Hank Galaxy Brain

About as clear and succinct as it's ever been laid out.

And what are the pros and cons of this ideology in your view? Curious to see what people say. It’s hard to place for me.

@Leo Gura Fuck off ??

This is the point where I would hit block and report. But you’re the head admin. Needless to say I’m out. ✌? This is inexcusable, no one should tolerate this. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/bb1yab/male_rape_victims_of_reddit_what_is_the_worst/ https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1jwuuw/serious_male_victims_of_sexual_assault_harassment/

Because its fun and I like to listen to people I disagree with. Maybe Ill stumble across an argument thats actually convincing. Slightly confused, because you replied to the “if not” part. so are you saying you are or are not open to changing your mind?

As an olive branch, I can resonate with this. “Thats true, however I have seen many many more examples of left wing politicians and left wing media being blatantly dishonest. Not even just having bias but knowingly lying and smearing to take someone down personally. Accusing people of horrible things that they havent done” Alright, I appreciate you having what appears to be an open mind. Are you open to changing your mind if there is contrary evidence to this statement? I propose an experiment. Show me the worst of the worst on the progressive left. And I’ll show you the worst of the worst of Trump. If I’m wrong, that Trump is less trustworthy, and has done more of this blatant lying and smearing, I’ll change my mind. I think you’ve been conned, by a con-man. And I’m willing to prove it—in fact I believe it to be quite easy to prove. And if I’m wrong, and the radical left is the worse enemy, I would like to know.

Oof. It’s really sad to see someone minimize male rape victims. And that this is regarded as even remotely socially acceptable. I’ve read some pretty brutal stories. And regardless, rape is rape. The fact I even have to point this out is insane. Besides, lots of women struggling with having found parts of their experience pleasurable, from what I’ve heard. Doesn’t make it any less rape. Or any less traumatic. Or something described by an “enjoyable experience.” Maybe it was a joke or something; I don’t think it’s worth joking about. Maybe by saying “woman” you have pictured women you wouldn’t mind having sex with. Try picturing a 67 year old, mildly obese person in a position of power over you. Sound enjoyable? Regardless, rape is rape.

@GroovyGuru No problem, I’m glad you liked it. They seem to cover things very broadly which I like. The one on the new age of Great Power Competition was really enlightening. As far as I can tell, the Atlantic seems like a pretty authoritative #1 for me as far as forward thinking, political, somewhat centrist (american “left”), what’s on thinking minds. You got me interested in the Economist as well for a more right wing perspective. Didn’t realize how broad it was. A good thread, thanks to you as well.

Yes. If only we could make some kind of curriculum for alerting those people that they've been exploited by a fascist who has you voting against your interests. Like the way you would try to extract someone from a pyramid scheme or a cult. I guess it's harder when the cult wants to take over my government and hurt people I know. More personal for the de-programmer. But, that's how I try to look at it. Don't engage or take seriously any of their arguments, just kindly explain they've been duped. (Unless of course they're trolling or antagonizing, then you just have to draw a line).

As far as subscriptions, I've been thinking about subscribing to a couple: The Atlantic. They have some of the best long form articles I've read recently and tend to focus on what's important and be forwarding thinking. Foreign Affairs as well. I didn't find out about them until recently, and it's really nice to have an in depth foreign policy source. There's another one called Foreign Policy too. Other than that maybe the New Yorker or Mother Jones. Oh and I love The Independent enough to support them. It's really important to chip in to a good investigative news org that doesn't take money from corporate interests. I know the Independent and Mother Jones are reader supported; Foreign Affairs is a non-profit. Much higher quality information that way. Not 100% sure about the funding of the others.

@bejapuskas Yea he definitely seems worth listening to. I consider it highly immoral to dodge taxes through offshore accounts. The only people with that option are rich enough to not be paying their fair share of taxes anyway. A way to take from society without giving back or participating in the programs society has elected for themselves. You shouldn't benefit from democracy if you're not going to play by the rules imo. And that's just a job helping people break the rules.

