty, or enough wealth to allow that kind of leisure.  Buddha had it both ways ;-)

[Nihil-ist]

I know a guy sits in a lotus position spouts this shit all day long. doesn't accomplish jack, but people throw money at him and he is highly venerated.

I put in a chain link fence last year by myself. I paved a walkway, built a paver stone front piece for my deck. I just installed gate wear for locking and positioning my chain link fence gate. This year I built a solar dryer to make raisins from my grapes and am exploring making wine. I am building a new deck behind my work shop for my table saw so I can do wood working. The rack for my camping gear on my car was also built by me with my welder.

Sit and philosophize all day, strum your Sitar and strew blossoms on the pathway you walk on. Or build the fucking pathway and make it wheel chair accessible. This is why I eschew philosophy, because for the most part those that philosophy the hardest accomplish the least in the real world. So have at it, groom your Einstein hair and smoke your Meerschaum pipe. I'm making oatmeal raisin protein bars in my kitchen. See ya.

So true. This philosophy actually agrees with you.
I bet you didn't research where any of your materials came from or how they were made though.
Life is a zero sum game. Take little from the ocean of life to leave enough for others because it will all go back in the end.
This is why some people choose to avoid the material world. Some do, some don't.

In reading the Bhagavad-Gita, many of you in Western countries may have felt astonished at the second chapter, wherein Shri Krishna calls Arjuna a hypocrite and a coward because of his refusal to fight, or offer resistance, on account of his adversaries being his friends and relatives, making the plea that non-resistance was the highest ideal of love. This is a great lesson for us all to learn, that in all matters the two extremes are alike. The extreme positive and the extreme negative are always similar. When the vibrations of light are too slow, we do not see them, nor do we see them when they are too rapid. So with sound; when very low in pitch, we do not hear it; when very high, we do not hear it either. Of like nature is the difference between resistance and non-resistance. One man does not resist because he is weak, lazy, and cannot, not because he will not; the other man knows that he can strike an irresistible blow if he likes; yet he not only does not strike, but blesses his enemies. The one who from weakness resists not commits a sin, and as such cannot receive any benefit from the non-resistance; while the other would commit a sin by offering resistance. Buddha gave up his throne and renounced his position, that was true renunciation; but there cannot be any question of renunciation in the case of a beggar who has nothing to renounce. So we must always be careful about what we really mean when we speak of this non-resistance and ideal love. We must first take care to understand whether we have the power of resistance or not. Then, having the power, if we renounce it and do not resist, we are doing a grand act of love; but if we cannot resist, and yet, at the same time, try to deceive ourselves into the belief that we are actuated by motives of the highest love, we are doing the exact opposite. Arjuna became a coward at the sight of the mighty array against him; his "love" made him forget his duty towards his country and king. That is why Shri Krishna told him that he was a hypocrite: Thou talkest like a wise man, but thy actions betray thee to be a coward; therefore stand up and fight!

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says

    "tasmad asaktah satatam karyam karma samacara asakto hy acaran karma param apnoti purushah"

    Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme.[6]

Krishna then goes on to describe how Arjuna should surrender the fruits of his actions (good or bad) to him, Krishna, (as the Supreme Person or avatar) :

    Therefore, O Arjuna, surrendering all your works unto Me, with full knowledge of Me, without desires for profit, with no claims to proprietorship, and free from lethargy, fight.[7]

Another important quotations from the Bhagavad Gita which elucidates karma yoga is "योगः कर्मसु कौशलà¤,॥" (yoga is skill in karma.).

[stromboli]

Stromboli ... this is a philosophy called American Pragmatism.  As an American, I can't agree more.  See, to be a full time thinker, one has to have a lot of time on one's hands ... either voluntary poverty, or enough wealth to allow that kind of leisure.  Buddha had it both ways ;-)

I know all about Buddha. I also read "Be Here Now" and Kant's "Critique" and a few other books. I recommend- if you haven't read it- "Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance" and the follow up book "Lila." Read R. Buckminster Fuller's "Operater's Manual For Spaceship Earth",Nine Chains To The Moon" and anything else by him. Fuller is not appreciated in this generation and should be.

And you can identify my lifestyle philosophically, but bottom line is I've internalized it a long time ago. And frankly don't have the time for it now.

[Baruch]

Nihil-ist  - One can gain quite a bit of understanding (if you are a Westerner) by studying Eastern culture ... the Gita for one, and the Dao De Jing for another.  The point is to get one's mind out of whatever Western rut it is in.  But the point isn't to become and Easterner ... you can't unless you are born that way.  Similarly I think that Easterners gain in the same way, by studying Western culture.

I mentioned Red Pine before.  Jonathan Star's "Definitive Edition of the Tao Te Ching" is also good.  The Gita I use is "The Bhagavad Gita As It Is" ... because of the parallel written Sanskrit, phonetic Sanskrit and English translation, plus commentary in every verse.

[Nihil-ist]

Nihil-ist  - One can gain quite a bit of understanding (if you are a Westerner) by studying Eastern culture ... the Gita for one, and the Dao De Jing for another.  The point is to get one's mind out of whatever Western rut it is in.  But the point isn't to become and Easterner ... you can't unless you are born that way.  Similarly I think that Easterners gain in the same way, by studying Western culture.

I mentioned Red Pine before.  Jonathan Star's "Definitive Edition of the Tao Te Ching" is also good.  The Gita I use is "The Bhagavad Gita As It Is" ... because of the parallel written Sanskrit, phonetic Sanskrit and English translation, plus commentary in every verse.

I got a D.C. lau translation in book I was just too lazy to type it out manually.
East/west more dualities haha. I kinda float between attachment and detachment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd6Zhg5ZXIE

I think the best thing is culture shock. It shows you many people thrive while holding views that can be in extreme opposition to your own.
Seeing the other side brings your views more into a equilibrium.
Or that's my theory.