Clarence

I use ChatGPT a lot to improve my English, and it's true it loves em dashes. I've always used them, but it often adds some I don't need and have to remove. Other than that, they're very useful to introduce a thought on a different note or to emphasize something, so I still use them regularly. @Leo Gura Why not use the em dash in your texts instead of two hyphens — don't you think the em dash looks better? I get the sense that you also like polished writing ChatGPT: Yes, both -- (two hyphens) and — (the em dash) are used, but only one is typographically correct: — (em dash) is the correct punctuation mark in formal writing. It's used to set off parenthetical statements or add emphasis. -- (double hyphen) is a substitute often used in plain text or environments where the em dash character isn’t easily accessible (like early computers or basic text editors). It’s common in programming, emails, or forums. Summary: — (em dash) = typographically correct. -- (double hyphen) = a workaround, but not proper punctuation. So in formal or polished writing, the em dash — is preferred.

#187 I was baffled when I started studying philosophy at university and found out that no one (either teachers nor students) truly cared about making sense of reality. It was a huge disappointment. Fortunately, I discovered Actualized.org during my studies, and it inspired me to become a monk. The teachings on Enlightenment and meditation seemed far more important for making sense of reality than academic study. But then came a second disappointment: no one truly cared about Enlightenment or making sense of reality there either! I had hoped to find people who shared the same desire as me, but they weren’t in either place. Obviously, I can’t take any academic or monastic person seriously, nor do I have any hope left in them, since they don’t even care about understanding reality. It’s mind-blowing that such a fundamental interest in life can’t be found anywhere on Earth.

I'd advise reading this website: Antimoon.com There's a lot of valuable information in it. If I had to learn English all over again, I would use this method. I feel like my output got messed up because of school and traveling too soon. I should have focused on input only for much longer and avoided trying to speak or write too early, which is what teachers asked me to do. Taking classes in any language is terrible, since you constantly hear people (and yourself) making mistakes, and that becomes part of your input. Input should come only from native speakers who speak perfect English; otherwise, mistakes or unnatural sentences will enter your input and start to sound natural. Correcting that later is incredibly difficult. I'm trying to do it now, but I don’t feel like I’m making any progress. I use ChatGPT to correct my English every time I write. It's burdensome, but it's the best way I've found to see and correct my mistakes. I wish there were no language classes at school and that I could have learned on my own using this method. I'm sure all my English skills would have been better. I also ask ChatGPT many questions to better understand the nuances between similar words and sentence structures. The goal is to know which ones are more natural in a given context and closer to the intent and tone I'm aiming for. The trickiest part is that it often wants to make more corrections than necessary, so that’s something to be aware of. But you can always ask for more explanation about a correction if needed.

@Yimpa Lol

@Yimpa I don't quite understand the connection to what you're saying here

@Leo Gura Amazing episode, especially the last 20 minutes. I loved this new style of entertainment. But Leo… how can you say you're not so advanced with such sincerity? That's what baffled me the most! Only a truly advanced mind could have derived and delivered such advanced content. That's very basic logic

To share another perspective, Matias De Stefano posted this: « The Pope is called the Supreme Pontiff, which means ‘Great Bridge,’ since the concept is that the Pope (heir to Simon Peter’s throne) acts as a bridge between Heaven and Earth. The central symbolism of the Vatican is the Keys and a Pinecone. The pineal gland of the system is the bridge between mind and heart; that’s why the election of a Pope, in the collective unconscious, represents a reprogramming of the pineal gland of history. It’s not a matter of religion but of psychological symbolism, since this place has controlled our way of relating to time and space, to ideas and feelings, conditioning our way of being and modifying our Rainbow Bridge. » This sounds a bit far-fetched from our point of view, but the essence resonates with me. I can see how the election of a Pope can play a significant role in the collective subconscious, one that is not about religion. We can simply notice how the whole world felt involved and connected to this election, regardless of religion. I think the Pope has a very unique role to play, and I can understand how he acts as a bridge — in people's minds, consciously or not, but also for diplomacy around the world. I'm not saying to believe everything the text says; that’s not my point at all. It's just about sharing a perspective in which the Pope is not only seen as the head of Christianity. And… his name is Leone anyway, both in Latin and Italian. I truly don’t understand the thing about changing the name across different languages, especially when the actual name is relatively easy to pronounce for everyone. And honestly, for a Pope, Leone is more fitting than Leo

Well, in Italian, his name is Leone XIV, and in French or Spanish, it's Léon XIV. So for many people, there's still only one Leo 😎

Leo… that's a great name

Thanks for your understanding. I didn't know there were people asking for tampon dispensers in men's bathrooms. That's a huge vibe problem, indeed. What's even worse is that trans men don't even want to be associated with such things, and certainly don't want to see them in men's bathrooms. Plus, periods stop shortly after starting hormonal therapy, and most trans men get a hysterectomy anyway. So, on top of being a bad idea in politics, it makes no sense. Perhaps, but the majority of people are at a low level of development and don’t think things through. That obviously bothers me, but that’s the state of the world. When you use those terms yourself, it’s quite different. From my perspective, it doesn’t necessarily serve your point, and it can be hurtful, misunderstood, and also send out bad vibes.

