[This is directly following up on the discussion already posted to this same blog as two immediately-prior text postings.]
Zdan ~ 8:08 PM
Zdan ~ 8:08 PM
As per what Eisel wrote above - I do not think that is needed here. This space focuses on something I deem unrealistic for the majority of people. If people manage to live that sort of life Eisel proposes - more power to them. They are clearly better human beings than myself. My interests lie elsewhere. I will still watch Eisel because I find value in his videos and approaches. That is all.
[…]
kovy_17 ~ 8:12 PM
Regarding some of the stuff Eisel said above , I definately don't think it is good to have an overly positive attitude when discussing things, but at the same time it seems like a lot of people will be completely turned off to the conversation if you don't. But I think you can still at least attempt to be "polite" if you will ( lay off personal insults for example ) and still be very hard on your critique of someone . But yeah as it's his space so it's his call .
(Regarding "coddling" )
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Azihayya ~ 8:26 PM
@a-bas-le-ciel (Youtube name) Eisel--if you're holding yourself to a high standard, then I'd ask you to uphold the qualities of grace. As much as you might know, as much as you might have experienced, you aren't except from treating people with kindness or understanding. If to change people's hearts is truly your goal (as is mine, to change your heart), then I'll let you know: there's a better way than yours.
I'll willfully step out of your server. If I'm not the kind of person you're looking for, I can understand that. But I just want to say that I think you've exhibited some very poor behavior here, and I think it reflects on the way that you view humanity. I like your ideas and I want to listen to you--but to be completely honest, I loathe to have you as my mentor. Because of your attitude.
And yeah--I've been working on a video response to you. I can spend whole days, weeks, thinking over the things that you say and how they reflect on my character. How they shape my ideals. In my heart though, what I feel, communicating with you, is a sense of defeat. I might never be able to craft a response that satisfies you (can you admit to your wrong? can you see it?), and hearing you tell me that what I value and what I experience is wrong or useless, in the most cruel terms available, it hurts.
Every day for awhile now, I'm reminded of the story of the old man that walks the beach, tossing starfish back into the ocean. And a boy comes up to him and asks him why he does that, if so many will just wash back on shore again--and he replies, "Because to that one, it mattered."
Well, I matter, Eisel.
As much as I might want to respect you, you might regard me with so much condescension and disdain--and all that I want to say to you, is that I think your heart is filled with hate, and I wish you were a nicer person. I don't think that you can reach the people that you'd like to by telling them that everything they know and love is wrong.
[Footnote from E.M.: it is very much my "core message" (on veganism, on religion and under many specific political and philosophical headings) to tell people that everything they know and love is wrong.]
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RonSims229 ~ 9:18 PM
@Azihayya A few years ago, I would have agreed with you. Hell, I can list the time where @a-bas-le-ciel (Youtube name) failed in his life, all documented on his youtube channel.
His academic career studying Buddhism = Failed
His venture learning Cree and a Objwee = Failed
Getting people for true vegan Activism = Failed
Humanitarian work in Laos and Cambodia = Failed
Teaching ESL in China = Failed
His marriage = Failed
His life, from the outside perspective, is a failure and we all should not even give him a time of day of listening to him because this failure of life is what he is , a failure. It has made him bitter and he has no right to criticize a lot of cultural assumptions.
That's where you, as sincerely as I put it, is wrong. I watch him because he is raw, open, honest and doesn't coddle to those who view his commentary as harmful and rude. I view Eisel as someone like Gordon Ramsey, a smug, arrogant bastard that 9 times out of 10 will get punched in the throat by most people. Eisel is a smug bastard who, let face it, is a failure. But here's a kicker: he keeps going with it. He gives it to you raw and you either take it or leave it. I took it, well, the parts that apply to me and I am somewhat living a more meaningful life.
Eisel may have had some failures in his life, but is open and raw about it so many people won't have to learn the hard way as he did Hell, I wish I had him as a teacher then I wouldn't had to do the following:
-get on SSRI only to realized they were basically making me more miserable
-Many failed attempts of reading Greek literature
-how ill-informed my opinions were about Buddhism
- my failed programming career
He's rude, bitter and other things, but he's also sincere. I view people who are nice, who coddle people who are addicts and such as even more dangerous.
a-bas-le-ciel (Youtube name) ~ 9:30 PM
@Azihayya Re: "… I don't think that you can reach the people that you'd like to by telling them that everything they know and love is wrong."
You're 100% in the wrong here, Azi… and I think you'll never gain the intelligence to recognize it:
You know that old phrase, do unto others the way you'd have them do unto you?
I'm doing that.
I really wish people had been honest with me when I'd played video games: I wish they'd given me this same message, in this same way.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHO I AM.
Doing unto others as you'd have them do unto you DOES NOT mean being an evasive, flattering pussy all the fucking time: not when you're preaching veganism to meat eaters, not when you're preaching sobriety to drunkards, and not when you're giving people #advicenobodywantstohear and telling them to quit video games.
This isn't a situation where you're 10% right or 50% right, Azi: you are ONE HUNDRED PERCENT in the wrong, and you utterly lack the humility to realize the way that the various allegories above (and in my two videos today) DIRECTLY apply to you.
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@RonSims229 I think you need to separate two different phenomena here:
(1) Failure.
(2) Analysis and discussion of the failure.
Believe me, western academia is full of people who failed in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, etc., to a much greater extent than I did, but they go through their whole careers presenting their failure as a success.
Really, all I have to do is tell the same story while omitting my higher ambitions, and the failure seems like a success (I did learn Pali, I did do humanitarian work, I learned a ton about history, politics, languages, etc. etc., I had success beyond many people's wildlest dreams… but to me it really was a failure, for reasons I've explained and reflected on at length here).
I think you're really failing (if you'll excuse the repeated use of the verb) to recognize the strength in giving an analysis of one's own failure: I'm not ashamed to do that.
As for the remainder of your argument, see what I've just said above: "Doing unto others as you'd have them do unto you DOES NOT mean being an evasive, flattering pussy all the fucking time…". I really am "doing unto others" what I wish other people had done for me: I wish other people had given me the advice about Video Games, veganism, academia, or even Buddhism, that I'm now giving others —and I wish they'd given it in exactly the same format.
(Not everyone likes the content, and not everyone likes the format… but, frankly, so the hell what?)
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And hey, reminder: I JUST RECENTLY made a video on "how to be my critic". :confused: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krWRL_mkWi0
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RonSims229 ~ 9:50 PM
@a-bas-le-ciel (Youtube name) you are right about that. It's late but I was responding to @Azihayya comments (which are worse than mine, which is impressive). I knew that you had success in your endeavors but you felt them as a failure. Hell, I wished I had as much ambition as you had when I was in my 20's. Like I added on that comment you aren't afraid to talk about your failures as what they are, failures. I wished I had someone who delivered the message on programming and college they way you gave it.
