So this would be connecting intuitively/directly with myself.
I think that’s part of what I experienced last night as I had removed some of my drama, there was less in the way of ‘my’ core.
Buckle up!!
I have been to this level of rawness before so I have some preparation, but previously I went back to pursuing social pacifiers/fantasies. Now I know to watch for that ‘out,’ this could get interesting!
Hehe awesome, I won’t start invoking synchronicity this time around tho 
I think the way forward for me is twofold:
Prioritizing feeling good, come-what-may, as an all-in approach.
Unconditional rather than conditional intimacy.
This also reflects on my own intimacy with myself, closely observing myself without becoming upset when things aren’t going smoothly. As a few have been noting recently, the raw emotions continue to be visceral all the way to the end, even when 99% happy & harmless, that 1% can and will pack a punch. However, it is not to be shied away from, as it is a demonstration of where my remaining objections lie.
Considering @Vineeto 's quote above from @Felix 's journal, I began to smell something was off in myself, and it quickly became clear that I was dissociating… from good feelings!
I know I have had this habit for a long time as I can remember something similar from all the way back in 2019, so I’m happy to be catching it today. It is clearly very habitual for me and has often led to a somewhat robotic existence.
I suspect that it came from a combination of some bad romantic experiences (souring me from many ‘good’ feelings) and an inaccurate application of the method early on which became habitual.
I reminded myself of the steps for getting back to feeling good (from the state of dissociation, the first step is to re-associate with whatever emotion), and was somewhat surprised to find that it worked essentially the same as the method I had been using with bad feelings. I soon found myself feeling peaceful and sensuous (rather than dissociated or ‘good’ feelings).
I’m pleased to have uncovered this one, it has dogged me for quite awhile!
What I am finding recently is that since the below clicked :
It is now as if I can freely penetrate into ‘myself’ without backing out, any fear is simply converted into thrill. It’s great to be able to proceed forward with courage.
I’ve been in a depression / despondent tone. This would be “shutting down” as a response to the fear, where Richard’s advice is to go into thrill. So, my task is to “start up” again, locate that fear, and angle toward thrill to proceed further.
Right, and that way it can be an adventure even through the turbulent territory. Once this clicks then what exactly could stop ‘me’ from proceeding?
Perhaps ‘I’ can ride this thrill all the way to ‘my’ extinction, this is all ‘I’ have been busy with lately 
.
Hi Henry,
I singled out this line from your post because I have observed this tendency of people to arrogate words for their dreams and [future] experiences to present a picture which has nothing at all to do with where they are at, and ‘near-actual-caring’ is at the top of the list.
The original expression of feeling being ‘Vineeto’ was the description about the final clue to becoming actually free –
Vineeto: The final clue was again about caring, a caring as close to an actual caring as an identity can muster. Only when I cared enough to give all of ‘me’ to another person, to give them what they want most, was I then ready to give it to the one I cared for most, the one I was closest to, and then I was able to leave all remnant concerns and inhibitions of my identity behind.” [emphasis added]. (Direct Route, No. 20, 20 Jan 2010)
It was to describe the experience which allowed ‘her’ to initiate the altruism required to give all of ‘herself’ to become actually free and was only used once and never since, because ‘her’ near-actual-caring became an actual caring once the identity had ‘self’-immolated.
All the while cunning identities wanting to jump the gun began the watering-down process of appropriating the term, now shortened to “near-actual-caring”, into their everyday feeling experiences and dreams, never realising that to experientially know near-actual-caring will be the end of ‘me’ –
SRINATH: For starters it I have been using the term ‘near-actual caring’ as a proxy for ‘more innocuous caring’ …
RICHARD: And thus does the watering-down process begin – even while the pioneer of what that specialist term refers to is still alive – and by which process thus does identity prevail.
Richard wrote a long email dedicated to the purpose of drawing out the distinction of feeling caring and actual caring/near-actual-caring –
RICHARD: 1. When feeling-being ‘Vineeto’s everyday feeling of caring first shifted into what has since become known as a near-actual caring the qualitative difference was so marked in its effect ‘she’ initially mistook it to be an actual caring (as per ‘her’ memories of PCE’s).
2. This shift occurred when ‘she’ transitioned from ‘her’ pragmatic, methodological virtual freedom into being out-from-control – a dynamic, destinal virtual freedom – for the remaining four-and-a-half weeks of ‘her’ life (albeit with a melodramatic three-day out-of-control interlude towards the end).
