Conflating gender identity with biological sex muddies the waters and the discussion unnecessarily. We can acknowledge the reality of biological sex while recognising the validity and complexity of gender identity. 
Nature loves exceptions. Acknowledging these exceptions doesn't negate the broader reality of biological sex dimorphism. The reason hominids or we even exist is thanks to dimorphism. 
 It's not an either/or situation. Just acknowledge that sex is typically binary while also accepting that there are individuals who don't fit neatly into those categories and are their own. Respecting these exceptions isn't about denying biology. 
Dimorphism runs deep. It's not just about genitals or secondary sex characteristics. It's in our bones, muscles and brains, right down to the cellular level. These differences aren't trivial - they've been crucial to our survival and evolution as a species.
Yes, psychology plays a significant role in our sense of identity, no argument there. But to dismiss the role of biology is to willfully ignore the very foundation of what makes us human. You can't reduce "being a woman" to just what's in your head any more than you can reduce it to just what's between your legs. Both matter, interact and are inseparable parts of the whole.
The extreme hypothetical of transplanting a female head on a male body isn’t currently even possible. Even then, that brain developed in a body, a body shaped by chromosomes, hormones, and even reproductive organs. To act like these biological realities are somehow secondary or optional is to engage in a kind of magical thinking that ignores how deeply interconnected our minds and bodies truly are.

Daniel Schmachtenberger is aware of actualized.org

 

Hi Nemra
I wonder if looking into the topic of "Autodidacticism" - which is Self-education as in education without the guidance of masters (Old days) and in our modern time it is without professors  and/or institutions - would help?
Here I can speak with experience as I have lived as an Autodidact and a Polymath. Polymaths are often autodidacts.
Here is a list of famous autodidacts:
Abraham Lincoln
Albert Einstein - taught himself algebra, Euclidean geometry, and calculus when he was 12. He also independently discovered his own original proof of the Pythagorean theorem, and he had worked through a geometry textbook he was given by his family tutor, Max Talmud.[64] When Einstein was 14 years old he says he had "mastered integral and differential calculus".
Allan Watts
Alfred Russel Wallace (Co-discoverer of Natural-Selection with Darwin)
Benjamin Franklin
Bill Gates
Bruce Springsteen
Buckminster Fuller
David Bowie
Edison
Elon Musk
Ernest Hemingway
Frank Loyd Wright
Frank Zappa
Galileo
Gustave Eiffel – The engineer who designed and built the Eiffel Tower
Henry Ford
Hermann Hesse
Jimi Hendrix
Johnny Depp
Julian Assange
Karl Marx
Le Corbusier
Leonardo DaVinci
Mark Twain
Malcolm X
Michael Faraday
Neil Peart
Nikola Tesla
Oprah Winfrey
Orson Welles
Russell Crowe
Sean Parker - Former President of Facebook,
Steve Jobs
Steven Spielberg
The Wright Brothers
Van Halen
Vincent Willem van Gogh
Walt Disney
William Blake
This list should tell you that Autodidactism is much more common than what one would assume. It often emerges from the lower and working class of society, where formal education is an unattainable luxury – although this is far from being a rule. An autodidacts will not let an obstacle such as a lack of financial resources stop him from learning. Until the advent of the Internet, Libraries were an important source of freely accessible knowledge. And the Internet is the new catalyst bringing to fruition the golden-age of autodidactism.
When one is young it is very difficult to know if Autodidactism is one's call. For me it was much later in life that I figured this out about my learning-style.
Here is a list of some of the personality characteristics that are more or less typical of autodidacts:
Self-motivated and NOT correlating learning to earning a degree: An autodidact is driven by passion, self-discipline, and internally-sourced interest to engage consistently in his studies. His motivation for the acquisition of knowledge is not for the pride of owning degrees or titles, or from pressures imposed by an external authority; but for the sake of knowledge itself.
Curious: Autodidacts have a strong desire to learn about the world and the various subjects they’re pursuing.
Disciplined: They hold themselves accountable to do the readings and work that they promise themselves they will do.
Systematic: Autodidacts study plans are internally formed and self-directed. Rarely they follow a rigid methodology of learning; but rather an elastic and malleable structure that is spontaneously and naturally formed, and which is adaptive to the continuously changing circumstances of life.
Goal-Oriented and Focused: Autodidact naturally set learning goals to guide their studies and their study plan. Being focused on something is not a part-time state of mind, but a continuous way of being.
Resourceful: They know how to find study materials, often free or affordable ones, that will help them reach their goals.
Natural Learner, fast and efficient who has a passion for diving deep into a subject with a great ability for absorption and and above average retention: Rarely an autodidact will be content with a ‘little’ knowledge, or a superficial degree of knowledge. Typically they strive for the core knowledge, and for the most advanced knowledge on a subject. Being on the cutting edge of a subject is natural for an autodidact.
Stands above & beyond the paradigm of ‘victimization’: Typically, an autodidact has no time, not even an instant, to feel sorry for himself. Being paralyzed by a sense of victimization is not a state on the palette of Autodidactism. Any and all obstacles that stands in the way of an autodidact is perceived as a welcomed challenge, and an opportunity to learn something new, or to learn something more deeply. An autodidact continuously shifts the obstacles that continuously emerges into a series of opportunities that shapes one’s life. Where most see complications, the mind of an autodidact sees avenues of potentials.
Life-long learner: An autodidact does stop being one. He or she does not retire at one point in her or his life from the pursuit of knowledge.
Polymath: Rare an autodidact limits himself to a single subject of knowledge
 
There are some advantages to being an autodidact - one being to choose the subject of study, their studying material, and the studying rhythm and time.
Autodidacts may or may not combine formal education, as a complement avenue of learning.
 
