/pol/ therapy thread

>>129981514

I think the system is softening everyone's critical faculties and making us not only dumber, but less capable of pursuing intellectual interests.

>>129981514
1. Well, I had a very good article, which I lost, by a senator that discussed the importance of social engineering in the media. In order to keep things brief: Basically, since our society is no longer guided by religiosity, he explained how social deviance in media is used to condition people prior to period of economic downturn. Before periods of inflation or economic downturn, the media encourages social deviance to keep crime rates low via escapism or hedonism, also broadening what is acceptable behavior. You notice this in a lot of mainstream music like Panic! At The Disco's LA Devotee (desensitizing people to pedophilia and acts of violence), Cake by the Ocean, which normalizes people's reactions to greater destruction of ocean, that one song directed to child demographic by Katy Perry mentioning threesomes...

Of course, social engineers (an actual field) sign confidentiality reports showing they can't leak their subliminal messages and so forth. Granted, one can get a genuine idea of how it occurs by looking at popular music and Hollywood trash. The senator gave the general gist of how it works, the timing before significant events crucial.

Now, I understand this may seem like a tangent, but my point is, even if you teach your kids good values, he will be exposed to a culture that treats him as disposable and merely a tool used by the ((elites)), and more, for economic and technological growth. He may value other things besides education achievement.

I will answer the rest.

>>129981514
2. I feel, like Emily Dickinson, the more wise one becomes, the more alienated and isolated one tends to be. Topics that intrigue you will be insignificant or unknown to the rabble.

Of course, there is the added dimension of practicality or being too lofty. I believe one must always maintain the former, regardless of one's growing alienation -- we still need some form of currency or trade to ensure continuous supply of food on the table. One does not need to resort to a life of crime regardless of their introversion or inwardness.

Once you find something in investment, or a job with stable income, you can engage in solitary hobbies such as raising a noble dog, bird watching, gardening, scuba diving, etc. The question becomes more to "how can I cultivate myself in my isolation?" As you do this more, you come to see how everyone is ultimately alone, but by enjoying your craft with doer and doing inseparable, you come to become inextricably tied to this hobby itself, experiencing a surge of creative inspiration.

>>129981514
3. It is hard to predict what the future will be. Perhaps, cryptocurrencies will ultimately undermine the power of the FED, leading to a "decentralized autonomous organizations" (DOA) gaining power? Perhaps, the central banks and their puppet leaders will go crazy and bring about fascism? Perhaps, the USA will Balkanize due to civil war, splitting into separate countries with their own values? Perhaps, things will remain relatively similar to status quo? Perhaps, the system will collapse due to any number of things?

I don't know. Your question is loaded. SJWs are incompetent in understanding the nuanced dynamics of global economy and much more, but likewise, I'd say many American conservatives are too. Most people don't sit down, reading basic economics textbook, reading geopolitical history, or any number of things prior to forming an opinion. Democracy should not mean everyone's opinion is on equal territory, regardless of their level of understanding.

>>129981514
4. I highly recommend Shikantaza without emphasis on proper lotus posture. There are a lot of studies showing how it has positive neuroplastic benefits, enhances creative spontaneity, or more.

The thing about Shikantaza is that it is instructionless. Just letting thoughts occur and seeing the patterns. One simply maintains an intentless moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness without dwelling on anything, and this is done without doing away with anything, without wanting anything, and without want not wanting. You volitionally do not block or suppress anything from the mind either, but you simply sit while maintaining an alert awareness of everything without labeling, categorizing, dwelling, suppressing, thinking, or clinging. JUST SIT with unpremeditated, complete awareness of the present without preference, effort, or compulsion.

** It's important to naturally breathe through the nose and diaphragm.

>>129984096

This is a very balanced response. Thank-you.

>>129984454

Cryptocurrencies will almost certainly upend the current banking industry, and since it stands as the institution on which all else relies, there will probably be big ripples throughout the rest of the economy. But from a political perspective, I'm no specifically concerned about a stereotypical, blue-haired, women's studies major becoming president. I'm more concerned with the slow erosion of values as each generation becomes softer, less self-reliant, less capable of weathering criticism and differences of opinions, and having less wide a perspective on what makes a person "good" or "evil." Because all of these things are being seriously distorted and no young people seem to be recognizing it, or at least adjusting for it.

>>129981514
5. I am the same largely.

When you have enough money to live comfortably, you can focus on what you like then.

At the end of the day it simply comes down to this: Do you have enough money to live leisurely and avoid the nonsense of the rabble?

I actually bought pevear and volokhonsky's translations of Gogol's stories to read soon... Haven't gotten around to it yet...

I am also looking to publish my weird fiction I finished writing, influences being Ligotti & Machen & Laird Barron & more. However, on a deeper level, I merely want a lot of money to avoid the rabble, to isolate myself more and do many great hobbies like those I mentioned in my answer to #1. This may sound like being a philistine, but I find the overzealous attitude of many eccentric artists to be even stupider, honestly.

>>129985923

How do you manage, once you're doing the hobby (writing or reading or whatever it may be), to stay focused on it for more than twenty minutes. I find that about that often, a wave comes over me and I'm inclined to put the book down or stop writing and revert to the mindless entertainments that fill the rest of my day. How do you power through and keep ideas coming when your brain is telling you to take an indefinite break (other than the shikantaza, which I must assume is an activity that requires its own attention).

>Pevear and Volokhonsky's

His collected tales are what I'm reading now, by them. I read about half of the collection about three years ago and just happened to pull it from my bookshelf three days ago and dove right back in.

>>129986112

>probably a consequence of the death of God

I agree. I'm a confirmed atheist, but feel that society is dealing with consequences TODAY of the godlessness that took hold 100 years ago onward. Godlessness is, for the first time, truly becoming ingrained from generation to generation. And there is collateral damage.

Listening recently to Jordan Peterson and Sam Harris talk (from this past March) was a very interesting discussion, btw.

Sorry, I deleted the previous comment. Can discuss those topics if you want.

>>129986953
>How do you manage, once you're doing the hobby (writing or reading or whatever it may be), to stay focused on it for more than twenty minutes.
I feel you need three things:
1) proper diet and nutrition + exercise, preferably
High quality krill oil is very and helps promote synaptogenesis, attentional control, and more. I recommend it. Avoid food with preservatives like TBHQ, BHT, HFCS, aspartame, and other harmful stuff.

Aerobic cardio is better than anaerobic cardio for the health of the brain. I had recent research that showed how long-distance running is good for the brain health.

Discipline for the craft you are engaging in is necessary too. A set routine is good, but you need financial stability and leisure to follow the routine without much other fluff that gets in the way. It's good to enjoy what you are doing, but you also need that routine.

Daily solitude in natural scenery can also help decompress.

>but feel that society is dealing with consequences TODAY of the godlessness that took hold 100 years ago onward.
Well, to be more precise, it is the inability to reconcile naturalism with normativity that gives the problem, though many scholars do try to give normativity a normative turn (like Willfred Sellars and maybe MacIntyre's After Virtue).

Sam Harris also tries to defend ethical naturalism, which I found he did a poor job of.

>>129987550
high quality krill is very good*

>>129987550
>many scholars do try to give normativity a normative turn
many scholars do try to give naturalism a normative turn*