tallguy
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Post by tallguy on Jun 23, 2013 22:28:56 GMT -5
And just what is wrong with my belief system, TG? How sure are you that no one else here believes that we are here to learn lessons and better ourselves? Wouldn't you say that was a little presumptuous of you? That is not at all what I am saying. What I am saying is that it is silly to think that the universe is planned so that specific things happen in order for us to try and learn specific lessons. You stepped in a nest of ants. Okay. You can learn not to do that again. Fine. The forces of the universe did not conspire eons ago to ensure that you would step in a nest of ants today to learn that. Things DO just happen. We can affect whether things will happen by how attentive we are to them. But SOMETHING will happen, and we then react to it. Some people learn from it. Again, I have no problem with that. And if the lesson you "learned" from the nest of ants was not to jump into things too quickly and to be more prepared, then I have to ask, "How slow a learner are you to have totally ignored the likely 10,000 other opportunities you must have had in your life to learn the same thing?" Again, one SHOULD learn from their experiences. But that is a far cry from saying that things are made to happen to you so that you can. Asking, "What am I supposed to learn...?" rather than, "What CAN I learn...?" reduces the concept at its logical extension almost to an absurdity. Do you see why I think you are stretching the situation to fit the belief?
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tallguy
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Post by tallguy on Jun 23, 2013 23:16:03 GMT -5
If that is indeed the case, then congratulations! You just proved my side of the argument. If you are in control, then you properly ask what you CAN learn from what happened. The other way is only appropriate if you are not in control. If you are SUPPOSED TO learn something, then you are subject to whatever outside force or influence you have created in your mind for the occasion. It is not possible to have everything in life be a learning experience in the sense you are using it. Billions of things happen during the course of a lifetime. There simply AREN'T that many lessons to learn. Ignoring the idea of whether things just happen or not (which I deny as bordering on determinism) it sounds like your idea of learning lessons from experiences as opposed to mine may be more a semantic difference. Honestly, if you are willing to assert your control over the situations (and it appears you have) and change the wording of your question to reflect that, we're good.
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mmhmm
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It's a great pity the right of free speech isn't based on the obligation to say something sensible.
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Post by mmhmm on Jun 23, 2013 23:27:08 GMT -5
I'm definitely a glass-half-full sort of individual. I figure if the glass seems to be getting a wee bit low on liquid it's my job to fill it again. There's always an opportunity to do so, if one just looks for it.
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Jaguar
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Post by Jaguar on Jun 23, 2013 23:47:45 GMT -5
I'm a glass half filled to overflowing kind of person. Yes my optimism bugs people, too damn bad and tough.
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tallguy
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Post by tallguy on Jun 23, 2013 23:50:19 GMT -5
Any chance you can edit your post and remove your words from my quote box.... Thanks.
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tallguy
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Post by tallguy on Jun 24, 2013 0:27:46 GMT -5
Any chance you can edit your post and remove your words from my quote box.... Thanks. Sure, but wondering why you requested it. For some reason, there were two sentences of your words tacked on to the end of mine inside the quote box in your last post. I didn't want there to be any confusion about who said what. I did not intend anything beyond the removal of those two sentences. It did not refer to all words on all posts. Sorry if I wasn't clear.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 8:56:48 GMT -5
Well tex (and you can't be that old...and age is only a number), I am definately 3/4 full.
That's very true in a sense. Age is just a number.
We all need to remember that when your body start goes. No matter what happens in life don't ever lose sense of who you once were.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 8:59:52 GMT -5
I really hope that I am mis-reading your philosophy. If you instead mean, "What CAN I learn from this?" I have no problem with it. The phrasing you used seems pretty ridiculous to me. It implies some great cosmic plan caused your mishap. Things happen. It's inevitable that SOMETHING will happen. Always. What you make or take from it is up to you. But to suggest that the great cosmic plan CAUSED you to step in a huge nest of sugar ants to teach you NOT to step in a huge nest of sugar ants is bizarre to say the least. Interesting what we read into others statements. I would have thought: This happened & I need to figure out how to "beat" it. Once I've done that.... now what is important to learn here (if I thought about it at that level). Mostly is just goes into general knowledge back in the back of my mind & when the next "event" happens I see if it applies. That was my understanding of what "lone" said. oldtex
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Abby Normal
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Post by Abby Normal on Jun 24, 2013 18:34:57 GMT -5
I actually was asked this question in an interview once.
I'm a realist. Therefore the glass is neither half full or half empty, it's merely half a glass. How I feel about depends on the situation at the time, but it doesn't change the facts. Yes, I was offered the job.
