BlueOak

I am 44. I agree you can slowly make the workspace, those you interact with, and your mind more stable. There are a lot of pros to getting older, you are more used to and comfortable with how you work, and your mind has expanded if you've taken the time to do so and kept it open. I notice a lot of anxiety in those younger than me or at least more uncertainty within themselves, if you've worked through that it no longer plagues you nearly as much. You can learn things like failure is just a teacher, etc rather than a jailor. For me, it's the other variables we pick up along the way. Injuries that harm exercise or create a lack of exercise take you out of peak performance. Right now I am skipping running today because I got 4 hours sleep. Dietary issues cause other body issues, or just general illnesses and considerations you pick up along the way. Sleeping difficulties are more prominent. I've realised how many people have them after dealing with insomnia again for another two months. Mounting stress due to things like family issues, deaths, illness, kids, and heavier workloads. More financial obligations often make changing course in thinking or life more difficult. Greater contrast between your reality and the younger global collective. Loss of people that help frame reality in the way you are accustomed to operating in. Yes, you can always just watch or interact with the next person, but there is a certain random chance at finding another connection irl or even online that fills that void, and of course grief or reflection on what was. To name a few, I am tired again, so the brain isn't working at full capacity, but that's my point. Unless you contemplate the difference, you can accept the reality you are currently in as being as fast as you were when you were 20, but it is not. I talk too quickly for most people, but I realise I am operating in a dull mental space again due to fatigue. I also realise I resist a lot of new patterns that I am not accustomed to, but I catch this and take a day to think about them.

Corruption and Conspiracy/Lies etc are two of the things I have resisted most but I have to accept that what we are aligning with by pulling closer to the eastern authoritarian governments is a dose of both.

I know its just us observing the process of the global realignment. It just sucks is all. Then again Leo corruption in authoritarian governments that we are aligning with is a global norm so *shrug*.

Yeah reading that, it is true. You would need to experience the cultures first-hand to model them effectively, or better put more broadly, but only so much cultural data can be included in a model of human existence. Historic accounts do exist of societies progress but obviously, they are flawed as they are third hand. Language of course is a filter in itself to construct a representation of reality. You - The Writer - The Witness

Models of the human species are inherently going to be reductive, as is every word or sentence you or I could possibly communicate here on the subject. Its a look at a pattern of development. When new patterns emerge, they can be modelled, but as they are not here yet, they are not able to be modelled yet. It is western and anti-suffering in its leaning, also there is a slight collective bias.

This moment is all that exists. You are already infinity. Sure you can do a grand gesture and call it 'grand' or 'large' to give you a sense of wonder. Or you can go pat your dog on the head and scratch it behind the ears, you could also call this large, grand etc.

If you want, like billions of people, you just remake the life you've had now with a few differences. Then your memories will be experienced the same. Sure the names/pictures etc will be different, but what you experience will be similar. This is why barely anyone ever leaves earth. Some of course pick the exact opposite experience and just take the other half of an event, which they could have done already if they took the other perspective on here.

I became the shape of the vortex in my minds eye, so infinitely large that time/space lost all meaning, so I know where I imagine myself when the physical form no longer contains me, and where I will decide to go/be/imagine when I die. Oh and disappearing into infinite love/white light for 5 minutes, hug it with intent (not physically) if you are given that wonderful experience. I think though just being able to fall back asleep after insomnia wakeups is infinitely more helpful. I get these big experiences so not to take reality too seriously. Right now there is an insane amount of energy in my nightly meditations when I wake, more than i've handled before moving through me. Before now I would have it in 5-10 minute bursts, but this lasts as long as the meditation does.

Yes. It is required right now. The US is corrupt. The new global order is corrupt. Utopian ideals are dead in the water, either people get in the mud or they constantly lose.

No they just lie better. I have had to accept that lying is required to win anything against a liar. So liberals need to embrace that and just run constant lies about republicans all day. Just take what works, personal attacks, lies, populism and pressure. The soft era of liberals wrecked them. Denouncing populism wrecked them. Trying to be moral, good-natured, and cooperative, its all a waste of time. But ego aside, this is just the natural progression of authoritarianism rising. That which embraces or mirrors it does better. The aspects of Trump that go against it will cause him problems, the other option is to reflect it while remaining liberal. Both leave a bad taste in my mouth.

It would have been more insightful if you could have looked at Russia's perspective also and done the opposite here. What do they gain by peace and what do they lose by keeping fighting. That way we could have a whole perspective rather than half a perspective. Ukraine From the very same article. @Bobby_2021 “Unfortunately, we’ve always had fewer weapons than needed and are far from matching Russia’s advantages in aviation, bombs, and missiles Ukraine's training far exceeds Russia's. Their current conscription age is 25. Some of this we are now reading is America making an excuse to pull out, it'll lay all the groundwork for that in their media. Though young men have historically been the backbone of most armies, the question of who should serve in the fight is deeply divisive in Ukrainian society. Mobilization is unpopular, and Zelensky’s administration has said further lowering the mobilization age — it’s now 25, which is old compared with other countries — doesn’t make sense when there aren’t enough weapons to equip the soldiers already on the battlefield. So no this is not being considered seriously. This is also reflected on the Russian side with their demographics already being bad, and their casualties being about 3 to 1, people argue 2.5 to 1, but whatever the exact number it's still a lot of Russians dead that they could not afford to lose—especially given the exodus prewar and during the first few months. However, I can acknowledge that Russia can keep losing men for awhile, despite their economic hits, as the Russian population outside of the major western cities can live in poverty more easily. This doesn't tell me why Russia would ever settle for a long term peace, not with BRICS resupplying them. If you'd have said china were cutting equipment to both sides, that would have been more reassuring. Missiles do plenty Bobby they wreck Russian ammunition, manpower, armor and logistics. So let's not try and BS that long-range missiles are not effective in war. Trump pulling out is reflective of the American people pulling out more of NATO and Europe that's the reality, let's not sugar coat it. In the future decades America is going to split further with Europe and be on the opposite side of things or at least neutral (economically speaking, no doubt weapons will still be sold).

