Odd confessions.

Buddhism isn't about removing desire; it teaches that that's impossible. It's about managing desire.

I think I was the only person in my class to like Siddhartha.

Hermann Hesse is an acquired taste.

I like Hershey's chocolate that is made in America.

I believe that the pursuit and achievement of desires are the keys to human happiness and accomplishment.

Western thought places a strong emphasis on individualism. Eastern religions usually do not. I don't really think there's any need to attack a different belief structure than yours. I mean keep your own opinions but calling them hypocrites seems a little mean.

Damnit.

Still have no confessions.

Oh oh oh wait.

I like Naughty Tentacles.

Wrong thread, Matrix.

Galeros, you're a sick, sick puppy.

On a different note: pursuit and achievement of desire is the key to, and root of, all human misery, not happiness. That is the problem that Buddhism seeks to address. Seems fairly straight forward to me. Sounds like someone buys in too much to all that 'American dream' hokum.

edited 25th Jun '09 12:29:02 AM by Inverurie Jones

^For which confession? It is the chocolate one, isn't it?

Yes, Galeros, yes it is. Hershey's is actually crusty bits of Satan's poo.

Most of you have probably caught onto this to some extent, but.. I'm a huge romantic. Probably more than you think. I won't deny being a sensualist and a libertine (not when I so strongly affirm these things in so many other places), but I think of sex as an expression of love more than simple physical desire (although I admit I'll take pure lust if you've not got any love around). Half the songs I know how to play are love songs. The vast majority of dumb things I've ever done were prompted by romantic love (often catalyzed by alcohol, but unrequited love is one of those things that makes me want to drink). I can act the world-weary cynic, and trust me, I'm much more cynical in person than I am on here... but if you can tug at my hearstrings I'm as naive as a five-year-old raised by wolves.

Maybe this isn't much of a confession, but I felt like saying it to set the record straight. Also, funny story: a Real Life friend of mine once concluded I wasn't really as cynical as I seemed after I argued that Hannibal Lecter was "just evil" rather than being a true sociopath, 'cos I insisted (and still insist) that he was genuinely in love with Clarice.

On a different note: pursuit and achievement of desire is the key to, and root of, all human misery, not happiness. That is the problem that Buddhism seeks to address. Seems fairly straight forward to me.

I have certain sympathies toward Buddhism, but expressing this as dogma seems to violate the spirit of the philosophy. The Four Noble Truths are universals; if they're true, their truth should eventually be self-evident to anyone that's aware of them. You're ignoring this, and effectively proselytizing.

edited 25th Jun '09 12:53:18 AM by Nornagest

I suppose I should confess something:

Despite my attempts to appear as the cold, cynical, ruthless, hate-filled bastard most people think I am, I am in fact a romantic and an idealist (verging on Knight Templar) who has a dream of- and is trying to create- a perfect world. Most of my violent misanthropic outbursts are a result of heartbreaking disappointment in my fellow human beings' apparent lack of concern for anything other than the grattification of their immediate, short-term desires.

And I talk to the plants and animals in my garden.

@Nornagest: Well, I was trying to keep it as simple and punchy as possible. I'm not actually a Buddhist, but my sister is. I'm sure she could explain it better. I'm...well...ecclectic with Khemetic leanings?

edited 25th Jun '09 12:59:50 AM by Inverurie Jones

I'm spending way too much time on tvtropes when I should be working.

When I see someone referring to themselves as a Deadpan Snarker I cringe and assume they're a Ted Baxter. Real life Deadpan Snarkers exist of course but there's just something so off-putting about referring to yourself that way.

Most of my violent misanthropic outbursts are a result of heartbreaking disappointment in my fellow human beings' apparent lack of concern for anything other than the grattification of their immediate, short-term desires.

Bit of a cynical worldview, isn't that? Honestly, short-term desires seem rather harmless to me, except insofar as they lead to disappointment. The real thing to watch for is unthinking certainty; I'd be willing to bet people have caused far more suffering to others because they were unwilling to admit they might be wrong than because they thought it'd be good for a quick buck.

What about those who believe, unshakably, that all that matters is the quick buck?

They'll be the death of us all, you know.

What about those who believe, unshakably, that all that matters is the quick buck?

They'll be the death of us all, you know.

We call these people sociopaths, and they tend to end up in prison.

Or CEO's.

In prison? As far as I can tell, they end up in government...

I don't normally watch Family Guy, but on those rare occassions when I do, it usually amuses me.

I get words ending in -ent and -ant muddled.

Deep down, I don't think I want a job. I mean, I want the money, so I'm looking, but my heart's not in it.

It's ok, Bobby; that's normal. The work thing, I mean.

edited 25th Jun '09 1:48:10 AM by Inverurie Jones

I'd kinda like to hallucinate, at least once, to see what it's like to not see the world as it is.

Similarly, I think I'd be a lot happier if I were religious, but I cannot suspend my disbelief.

I confess i made this thread so it would eventually spiral into another thread where people tell embarrasing sex-related anecdotes... well, not really, but because it came up a few pages back, the idea amused me. but yeah, not a sex topic. Or Is It?

Meaty's idea of dressing up and having tea is great, why don't people play pretend more? Kids these days are raised to have poor imagination, with toys that play by themselves, while the kids watch. That's why there's so much ADD and Bi-polar disorder.

I liked the Onion article about people leading secret lives. It's most likely true, everyone has their quirks they don't tell other people. My harddrive is a testament for that.

Well, since I'm forthcoming about sex-related things in all other topics... might as well make a confession about a time that I turned someone down.

I confess that when I was a freshman in college, and still dating my high-school girlfriend (which was stupid), I was giving a very attractive swimmer a leg massage. When she asked me if I could go any further, I said "no". Curse my sense of honor.

Said girlfriend cheated on me about a month later. So if anyone ever wonders what happened to my sense of honor... that happened.

edited 25th Jun '09 2:02:09 AM by Lull The Conqueror

I actually *like* working. I like feeling useful and doing something. Anything. I feel really shitty when unemployed, and that's disregarding the lack of money.

Having read about St. Francis, I'm kind of envious. To be able to have that kind of faith in God's love that you'll just throw your stuff away and go, is fascinating.