What is it that turns people away from discussing things with substance? And yes, yes....I know that "substance" could be considered entirely relative and in many ways I think that it is, as what one person deems as important/relevant may not coincide with that which another person does. However, there's clearly certain topics/subjects that have far more relevance and a much greater impact to/upon the world, our species, the universe etc...etc..as a whole rather than just individually. It just seems like people only want to discuss petty shit such as gossip, sports, what the media is shoving down their throats at the time, and various other things that although they do sometimes relate to say day to day life, but just get so entirely repetitive, because they don't really diverge in to anything "deep/meaningful." It just really fucking amazes me, I mean....it's not like people should go around 24/7 talking about world events, politics, ethics, the nature of reality etc...etc....that could make things just as bad, as there would be the high possibility of nothing but arguments then, but still. It's like people just turn themselves off....they go to work (and most don't enjoy it), then when they're not at work they seem to not want to "think in deepthly" (as though they do at work...) and divert this attention to things like TV, movies, video games, sports, gossip, or petty conversations that lack the requirement of personal input. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that all together the above things are "bad," because they're not...it's just that when they are a rather large chunk of someones "activities" and prevent them from not only learning about other things (cultures, history, astronomy, psychology, philosophy, you name it) and then discussing them so as to incorporate other ideas in with their own and also share what they've learned/believe with others....then I feel it becomes harmful. It makes for this massively lackadaisical society that only cares about what they're taught to, because they haven't taken the time to actually look in to things beyond the surface, if even that. I didn't want this to seem like a rant, but it probably does....sorry for that, I just don't know what to think about "this" anymore.
i'll admit i didn't read all of this because i'm in a rush but i'll continue later and reply again one of my initial thoughts was, "because it makes their brain hurt." critical thinking takes a lot of energy for some people. i think the more someone does it, the more worthwhile or valuable they will perceive it to be and the easier it can become, too. that's why i think some people quit the process very early. maybe it also has to do with the stigma of philosophical/deep thinking, whatever you want to call it.
yeah its kinda just a tragedy imo. But we humans aren't quite meant to deal with politics (politics meaning control over others). The only reason why it's needed is because it creates a problem, and the only real thing that'll save us from that problem is logistics and technology. Humans are proving themselves unworthy of responsible organization, so I very strongly believe we need a crutch (which is technology) to override those responsibilities. as for some of the ignorant people, they just don't give a damn because we're so overpopulated and a lot of decisions don't drastically change their life. and a lot of people know there are problems but they're the ones being the thing that politics is trying to protect
Not to mention that defining "thing's of substance" can lead to argumentative and derisive conflicts so perhaps it's in some part due to people not wanting to make waves amongst their peer groups or say or do things which their associates might find odd or bizzare and lead to the individual being ostracized. Humans are just another form of pack animal after all and no one wants to piss the rest of the pack off let alone the Alpha Male with upsetting or challenging concepts.
Perhaps, it's odd how some people find it very appealing whilst others find it to be extremely annoying. For the most part, I've found the majority that finds it appealing only does so because they mistakenly view the want to discuss such things as "intelligence" or sophistication so as to bring about a similar attribute to themselves. (Anyone that discusses such things, simply to seem a certain "way" is just as ridiculous as those who never touch upon the subjects.) Indeed, hence why "importance/substance" is nearly entirely relative...however is it not obvious that some things certainly do impact things to a much greater degree (both micro and macro though)? I've thought that maybe it's just that I'm being selfish and wish for others to discuss these things, as I want to....then again, I could care less if others agree with me while conversing about them, a simple conversation and exchange of ideas whether opposing or not would be nice. Just to hear others opinions and to learn from the experiences/thoughts they've had and are having is all. I'm not trying to tell people what they should and shouldn't talk about, just asking why the "heavier" topics are usually excluded not only from the vast majority of conversations but also from the basic spectrum of thought in general.
Do you mean the physical substance which is displayed with fancy diagrams and equations of realty relating through space and time (coordinates of Eulerian and La Grangeian description), OR do you mean the substance of mental concepts described in words debated through the AGES?
I dont think it's selfish really. But I think the trouble is that when dealing with "the largest common denominator" in the general public, many will find the deeper topics beyond things like how severely a whooping team a gave to team b at sporting event Y or who Actress X is sleeping with this week brings them outside the comfortable norms of their world, makes them pause and consider things beyond their general realms of thought, things which they usually cant take direct action over as with some world events leading to frustration if not simply being too "Heady" for their mind frame. Or perhaps thinking that as it's mostly out of their realm of control they may as well occupy their minds with things more tangible and blatantly relative to their existence. This of course is contrary to the whole Voting experience but then again, most of the deeper subjects in the world dont have nearly as effective of an advertising campaign.
Hmmm, got curious about that Dr. Byron Weeks asshole in your Sig quote there and came across this odd bit. http://www.whale.to/b/tav.html Sorry to slip off topic for a moment. Should probably pop this over into the conspiracy section.