Putin and Ukraine need to know that it will get worse for them to continue. They also need to know it will get better for them in peace. Otherwise it will go nowhere. The peace is almost impossible to sell without a lot of hardware coming their way. If NATO, all military alliances and nukes are off the table for Ukraine, there is almost nothing that can be done to stop a new war starting 5 years from now with Russia in a stronger position in terms of land access and logistics, even if they are weaker economically and in terms of stockpiles. They'd need a heck of a carrot for that deal. Ending the war is also a bit of a hard sell to Russia if Trump looks too keen to pull out, as he wants to. Because without US support, Russia can gain a lot in Ukraine also.

@gamblerTry this:

https://syria.liveuamap.com/ This is the map I am looking at it, its different to yours, but I have no idea which is accurate.

Not quite. It's like making Gaza a state directly bordering a large regional power supporting it. I mean in europe there are city states; the size is irrelevant.

When things are hard admit it, and be the change candidate, then you have a large advantage. In this case Democrats should have leaned into populism and change, at least in their rhetoric. Completely giving up their populism has given all that energy to Trump, it's been that way for years, and nobody on the American (center right) in the Democrats, has learned much.

Yes its dumb. If you are asking me if its what i'd pick, no of course not. I'd tell everyone to stop playing zero-sum, geo-political games. This however, is the natural conclusion to several different world powers all wanting influence in Syria, and their populations/leadership being unable to work as one global collective. If you want the solution talk about a global collective often, and when someone starts saying how they hate one side or the other, or want to see them destroyed, start trying to tell them how insane that is. On the meta they are literally saying they want to destroy that part of themselves.

1, Multi-state solution 2, Regional Goverments 3, Infighting until 1 happens. Russia and BRICS will of course push their influence back in to destabilize the country, as they are doing in Romania and eastern Europe. So the logical conclusion is either long term instability, which is what we sort of had, or a multi state solution.

Authoritarism is rising everywhere, yes. But this is what most here wanted, and I warned about for almost two decades. Well this is what it looks like. Many say nothing when Russia meddles in every country in Europe, but when someone else does its a problem. Funny that. At least it stops people from acknowledging why NATO expansion happened, so they can feel better in their own aggressive expansion while hating the other side doing it. Here is Russia's week. Ruble drops off a cliff Syrian control collapses. - This hurts their air influence over Africa critically for BRICS. Georgia destabalises. More aid coming in to Ukraine Russias casualties soared. BTW No Russian influence on an election allows for it to be democratic because Russia is not democratic; the points from Aaron are idealistic on that issue. Its one of the reasons authoritarianism and democracy cannot mix.

How conveniently we all forget Russia has been meddling in Georgia for several decades now. Ditto Romania to a lesser extent. Rich Russian land barons kicking the locals out were just halted in abkhazia, with a political fallout for its leader. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/politics/government/abkhazia-halts-russian-property-deal-amid-public-uproar/ar-AA1vfnEq All Russia ever wants to do is russify everything, they are no different to America's nation-building, they just don't bother announcing it.

People are only able to see their perspective. Maybe I am just lucky that I can see both, or more willing to look through both. In Russia and their allies they are showing this as a great victory. In England for example, Russia is seen as a shell of its former self. In Ukraine its a fight against their oppressor and a malicious tyrant. In Countries near Russia they see this as a way to keep this as far away from themselves as possible. Certain BRICS countries see it as a way to dent American imperialism, and a few to establish their own brand of it, China for example. France sees it as a way to kick back at Russian Africa's influence. Certain countries see it as an opportune way to expand their own influence, for example in central Asia and also now Syria. If we wanted 'truth' it would have to include all of these. People don't want truth though, they want something that backs up their own opinion.

Failure is also part of you if you decide so. Whatever you experience and decide that means is what it is, speaking collectively also.

@Something Funny I have no power over anything happening in Ukraine, nor do you. I don't get to make a call. If I did we'd already have troops in Ukraine. You are projecting massively onto an opinion you don't like something that doesn't exist. If I die in Ukraine it'll make no difference whatsoever, the world will still be in the same place. Would I go if we got into a war and we were called up, yes. Do I now qualify for your hero card? Or is it conceivable that a world war to stop Russia is worse than a war fought in the east of a country? Giving up land to Putin is just going to encourage him to do more, as he has done again and again. Because nothing has changed about the world. Another foreigner who can't shoot a gun dying there will make no difference whatsoever. All war is psychopathic, most of the world is that way. I value consciousness more than anything. This the best of a bad choice.

@Something Funny You are incapable of realising all people want the same thing: safety. There is no twist of the words, it is two perspectives looking at the same problem with different solutions. You are incapable of this because all you can do is demean someone who disagrees with you; thus, we have conflict on the macro and micro. Its the old they are bad I am good nonesense you are just repeating it again. Here i'll reflect: You are a coward for wanting to give an aggressive tyrant more land, and trying to sacrifice all these lives for nothing. Your perspective must be proved 'right' to make your ego feel good, and those who disagree must be proven to be the 'bad guy' so someone else can come along and tell you how great you are.

I don't want Europe in a war no. That's some absurd definition of a coward you've got there. War is nothing to be proud of or want. If it can be contained until Russia cannot fight anymore then that is the best of a bad bunch of choices. I've endless proof as i've been debating and talking about this for years, but I won't waste another word on someone like yourself. All you've got is venom for someone with another perspective why the hell do you engage in conversation? Ridiculous.