The horizon of Autodidacticism has been transformed by the advent of the Internet. As one of the effect of the Internet - A robust Fact-Checking ability has become an essential skill and a requisite for Autodidacticism. In our modern time an Autodidact must know how to detect and recognize misinformation and disinformation - which is prevalent in the medias BUT also exist in a very special form within some scientific fields - especially those of medicine; nutrition; climate-science; among others.
In fields like Art and Craftsmanship there are huge advantages to be an Autodidact.
...And Autodidactism is also a subject of Philosophy :-)!
 
... if you are an Autodidact type of learner you will not escape that destiny... 

I had been noticing for some time the role that metaphors play in shaping our thinking and language. It's quite revealing and more prevalent than we think.
I'm going to use AI in order to compile a list of metaphors that invent, define and/or shape the ways we experience, conceptualize, and communicate:
Jumping to conclusions Falling in love Splitting hairs Being blind to something: another's motives, etc Recovering time / Making up for lost time Seeing eye to eye Bridging the gap Turning over a new leaf Planting seeds of doubt Nurturing a relationship Weathering the storm Climbing the ladder of success Walking on eggshells Burying the hatchet Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel Dancing with the devil Playing devil's advocate Painting with broad strokes Swimming against the current Casting a wide net Walking a tightrope Sowing the seeds of discord Building castles in the air Climbing the walls Lifting the veil Time is money Food for thought Beating around the bush Letting the cat out of the bag Hitting a wall Keeping an eye on something Opening a can of worms Feeding an idea The weight of responsibility The flow of a conversation A window of opportunity The roots of a problem Climbing the corporate ladder The fabric of society A memory lapse The spark of an idea Bottleneck Cloud computing Emotional baggage Brainstorming Surfing the web Feeling drained Burning the midnight oil A heart of stone Breathing new life into something Spinning your wheels Biting off more than you can chew Going out on a limb Raining on someone's parade Having a chip on your shoulder Burying your head in the sand Letting someone off the hook Being a couch potato Having a green thumb Pulling someone's leg Cutting corners Hitting the nail on the head Passing the buck Biting the bullet Beating a dead horse Reinventing the wheel Going down the rabbit hole Putting your foot in your mouth Chewing someone out Giving someone the cold shoulder Hitting the sack Having a change of heart Making a mountain out of a molehill Breaking the ice Letting your hair down Having a blast Losing your marbles Spilling the beans Hitting the books Feeling under the weather Turning a blind eye Having blinders on Having rose-colored glasses on Being in the dark Wearing beer goggles Seeing what you want to see Having a blind spot Living in a bubble Having tunnel vision Connecting the dots Gut feeling Butterflies in your stomach Stomach dropping Gut-wrenching experience Standing on your own two feet Being grounded Being open Being bent out of shape To straighten you up Being fit, being out of shape Being off-balance (psychologically or emotionally)   ---
Time Metaphors:
1. Time is a moving object:
   - "The years are flying by."
   - "The holidays are approaching."
2. Time is a stationary landscape:
   - "We're looking ahead to a bright future."
   - "We're leaving the past behind."
3. Time is a resource:
   - "I don't have enough time to finish this project."
   - "We're running out of time."
4. Time is money:
   - "Don't waste your time." "Saving time." "Spending time."
   - "I invested a lot of time in that project." 
5. Time is a container:
   - "We're in a new era."
   - "The meeting fell within the scheduled timeframe."
Space Metaphors:
1. Up is good, down is bad:
   - "She's really down today."
   - "Her spirits were lifted by the good news."
2. Physical closeness represents emotional closeness:
   - "We've grown apart over the years."
   - "They're a close-knit family."
3. Physical force represents emotional force:
   - "She was deeply moved by the speech."
   - "His words struck a chord with the audience."
4. Physical balance represents mental balance:
   - "She's a well-balanced person."
   - "He lost his equilibrium after the incident."
5. Physical obstacles represent difficulties:
   - "We're facing many hurdles in this project."
   - "She overcame numerous obstacles to achieve her goals."
 
Might read Metaphors We Live By by George Lakoff in the future.