3. Due to ‘her’ naïve intent to be as intimate and without prejudice as possible – which, in conjunction with the absence of self-centredness/ self-centricity that is part-and-parcel of being out-from-control had resulted in the actualism method segueing into the actualism process – ‘her’ cheerful and thus willing concurrence allowed pure intent to dynamically pull ‘her’ evermore unto ‘her’ destiny. (Hence the “dynamic, destinal virtual freedom” nomenclature).
4. This moment-to-moment experiencing of a caring which is not self-centred/ self-centric provided ‘her’ with the experiential convincement that actualising such caring, via ‘self’-immolation, was the only solution to the human condition; this ‘hands-on’ understanding as a dynamically present feeling-being – an impressively distinct contrast to having been abeyant during PCE’s – left ‘her’ with absolutely no choice (lest ‘she’ be forever “rearranging the deck-chairs on the Titanic”).
5. Since a near-actual caring is, of course, epitomised by a vital interest in the suffering of all human beings coming to an end, forever, as a number one priority, then ‘her’ single-minded focus was essentially centred upon the most immediate way of ensuring this long-awaited global event could begin to take effect the soonest … to wit: bringing ‘her’ own inevitable demise, at physical death, forward into a liminal imminence.
6. Because the means ‘she’ elected to utilise towards these ends was the near-actual intimacy which goes hand-in-hand with a near-actual caring (per favour that afore-mentioned absence of self-centredness/ self-centricity which typifies being out-from-control) it is apposite to defer to what Vineeto herself wrote on the 20th of January 2010, only fifteen days after her pivotal moment/ definitive event, as its refreshingly simple directness speaks for itself. […] [emphases added]. (Richard, List D, Srinath2, #near-actual-caring)
As I know the inventive cunning of the ‘self’-preserving identity only too well from ‘Vineeto’s’ own experience, I copied the whole sequence to demonstrate how vital it is that one is ruthlessly honest in one’s observations and descriptions of one’s own experiences, and not imagining oneself to be ‘almost there’, which imagination can only be safely within the human condition.
Sincerity is the key to naiveté, and to proceed naïvely is the end of any imaginative planning and the beginning of truly having fun.
Cheers Vineeto
I had an interesting time over the weekend meeting up with a couple of friends and going for a long hike, one of them was extremely concerned about the potential nazi affiliations/sympathies of the new American president, and was explaining how he believed that things were going to go downhill fast and that we would soon have a fully fascist regime.
For some reason I couldn’t fully explicate I don’t share his concerns.
However, I could also see that the discussion wasn’t settled for me, as I kept on chewing it. It eventually became clear that though I didn’t agree with his prediction, his fears about it were contagious, which made it clear that there was some ‘hook’ in me. After thinking about the issue via different avenues for a few days, I recalled that Richard had an article about peasant mentality which I had read only once and which I thought would touch on relevant aspects, so I decided to read it again.
The most salient point I have taken from it so far (I’m about halfway through the entire article as of writing this post) is that we have already been screwed by various elites throughout history, going back to agrarian society and throughout time various systems of laws have served only to entrench said screwing. Meanwhile, the psychic influence of peasant mentality resulted in an entire class of people who were effectively defending their captors leading to a state of denial and confusion among the general population.
So that immediately settled a large aspect of the question for me: we are already being screwed, with the difference mainly being one of degree rather than of whether it is happening or not. Further, our ability to do much about it as an individual is severely limited, especially as one’s effectiveness at pushing back directly correlates with the danger one is putting oneself in. Furthermore any successes ultimate prove pyrrhic in the face of the deep instinctive forces which drive the fascist/authoritarianist power dynamics.
Richard’s solution is simple: despite the factual disfranchisement, once one is free of the feeling of disfranchisement, a ‘remarkable freedom’ eventuates - with no need to rebel.
I found this understanding to be more than satisfactory to satisfy myself re: the present political situation in my country. It doesn’t release me from knowing what will happen next, but it doesn’t matter - I can’t prepare for all ends anyway.
It makes one thing clear though, which is that my friend was attempting to recruit me to see things his way, to ‘join his cause.’ Upon reflection, this appears to be related to anger about past misdeeds done by various political bad actors, and a passionate desire to prevent future tragedy. However, his imagination only reaches as far as political action, which as I mentioned above would be ultimately (and indeed likely immediately) pyrrhic. This is a very understandable stance, but not one that I have to be swept into.
