Stosh

One power was questioning whether that which you were describing was to be considered one of the powers that Mh attributed to the childlike perspective. The order was regarding your mention of hierarchy , which is a type of ordering system. I read some of the 101, but felt it went on too long without giving a space to touch base with me , an audience- before marching forward. By externals I am referring to your own division between the mental and physical which you divided when you use the term 'rooted in". For instance the tree is rooted in the soil , implies there is a separation between soils and trees though they may be connected. ( otherwise the tree would be an extension of the soil rather than anchored in it)

There's a lot of ideas here, ,,attending one at a time ,, one power , as you see it? ,is the hierarchy of concepts based on direct experience rooted in reality? Umm Im not so certain our concepts have any kind of order , and Im not convinced that we directly experience external things, and I dont think we need confine reality to externals either. Tough row to hoe here. I look at a painting, my eyes roam, I build up an integrated perception of the image and have some sentiment or conclusions regarding it.. what order? what unreality? what power? is there.

I was suggested the idea that the mind has some empty shelves, and one places things on them. It could be likes and dislikes, gender identity, phobias, profanity, justice,,to name several. The mind then can be seen as not exactly blank ,, but not exactly programmed. This fits facts as I see em , and it bridges a gap between nature vs nurture ists. Similarly, proclivities and predispositions arent always brought to bear fruit. ... the abuse of what powers exactly?

I agree, but.. that doesnt mean I think there is true polemic purity to be found. It actually means the opposite. Purity must be accepting the entire scope of the issue rather than half.

Whats wrong with temporary gain? Each life is temporary, even if one reincarnates. Blank slate? Honestly theres very little of ,even, last week that I really remember,, past lives? really? cmon.

Im thinking one either values the immaterial or doesnt. If one doesnt theyre materialist. An anarchistic view, where people operate with a sort of non interference policy, seems untenable when the desires of others factor in to the pursuits one chooses for themselves. Briefly speaking, im thinking that there isnt feasible purity in either of these ,,or optimism,, for that matter. Conscripts ,, or the unwilling,, must cooperate to some degree. Volunteers must subordinate themselves to some degree as well,, so their behavior isnt purely as they will either. All cooperation then, including anarchy, is mitigated...same as optimism has its limits. I was hoping to more smoothly segue into this, but .. no luck.

What? no rational rebuttal to dictatorship and enslavement?? no personal concession of personal sovreignity in the pursuit of others welfare admitted? tsk tsk.

Eh,, I do get the sentiment , but from a personal standpoint , Ill take the million conscripts, and let em all go home -once theyve dispatched the volunteer and secured us all some booty. Volunteers are operating out of their own volition by definition,, and frankly I dont want to put up with anyone elses motivations. Being a materialist ,,Im not supposed to care why they do as theyve been told, just that they do it.

That's just because you graciously allowed him to take 'point' Adult to child,, Are You Sure you had past lives? child ,,Yes! There you have it ! proven in every detail.

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Male European goldfinch ,, we have American Lesser and Lawrence's which show more yellow.

For those who have decided to go with the flow instead of self direction - The I-Ching

. doesnt matter nevermind.

The mindset that procreation is important , THE important achievement of a human life, leads to the overpopulation problem you mention. The cure is to limit procreation of humans in some way , but some would feel that less humans is less good , more humans living -is more good. Saving the life of all humans , preventing all disease and wars preserving human life at every turn,, is a pretty standard moral "good' ... which leaves only the mindset that individuals must have purpose in and unto themselves and to those who already exist and maybe, at times, to preserve lineage. As far as built in instinct , what does that apply to gay people and other people who just don't care to make more children? I say its not an instinct , we don't really have those, our internal motivational constructs are incomplete. Yes the deer attempts to elude, that's its life .. the tiger and the deer preserve each other-yin and yang.

I see you're still stuck on the idea that procreation is the point of living , but frankly the great majority of multicellular things do not end up having progeny , and over time even most successful lines die out, all the dinosaurs are gone except for the grandsire of what became birds , someday the birds will be gone too. The purpose of a sentient being is not to die for the benefit of one potential successful ancestor , but to live their own life.The Procreation which brought US into being is the a means to do that. ( ok ,, I guess the bears have a purpose too)

Sex-breeding isnt all there is yknow, and life is certainly not a bed of roses all the time. Theres light and dark in everything , when did that rule vanish? On a daoist oriented site, seems to me the balance of nature really should be acknowleged and highlighted and even appreciated. Should the male or nonbreeding female be considered as pointless killing machines? I want that tiger eating deer. I watched a show which told a story about lions protecting crops. Win win.... Everything in nature has its purpose, its value, its spirit,,, except for bears.

Ok, .... some Humans love venison too.

It is ...., Tigers love venison.

Well, they cant all be wrong , can they?

FYI Taiwan blue magpie ,, nifty bird ,, very unafraid of people its said.

Counterquote The Kingdom of God is at hand.

Thats really rather good, Did you literally ask him how he means it? if its his own , and if he has more like it. ( I didnt see it as a googled quote)

Everything has its flip side, that's true for the goals we set and everything else. .. except for that which is tautologically true.

In terms of life skills ,, internet usage really may rank rather highly now vs filter feeding and venom

hmmm