Index of All Blog Posts & Videos

    ➼  Click here for a Search Bar to the blog.  
Also checkout Leo’s post on how to search this blog using google.
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2024

My honest opinion is that starting from things like toxins and pollutants is sort of like buying a paint and window frames before digging the foundations when building a house. It is nice and useful but misses a context 
I've studied nutrition and human biology for 3 years academically and another 2 personally and I'd say the best approach to tackle this is the following: 
Get yourself an anatomy book and learn how the human body works , this is actually pretty important. This will also answer the question you had here: Actually understand, in depth, what those terms mean and how does it all work together then get yourself a generic nutrition book and learn category by category - macronutrients, micronutrients, phytochemicals, caloric values, nutrition requirements across lifetime, using nutrition to support individual systems in the body like circulation, immunity etc. 
and finally and this is a bonus, but a book on simple biochemistry and the cell function will help you underand nuances and a bit of the mechanistic structure like enzymes, various chemicals in the body, things like Kreb Cycle, different energetic pathways etc   If you can hammer through these 3 your map of knowledge will be better than 99% of the smartasses on the internet and you'll create a bulletproof framework of understanding otherwise the risk is just knowing random stuff that does not fall into any particular structure so that it is easy to sway you away with new arguments. 
You'll also be more resistant to quackery and nonsense which is hard to get when you are just taking in random content from random videos from Peter Attia or Andrew Hubberman, which are btw brilliant and deep but I think require some prior understanding to really embody. 
This is the longest and the most drudging path to get there but a one that will bring you a true understanding of the human physiology and how it is being impacted by nutrition and lifestyle. 
We also have a medical professional on the forum @undeather whose path was probably 4 times longer than mine and whose knowledge exceeds that of all of us here so he would probably be able to share even better advice. 
 

Hey, look into PARA, a digital system, you have 4 folders:
Projects: projects you are working towards with a deadline (ideally you should be creating small projects, like one week duration, so that each week you are finishing projects, like try generating 10 projects during your next week) Areas: stuff that are on going in your life and you have a responsibility for (health, finance, meditation, fitness, journal, etc.) Resources: notes on books, articles, videos, on anything, whether it is personal development, philosophy, hsitory, marketing, etc. you can make a section for each Archives: the inactive categories from previous folders, projects you finished, areas that aren't in your life anymore, resources you lost interest in, etc. Digital is better in my opinion because you can never lose it

For me, I have a digital system for information gathering, summaries, noting insights, etc.
And I track my life with a physical daily journal

I'm fairly new to personal development, and I've recently started to journal. I started a bullet journal/time block notebook, a catch all notebook, a reading log, and a personal dictionary. I also started reading "The 7 habits of highly effective people", and it made me want to make a notebook dedicated to note taking, internalization, and application. Have y'all done something similar to this? If so, I seek advice on how to make one.
I asked chat gpt to make a game-plan for this and here's what it generated:
### Notebook Structure
 
1. **Introduction and Overview**
   - **Purpose:** Summarize the main goal of the notebook.
   - **Contents:** A brief overview of what the 7 habits are and what you hope to achieve by following them.
 
2. **Habit Breakdown**
   - **Structure for Each Habit:**
     - **Habit Name and Description:** Detailed explanation of the habit.
     - **Key Principles:** The foundational principles behind the habit.
     - **Personal Reflections:** Your thoughts and current status related to this habit.
     - **Action Plan:** Steps you plan to take to incorporate this habit into your life.
     - **Daily/Weekly Check-ins:** Space to track your progress and reflect on your experiences.
 
3. **Weekly Reviews**
   - **Structure:**
     - **Achievements:** What went well this week?
     - **Challenges:** What were the obstacles?
     - **Adjustments:** What can you do differently next week?
 
4. **Monthly Summaries**
   - **Structure:**
     - **Overall Progress:** How have you improved?
     - **Habit Strengthening:** Which habits are becoming second nature?
     - **Areas for Growth:** Which habits need more focus?
 
5. **Reflection and Goal Setting**
   - **Structure:**
     - **Quarterly Reflections:** Deeper reflections every three months.
     - **Long-term Goals:** How are these habits aligning with your long-term aspirations?
 
### Detailed Breakdown
 
#### 1. Introduction and Overview
- **Purpose:**
  Write a brief introduction about why you are using this notebook and what you aim to achieve.
  
  **Example:**
  "This notebook is my personal guide to mastering the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. My goal is to integrate these principles into my daily life to improve my personal and professional effectiveness."
 
- **Contents:**
  - Quick summary of the 7 habits:
    1. Be Proactive
    2. Begin with the End in Mind
    3. Put First Things First
    4. Think Win-Win
    5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
    6. Synergize
    7. Sharpen the Saw
 
#### 2. Habit Breakdown
 
**Example for Habit 1: Be Proactive**
 
- **Habit Name and Description:**
  "Be Proactive" focuses on taking responsibility for your own actions and behaviors.
 
- **Key Principles:**
  - You are responsible for your own life.
  - Your decisions, not your conditions, determine your path.
 
- **Personal Reflections:**
  Reflect on how proactive you currently are. Do you take initiative or often react to events?
 