At the same time, I appreciate that this does not involve sweeping such misdeeds and tragedies under the rug - they have been and continue to be abominations.
Finally, this approach is proving an extremely useful lens to see my personal primary bugbear through - the feeling of feeling disfranchised of a desirable mate.
It is no secret that economic and social status tend to be significant factors in mate selection, and the revelation that I have been blaming myself for both (a la peasant mentality) and not recognizing that the system is set up to enrich only a small proportion of the population and that by definition the bulk must be seen as ‘undesirable,’ with an extremely limited and statistically unlikely capacity to change that condition (at least as regards that top 10%, top 5%, or top 1%), meanwhile blaming that 90%/95%/99% for their condition.
It is now clear that I have been living fully in such a headspace, repeatedly railing against such a situation, wallowing in doubt and self-pity, and getting nowhere with such an approach. The solution is simple: recognize the facts and history of the situation, while no longer believing in the solidity or correctness of its underpinnings.
Further, it only reflects the peasant mentality of any potential mates if they turn me down on grounds that my status or wealth aren’t up to snuff. If they believe that they deserve ‘more’ and that anything ‘less’ is a disappointment, that’s their business. They are ultimately in the same historical and sociological moment that I am.
–
As always I welcome any critiques or observations! This topic has long been a weighty one for me and as such there are likely to be things I got wrong in my passion. At this moment I feel quite light about the whole situation though - a most delightful turn of events.
Henry: I had an interesting time over the weekend meeting up with a couple of friends and going for a long hike, one of them was extremely concerned about the potential nazi affiliations/ sympathies of the new American president, and was explaining how he believed that things were going to go downhill fast and that we would soon have a fully fascist regime.
For some reason I couldn’t fully explicate I don’t share his concerns.
However, I could also see that the discussion wasn’t settled for me, as I kept on chewing it. It eventually became clear that though I didn’t agree with his prediction, his fears about it were contagious, which made it clear that there was some ‘hook’ in me. After thinking about the issue via different avenues for a few days, I recalled that Richard had an article about peasant mentality which I had read only once and which I thought would touch on relevant aspects, so I decided to read it again.
Hi Henry,
You report being affected by your friend’s psychic vibes of “contagious” fear regarding “new American president”. You could start by checking out some of the facts for yourself. The topic fits in well what Richard writes in the article about peasant mentality (more here and here) and the interesting thing is that this recent presidential election can be regarded as the revolution of the generally obliging and subservient peasant population after circumstances became so severe that it drove them to the brink of threatening their very survival.
I haven’t watched current affairs in the last 7 months but before that Richard and myself were regularly keeping abreast of most of what was going on in the US and the world at large.
In summary, the actions of the previous government had, by statist intervention, doubled the fuel and electricity prices, tripled the food prices, restricted gas-stoves and cars to be replaced with electric vehicles, and instituted a myriad other public-servant-inspired restrictions on affordable living with so-called climate-change regulations based on the world-wide global warming scare. Additionally the privacy of girls’ toilets and locker-rooms were violated by legal decrees for confused males to use them, by instituting edicts that interfered in parents’ rights to choose schools and gender for their children. They also inflicted a world-wide plague on Western and other countries together with insulating/isolating the whole population plus an obligatory, inefficient, even dangerous, genetic experimental drug (deceitfully called ‘vaccine’). On top of it they engineered an invasion of millions of “aliens” into the US resulting in more poverty and crime for large afflicted regions. All these events quite transparently benefitted the already obscenely rich and brought more misery to the middle-class and poorer population.
Even though the majority of the media is owned and controlled by the very same obscenely rich, their scare-tactic of “potential nazi affiliations/ sympathies” seems no longer be effective – it has been used too long without tangible evidence.
Henry: The most salient point I have taken from it so far (I’m about halfway through the entire article as of writing this post) is that we have already been screwed by various elites throughout history, going back to agrarian society and throughout time various systems of laws have served only to entrench said screwing. Meanwhile, the psychic influence of peasant mentality resulted in an entire class of people who were effectively defending their captors leading to a state of denial and confusion among the general population.
You can put it that way as if the elites were the evil perpetrators and the compliant citizens were blameless victims – however, there is a lot more to peasant mentality such as the recently discussed cognitive dissonance (link) and the instinctual need to belong. Plus there is the (instinctual) need for superiority and control, which is activated as soon as opportunity arises. What I find most astounding to observe is the tendency of everyone to rather fight each other than address the cause of whatever problem presents itself.
