where do we go from here? (please read)

[dugoboy]

so, ever since my little vacation, i've found it hard to return here. and i barely frequent this place once a week now. i suppose ive been focusing on more personal things and have noticed how unhappy i am. i noticed i was in this little cycle of self destructive behavior before. i used to come here everyday 3 times a day. and everyday come here and feel a little more depressed. gee we sure seem screwed you come to feel. but i was just out of control. there is importance to taking a breather, to refocus on what matters and go where you need to. <br><br>i feel like i should stay here, but i can't merely be an observer anymore. its like a torture chamber to realize the ever growing hell we are living in and not do anything about it. it takes great strength to bring words into action and i don't know if i have it. <br><br>violence is not the answer. violence only fuels the system built on violence. violence is destruction, our answer is in creation and in maintaining that creation, maintaining and nurturing the movement of truth. to further the movement of truth towards greater liberation and freedom. <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>the system built on violence works its hardest when truth is at its most powerful.</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> the lie will only become bolder as the truth gains more defenders and the lie DEPENDS on us to all give up. <br><br>the greatest thing each of can do is to try to calm everyone down, our families and friends. explain to them everything is the same as it was as it has always been. the manufactured storylines for world war 3 are being constructed as we speak.<br><br>they are trying to make us so scared we question the truth and the power of reason. the future rests on the actions of each and every one of us in the present. <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>if they can make us forget the eternal reality of the infinite possibility of every moment, then they will continue to win.</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> they try to make it seem as if WW3 is inevitable by tapping into this fear of doomsday. we stand in defense of the truth everytime we deny them the power over our minds. and thats it. <br><br>do not allow them to overwhelm anyone's mind with the mindless fear and we will win by being the cool, calm and collected ones in a world of idiotic panic and paranoia. <br><br>they make it seem like theres no one to turn to for safety and security, they are destroying the social safety net of liberalism and the conservatives seem to become more soulless as each day passes, they make the government appear weak and inept and the solution they provide is even more oppressive government and oganization. this is exactly like the rise of naziism. <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>but the fact of the matter is the kind of security we require these days only comes from inside the individual not the state.</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> they try to cloud this fact or maybe we ourselves cloud this fact?...either way we begin to to self destruct. <br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>the answer lies inside every one of us and it is through being conscious of the possibility of every present moment. <!--EZCODE UNDERLINE START--><span style="text-decoration:underline">don't worry, the truth is always there, the dark forces try to make us question this, but it is the core truth of reality</span><!--EZCODE UNDERLINE END--></strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br><br>they want us to self destruct, so -<!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>fuck</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->- them.<br><br>"Will you speak your conscience now? <br><br>Or will it forever stay silent? <br><br>...And if not now, when will you?"<br><br>..first they came for them...<br><br>...then they came for me...<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>"Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act" -George Orwell</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> <p>___________________________________________<br>"BUSHCO aren't incompetent...they are COMPLICIT." -Me<br><br>"Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act" -George Orwell</p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p216.ezboard.com/brigorousintuition.showUserPublicProfile?gid=dugoboy@rigorousintuition>dugoboy</A> at: 7/11/06 7:43 pm<br></i>

[blanc]

just to say I read it. the putting out of info is, of itself, action. <p></p><i></i>

[professorpan]

And, just as important as speaking truth, is<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em> living it. </em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><br><br>Mental detoxification is crucial, particularly after wading throgh some of the hideous stuff we discuss here. Take some time to get out in nature, talk to intelligent and compassionate people, immerse yourself in good art and music, and take an equal amount of time to enjoy the multiplicity of good things around you.<br><br>People who ignore all the hideous aspects of our particular sociopolitical time/place are often derided as "sheople" pollyannas who can't "accept the truth." But tip the scales too far in the other direction, and that leads to despair, gloom, and paranoia. <p></p><i></i>

[bvonahsen]