- **Action Plan:**
  - Identify areas in your life where you can be more proactive.
  - Set specific goals to take initiative in those areas.
 
- **Daily/Weekly Check-ins:**
  - Each day, jot down instances where you chose to be proactive.
  - Weekly, review these instances and note improvements or setbacks.
 
#### 3. Weekly Reviews
 
**Example:**
- **Achievements:**
  "This week, I successfully took charge of my morning routine and felt more productive."
 
- **Challenges:**
  "I struggled to stay proactive during unexpected work crises."
 
- **Adjustments:**
  "Next week, I'll set reminders to pause and plan before reacting to unforeseen issues."
 
#### 4. Monthly Summaries
 
**Example:**
- **Overall Progress:**
  "I've become more proactive in my personal life but need to work on it professionally."
 
- **Habit Strengthening:**
  "Morning routines are now proactive without needing reminders."
 
- **Areas for Growth:**
  "Focus on staying proactive during high-stress situations at work."
 
#### 5. Reflection and Goal Setting
 
**Quarterly Reflections:**
- **Example:**
  "Reflecting on the past three months, I've seen significant improvement in my ability to take initiative, but there's still room to grow in maintaining a proactive mindset under pressure."
 
**Long-term Goals:**
- "By the end of the year, I aim to be consistently proactive in both personal and professional settings, handling stress with a calm and proactive approach."
 
### Setting Up Your Notebook
 
1. **Choose Your Medium:**
   - Digital: Use apps like Notion, Evernote, or OneNote.
   - Physical: Get a dedicated journal or notebook.
 
2. **Customize Sections:**
   - Use tabs or sections to divide the notebook according to the structure outlined.
 
3. **Consistency:**
   - Set aside time each day/week for filling out your notebook.
   - Use prompts and templates to make it easier to reflect and plan.

As you already know on a more or less tacite way (even if you lie to yourself, and you will probably pretend that all of this is « « « projection » » », as usu…all the time), Actualized is essentially a way to lose time within feel smart while don’t really improve yourself in any way whatsoever yet.
You can't really progress in life by talking on a forum, or while wandering on the internet, or wandering in general. The biggest problem with forums is that they tend to behave like tools for instant gratification, except that this gratification concerns more fundamental, absolute and unconscious instances of the human psyche. It's not as palpable as sources of raw and atavistic desires that can be identified like hunger or sexual desire (well... but hey, that's another subject).
"But Valentin, we learn things on this forum! Like...humm..Solipsism? I've seen Leo's 2 hours video with his cute thumbnail?"
Yes of course you learn some notions, fortunately lmao, but it doesn’t meant you really progressed in spirituality whatsoever, if it was really your goal, you would have had concrete companies like doing lots of internships, training, lots of reading... And you wouldn't have time to hang around here anyway(obviously, and no Schizophonia is not hypocritical, but I am also a wanker).
This is why you insist on interacting with people here rather than addressing real professionals, real customers…or simply actual friends, and VIRTUALLY progress with spirituality, with women, with your self-confidence, in cooking or in any field whatsoever.
In other world it's basically a hobby of some kind. No matter the pompous decoration.
Let's be honest between us, as anyone here taken away something palpable from Léo Gura's latest video, a concrete primed change?
Did anyone just watch his video and then say "Oh my God, thank you Leo, I had no idea that *addxsentenceofLeo"
This doesn't mean that the forum is useless, but it does mean that this form of interaction with others and the world in general tends to be regressive if you want serious evolution.
 
 
And I like the truth and progression. The faster the better because you see I don't have unlimited time to make money, a pleasant place in society, to find love, to get rid of my neuroses, to become stronger and put myself in a position to enjoy life to the fullest.
I am not the least privileged, God gave me the chance to have the strength to progress here and there and now I am doing well, but I have been able to observe myself, in my family, close friends, random people, that you can spend your life in neurosis and failure because YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ACTIVE ENOUGH.
And the more disadvantaged you are, the more you NEED TO BE ACTIVE.
 
Now let's get to the point of this topic.
 
I challenge a certain number of volunteer Actualizer listed below to a duel, I offer 2 types of duel depending on the subject.
-For July/August 2024: Debates on Zoom, Skype, even discord, I don't care. (5 maximum)
-The funniest, July/August 2025: MMA, Bare-knuckle (bare-knuckle boxing), Thai boxing or, for the most vulnerable, English boxing.
For debates
@Princess Arabia
@Jason Actualization
@RendHeaven
@undeather
@Michael569
@Nemra
@Danioover9000
@Leo Gura
@Salvijus
@Jowblob
@Jannes
@Breakingthewall
I cited these people because I see them arguing regularly depending on the subject, but I dont target anybody in particular here. 
Everyone can join the party.
It's not even about standing up for something I believe, it's about seeing if you can:
1)To see if you have the courage to show yourself, to expose yourself.
Even beyond the notion of courage, it is quite clear that exposing yourself and abandoning anonymity as much as possible is the main way to move towards greater self-esteem, on many way.