Just like an inexperienced actualist will first blame themselves, or blames others for unwanted aspects of the human condition before sensibly making use of the practical solution of the actualism method as intended (just found this link, lol). It is certainly worthwhile to continue contemplating the various aspect of peasant mentality when you have the inclination and opportunity as it governs most of social life and as such your own life when undetected.
Henry: So that immediately settled a large aspect of the question for me: we are already being screwed, with the difference mainly being one of degree rather than of whether it is happening or not. Further, our ability to do much about it as an individual is severely limited, especially as one’s effectiveness at pushing back directly correlates with the danger one is putting oneself in. Furthermore any successes ultimate prove pyrrhic in the face of the deep instinctive forces which drive the fascist/ authoritarianist power dynamics.
It’s interesting that you only name one side of the political dichotomy but not the sinistral statist ideology. Is there a blind spot to recognize the same “instinctive forces” operating on the both sides? After all, the human condition ‘distributes’ instinctual passions to all human beings.
Henry: Richard’s solution is simple: despite the factual disfranchisement, once one is free of the feeling of disfranchisement, a ‘remarkable freedom’ eventuates – with no need to rebel.
I found this understanding to be more than satisfactory to satisfy myself re: the present political situation in my country. It doesn’t release me from knowing what will happen next, but it doesn’t matter – I can’t prepare for all ends anyway. […]
At the same time, I appreciate that this does not involve sweeping such misdeeds and tragedies under the rug – they have been and continue to be abominations.
What exact events are you referring to when you say “misdeeds and tragedies”, “abominations”, which you do not want to sweep “under the rug”? Just curious.
Henry: Finally, this approach is proving an extremely useful lens to see my personal primary bugbear through – the feeling of feeling disfranchised of a desirable mate.
It is no secret that economic and social status tend to be significant factors in mate selection, and the revelation that I have been blaming myself for both (a la peasant mentality) and not recognizing that the system is set up to enrich only a small proportion of the population and that by definition the bulk must be seen as ‘undesirable,’ with an extremely limited and statistically unlikely capacity to change that condition (at least as regards that top 10%, top 5%, or top 1%), meanwhile blaming that 90%/95%/99% for their condition. […]
As I understand it, the interpretation/ explanation for your failure to find a “desirable mate” is to first blaming yourself (which is silly) then blaming the economical system (which is equally silly). Instead you could accept the fact that the only person you can change is yourself. Why, for instance, do you define yourself, and thus a potential “desirable mate” by economic class? There is an obvious social conditioning in action.
Henry: As always I welcome any critiques or observations! This topic has long been a weighty one for me and as such there are likely to be things I got wrong in my passion. At this moment I feel quite light about the whole situation though – a most delightful turn of events. (link)
Given that you asked, my observation is, that the language/the way you are talking to yourself and others and thinking about yourself, is quite generalized, sophisticated and thus detached, as if you keep yourself and what is viscerally and emotionally happening for you at arm’s length.
Once you recognize and accept that you are your feelings instead of having feelings (and analysing them) you will be able, with fascinated attentiveness, to change the feeling you are. There may be a fear of feeling the feeling you experience at first but if you are aware enough not to resist experiencing the feeling (every resistance is feeding the feeling) and accept that it is happening, you will find that it instantly loses a great deal of its strength.
You can even go a step further, with personal honesty and sincerity, and reawaken your dormant naiveté (be like a child again with adult sensibilities). This naïve attitude allows you to like yourself and others and regard people (including yourself) as fellow human beings, not as scientific, or pseudo-scientific, objects of your logical observations.
Try it out – it is quite magical when you do.
Cheers Vineeto
Hi Vineeto,
It’s remarkable how you lay out everything what happened here. To give you a brief update, since starting his second term, the US president has issued a spate of executive orders that directly address essentially everything you mentioned here. As much of the interventions in the USA were at the level of the federal executive branch, much can be undone at that same level. The orders he issued so far include actions to:
On top of everything you already mentioned, the sinistral statist ideologies of the world conspired to censor the free speech of their complaining peasants. The founder of Facebook revealed that the administration at the time requested they remove not only misinformation but also factually accurate information, such as the universally accepted fact that it’s possible for vaccines to have side effects, going so far as demanding they remove a satirical meme about this topic[2]. To that extent, the US president issued executive orders to end federal censorship of free speech and end the weaponization of the federal government against the ‘peasants’ acting too inconveniently.