Hey @Leo Gura, I understand the point you're making in politics, and I agree with you — it's actually common sense to me also. But why use terms that are derogatory to trans people? I feel like you're not respecting the integrity of trans individuals when speaking this way, and that can be harmful, especially since you lead a group and it signals that showing a lack of respect towards trans people is okay. I believe that is not your intent (at least, I hope so), but to me, that's how it can come across. Neither the Left nor the trans community should advocate for unrealistic, utopian ideas, and they should be much more balanced and grounded in reality. But trans people still deserve respect (not being called 'chicks with dicks' or 'men having periods', even if your aim is to emphasize the Right's point of view and the excesses coming from the Left). Many trans people can understand this and don't try to push such ideas forward. I never did either. So I think it's important to keep a respectful tone. Using terms that are inflammatory or dismissive of people's integrity can cause a lot of damage, both to individuals and to the broader context. I hope you understand the point I'm trying to make and will consider it. As you're the prime example here, if you show the forum that it is okay to speak this way about trans people, it implicitly gives everyone the license to do the same freely, which I don't believe is right. Those terms are too demeaning to be used lightly.

That's the main use for scooters though — at least in Belgium. It's very convenient to move around in cities with them (as a student, for example). I've never had one, but it's common here, and they can only be ridden on roads or bike lanes.

Where are you going to ride the scooter? Could you ride it on the Strip? It sounds impossible, but that would be cool. Don't you like riding a bike? That's also a great reason to go outdoors

You should give 5-MeO-MiPT a try if you haven't already.

I've been feeling the need to express this part of myself to the forum for a while now. That is: I am transgender. Over the last three years, I underwent a transition from female to male. I transitioned physically, then legally, then socially. I was two years into my physical transition before I chose my name and changed pronouns. I made everything official before making it social, which isn't the usual process. But I'm not a usual person. Deciding on my name and on the transition itself were the hardest decisions I have ever made in my life. It was a very difficult process, as my gender identity never felt crystal clear. I've never felt female, but I've never felt fully male either. All I knew, since I was a 6-year-old child, was that being born in a masculine body would have been right for me, and that being in a female body was not. I wanted a male-born body, but no amount of transition could ever give me that. So it proved incredibly difficult for me to accept something I never wanted to be: a transgender person. I didn't feel at peace with the idea of living for the rest of my life as a woman, but I also didn't feel at peace with the idea of being transgender. In all honesty, I hated it, wholeheartedly. And with so much immaturity and hatred in this world around the trans issue, reaching acceptance and peace with it, especially when one is directly involved, is made even harder. But I reached a point where I couldn't continue to live as a woman. It was too incongruent to who I truly was. My body was a stranger to me. I couldn't hear myself speak with this feminine voice I had, I didn't recognize my face in the mirror, and I couldn't stand the shadow of my chest that never fully disappeared, despite all the uncomfortable binding. The disconnection between my mind and my body only grew stronger as the years went by. The last years before trantitioning were some of the hardest of my life, as I became desperate to appear as the person I wanted to be, all the while knowing that I never truly could without surgery, hormonal therapy, and significant legal changes. Still, I was afraid of making the wrong decision. What if living as a woman was still a better option, not to have to deal with an awkward social transition and the reality of a body that could never be cisgender? Starting hormonal therapy was difficult, going through surgery was difficult, changing my name and pronouns was difficult. Yet, I highly needed each change. Each of them helped me begin to reconnect with myself, slowly rebuilding the bridge between my mind and my body, leading me towards deeper peace in my own incarnation. It is important for me to share this, as I want to be seen for who I truly am. I am very different from the majority of men for this very serious reason: I grew up and lived as a woman for 27 years, even though I never felt like one. This is fundamental to who I am today. This part of my identity will always be within me and deeply shapes my psyche. I now feel fully at peace with my new name, my new pronouns, and my new body. I know now that it was the right decision. I needed it to be myself. I needed the appearance of a male to feel at home in my body. But I will never feel like a cisgender man, just as I could never have felt like a cisgender woman. Agender is the word that truly matches my inner feelings, despite my strong preference for a male presentation. It's been exactly one year today since my gender and name officially changed, on April 15, 2024. This forum was my first ever social experience using a male identity, back in late 2023. Clarence was supposed to be my official name, but it didn’t pass the test in French. I finally found another name that I love and that fits my personality just as perfectly. It required over five years for me to find it. I'm relieved to be where I am today. It was a very tough process and I'm glad it is over. I'm finally free to be myself. Thank you to all who took the time to read, and thank you to @Leo Gura for creating and sustaining this place. This forum has been — and continues to be — very important to my own journey. I'll leave you with three pictures of me: one from my childhood, one from my teenage years, and one as the adult I now am. For images can express even deeper layers of truth.