2) To see if you are really capable of defending what you are saying.
Not in a twisted, intellectually dishonest way, playing with words, answering what you want to answer and the way you want to answer.
This time you will be up against the wall.
Or if you simply spit out what Léo, Martin ball or idk who knows else here and there ; Or you throw out your interpretation of your trip of 5 MeO DMT, MDMA or whatever.
A example that comes to mind: I don't know how many times I've seen topics where the subject (challenge) was statements from an orange skeptic/scientist, and the main reaction (including from Leo) was a quick swipe under the excuse that the person concerned seemed "arrogant" or something like that.
Behind that there is obviously the fear of being purely and simply incapable of defending the various antitheses concerned, in particular solipsism and the field of various typical anti-materialist ideas that we find here as a general rule.
 
For the subjects, you just have to PM the ones you want if it gives you confidence, I don't care, the only thing that interests me in history is to have fun working during a month to try to contradict you.  
Examples:
Politic :
-If you are liberal , I will try to show you why we must increase taxes, nationalize raw materials companies, nationalize the banks, I can even play the Marxist and explain why we must nationalize everything and switch to a totally centralized and planned.
-If you are a commie, I can show you why I am liberal, I can even play the strict libertarian like Rothbard.
My references :
Books : "Understand the empire" of Alain Soral, "The Capitalism of Seduction" and "Neo-fascism and the ideology of desire" of Michael Clouscard,  Most of books of Tocqueville.
-Nutrition :
-If you're a vegan, I can play a carnivore.
-If you're carnivore I can play the vegan.
-If you're pro-HFLC I can play the pro-HCLF
-If you're pro SFA I can play the pro PUFA
etctec
 
My references : 
"The biochemistry of Harper", Ray Peat's articles, RPF (including Haidut's and Hans's articles), Great Genereux's articles, Chris Masterjohn's videos and articles, Dr Rand McClains videos and articles, Meso Rx, Book "The Starch solution" of John McDougall, "How to not die" of Dr John McDougall, "We want to live" Of Aaujus Vonderplanits.
Spirituality/philosophy :
-Solipsisme / "Objective" world (?)
-You're god / You're not god.
-God exist / Dont
-Manifestations
I can play the solipsism, I can play the muslim, I can play the ultra materialist atheist skeptic...
 
My references : 
Martin Ball Leo Gura and Adeptes Psychonotica's vidéos
Books : "Your other life" of Franck Lopvet, "A Brief History of Everything" and "Sex, Ecology, Spirituality" of Ken Wilber, most of books of Nietzsche, "Confessions" of Saint Augustin, "Become Super Human" of Joe Dispenza, "Conversations with gods" (all the tomes) of Neale Donald Walsch, "The power of Now" of  
Eckhart Tolle.
I cited some subject, but it could be anything that requires a certain intellectual rigor !
 
For fight:
@Jason Actualization
@RendHeaven 
@StarStruck 
@NoSelfSelf
@mr_engineer
@MarkKol
@Majed
@mmKay
@bebotalk
@Someone here
@r0ckyreed
If I'm notified of you, it's because for some reason I remember your screen name and know that you regularly talk about topics that involve being particularly masculine. But again, it's open to everyone who want bing ass-kicked lol.
Either because that's who you pretend to be in one way or another, or because you want to be or need to be but can't (typically the incels one)
Fight
The choice of MMA is not imperative, if you really want to take risks we can even do bare-knuckle boxing for example.
Vice versa, if you tremble and fart at the idea of doing a friendly amateur fight in MMA, it can also be English boxing, Thai boxing, Full contact, Jujitsu, whatever...
 
I will probably be able to travel at least twice.
We can rent an octagon (or other ring/lounge, depending on the sport) and prepare a fight in certain cities preferably in North America, South America and Europe.
 
The legislation in France is a bit cumbersome (you have to have a local license, there's a lot of stupid paperwork...), but we can still use super octagons in the Paris region.
Otherwise we can easily organize a fight in most countries of Eastern Europe (Poland, Ukraine, Russia...), Central Europe and even Scandinavia.
Because you have to know how to decide in life :
-London (the simplest)
-Prague
-Oslo
-Stockholm
-Warsaw
-Moscow
-St Petersburg
 
I can also (and I intend as a tourist) to travel to North America.
It can be (preferably) in Florida, California, or even Oregon (I know people there)
I propose : 
-Portland 
-San Diego
-San Francisco
-Miami
-Even Las Vegas
If you are cat-perched on the east coast, we can also organize this in New York.
Whether in the European case or in the United States, it could be other cities, these are just (in part a priori) preferences.
Obviously, I'm not going to spend several thousand euros just for fights so it won't be in a random city.
If MMA (or bare-knuckle), then we will do classic 15 minute fights in three rounds.
Victory only by submission, TKO or KO, otherwise draw.
 
I'll stop there, I'll modify the topic if necessary.
 
