Boardlurker? Read this!!
- Thread starter Vulcan59
- Start date
What a thread! Really clarifies not only that the struggle to gain and share knowledge and experiences is the way the universe tests our commitment to each other, but that it's not just me suffering in my own corner of the world. After reading the 'putting things in perspective' post last night, this is definitely reaffirming my commitment to myself and everyone on the forum. Seeing the good that comes out of the suffering mends and strengthens the heart. Thanks to all for sharing! :) 
I had first read this thread when I actually participated a little so didn't think much of it, after reading the whole thing just now I feel morally obliged to at least post something as so many people here have/had the same fears and justifications as I do. Its the predator! of course its been ruling the roost and calling the shots since it was born, and certainly doesn't want to be found out for what it is! Posting regularly WILL allow others to see it, how terrifying....not posting here at all will mean living with it acting as me til' the end of my days, thats more terrifying.
Is it so powerful that it can prevent me from posting on a forum? Yes for a while there, though not forever it would seem.
Thank you to all who have un-lurked here, its helped me do the same.
Also while reading the thread there were quite a few members with similar post counts as me, some with the green 'online' square next to their name, here is me hoping by bumping this thread..... :P
Is it so powerful that it can prevent me from posting on a forum? Yes for a while there, though not forever it would seem.
Thank you to all who have un-lurked here, its helped me do the same.
Also while reading the thread there were quite a few members with similar post counts as me, some with the green 'online' square next to their name, here is me hoping by bumping this thread..... :P
Thanks for bumping this, Diplodocus. :) It's funny how we sometimes fear how others may perceive our posts which, of course, is merely self-importance. What we have to say, which may be thought of in our own mind as minute or irrelevant, could actually help someone else get into the groove of posting! By not posting, we not only limit ourselves, we limit others input and missed chances in networking. Good to see your thoughts here.Diplodocus said:
As you know, post counts aren't so important. What's important is networking, just as you have here. Perhaps others will see this bumped thread and forget their 'fears' and jump in. See what you've started?
Dylan
Jedi
Well, I am definitely guilty of lurking here without contributing anything of value. Just when I think I've stumbled across something interesting outside of this forum I bring it here only to find it has already been discussed! One of the issues, for me, are the positive constraints on my waking life; my beautiful wife and kids, family and friends and running a modestly successful business. There are, of course, some less than positive destructive and downright useless self imposed limits. Which one of me always manages to convince the more rational, altruistic me is responsible for holding my mental state in somewhere near a place called sanity. Which is likely not the case, but there seems to be a powerful sort of junkie logic which pervades and persuades me to continue down said path.
That is not to say that I am unaware of the wrong actions I take, though at least they are likely more self destructive than harm others. I am acutely aware, also, of the negative stigma applied to those who have awoken from those asleep. I would credit a friend more advanced in the work than I, this site and much of the literature recommended here as a catalyst to my own awakening, though I do not hesitate to credit my own capacity for critical thought in this endeavour. I have noticed, however, that in my life there are few whose disposition allows me to carry on critical discussions or debates regarding many of the issues here, and to the point that, as a salesman of the service I provide, I have learned to deftly steer a conversation away from hot button topics which will get me in trouble, so to speak. But, there are those in my life whom I feel compelled to at least attempt a persuasive discourse, but I'm generally left feeling quite disappointed.
As a student of logic, it is quite extraordinary to observe the efforts people will go through to convince themselves of things which are easily disproven by a cursory understanding of the principles of sound argument. Sound being an argument which is both valid and true, but most are happy to stick with valid. To paraphrase Rand Paul said, "in an empire of lies truth is the enemy."
One of the most depressing elements of my life has come from watching almost all of my childhood friends become involved in the extractive resource industry in Alberta, whether it be directly as fracking rig operators or pipeline engineers. This is akin to what is described in even the most hardened loggers as a kind of remorse; these men and women are quite aware of the destructive nature of their business, but they cannot see past their noses to understand the way in which they are complicit in the degradation of our environment not out of necessity but out of the greed of the shareholders of the large companies for whom they toil.