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Opti
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Post by Opti on Jun 26, 2013 9:03:18 GMT -5
I can easily see that interpretation in the sense of analyzing consequences of previous actions or decisions to see how they ended up the way they did, and then adding that knowledge to your previous base to better handle later situations. As I said, I have absolutely no problem with that. One would hope that everyone would do that. My problem is the use of the phrase, "What was I supposed to learn...?" That implies something completely different. That it was done to you for a reason. You may overlook the awkward phrasing because you are clear in your mind what you mean, and you can read it in such a way that, "It's close enough." For me, the phrasing jumps out. (In case it's not clear yet, I agree with you. I just don't agree with who you agreed with....) I didn't read this thread until just recently like the bathroom thread so apologies for replying now instead of when the thread was active. I find it so interesting how people's assumptions color how they take other people's arguments. I think Lone and I share some of the same philosphies although I think I've been with it longer and have tuned my understanding more. I think when Lone said "what am I supposed to learn" what she meant is I created this situation, I'm not happy with it, what does it mean, if anything, that I should change so I don't do this again. (IMO) From reading TG's comments on stuff like this it seems he feels any phrasing like that concerns beliefs involving determinism. That things are all pre-planned. I believe that Lone's philosphy is close to mine and thus shares the belief that we use the universe in a quantum physics kind of way that creates situations *now* based on what we believe or are thinking. It is almost the opposite of determinism. It is the belief that a good portion of your reality is created on the fly based on what you are thinking, feeling, and believing right then(in that moment). Converts to this way of thinking can put more importance on events than they merit at times just like those who feel life happens to them might not put enough importance on their actions/thoughts/beliefs. All philosphies have their blind spots and I guess if you mostly have knowledge of elephants and not hummingbirds, when you see something that reminds you of an elephant you may delare "elephant" not realizing it is actually a hummingbird. 'You create your own reality' is most definitely not 'life is pre-determined by the universe'. I would have taken Lone's experience as a reminder to be aware of my surroundings. Finally, among those who believe we create our own reality there is significent divergence on how much of our reality we do create and what degree. I know my views on that are constantly changing and evloving.
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Bob Ross
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Post by Bob Ross on Jun 26, 2013 11:52:04 GMT -5
When I see the glass as half empty, I pee in it. Then I have a full glass of half-pee. For some reason, writing that out doesn't make me feel better.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2013 11:54:29 GMT -5
When I see the glass as half empty, I pee in it. Then I have a full glass of half-pee. For some reason, writing that out doesn't make me feel better. Don't Worry Be half-pee Don't Worry Be half-pee now
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Bob Ross
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Post by Bob Ross on Jun 26, 2013 11:57:09 GMT -5
Don't Worry Be half-pee Don't Worry Be half-pee now You and Virgil should form a band and tour the country. Can you play your armpit?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2013 11:57:53 GMT -5
Don't Worry Be half-pee Don't Worry Be half-pee now You and Virgil should form a band and tour the country. Can you play your armpit? I can play his armpit.
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Abby Normal
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Post by Abby Normal on Jun 26, 2013 11:59:08 GMT -5
I'm going to have that stuck in my head all day now.
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kgb18
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Post by kgb18 on Jun 26, 2013 12:03:35 GMT -5
I'm pretty much a glass half full person. That's not to say that I don't worry or stress about things, but I usually look for the positive, even in bad situations. People at work often comment about how cheerful I am. I always say I have a naturally sunny disposition.
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michelyn8
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Post by michelyn8 on Jun 26, 2013 12:29:04 GMT -5
TEX: I guess to prevent that kind of water disaster, your cousin could have waited until she was home to run the dishwasher. Hindsight, however, is 100%! My DH was like you are. He would think and think, and you could see a light bulb pop up. My son follows in his foot steps, as do I. There are things I just don't know much about, so I have someone else do it for pay. (Think mechanic.) Both of us are /were half glass full people. Patience is a virtue. But when I'm filled up with too much, I spew. Then I calm down and return to the one thing that's productive - thinking.
It's a process with a learning curve. I'm pretty much a glass half full person but this statement is so me when things go sideways. I get down, frustrated, etc. and then I start looking for solutions.
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Jun 26, 2013 13:22:44 GMT -5
Glass half-full by nature, but I can spend far too much time trying to figure out where the top half went and how to fill the glass up again. I have an acknowledged tendency to over-analyze. DH is an IMMEDIATE glass half-empty/glass broken/nuclear waste from the glass is now oozing all over his life kind of guy. I do try to use amateur cognitive behavior therapy on him which will calm him down but doesn't necessarily lead him to problem solve. He does best in "fair weather".
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geenamercile
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Post by geenamercile on Jun 26, 2013 15:43:33 GMT -5
If my glass is already at the 1/2 full mark, I wan't to make sure I have already ordered my next drink.
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Jun 26, 2013 17:09:38 GMT -5
DID YOU PUT YOUR LIPS ON MY GLASS AGAIN?!Most of my life, I thought my glass was 95% empty. The last few years however, it has become half full. It is so much more enjoyable now!
Remember Pollyanna? I always thought that show/she was SO obnoxious!
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Malarky
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Post by Malarky on Jun 26, 2013 17:54:30 GMT -5
I'm a long range planner, so it really doesn't matter too much what's in the glass today, it matters what I plan to full it with. And fill it, I do. Then life comes along and empties the damn thing. But...I rarely look at just today and how much it might suck, or be miraculously awesome...I'm focused on refilling the glass to a level where I feel comfortable. If the glass ever fills to the top, what do I have left to aspire to?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2013 18:19:42 GMT -5
Glass half-full by nature, but I can spend far too much time trying to figure out where the top half went and how to fill the glass up again. I have an acknowledged tendency to over-analyze. DH is an IMMEDIATE glass half-empty/glass broken/nuclear waste from the glass is now oozing all over his life kind of guy. I do try to use amateur cognitive behavior therapy on him which will calm him down but doesn't necessarily lead him to problem solve. He does best in "fair weather". I'm often like GRG's DH.
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