Now PM or dunce cap 

I'm reading about deep stuff on science, engineering, technology, computer science and physics.
I will develop a deep understanding of these fields to create new solutions to humanity.
I will share resources, books, lectures on these fields.
 

Hey, 
There are many reasons why it could be so. It could be a compromised immune system in general or a prior infection (e.g. COVID) that has taken hold of you. It might also come down to your lifestyle, diet or living environment. Sometimes, immune system is also weakened by a challenging life circumstances. 
Here is a non-exhaustive list of things to look into  
long-COVID - a possible and somewhat likely explanation given it was the trigger low iron - significant contributor to weak immune system  low vit D / zinc / selenium / protein / hypocaloric diet/ low antioxidant status (e.g. glutathione, vit E, selenium etc) or even antioxidant depletion if your body was, for example, struggling to produce sufficient glutathione because your levels of proline, glycine and other amino acids was low during a period of high stress or while experimenting with restrictive diets, fasting etc - this is a speculation without testing.  chronic stress, burnout, redundancy any situation that requires you to "burn the candle from both ends"  living with someone who is often sick  living in a "sick building" - mould contamination, loud noises, poor air quality, poor water quality (old piping, high chlorine levels)  thyroid - anything and everything could be anchored in thyroid hormone imbalance  insufficient sleep quality / length  insufficient or excessive physical activity  temperature at your home - too cold / too hot  some form of low-grade allergic response - pet, food item, environmental  undergoing a major life transition (career, housing, childcare, caring for an elderly, bereavement)  If I was to guess based on the little info I would write you a referral and sent you off to get your full iron panel, vitamin D and thyroid assessed. Then I would ask you to make sure you are eating enough and that your diet is covering all your essential micro and macro nutrients. You can easily track a few days in Cronometer and see what's missing. I'd also critically assess your - exercise routine, sleep and stress levels. 
Once those are all checked and good, move down the list 

I consider myself an intermediate lifter (even tho more on the lower end) and want to simplify my program and focus. I want to train 3 times a week with the same 7 exercises. How far can I expect to get?
Here are the exercises:
- https://www.strengthlog.com/smith-machine-squat/ [legs] (I prefer the stability of a machine rather than doing a normal squad)
- https://www.strengthlog.com/bar-dip/ [chest] (I know bench press is the king, but I feel very anxious doing them and half-ass it with very low results)
- https://www.strengthlog.com/deadlift/ [lower back/legs] (might replace with a back extension if this will fatigue my body too much)
- https://www.strengthlog.com/cable-close-grip-seated-row/ [upper back]
- https://www.strengthlog.com/hammer-curl/ [biceps]
- https://www.strengthlog.com/tricep-pushdown-with-rope/ [triceps]
- https://www.strengthlog.com/dumbbell-lateral-raise/ [shoulders]
+ I consider either adding or replacing 1 arm exercise with an abb exercise. To keep myself fresh, I might change the order of the exercises.

I know @Michael569 promoted something similar. Any opinions?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRC9-q4_UK8 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY6h37zMPNY&t=335s <-- Best diet for intelligence
I saw some people post about this channel in an old thread. This guy claims to have boosted his IQ by 15 points with quad n-back training and in the process developed better problem solving skills and visualization skills that helped him solve chess puzzles better, even though he barely played. Could be worth looking into
^^^ This guy also has a really interesting channel that deals with memorizing with the use of visualization and memory palaces. He also has an interview with Kurt from Theories of everything. Looking into memory palaces and memory techniques used in books like "Moonwalking with Einstein" could also be useful

Let's get a thread going that showcases the deep intelligence of survival in nature. This helps people see the intelligence and sneakiness of survival in the human realm.
Try to post examples not merely of survival, but the intelligent, deceptive, and sneaky nature of survival.
 

I read Leo's recent blog posts about science/spirituality.
They're hilarious! ...But also seriously on point, and they've inspired this rant that I'm about to go on about my development as a scientist and self-ac.
This will be about how I got into science, my epic fails with attracting girls, and my militant atheism that slowly evolved to spirituality. 
My writing style is chaotic, bouncing left and right, so bare with it. I'm curious if there are any other scientists in the house who share a similar story. Go!
                    