Replacement with something healthy. Cast out 1 demon, 7 more will take its place. But if you become an angel, that's a different story. Rats in rat-park with all sorts of positive rat things to do, ignore cocaine. If you focus on anything, positive or negative, you will move towards it. Focus on quitting, you'll obsess and beat yourself up over it, reinforcing it. Focus on love, a life mission, and you find yourself forgetting about old things that no longer serve you effortlessly. Mindfulness eradicates addiction. That's the only way I've quit anything. Just agree that if you're going to do it, do it utterly and totally present. choose to do it. Non-judgement. Just do it consciously. And observe the feeling in your body. That's it. Sounds crazy I know. Edit: this is for non life-endangering addictions I've had. Heroine and stuff you probably need rehab, detox regimin, etc. etc. Oh and another thing that often helps is: mobilize yourself fully. Use every resource at your disposal to become free. Combination of those has done it for me.

@Robi Steel Thought you made a big dramatic post and left the forum. This is unilaterally false. Donald Trump is already actively becoming a fascist. If there were mountains of evidence that the statement above was false, would you be willing to change your mind? If not then why are you here?

Where would you guys put the Black Panthers as an sd stage?

Exactly, that's what I'm getting at at the end. Not the enemy but someone who is engaging in bad faith, or is enabling fascism/abuse. Or whose unwieldy ego is way up in everyone else's boundaries and requires defending against.

Alright so this is really interesting commentary. "Yes, republican voters are fascists... If we had weaker institutions, like say for example, Weimar Germany did, YES, this would be a fascist country 100%... Republicans are fascists. Easily, yea. I'm not breaking bread with these people. Fuck them. These people's brains are broken. I don't want to work with them. They don't share my solutions. And they don't care about workers rights." Lots of this is true and needs to be said (although not the verbal abuse). What Vaush seems to be getting at is this very real, emotional level, experiential reality: Those of us that want economic populism--we have a very deep and real anger for right wing populists/fascists. We're utterly opposed to that ideology, because it's is harmful and dangerous. Any relationship built across those lines is utterly superficial. I felt that when the country was in chaos. When some people I knew plugged their ears and ignored. Others concentrated on looters. Ultimately, my core mission hear on this planet has nothing to do with those people. They are of no service in my life, and they often outright oppose me and human dignity. If push comes to shove I would be forced to defend against them in a physical altercation or a civil war. We are not friends. We act polite around eachother. That is all. And that's lurking just beneath the surface of many many relationships in this country. We're not far, psychologically, from a civil war. I can see how things can escalate to brothers killing brothers and children selling out parents. It's brutal. And this is what Kyle misses. He's trying to have tea with the enemy. If someone is sitting at the table advocating kicking children with no regards to facts or evidence, you have to hold them accountable. That has no place in reasoned discussion. To act otherwise is nothing short of enabling. And a culture of enabling is necessary for fascism to arise. That's part of it. So, fundamentally, Kyle doesn't seem to have an experiential understanding of reciprocity and boundaries: if fascists intellectually punch you in the face and piss on democracy on your show, while claiming they're being reasonable, you can't just sit they're smiling. You have to respond appropriately with strong boundaries. If you're going to engage in rational debate, do it with those who will reciprocate. Otherwise you're throwing pearls at swine, and stage red right wing populist types sniff out weakness like sharks to blood. They take advantage. They run wild. Vaush seems to get this at the experiential level. You can hear it in the tone of his voice. Much more masculine, confident, grounded in things that are meaningful, grounded in the everyday experience of poor and working people. When these things are reality to you, it comes naturally. Kyle is much more airy, high pitched, and even his face looks polite--all like he's pandering to others' opinion. However, what Vaush misses is that it is not the person who is the enemy. It is the ideology. And we must maintain our boundaries against these red types (that's the only thing they will respect) and from that place treat them with compassion as tantrumming children. Some will be willing to self reflect and change, and others won't. It's not our responsibility to save those who won't. All we can do is protect ourselves and our societies from the destructive aspects of their egos. This is the "high consciousness" thing to do. It is not honest or true to try to coerce someone's belief system, who does not wish to be coerced. These right wing types are often not open to change. The best thing to do is the honest one: break off the relationship, and tell them exactly why. Ask them to leave your show until they can have rational beliefs. You have to have rules or society crumbles--they should know that of all people. Vaush also misses that it is not Republicans who are fascists, they are merely enabling the fascists. The average Republican doesn't support voter suppression, and probably isn't aware that they only want economic reform for certain groups. The ones in power does and is. They take advantage of their blindness, their ego, their narcissism and they play to it for political gain. They're being abused, and they've fallen in love with the abuser. And who the abuser tells them they are. If you want to help them, you have to see them as oppressed by a sort of ideological cult and seek to liberate them. This takes extreme compassion and responsibility, you have to be extremely stable in yourself to get past all the ugliest ego defenses they'll throw at you and be able to genuinely act with compassion. Big heart energy is what I call it. But you do it, you establish a strong frame of advancing humanity, sticking up for the downtrodden and seeing through illusion and you offer it to them. And if they don't take it, ruthlessly do what is appropriate to stop whatever danger they are posing. Punishment should meet the crime. Reciprocity. Offer the carrot, but have the stick ready in the other hand. And if they're not bothering anyone else, then leave them, for the love of god, alone. /rant

