taoareyou Posted September 14, 2012 Hello everyone. I joined this community several years ago but apparently never posted anything. So instead of perpetually lurking, I'll step out from the shadows and *wave*. I'm a fellow Taoist, tweeter and blogger here to learn, share and muck about aimlessly. I'm currently reading Tao The Watercourse Way (thank you public library) by Alan Watts. I've also found hours and hours of his lectures on Grooveshark, so I've been trying to overdose on his insights. Beyond that, I'm just a middle aged man living in the rural mountains of North Carolina trying to find sense (and sometimes nonsense) in life and the world around me. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
et-thoughts Posted September 14, 2012 Hello everyone. I joined this community several years ago but apparently never posted anything. So instead of perpetually lurking, I'll step out from the shadows and *wave*. I'm a fellow Taoist, tweeter and blogger here to learn, share and muck about aimlessly. I'm currently reading Tao The Watercourse Way (thank you public library) by Alan Watts. I've also found hours and hours of his lectures on Grooveshark, so I've been trying to overdose on his insights. Beyond that, I'm just a middle aged man living in the rural mountains of North Carolina trying to find sense (and sometimes nonsense) in life and the world around me. Namaste... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trunk Posted September 15, 2012 welcome. How do you like NC? I've heard there's a progressive (spiritually & environmentally) element, as well as deep woods nature and culture... Trunk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
taoareyou Posted September 15, 2012 I've been here about 12 years and the people here are generally nice. Asheville is definitely unique and I think they like to consider themselves socially progressive, although they aren't as progressive as they like to see themselves. For example: NC does not have a law clearly stating women are prohibited from being topless in public. Asheville does not have a city ordinance prohibiting it either and each year a woman's rights group meets in Asheville to protest gender biased laws and they have a one day event downtown where they call on women to come out topless to bring attention to their fight to strike down laws that apply only to women across the country. This year, the Asheville Citizen Times portrayed the event negatively in advance and chose to only print negative editorial letters to the paper, calling it shameful. The city sold the event organizer expensive permits to allow for up to 3,000 people to assemble for the event, then the week before, publicly asked people not to show up. The paper printed this and local TV news also reported that the city council was asking people to not participate. The event ended up only having a few hundred spectators, and less than a dozen women came out in support. Drastically less than the previous year. The city council didn't want to pass a restrictive ordinance, probably for fear it could be used against them politically, and let's face it, it's obviously unconstitutional to make it illegal for women to be topless if men were not also required to keep their chest covered in public. If the ordinance was challenged, men would have to wear shirts in public view, which would include joggers, people at the pool, or just males lounging about on their porch on a hot day. So instead of actually taking a direct stand one way or another, they sold permits for an event, then publicly urged people not to attend. That's not progressive, that's just standard issue politics as usual. So, the local government in Asheville is no better than any other city, and you're just as likely to see an SUV as a hybrid on the road. There are plenty of pretentious "green" people here and "progressives" who will stand up and criticize conservatives and Republicans in general but stand idle when personal freedoms are being pruned. Asheville, from my viewpoint, is just another corporate tourist city. Biltmore Estate, one of the largest local attractions has fired people because of their sexual preference. Since there is no federal EEOC enforcement of sexual orientation discrimination [1], and NC state does not have a law protecting against sexual orientation discrimination, this is not only legal, but common. Aside from the general disregard for civil liberties, the lead pollution index and particulate matter pollution index being slightly above national average [2], every crime index being above the national average, with burglary being over twice the national average [3], it's not a bad place to live. I do live outside the city though, on a mountainside about 20 min away so my air is clean, my neighbors are friendly, the weather is agreeable and I'm happy here. Sorry for the extended response, by the way. lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shanlung Posted September 15, 2012 Hello everyone. I joined this community several years ago but apparently never posted anything. So instead of perpetually lurking, I'll step out from the shadows and *wave*. I'm a fellow Taoist, tweeter and blogger here to learn, share and muck about aimlessly. I'm currently reading Tao The Watercourse Way (thank you public library) by Alan Watts. I've also found hours and hours of his lectures on Grooveshark, so I've been trying to overdose on his insights. Beyond that, I'm just a middle aged man living in the rural mountains of North Carolina trying to find sense (and sometimes nonsense) in life and the world around me. Hello everyone. I joined this community several years ago but apparently never posted anything. So instead of perpetually lurking, I'll step out from the shadows and *wave*. I'm a fellow Taoist, tweeter and blogger here to learn, share and muck about aimlessly. I'm currently reading Tao The Watercourse Way (thank you public library) by Alan Watts. I've also found hours and hours of his lectures on Grooveshark, so I've been trying to overdose on his insights. Beyond that, I'm just a middle aged man living in the rural mountains of North Carolina trying to find sense (and sometimes nonsense) in life and the world around me. Welcome If it seemed nonsense, that will probably be right. I find if that make sense, I check if I accidentally got on my rose tinted glasses. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shanlung Posted September 15, 2012 Sorry. Using IPad for first time. Cannot navigate above to erase the double quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
et-thoughts Posted September 15, 2012 Welcome If it seemed nonsense, that will probably be right. I find if that make sense, I check if I accidentally got on my rose tinted glasses. I'd check the veracity of it, wonder and ponder about it in any case... and even then wonder and ponder if I got it right... and check it again... eventually one discovers the truth of the matter... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
