Natasha Tori Maru

Thinking and observing for one's self is just as much of a lens as a framework absorbed from another. No one is ever a neutral observer. Empirically testing a model, direct observation and measuring against reality itself is where it is at - but bias is always present. Gotta manage that shit. Bias is a given

Reverse Uno shit: I actually struggle to identify a lot with the typical 'female' gender stereotype. It doesn't bother me, though. The hardest part is being authentic and facing judgement from other women, mostly. I get labelled as a 'pick me' woman quite frequently, due to much of my interests aligning more with typical masculine ones. Despite my demeaner being quite feminine in expression. The package appears feminine - but under the tinfoil wrapper is much more masculine leaning. I dove headlong into my own masculine side early in life, and after really touching this part of myself, my feminine naturally came into power. Perhaps your path may be similar - express the feminine and eventually the masculine will flourish like a pendulum swing to bring balance. I consider myself very balanced in expression, now.

Throwing me curveballs trying to gauge your taste >.< The Valerian movie by Luc Besson was shit - but I'll check the graphic novels out also. Love The Fifth Element - my favourite movie.

Dune was a bit of a slog at times, very slow to start. I'll check Hyeperion out - have you read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Philip K Dick, Blade Runner was based on it)? Trying to gauge your taste to find overlap

@enchanted Heh heh it is amusing, @Basman is giving it a red hot crack Doubling down into infinity - the spiral!

I think for me, as a 'total' its that human behaviour is quite predictable once you understand power, insecurity and desire. Most people cannot grasp the uncomfortable truth so they end up being played. I think 48 laws of power is illustrating reality clearly, not how we WISH it worked. People misunderstand Robert's work and turn his stuff into manipulation tactics, paranoia and 'everyone is playing games'. I think this is a surfacy interpretation, because at the heart of it, it's more about awareness, choice & restraint. We can play the game, but if we know the game, we won't be ruled by it I also am quite dark and Machiavellian in nature, so I am not afraid of this aspect of Robert's work. I'll check it out! Cheers

@Eskilon skibidi I couldn't resist the impulse to conform to gen alpha lingo

Oh boy - the people who line up to take photos with the Buckingham Royal Palace guards on cavalry. THOSE people. And they step into the box allocated to the guard to get better images! Those guards will unleash the fury on you to get the fuck back - and the horses often bite.

@Olaf Yeah thing is - many gurus DO actually have some legit stuff to say. Sorting the wheat from the chaff can be the difficult part if we do not have mature critical thinking and healthy scepticism. It is always shocking when you come to understand how much we allow from someone when they present some useful and wise words. The green flags can blind us. All too often we are too willing to give our authority away - in fact as humans - we LOVE to do this. Confidence and conviction can be very, very seductive. Unfortunately this is often laced with ego The poopy truth is that bullshit and the truth don't arrive separately. They are usually bundled together. You see this often with sharp insight in one domain, and then a completely distorted crazy statements in another!

@Hatfort The term abuse being applied is why I raised the below. Mainly because many people have a very narrow understanding of the word.

@Olaf to satisfy my own perverse curiosity - did you ever follow him in earnest? And quickly discover his grandiose ego, only to be totally turned off? Or has this been an exercise in observing our own revulsion in the face of such delusional, twisted corruption?

@Olaf I took a squiz at the link.... I couldn't get very far in. The mouth sounds, lip smacking and incessant cigar sucking had me dead 🤣 I probably would have gotten further had it not been for that. Benthino's way of speaking and tone is very much 'you fucken noob I'ma' tell you how it is and it's so obvious I'm going to make you feel like an idiot for your question' *puffs chest* *cigar sounds* He can't be so addicted to nicotine as to use it as a pacifier like that!

In my observation, when we are younger, beliefs function differently. Much more difficult to break and reform. They tend to be entrenched with identity rather than just seperate ideas. I never said beliefs were permanent. Also, using a bit more AI again are we?

This response is cope, cope for not being able to deal with someone disagreeing with you. Even if the disagreement is not even in full! There is value in fiction for self development. Not everyone needs concepts, metaphors and ideas packaged in a certain obvious way for a message to get across.

Mental illness itself doesn't carry moral value. It's a state of health. Morality usually applies to actions, intentions and decisions. Not to the presence of an illness. The action can have moral judgement applied, but the illness influencing those actions isn't 'good' or 'bad' itself. Mental illness can also impact judgement, impulse control or perception. This can reduce or complicate responsibility. It doesn't automatically remove it in every case - it acts more like a spectrum.