This site is a veritable repository of knowledge which I treasure and admire the work you all do to enlighten. The work, itself, to me is quite daunting and I feel that, like a great joke, my own journey will require appropriate timing.
Which you all, I'm sure, will take as a reticence guided by unseen 4D forces. I also consume likely more than my fair share of alcohol, marijuana, caffeine and carbohydrates. These are my crutches in this world gone mad!
I read volume one of TSHotW, and recall having my mind utterly blown wide open by the concept of dialects membra. There had always been a part of me that couldn't reconcile the relatively short history of so called civilization with the much longer ancestry of the human species. Surely there is enough time between now and then for a major climatic event to reset so to speak, and the Pleistocene epoch seems to be a likely culprit, or at least one of them. Naomi Klein discusses the psychology of shock therapy and it's use by governments in taking advantage of the group to push an agenda. My hope, given my situation (which, compared to the vast majority of humanity is exceedingly positive), is that the disjecta membra embedded within my own psyche and revealed by the likes of you folks, will allow me overcome the detrimental aspects of myself with the appropriate timing.
Please excuse the frenetic nature of this post and I hope it is not dismissed as more noise. I am truly interested in the work, I believe there is much more to this life than meets the eye and finally, I am glad to have found y'all.
Dylan
That is not to say that I am unaware of the wrong actions I take, though at least they are likely more self destructive than harm others. I am acutely aware, also, of the negative stigma applied to those who have awoken from those asleep. I would credit a friend more advanced in the work than I, this site and much of the literature recommended here as a catalyst to my own awakening, though I do not hesitate to credit my own capacity for critical thought in this endeavour. I have noticed, however, that in my life there are few whose disposition allows me to carry on critical discussions or debates regarding many of the issues here, and to the point that, as a salesman of the service I provide, I have learned to deftly steer a conversation away from hot button topics which will get me in trouble, so to speak. But, there are those in my life whom I feel compelled to at least attempt a persuasive discourse, but I'm generally left feeling quite disappointed.
As a student of logic, it is quite extraordinary to observe the efforts people will go through to convince themselves of things which are easily disproven by a cursory understanding of the principles of sound argument. Sound being an argument which is both valid and true, but most are happy to stick with valid. To paraphrase Rand Paul said, "in an empire of lies truth is the enemy."
One of the most depressing elements of my life has come from watching almost all of my childhood friends become involved in the extractive resource industry in Alberta, whether it be directly as fracking rig operators or pipeline engineers. This is akin to what is described in even the most hardened loggers as a kind of remorse; these men and women are quite aware of the destructive nature of their business, but they cannot see past their noses to understand the way in which they are complicit in the degradation of our environment not out of necessity but out of the greed of the shareholders of the large companies for whom they toil.
This site is a veritable repository of knowledge which I treasure and admire the work you all do to enlighten. The work, itself, to me is quite daunting and I feel that, like a great joke, my own journey will require appropriate timing.
Which you all, I'm sure, will take as a reticence guided by unseen 4D forces. I also consume likely more than my fair share of alcohol, marijuana, caffeine and carbohydrates. These are my crutches in this world gone mad!
I read volume one of TSHotW, and recall having my mind utterly blown wide open by the concept of dialects membra. There had always been a part of me that couldn't reconcile the relatively short history of so called civilization with the much longer ancestry of the human species. Surely there is enough time between now and then for a major climatic event to reset so to speak, and the Pleistocene epoch seems to be a likely culprit, or at least one of them. Naomi Klein discusses the psychology of shock therapy and it's use by governments in taking advantage of the group to push an agenda. My hope, given my situation (which, compared to the vast majority of humanity is exceedingly positive), is that the disjecta membra embedded within my own psyche and revealed by the likes of you folks, will allow me overcome the detrimental aspects of myself with the appropriate timing.