In other words, it appears that the “generally obliging and subservient peasant population” indeed had enough, voted a person into power to undo the dire situation that had been wrought upon them in recent years, and that person is now actually executing on that which he promised. The fact that the extent to which these actions are fulfilments of campaign promises made is surprising speaks volumes about the current political system we find ourselves in.
The above all happened within the first 24-48 hours of the new administration[3]… and yet the mass media[4] has chosen to focus inordinate amounts of attention on the heartfelt emotional gesture an autistic man made in appreciation for the public’s support for his chosen candidate, insinuating that a person who has consistently supported free speech, equal protection under the law regardless of race, democratic voting (which is what he was showing appreciation for at the time), and the state of Israel itself[5], is actually a fascist Nazi or somehow sympathetic to those who are (conveniently overlooking the fact that many[6] other[7] prominent[8] public[9] figures[10] have also in the recent past made such superficially-similar gestures).
Indeed, by this point it is so absurd and so many people have woken up to these tactics, that it does seem to “no longer be effective” – albeit I was stunned at how many people it did still manage to have an effect on.
Although these recent events are remarkably refreshing, and indicates a dangerous trend towards censorship and totalitarianism is finally being reversed (including the reversal of the patterened-after-Marx division and discord sown along racial lines, evidenced by a total extirpation of so-called Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives from the federal government and federal contractors and “the termination of all discriminatory programs” as well as a re-affirmed commitment to colorblind equality before the law[11]), not only in the USA but also in Argentina and other nations around the world… it is eminently clear that none of it will actually cure or solve the fundamental problem of the human condition.
Increasingly totalitarian and anti-human elements have crept in over the past decades, and it was only through remarkably strength of will and often an access to vast quantities of money that these leaders were able to be elected such as to actually enact the will of the increasingly-growing majority of the people in these regards. And there are many and various counter-indicators today such as various[12] first-world countries[13] punishing speech more harshly than violent crimes, and the democratic elections in Romania literally being canceled, suspended, on the flimsiest of pretenses.
In other words, even if the world does trend to a positive direction now… there’s no telling if it will succeed, or how long it will last. Prosperity tends to breed complacency, at which point the more devious elements creep in again.
The best possible thing I can do remains. It is not to espouse a particular political ideology or attempt to convert the massive hordes of people viciously railing against the above actions and falsely smearing their proponents with all manner of calumnies[14]. Rather, it is to self-immolate, to sacrifice myself for the benefit of the human species in general and of the people in my life I am most intimate with in particular (which will be of immense benefit for this body as well), such as to do the very best I can to bring about an actual, lasting and perennial peace on earth, in my lifetime. It is actually possible, and I can take this next step to enable it to occur at the maximum potential I possibly can!
Cheers,
Claudiu
One doctor’s expert opinion about this pause is worth watching:
besides pausing the NIH grant review, which was ~4 days in ↩︎
From President Trump’s inauguration speech:
Those perennial finders-of and asserters-of fascist and/or racist and/or neo-Nazi and/or white supremacist and/or white nationalist and/or any other such similar elements will be asked to locate where in the above such elements are actually to be found. ↩︎
German court gives woman harsher punishment than convicted rapist for calling him 'disgraceful pig' ↩︎
The United Kingdom, see also: Arrests for offensive Facebook and Twitter posts soar in London | The Independent | The Independent ↩︎
… one of the worst ones being assertions that President Trump called neo-Nazis and/or white supremacists and/or white nationalists “very fine people”, when in that same press conference he condemned them totally… on top of assertions and a general pushing of a media narrative that not only did he not condemn them at that press conference but that he never condemned them at all and refuses to condemn them, which the following four-minute montage of various clips of him doing just that puts definitively to rest: link. ↩︎
Vineeto: I haven’t watched current affairs in the last 7 months but before that Richard and myself were regularly keeping abreast of most of what was going on in the US and the world at large.
In summary, the actions of the previous government had, by statist intervention, doubled the fuel and electricity prices, tripled the food prices, restricted gas-stoves and cars to be replaced with electric vehicles, and instituted a myriad other public-servant-inspired restrictions on affordable living with so-called climate-change regulations based on the world-wide global warming scare. Additionally the privacy of girls’ toilets and locker-rooms were violated by legal decrees for confused males to use them, by instituting edicts that interfered in parents’ rights to choose schools and gender for their children. They also inflicted a world-wide plague on Western and other countries together with insulating/isolating the whole population plus an obligatory, inefficient, even dangerous, genetic experimental drug (deceitfully called ‘vaccine’). On top of it they engineered an invasion of millions of “aliens” into the US resulting in more poverty and crime for large afflicted regions. All these events quite transparently benefitted the already obscenely rich and brought more misery to the middle-class and poorer population.