Looking at a video of someone deconstructing a video of someone deconstructing a video... on my computer screen. What has life come to? This is so post-modern and bizarre. I've wanted to complete the circle before at times. Make an orobourous of a reality tv show about the filming of a reality tv show about the filming of a reality tv show about the filming of a reality tv show about the filming of the reality tv show at the beginning of this sentence. Mwahahahahahaha. Edit: The guy who's video we're deconstructing is deconstructing someone else's criticism of the show. Holy shit! And now I'm deconstructing the whole thing. We're like 7 levels removed from reality here. 2020 man.

@Leo Gura I appreciate you being someone in the spiritual sphere who is willing to say this. So many "gurus" dodge politics. I always wonder, if you're so detached from everything, why can't you risk someone disagreeing with a political opinion? There is a huge need for the discussion of "politics" (read: collectively thriving or dying on this planet) from a spiritual perspective. Way too much spiritual bypassing out there on this imo. Good shit.

This is something I'm extremely passionate about. My biggest second biggest recommendation is Dr. Robert glover and No More Mr. Nice Guy/a "nice guy" group if you can find one. But the book gives you a good blueprint. https://www.sacredsons.com/ looks interesting and is a spiritual take on things, but I haven't tried a workshop or anything. Ultimately I'm skeptical of a weekend getaway. You need community in your life. Biggest recommendation, bar none, is a men's group. You can often find them at local churches or community centers, may not even be religiously oriented. It's huge to have a safe space to be emotional as a man and talk about men's issues in a healthy way. It feels so natural to lean on eachother as brothers, almost tribal in a way. It's not supposed to be women's job to carry our loads. If you can't find one, start one! A guy I knew from a dance community had started one. We just opened with a 3-5 minute share. Of "what is really alive for you right now." No endless list of tasks, no discussion of others' problems, what are YOU going through to the extent you're willing to share. Try to name emotions. And the main rule was, and this is huge, "take full responsibility for your experience." No "no one likes me," say "I feel like/I perceive that no one likes me." No "she stresses me out so much," say "I feel stressed when she does x." Own your projections, express your feelings. Final rule is everything is private and not to be brought up to anyone outside of men's group without permission. Definitely not to be shared. Afterwards we'd go for a swim or chill in the hottub and pass around a stone to talk one at a time. The talking stick is useful for sharing too, no one should be jumping in or dominating discussion. We'd offer support, encouragement, solidarity, mostly just a listening ear. I never went to one where someone didn't cry their eyes out. It's really healing and freeing. We'd start with a meditative exercise for a minute or two as well. Anyways, best of luck brother.

This looks amazing. I grew up a True Believer and am still recovering from my crash in some ways. Looks like a really interesting guy too, Gregory Diehl... traveled the world a bunch. Writes about changing yourself through travel and creating authentic brands. I like him, except I wonder how these people get the money to do this. Looked through and found his linked in. No education... But he lists Nomad Capitalist as a former employer. They basically are consultants to help businesses dodge taxes in offshore accounts. Sketchy to say the least. I always want these people to be something truly great. But alas find myself skeptical even of those who would constantly question themselves.