I might have more to say later but for the moment...<br><br>I suffer from depression, not everday situational depression but severe depression with borderline features. The therapy that I have been getting is called DBT <br><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.palace.net/~llama/psych/dbt.html">Dialectical Behavioral Therapy</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><br><!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Marsha Linehan (1991) pioneered this treatment, based on the idea that psychosocial treatment of those with Borderline Personality Disorder was as important in controlling the condition as traditional psycho- and pharmacotherapy were. Concomitant with this belief was a hierarchical structure of treatment goals. Paramount among these was reducing parasuicidal (self-injuring) and life-threatening behaviors. Next came reducing behaviors that interfered the the therapy/treatment process, and finally reducing behaviors that reduced the client's quality of life. In 1991, Linehan published results of a study that seems to do remarkably well at achieving these goals.<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>The Theory</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br>Basically, DBT maintains that some people, due to invalidating environments during upbringing and due to biological factors as yet unknown, react abnormally to emotional stimulation. Their level of arousal goes up much more quickly, peaks at a higher level, and takes more time to return to baseline. This explains why borderlines are known for crisis-strewn lives and extreme emotional lability (emotions that shift rapidly). Because of their past invalidation, they don't have any methods for coping with these sudden, intense surges of emotion. DBT is a method for teaching skills that will help in this task.<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br>from <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialectical_behavior_therapy">Wikipedia</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><br><!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is a psychosocial treatment developed by Marsha M. Linehan specifically to treat individuals with Borderline personality disorder. While DBT was designed for individuals with Borderline personality disorder, it is used for patients with other diagnoses as well.<br><br>The treatment itself is based largely in behaviorist theory with some cognitive therapy elements as well. There are two essential parts of the treatment, and without either of these parts the therapy is not considered "DBT adherent."<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br>One important goal is to learn to deal with distress. For me that has meant turning off the TV or radio and not listening to the latest horror from Iraq. It also has meant not spending as much time in the political blogs getting sick to my stomach as my country slowly evolves into a fascist police state.<br><br>It means useing specific thought stopping techniques to prevent myself from rumminating over things that I have no control over. Taking time out to watch a funny movie, meditate, listen to non-drepressing music, enjoying a sunset and so on and on.<br><br>For this board in particular it has helped to realize that my first thoughts are not always right, I get things wrong and I could be wrong again. That conspiracy theories tend to drive one towards paranoia, probably not good for me. And that even if true there isn't much I can do about these things, I'm a little fish in a big pond.<br><br>On the otherhand there are things that I <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>can</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> do. I can educate myself so that I can make more and have more options in my life/ Or I can be active locally so that I can gain a feeling of control over my life and improve my well-being. There is a lot I can do in my immediate area, helping or engaging with the people aroung me is much more satisfying, enpowering and just plain more practical then trying to solve global issues I barely understand.<br><br>Having a life worth living is the best revenge. <p></p><i></i>

[Et in Arcadia ego]

Remember when I told you that nothing's really changed but your own perception? <p>____________________<br>Oderint, dum metuant</p><i></i>

[resonantmonkey]

I am always reminded of my old teacher's advice in times of internal strife like these:<br><br>"Shutup and train".<br><br>It's best to continue to prepare yourself for whatever you may experience in the future. Do not fret about where you have been, how long you spent there, or even how you felt afterwards. Carry on, brave spirit, that's all anyone can do these days. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p216.ezboard.com/brigorousintuition.showUserPublicProfile?gid=resonantmonkey>resonantmonkey</A> at: 7/11/06 4:51 pm<br></i>

[dugoboy]

thank you all for giving meaningful responses, i was afraid this would be one of those spill your heart on the floor for all to see but no one responds type moments - it wasn't. anyway, thats very true arcadia ego, but i don't know if i know what to do with that knowledge. i know theres a difference between what i used to know and what i know now. i almost feel like doing what cypher in matrix 1 did "i don't want to remember nothing'. haha. dreams i guess. <p>___________________________________________<br>"BUSHCO aren't incompetent...they are COMPLICIT." -Me<br><br>"Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act" -George Orwell</p><i></i>

[starroute]

When I first read 1984 as an adolescent (or read parts of it, anyway -- I've never been able to bear reading it straight through), I had the feeling there was something implausible about that foot-stepping-on-a-human-face-forever scenario, but I couldn't figure out why. After a couple of years, the little light bulb clicked on, and I realized it was a matter of boredom. The world of 1984 is not merely repressive, it's also incredibly, intolerably, unendurably boring. As boring as a long, dull Victorian Sunday afternoon, sitting in the front parlor with two maiden aunts. And boredom is one thing that Homo sapiens (unlike Neanderthal, apparently) has very little patience with.<br><br>It took several more years (and getting away from the spell of the 60's) for me to realize that the opposite of boredom isn't kicks, or trendy fashions, or even visiting exotic places. Instead, it's telling -- and then living out -- new and better stories. Stories of personal accomplishment or enlightenment. Stories of social liberation. Stories of discovery and transformation.<br><br>If liberalism's been in the dumps for the last generation it's because (at least once the left got all that triumph of the proletariat stuff kicked out of it) it hasn't had any better story to tell than "in the future, we will all be comfortable." And that's a dead bore. Conservatism, for all its retrogressive leanings, at least used to have more of a spirit of adventure. <br><br>But as John Dean is now reminding us, over the last decade or so, conservativism has gotten reduced to authoritarianism -- which is to say, boredom squared. A "you do what we tell you" society, with no room for initiative or exploration or achievement. And who needs that?<br><br>So let us tell the best stories we know -- stories about a world of creative possibility and individual fulfillment. Let us then live out those stories to the greatest extent the present world allows. If we can do that, we will at the very least have far more fun ourselves -- and simply by having fun, we will set an example for others to emulate us.<br><br>Ultimately that's all it's about. Telling good stories and having fun acting them out will always trump naked power-trips.<br> <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p216.ezboard.com/brigorousintuition.showUserPublicProfile?gid=starroute>starroute</A> at: 7/11/06 9:56 pm<br></i>