Claudiu: Even though the majority of the media is owned and controlled by the very same obscenely rich, their scare-tactic of “potential nazi affiliations/ sympathies” seems no longer be effective – it has been used too long without tangible evidence.
It’s remarkable how you lay out everything what happened here. To give you a brief update, since starting his second term, the US president has issued a spate of executive orders that directly address essentially everything you mentioned here. As much of the interventions in the USA were at the level of the federal executive branch, much can be undone at that same level. The orders he issued so far include actions to:
- Create a new Department of Government Efficiency, tasked with reducing bureaucratic waste and spending (which directly contribute to the massive inflation in recent years) – which according to the US Debt Clock has already resulted in $18 billion dollars of savings
- Deliver “emergency price relief” by, among other means, “eliminat[ing] counterproductive requirements that raise the costs of home appliances”
- Push back against ill-conceived and harmful-to-humanity environmental policies by eliminating the electric vehicle mandate, withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accords, allowing and encouraging exploration and production of the natural energy resources so abundant in the country in general and in Alaska in particular (expediting all of which by declaring a national energy emergency), and prioritizing the well-being of humans over the well-being of a small species of (just one of the many and various species) of fish rather than vice-versa with regards to access to fresh water in California
- Begin to un-do the dangerous gender ideology and thus restore the privacy of girls’ toilets, restore the dignity of female sports, and in general unraveling all the harm (and particularly harm to young kids) that such a noxious ideology has perpetrated, via establishing clear definitions of male and female, declaring sex not to be interchangeable with ‘gender identity’, signalling agencies and employees to enforce all laws “to protect men and women as biologically distinct sexes”, rescinding “gender identity-based access to single-sex spaces”, ensuring “that males are not detained in women’s prisons”, designating intimate spaces by sex and not identity, ensuring the “right to single-sex spaces in workplaces”, along with other such protections, and signalling the legislative branch to codify the executive order into law
- Withdraw from the World Health Organization (with an explicitly stated reason due to its “mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic”) and temporarily pause medical grant reviews by the US’s National Institutes of Health, both of which contributed to the severity and impact of the worldwide pandemic
- Take immediate steps to stymie the mass influx of millions of (illegally-entering) “aliens” by declaring a national emergency at the southern border (authorizing the use of the Armed Forces and establishing policy that it is their duty to protect the border), closing asylum/refugee loopholes, continuing to build the border wall, attempting to end birthright citizenship (“birth tourism” to the USA is significant and an extra motivator for illegal immigration), and literally declaring the mass influx of people to be an invasion and thus using constitutional powers to temporarily halt all physical entry.
On top of everything you already mentioned, the sinistral statist ideologies of the world conspired to censor the free speech of their complaining peasants. The founder of Facebook revealed that the administration at the time requested they remove not only misinformation but also factually accurate information, such as the universally accepted fact that it’s possible for vaccines to have side effects, going so far as demanding they remove a satirical meme about this topic. To that extent, the US president issued executive orders to end federal censorship of free speech and end the weaponization of the federal government 1 against the ‘peasants’ acting too inconveniently.
In other words, it appears that the “generally obliging and subservient peasant population” indeed had enough, voted a person into power to undo the dire situation that had been wrought upon them in recent years, and that person is now actually executing on that which he promised. The fact that the extent to which these actions are fulfilments of campaign promises made is surprising speaks volumes about the current political system we find ourselves in.
The above all happened within the first 24-48 hours of the new administration… and yet the mass media has chosen to focus inordinate amounts of attention on the heartfelt emotional gesture 1 an autistic man 1 made in appreciation for the public’s support for his chosen candidate, insinuating that a person who has consistently supported free speech, equal protection under the law regardless of race, democratic voting (which is what he was showing appreciation for at the time), and the state of Israel itself, is actually a fascist Nazi or somehow sympathetic to those who are (conveniently overlooking the fact that many other prominent public figures have also in the recent past made such superficially-similar gestures).
Indeed, by this point it is so absurd and so many people have woken up to these tactics, that it does seem to “no longer be effective” – albeit I was stunned at how many people it did still manage to have an effect on.