I'm feeling out my purpose here, and feel a huge urge to do something yellow. Systemic change, finding solutions to some of the most damaging dominant paradigms. I'll start: Wikipedia Reddit And anything Aaron Swartz touched for that matter, Creative Commons, etc. Family systems therapy (micro level) and probably psychedelic therapy on a micro level Psychedelic activism/research (MAPS, etc.) ACLU (?) Open source community (Firefox, Linux, etc.) Our Revolution and Bernie Sanders in a lot of ways (?) Certain men's movement organizations The School of Life Actualized.org Crowdfunding and crowdsourcing movement Collective Intelligence Lab at MIT Ideas: Widescale solutions to media accountability and fact checking (Eric Weinstein has mentioned the need for this). Reader-supported news is a great alternative But it needs to replace the corporate business model if we are to have an informed public So we need advocacy and a plan to create a scientifically oriented, objective, big picture societal media apparatus that informs the public on what is actually going on (climate change, threats of nuclear war, enormous wealth inequality) and gives them avenues to do things about them. Crowdsourcing is a great innovation here; people love to participate in the news, both recording by phone and pontificating on social media Reddit plucked this fruit when it was ripe but is vulnerable to manipulation and could use more structure, accountability and objectivity Basically a crowdsourced, open-source, reader-supported, co-op version of Reddit would be ideal. Perhaps with optional validation of user identity to differentiate between potential bots/trolls vs. those willing to stand publicly for what they believe. Easily accessible critical thinking education and advocacy for it to be implemented in schools Excited to hear your ideas. We can even consolidate them into a wiki as we go! A yellow solution to a yellow question

I saw this, and he makes a great case that it is extremely likely. He mentions at one point that current thinking is that the virus spreads indoors, but outdoor activities pose much less of a threat. This is extremely sketchy coming from an outdoor animal. At first. But then I realized that bats sleep in caves and other enclosures and could translate it then. So that's not nearly as much of a sign of lab interference as I originally thought or is suggested in the video. Assuming that the species in question sleeps in caves/enclosures rather than, say, under a bridge or something. Other than that, he makes a great point about how difficult it is to (1) make the species jump alone and (2) how insanely difficult it is for a virus to then immediately adapt to be contagious in a new species, along with (3) how much time it would take a virus to adapt to be as contagious as this coronavirus is in a new species. When we have no evidence for a gradual transition; it just seems to have skyrocketed overnight.

@Parththakkar12 This is such a fascinating take. I too find wider social issues that mirror my familial issues much more personally moving. It's interesting to think about the mass psychology of movements and fascism. If that many people were entranced by it, I'm sure their own emotional strings were pulled as well. It may have been a familial pattern that resonated throughout society, that Hitler happened to become the pinnacle of.

It's amazing that this is not even news. That a Harvard Psychiatrist came out and said that he was a sociopath in 2017, and we've all just ignored that as a country since then. Oh yea and the 37 leading psychologists, psychiatrists and scholars from the likes of Yale, MIT and Harvard came together to write a book on how his psychology is a danger to society. We've known for a while plenty of things about his childhood including that he tried to push a fellow cadet at military school out of a second story window during a fight. That his father was arrested at a KKK riot. Along with this excerpt on how his father raised him: “According to Harry Hurt III, author of Lost Tycoon: The Many Lives of Donald J. Trump, ever since he was a little boy, Trump’s father had been 'hammering the same lines into his head: You are a killer… You are a king… You are a killer… You are a king. Donald believes he can’t be one without the other.' Fred would also point out repeatedly, 'Most people are weaklings. Only the strong survive.'” - The Cult of Trump Steven Hassan Alas, it's good it's finally getting some real attention.

Oh man, this is great. @Raze I've never understood why "TERF-ism" (trans exclusionary radical feminism) was so off limits. Like those feminists aren't radical enough for you? They actually have some really good points, and it's crazy they're not allowed. Even if they turn out to be totally wrong, they're clearly trying. Really glad these people are ruffling some feathers. As a sane person who often shares far-left and progressive views, it's been a long time coming. *Grabs popcorn*