I just find it odd that practically nobody spends their time learning about the various subjects of life. Then again, maybe I'm the odd one and my "need" to continually read/converse about these things is simply not something that's frequently seen as necessary or even wanted by the majority. Instead of coming home and immediately "tuning out," (as this is what it seems like to me) by means of simplistic entertainment and the like why not pick up a book on history, politics, world events...even dinosaurs for Christ's sake.....it just seems as though people want turn themselves off and have someone else do the thinking for them so as to avoid having to formulate opinions on things that have a greater significance. It's as though nobody actually takes the effort to learn things unless they relate to schooling, a job or some kind of means to fit in. Both.....
Well that certainly sums up a good chunk of the population. The why to it I think is relative to how most Children have been brought up, how most Parents comlain about their jobs, about how hard everything is and how desirable "an easier path to acheive one goals" have been made to seem by many facets of our culture. I think for the most part Humans are inherently lazy creatures, choosing only to pick enough fruit from the low hanging branches to satiate their appetites and leaving the harder to pick fruit's above in the trees for the birds. As the old saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. Maybe it's just a genetic flaw that the Eugenicists of era's gone by failed to eliminate which has spread like wildfire? Perhaps it results from a long running social conditioning program developed by someplace like the Tavistock group or the Masons for the purpose of dumbing down the public as to the world around them or at least whittling down their desire to take an active role in affecting positive changes?? I dont really have any exact answers as to why, and theres probably more than one reason or purpose behind it all. Good for us there's the Internet eh'?
Yeah, the whole environment that (most) children are subjected to regardless of religious beliefs, political, ethical, financial etc...sort of evolves around the monotonous routine of jobs and/or schooling of some kind. In which the individual may or may not have certain ideologies pushed upon them while being raised, but they certainly have this (maintain income) present (unless of course they're living "off the grid" somewhere). The typical dialogues you have with most people are just so limited. It's as though the spectrum of conversing and obtaining alternate/new "thought" (dare is say "knowledge?") is confined to your work or schooling...otherwise it's pointless to not only talk about, but pursue all together. I don't think this is anything genuinely unique to this specific time in our species history, unless of course you take in to account that "homo sapiens" have only existed as a sub-species for an approximated 250,000-400,000 years. In other words, the masses have been complacent (obedient/subdued, so as to server the "state") in many ways, in dare I say....most "civilizations" throughout our species "civilized" time frame. So, while it's certainly possible (perhaps most likely) that commercial/political organizations manipulate "norms" in all respects so as to create an idea citizen/consumer, this is nothing new. The thing is, in this day and age in a place like the US where many people have access to the Internet, libraries, book stores, privately owned magazines, news presses etc...etc.. nobody tends to take advantage of the availability to seek it out, nor discuss it while they can. We can be just as easily disinformed as we can be informed...and I fear things are only going to get worse as these outlets of virtually free "information" are distorted, or sealed off entirely. Alas, very few take advantage of such things and rather most go about that routine while attempting to mask the unforseen consequences with the various "materials" that make it all seem worth while. And now it just sounds like more of a rant....but it's not, cause really....what does any of it matter anywho? (feel free to discuss that if you like)
Don't await on others to display substance, bring it in yourself and it'll reflect where it needs to.
Pondering the imponderables shakes up and disturbs the comfortable lives people generally have built around themselves. They don't want to come to grips with concepts like the infinity of time and space, the possible meaningless nature of their lives, the utter worthlessness of their job/possessions, or what may happen when they die. Meanwhile, those without comfortable lives are usually too busy thinking about keeping themselves alive too worry about such things.
I dont know if its the media or those other things that attract people for some reason away from thinking about the nature of reality or if its the way the worlds turned. Really think about. Theres really nothing out there these days besides electronics, radios, televisons, food ready at disposal 24/7 and them other pleasures or paradise like things. Rewind however many years and what is there to do? Music started, Revolutions, art. The ideas. People used there brains to get to this and since its been reached what else is there to do for the new fresh brains? Sit back, relax and indulge on the ideas of the past sharpened.It really like a heaven of some sort, the monsters are gone besides murderers and other fucks of the world. By monsters i meant dinosaurs. Iam greatful iam able to have a glimpse of this future. Sorry if i sounded like some alien from a different planet who watched humans for outter space but thats just the way i veiwed this. That was a good topic...Good Job! lol
My roommate complains of this to but I just don't understand seens when the purpose of life is to seek out knowledge go complain to a plan that it hasn't written a book or something. No man we do what needs to be done to survive and in the end there are so meany of us surely not everyone can be concerned with the big picture most have to focus on the every day stuff and blend in I mean life usually chooses a path of least resistance that still sustains the state of existence. Never the less the general knowledge of the masses is getting wider why? because within every 1000 ppl there will be one genius. Does it mean that the 999 ppl are just going for a ride, no it means that without the 999 experiments there would not be that 1 that drags the collective knowledge upwards.