Although these recent events are remarkably refreshing, and indicates a dangerous trend towards censorship and totalitarianism is finally being reversed (including the reversal of the patterned-after-Marx division and discord sown along racial lines, evidenced by a total extirpation of so-called Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives 2 from the federal government and federal contractors and “the termination of all discriminatory programs” as well as a re-affirmed commitment to colourblind equality before the law), not only in the USA but also in Argentina and other nations around the world… it is eminently clear that none of it will actually cure or solve the fundamental problem of the human condition.
Increasingly totalitarian and anti-human elements have crept in over the past decades, and it was only through remarkably strength of will and often an access to vast quantities of money that these leaders were able to be elected such as to actually enact the will of the increasingly-growing majority of the people in these regards. And there are many and various counter-indicators today such as various first-world countries punishing speech more harshly than violent crimes, and the democratic elections in Romania literally being cancelled, suspended 2, on the flimsiest of pretences.
Hi Claudiu,
Thank you for your excellent update with so many informative links. It’s great to have a historical snapshot of this fascinating time in history where the pendulum of a certain cultural-political orientation swings into its opposite direction, only to eventually become so extreme that it again (perhaps) evokes correction. The human condition is such that there are always only two alternatives, never genuine equity and parity, or salubrious sensibleness, without being sullied by ‘self’-centricity.
Claudiu: In other words, even if the world does trend to a positive direction now… there’s no telling if it will succeed, or how long it will last. Prosperity tends to breed complacency, at which point the more devious elements creep in again.
Those “devious elements”, which are in all human beings as a result of the instinctual passions – rather ‘erupt’ than “creep in” (lol), and as such are present on both sides of the political divide. The evolution of the human condition itself can only happen via a virtual freedom, and dissolution via an actual freedom.
Claudiu: The best possible thing I can do remains. It is not to espouse a particular political ideology or attempt to convert the massive hordes of people viciously railing against the above actions and falsely smearing their proponents with all manner of calumnies. Rather, it is to self-immolate, to sacrifice myself for the benefit of the human species in general and of the people in my life I am most intimate with in particular (which will be of immense benefit for this body as well), such as to do the very best I can to bring about an actual, lasting and perennial peace on earth, in my lifetime. It is actually possible, and I can take this next step to enable it to occur at the maximum potential I possibly can! (link)
Well said.
Today I remembered something you had reported in your last post –
Claudiu: Walking outside I experienced the stillness, how still actuality really is, and walking along one part of track I experienced myself as somehow a still/ fixed/ unmoving point whilst the body was ambling along – it seemed a bit odd, […] However it didn’t culminate in self-immolation. I do appear to be on the right track though! (link)
I was wondering if you are entirely comfortable yet that an actual freedom is irrevocable.
I am asking because on January 4 2010, in a casual conversation, Richard asked ‘Vineeto’ if it was perhaps the irrevocability of an actual freedom which caused ‘her’ to hesitate. ‘Her’ first impulse was to answer “of course not” but then ‘she’ decided to mull it over carefully so that ‘she’ could be 100% sure. The next evening ‘she’ became actually free.
Cheers Vineeto
Hi @Vineeto and @claudiu , thank you for the thoughtful & thorough replies. They have given me a lot to think about.
I went through a whirlwind of emotion upon reading, and afterward went on a long hike contemplating both the content of your replies and my reaction. My first goal was to get back to feeling good so I could consider the implications of both with a clear head.
It immediately was obvious that the strength of such a reaction could only come from a feeling of defensiveness and of social fear.
The social fear by itself made it clear that I have not been as sincere as I had believed or wished myself to be. Everything was couched in protecting myself in the eyes of ‘my’ ‘tribe.’ I could see how my fears of social rejection were preventing me from considering all possibilities, or for fact-checking the views and beliefs that I had been raised and educated in. I had no safe forum within that tribe to discuss these matters in, immediately demonstrating that my entire liberal-arts based education was nothing but a sham.
I can’t overstate how much this shook me.
With this realization it quickly became apparent that I was nothing but a fraud playing a song-and-dance for social points. Thank you Vineeto for recently pointing out the silliness of blaming oneself for the whole mess, because I was quickly able to move past that and into what I found to be a remarkable naivete. I feel as if I have just been born fresh into a world that I don’t know much about.
I want to thank you both again for the thoughtfulness of your posts as well as for the overall investigations and progress in actualism that they reflect. It’s a remarkable thing that is being done.