@hyruga Lol

Exactly. I thought the opposite experiment would be easier to envision, but the idea is the same in both Just to clarify, the term dysmorphia is not correct in this context. It refers to an aesthetic feature of one's body that someone might obsess over. The term that applies to the trans experience is dysphoria. It directly refers to that feeling of misalignment between body and gender identity. My pleasure, it was a very nice exchange. Feel free to ask if you have any new questions anytime.

@Yimpa I feel fortunate to be Belgian. Since January 2025, there is actually the possibility of requesting no gender marker. When I changed my papers, that wasn't possible. I likely would have done that (I could now), but an M is quite good too. Both options are much better for me than an F coupled with a female name. It was too uncomfortable to have those on my papers while looking male, so I’m glad I could change them. I obviously can imagine the struggle of people who can't do that. You're also lucky it doesn't affect you anymore.

@martins name No, I'm not okay with my body in private — it's actually what's worst for me. I never cared that much about being gendered female, since I knew that would easily change with testosterone and updated identity papers. But my body, I knew I could never fully change it. It’s the first thing that bugged me as a young child: that I couldn’t pee standing up and that something was missing. I’m in a phase where I don’t think about it as much, but it’s been heavy and constantly weighing on my mind. I can't have an orgasm or enjoy sex freely either. It's something I have to learn entirely. It's very difficult because, in my mind, my body is not meant to be this way. So there's nothing natural or right about it for me. I'm not rejecting it as much as I used to, but it's still very challenging. I understand what you mean by gross and subtle body. I don’t really use this phrasing, but there is indeed a mismatch. That’s why I insisted on imagining keeping your male identity/your male subtle body when picturing yourself as female, to understand what it feels like. I can also picture myself as a woman with a female subtle body, just like you did, but that's not what I'm experiencing… If the two were aligned, I wouldn’t have changed my identity. Physical dysphoria has always been the major thing for me. It’s my desire — or rather my need — for a male body that made me want to be male. So it's a physical thing more than a social one. I never cared that much about how I was perceived, but it's truly difficult to accept my body and make it feel like mine. I just want it so strongly to be male that I've had a really hard time letting go of that desire.

How deeply do you desire to Awaken? It all depends on how much you desire it. If you truly need it, you likely won't be able to let it go — and could consider less convenient options to reach your goal, such as traveling. You need to get clear on the strength and depth of your desire. You could also let it all go for a while if you're unsure, to see what happens and how you feel. If it's very important to you, it will surface again. I don't think there are easy ways to do this work, which is why the sincerity of your desire matters so much.

I'm not into that. I desire a relationship where the dynamic is as equal as possible (intellectually, spiritually, and sexually). I feel too much frustration when there is a significant gap. From my experience in dating, I've found that this is what I need and desire most. You can simply picture yourself, as the man you are, in a female body. The pain and discomfort that arise is what it feels like to be trans. It’s not about picturing yourself wanting to be a girl, but about picturing yourself in a girl’s body while still being yourself — a man. You’d just want to be back to normal. That’s why trans people desire to transition so badly.

@xeontor You're the one not being specific. What about you picking one of the arguments you agree with and elaborating on it — expressing your own understanding and opinion about it? You're not doing any serious work here, only asking AI and other members of the forum to do it for you.

I understand that the ideal is not necessarily one specific person. I pointed to one for each gender to offer a mental image of what it could look like or mean for me, just as you did when you mentioned an old, wise, loving, and nurturing woman for the feminine, and the ideal version of yourself for the masculine. I used the same parallel. I honestly couldn't give you a description of my own ideals right now. It would take a lot of time to articulate, and it would require a very deep understanding of the psychology, roles, and dynamics of both genders, which I currently don't have. So, I can't give you a satisfying answer at this point. Attraction is not standard for me, but I'm mostly attracted to men. Same sex relationships feel more natural for me, and sexually, I'm only attracted to male bodies. But I get along with and understand the female mind very well, so I’m somewhat attracted to females as well. The only thing is that the sexual aspect would be more challenging, as I don't feel a genuine attraction to the female body, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable in a relationship with a heterosexual dynamic. So, to keep things simple, I've only been dating men. What about you?

@Yimpa Yes, being trans is really hard. There are many ordeals we go through. I hope you've healed from this specific trauma. It might require more time, but suffering is what pushes us the most towards healing and transformation — as you also seem conscious of. Facing all those challenges and traumatic events is a part of being trans, with the aspiration of reaching a place of deeper acceptance and self-love. That is all I wish for you. If you faced abuse before your transition, it makes everything harder. This requires more specific healing, so it no longer holds you back or reignites pain. I also have trauma to work through, so I understand how difficult it can be. You are brave for sharing this.

Yup. Well, I could've easily entered any date on my profile, but it is my actual date of birth