So, where do I begin ? When I was about 12 I'd reached my peak of social stifled-ness and self-pity. I got bullied at school every day and I hid it all from my family; I was so embarrassed about it I didn't even want to reach out for help, lol. I couldn't talk to girls for shit and anything sexual terrified the living shit out of me (even though of course I secretly longed for intimacy with a girl). I'd spend about an hour a day watching Neil Degrasse Tyson and using his talking points to debate religious people over atheism on Facebook. All of this was all around the same exact time I was introduced to my love-passion to this day: geology. I knew this was what I had to devote a large portion of my life to, as I had the insight that "Holy shit, this is the first time I've ever been enthusiastic about something ever!" 
So I have something I'm passionate about now. But... (fuck!) having a passion outside of people doesn't kill aloneness. Ya still gotta mingle. So, why did I struggle to make connections? On the surface it was obvious: I played video games all the time, all my friends were also virgins, and I secluded myself in my bedroom trying to meet girls on Omegle. Oh dear, how those early days make me cringe immensely. Ah, but whatever, it's the truth.
I spent 6 years at college studying geology, honestly loving it. I loved getting straight A's in something I believed in. I loved hiking mountains with seasoned professors and doing research. (Side note: I was lucky to have green profs; I've met orange ones and they are everything that's wrong with science. But we'll get to that shortly.) In the middle of those 6-years at uni, I was starting to have second thoughts about the legitimacy of science, all before I'd even found Actualized.org. Getting into weed and psychedelics was a solid catalyst in the process of deconstructing science: no other student in my classes that I knew was taking them to understand something. I could now see that science doesn't know everything. (Duh! How in the fuck could it explain the experience of psychedelics?!). I began to have a total change of heart about what I was doing.
In my senior year I began dating this actually decently attractive girl (I really have no idea how she came barreling in!). But that sexual bond with another human finally gave me the confidence to investigate reality further. So I did. 
Right before the start of COVID I began meditating every day. After just 10 days of practice I began having an ego back-lash that would break my notions of science down further. I remember to this day sitting in a climate change class and being like "fuck, how do I even justify being here? I love studying this shit, but I can see the systemic epistemic problems now, clear as day." So I began reading lots of books to gain additional perspectives. And... I moved towns for grad school and broke up with my girl. I did it because I had my first inklings of getting into cold-approach seduction; new girls abound! But since it was COVID, I remained this bedroom-cave monk, meditating daily for 14 months straight before switching to binaural beats for a while. Oh and also I was taking psychedelics once every couple months and having more and more ridiculous trips.
In spite of seeing through science, I chose to get into grad school, mostly for a free ride to Mongolia, where my field work would be. As COVID ended, I tried and failed at a lot of chances of getting with girls, because I was afraid of asking and I kept hiding my sexuality. So I decided enough was fucking enough and began cold-approaching. Didn't do much of it at first, but enough to build a foundation. Had a wing here and there, but no results. I was still alone. But whatever, the point was I kept moving and self-actualizing, discovering new aspects of self and life.
This year I am 25 years old. Last year I flew to Mongolia and had the summer of my dreams, camping in the steppe and sedeucing incredible Mongol women back in the capital city.  I just attended an Owen Cook bootcamp and now approach regularly. I moved from northeast to southwest USA and showed up with barely anything in my pocket. I work in Alaska on and off in a geotechnical job at a mine. The job I'm working at is full of people who are stuck in their heads and I'm not immune to that, as it rubs off on me. In my first week I was told multiple times to tone myself down by higher ups. Some of the younger men I work with are married or have girlfriends, but it's obvious they don't have any amazing social skills and are settling in some form. Nothing wrong with that, but it's funny how this is almost always the case. 
On another note, I've written half a book and recently barfed-up a big MS OneNote philosophy about geoscience and how the field would benefit from a deeper investigation into epistemics, big-picture thinking, and consciousness, blah blah blah. It's super cool to me, but I think I need to excommunicate myself from the field before I can open up about it, whitsle-blower style. Here's the true dilemma I face and why I might just leave: under the conditions I'm currently in, I am (1) working with people who are sexually beige, and socially meh unless they drink a couple beers (yep, geology has a big beer-drinking culture, look it up), (2) I want to talk about personal development, psychedelics, spirituality, but there's zero room for that and I can literally feel myself wanting to talk about it, but then stuffing it down on the regular.
Of course, I can't leave this job right away as I'm still recovering from being a broke-ass grad student. Things are gonna take time to evolve. The way things are now as I see it, living in a big city environment for the first time has exposed me to just how materialistic people can be. But somewhere in there also lies the social elites who at least know how to connect with the opposite sex. And therein lies the crux to the personal development problem: how to do work with the right people AND be socially attractive, yet detached, AND pursue a deep spiritual awakening / God-realization process all in one? It's a beautiful problem I'm working on, and I think the linchpin is changing how I make money to survive.
Being self-employed and financially-independent are big steps, and really where everything might spring forth. I'm trying to see if I can learn copywriting / ghostwriting. Or something that will also set me up for releasing content when the time comes to break free. But for now we stand here.
                    
Where are my scientist peeps at? 

The person who made this video admits to oversimplification while discussing a computer but its best to think of this video of a summary.
 

You 100% need breakthrough experiences more, and the best you can do is go to a retreat center for a couple of weeks & months as well as combine it with psychdelics. Check out transcendene asn an audiobook.

See, Hear, Feel is also there to prepare you for all possible meditation techniques and retreats out there. 