The cognitive dissonance observation in particular I found very useful to reflect on, as it demonstrates to a considerable degree why people reject observations and people that don’t match their beliefs. This has an incredible social power, and I am in awe that as a species and as individuals we have arrived at a place that we can move past those strong reactions. In fact my entire reactions described above were a reflection of cognitive dissonance. There is a better way.
@Vineeto I was wondering if you could tell me more about this or point me to someplace I could read more?
I have taken these observations to heart and recognize my pattern in that as related to that sophistication - you are not the only person to point it out to me.
I recognize that I have only this one life to life and it would be a shame to live it out dissociated to any degree at all.
Henry: Hi Vineeto and Claudiu, thank you for the thoughtful & thorough replies. They have given me a lot to think about.
I went through a whirlwind of emotion upon reading, and afterward went on a long hike contemplating both the content of your replies and my reaction. My first goal was to get back to feeling good so I could consider the implications of both with a clear head.
It immediately was obvious that the strength of such a reaction could only come from a feeling of defensiveness and of social fear.
The social fear by itself made it clear that I have not been as sincere as I had believed or wished myself to be. Everything was couched in protecting myself in the eyes of ‘my’ ‘tribe.’ I could see how my fears of social rejection were preventing me from considering all possibilities, or for fact-checking the views and beliefs that I had been raised and educated in. I had no safe forum within that tribe to discuss these matters in, immediately demonstrating that my entire liberal-arts based education was nothing but a sham.
I can’t overstate how much this shook me.
With this realization it quickly became apparent that I was nothing but a fraud playing a song-and-dance for social points. Thank you Vineeto for recently pointing out the silliness of blaming oneself for the whole mess, because I was quickly able to move past that and into what I found to be a remarkable naivete. I feel as if I have just been born fresh into a world that I don’t know much about.
I want to thank you both again for the thoughtfulness of your posts as well as for the overall investigations and progress in actualism that they reflect. It’s a remarkable thing that is being done.
The cognitive dissonance observation in particular I found very useful to reflect on, as it demonstrates to a considerable degree why people reject observations and people that don’t match their beliefs. This has an incredible social power, and I am in awe that as a species and as individuals we have arrived at a place that we can move past those strong reactions. In fact my entire reactions described above were a reflection of cognitive dissonance. There is a better way.
Hi Henry,
You are very welcome, I am delighted to read your message and your feedback. I instantly noticed the honesty and directness of your writing without any of the ‘at-arms-length’ qualities of your previous posts. It can be quite a shock to suddenly look at the world afresh with more naïve eyes. It is indeed “a remarkable thing that is being done” . You write –
Henry: “I feel as if I have just been born fresh into a world that I don’t know much about.”
It is wonderful you found “a remarkable naivete” which will greatly enhance your experience of being alive and your success of discovering how ‘you’ tick. I took particular notice that naiveté appeared as soon as you declined blaming yourself – blaming oneself is such a simple mechanism of ‘self’-protection and so revealing and liberating when this protective plaster is removed! With naiveté it is much more fun to be alive and makes the whole actualism enterprise an exciting adventure rather than a chore.
There comes a point in every sincere actualist’s life what feeling being ‘Vineeto’ reported after the first few weeks of listening to what Richard reported, and you might be able to relate to that. Richard described it to Alan in a very humorous way (so don’t take the first paragraph personally 
) –
Richard to Alan: As your back-to-front discombobulation may very well be indicative of a ‘more cunning than the norm’ cozener – perhaps even of such an upside-down vulpecular callidity as to be instinctually impelled into the sliest casuistry only ever dreamed of by a normal knavishness (stopping short of being so perfidiously jesuitical as to be positively machiavellian however) – such tergiversation reminds me of what feeling-being ‘Vineeto’ reported after the first few weeks of listening to me/ reading my words.
Speaking in regards to the effects any and all attempts to fit this totally new paradigm into ‘her’ existing mindset were having, ‘she’ explained the process as being … (1.) as if ‘her’ brain was being turned upside-down … and how (2.) ‘she’ was having to relearn how to think all over again.
Could it be a stage you have skipped, perchance, upon having jumped the gun? (Richard, List D, Alan, 29 Feb 2016).
You are certainly on the right track, and the fact that this new information shook you out of a “feeling of defensiveness and of social fear”, reminiscent for you to a cognitive dissonance-like mindset, straight into a “remarkable naiveté”, means that the ground was well prepared to have that happen. You can pat yourself on the back for a transition well done.
Cheers Vineeto
I was aware of both before as well.
Primarily the genocides