[Mentalgongfu]

<br><!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>So let us tell the best stories we know -- stories about a world of creative possibility and individual fulfillment. Let us then live out those stories to the greatest extent the present world allows. If we can do that, we will at the very least have far more fun ourselves -- and simply by having fun, we will set an example for others to emulate us.<br><hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br>Well said, starroute. <br><br>I'm reminded of a comment I read on a thread here about chemtrails not too long ago in which the poster referred to "an exercise in applied powerlessness." <br><br>That struck me as an apt description for many of the world events we digest and dissect within mediated-reality such as this forum. <br><br>That's not to say the subjects aren't worth discussion - but at some point you have to recognize what you can and cannot change directly. Individuals CAN change the world. I firmly believe that. The strongest way is to set an example and to take control of your actions and thoughts in the areas which are possible. Just complaining about something will not change matters and will lead only to anger and frustration. That doesn't mean you shouldn't learn about it, as long as you realize the limitations. It's alright to lament the new world order in a discussion forum, as long as you're aware it's an emotional release, not a solution. And its healthy, and IMO advisable, to take a nice big break whenever you think you might need it in order to maintain perspective and a grip on your life. <br><br>I'm rambling now, but what I'm trying to get at is there are exercises in applied powerlessness all around us. There are also exercises in applied power. I know good people can change the world just by being themselves, because I remember moments (especially as a child) with teachers, coaches, friends, janitors, and others, who taught me something valuable by who they were and what they did. In some cases, I'm sure those people don't remember me, but I know I'll never forget them. <br><br>Personally, I've radically reduced my media consumption in order to allow for what I think is a healther mental environment. The Internet, and this site, is one of the guilty pleasures I maintain. <br><br>Keep the faith. We will win. The World can change in the blink of an eye. <br><br>I digress. <br><br>Peace <p></p><i></i>

[Joe Hillshoist]

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>The world is not my home, i'm just a passin thru<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br><!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>I'm gonna leave this world better than they way i found that it was<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br>Tom Waits.<br><br>A simple easy place to start is to find someone that needs help and help them.<br><br>We all need help with something.<br><br>Gardening is good too. Especially food, that may become a vital skill in the near future. And sharing the food from your garden feels good.<br><br>There is so much more too but thats always a good start.<br><br>The evil fascist overloads, I mean overlords will always have to pervert or destroy a community in order to achieve power. So keeping your community strong and protecting its interests, in practical ways, is important, and that may help.<br><br>"One keeps healthy in wartime not by a series of religious or political consolations that something good is coming out of it all, but by a vigourous assertion of the values in which war has no part."<br><br>Randolph Bourne <p></p><i></i>

[anothershamus]

Just some positive things that you can do to keep yourself sharp.<br><br>1. Do not eat or use products from any animal that is fed and eats parts of its own dead.<br><br>2. Do not kiss or have intimate relations with anyone you do not know.<br><br>3. Learn basic sanitation and water purification.<br><br>4. Be comfortable around firearms. Learn to shoot and clean a gun.<br><br>5. Get a good first aid kit and learn to use it.<br><br>6. Find 5 people within 100 miles that you trust with your life and stay in contact with them.<br><br>7. Get a copy of the US Constitution and read it.<br><br>8. Eat less.<br><br>9. Get a bicycle and two sets of spare tires. Ride it 10 miles a week.<br><br>10. Consider what you would bring with you if you had to leave your home in 10 min. and never return.<br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[Seamus OBlimey]

Smile more. <p></p><i></i>

[Et in Arcadia ego]

Ignoring the more hokey parts of it(like squaredancing, lol..), it doesn't hurt to have these books in your library:<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.foxfire.org/prodFFbooks.html">www.foxfire.org/prodFFbooks.html</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> <p>____________________<br>Oderint, dum metuant</p><i></i>

[Et in Arcadia ego]

I mean come on, who here among us hasn't harbored a secret desire to become a snake-handler like a good Pentacostal..?<br><br>[Seriously, there's good survival stuff in those books] <p>____________________<br>Oderint, dum metuant</p><i></i>

[dugoboy]

what does a physically handicapped person do? lol <p>___________________________________________<br>"BUSHCO aren't incompetent...they are COMPLICIT." -Me<br><br>"Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act" -George Orwell</p><i></i>