Please excuse the frenetic nature of this post and I hope it is not dismissed as more noise. I am truly interested in the work, I believe there is much more to this life than meets the eye and finally, I am glad to have found y'all.
Dylan
1984 said:
I never thought of it like this way before 1984. I too am guilty of being a lurker and this self importance is something that i have always struggled with. Atleast now i have a better understanding how it holds me back. I am trying to read through all the wave series so as to have a grounding before i comment. Its very interesting though that it is self importance that stops me from joining in. Just yesterday i was trying to grasp some understand of knowing oneself without self importance which is the STO pathway. What a great thread this is :)
I am always worried how others perceive my posts. I have no excuses i guess for reading the content and not engaging with others. Other then the fear of being wrong, being taken out of context. It is something I'm going to try very hard to work on. I appreciate this thread and everyone's sharing. This has even made me feel better about asking a question in the work section. ;)
the+other+ben
Padawan Learner
Dylan said:
Hi Dylan. We'll pick ourselves up after we trip, self observe, learn and hopefully choose differently next time. Though I for one have repeated this loop many times with several of my issues. Other things I was a quick study.
Dylan said:
I would place a bet that this is the norm with most of us here. The way I look at it is my family and friends provide me an opportunity to practice the Work. Identifying our little "I's", looking for those emotional triggers, slaughtering our sacred cows.
If I'm in the zone and practicing external consideration, I'll either keep my trap shut or at best offer a well placed factoid or truth and see if it sticks or bounces. However, in an off day, I may get an emotional hot button pushed if conversation takes a wrong turn and maybe 50% of the time I react (hopefully with something useful... but it's still a reaction) and the other 50% I muster the will to pause and just observe what the conversation dredged up in me.
My liberal friends and family are on average more open to new ideas and facts, to a degree. However, the conservative side (I'm talking about the Faux News brain melted set) no amount of logic, reason or facts penetrates their subjective reality bubble. I regularly come face to face with my self importance and programs when interacting with the latter. Though uncomfortable, I'm at least accomplishing something by working on myself.
If you look at things in this light it might make it easier.
P.S. You helped a fellow lurker out of the closet. Thanks for your post!
fear of what others may think about me its one of the main reasons i dont post
ive finally found a place with like minded people and am determined to participate
it is interesting a simple thing like posting on the forum is so difficult all these programs come to the
surface its easy to not post and make excuses to one self no more i say no more excuses
get of the fence and join in, the last c,s session is just what i needed a kick in the backside
on some level i made the choice to be here on the forum so best make the most of it and stop
wasting time and get over myself wont be easy but its necessary
thanks for bringing this threat back up much appreciated
ive finally found a place with like minded people and am determined to participate
it is interesting a simple thing like posting on the forum is so difficult all these programs come to the
surface its easy to not post and make excuses to one self no more i say no more excuses
get of the fence and join in, the last c,s session is just what i needed a kick in the backside
on some level i made the choice to be here on the forum so best make the most of it and stop
wasting time and get over myself wont be easy but its necessary
thanks for bringing this threat back up much appreciated
Just found this fantastic thread! Was a lurker for a long time but now actively reading and posting in the forum. Did not think I could contribute but realized growth comes from interaction and contributing. Many thanks to all that contributed to the thread!
Nathancat7
Jedi Master
For me it's also an intense shyness and lack of confidence--but I'm just going to get through it. I listen to the Sott.Radio, and every time, for the last three shows, I am inspired to work and post and contribute--and then I get called in to work graveyards or some other excuse--and time goes by, and I make mistake.
Alada
The Living Force
Nathancat7 said:
This can be a helpful attitude sometimes, when we find certain parts of us are getting in the way of what we wish to do. Maybe we can adjust it a little bit though to: I'm just going to learn my way through it.
Sometimes we need different results depending on the task at hand.