See what resonates for me top results I got is with just with peak experiences:
Psychdelics + Self-Inquiry & Do-Nothing(Do-Nothing no technique possible as consciouness state is to high) Retreats Zen See, Hear, Feel with expansion & contraction paradigm -> best practical life changes & karma digestiong imo Self-inquiry (interchangeable with see,hear,feel & zen retreats) / Visualization Kriya-Yoga (very difficult to practice) Breath counting Overall, there will be not breakthrough without doing retreats. It's not about meditation sessions it's about depth of experience and that is mostly possible with 3-10 day retreats. A 3 month retreat can save 10 years of practice if you do the retreat for 3 months for stream entry. Just doing things strategically is exhausting as hell. Get a minimum of 14 days of retreats in focus also a bit more on the concentration side of things and what resonates generally. 

I daily get different tastes at least of states and higher emotions, my emotional mastery definitely increased I was even more out of whack 8 years ago, and a lot of trauma got released thanks, also to shadow work type practices. I wish I could have gone a bit slower. 

I am meditating now close to 8 years with 1h - 45 min practice and numerous 2 days (20-30) weekend retreats from Shinzen etc. It's not worth it if you can't sustain the following imo. (As well as 1 zen retreat)
Daily practice 1h minimun to be more "hardcore"  14 days retreats per year at best one stretch (minimum) Psychdelics if you can handle them speeds things up tremendously Be stable in life Have a shadow work & trauma type practice Read scriptures about the path and inspire yourself. Weight lifting man! It stacks up tremendously, yet you have to take retreats my man! Otherwise shit will not change fundamentally, 1h practice accumulates a lot also, I change everyday bit by bit even in the worst of times. 

Definitely do retreats, and be financially save to do them, so you don't become a broke corrupted spiritual servitor, if you are confident in your abillity apply for voluntariy at retreat centers, if you want to save money for bigger things and also exhaust karma man. Go out and fuck girls, trust nobody and give away your authority no matter how painful it is if you don't feel an intutive pull and even then you'll get emotionally damaged. 

Don't trust every cannabis users reports, people who are unstable in life and never interconnected scriptures. Be friend and see what resonates, as well as build a life that can accomdate spiritual practice and retreats and people who resonate with that. 

The point is it has become such a marketing fad, to make it non religious and secular based on science, that most forget what it's truely about. 1h meditation session does nothing, if you attend a retreat and you comeback and you do a 1h sit you notice wow, I never meditated before properly. There are many other things. Yet this is a raw structure, of what would give more peak experiences. Especially how hectic these days are and the new research on psychdelics I can only recommend that if you are stable and 21 y.o and have managed finances etc. are setup in life. 

I am not the best example, yet this is what it looks like, also if you are healthy weight lifting and yes... this is the best case scenario imo, besides doing visualization practices. Also learn from all teachers, it takes longer yet it's worth it that was the advice I was given, if I could I would concentrate more, yet I do better digesting sensory experiences. 

Check also in with experienced teachers and coaches once per year, hire a coach if you're serious and need a little structure & help as well as someone to talk to. You could find someone here also, yet I mostly don't have the best of experiences here. 

Nice thread idea! As someone who is in the middle of something similar and trying to make sales while being as ethical as possible, I can tell you that it feels like crawling naked and bare footed through thorn bushes. Especially when all you see around you are either examples of unethical marketing or bad practice. I've been exploring ways to do it better as a part of my own rebrand and migration to another platform so maybe this will help someone. 
This mostly relates to website content and writing a copy but that's how you make sales as a small business with relatively low audience and website traffic. 
Brand consistency - everything you do, write, create and show to people needs to fall under your branding guidelines. Best work with someone who has done this before. This helps the customer clearly distinguish your brand from the 5 other competitors they saw today.  Brand colours - you can't blast random colours across your web and social content. You need to have a blend of agreed bland colours. Also, be clear on how those colours interact and how they work together, test the contrast (you want AA or AAA rating). Agree on font colours, leading colours, accent colours and special colours (for buttons, frames etc). Also make sure your colours pass the colourblindness test (use Adobe colour tool for that).  Fonts, font sizing, font spacing - absolute consistency across all platforms Logo (used everywhere) - colour consistent with your branding colours  Voice & Style of communication - has to be consistent across all platforms. Always know who you are talking to. Personally, I find this the most challenging part of the branding.  When writing your marketing copy, focus on description rather than persuasion. Simply tell the story of what your product does rather than trying to convince the reader toi buy from you. Deliberately introduce some vagueness and let the customers fill in the gaps with their imagination  A lot of copies are written in a "push push" way rather than simply describing how your product supports the client and helps you remove their pain. The moment you start pushing them to make a sale through buttons , CAPS and all sort of clickbait techniques, you're compromising your ethics and business integrity, in the future potentially even your Google SEO. Same goes for social advertisement.  Not every website visitor is in the transaction stage - some people are just browsing and if you keep pushing them down a sales funnel they will get upset and leave. This is why it is important to have some simple "about" - subpage for those who are just browsing and a more direct sales funnel page for those who are almost ready for a transaction. Transaction page needs to be clear, simple and 100% concise. No bs, no fluff.   Content over fluff - remember that every word on your website (unless your website is a blog) is a sales copy. So treat everything you write as such. Make every word count. Clarity, consistency, simplicity, stay away from technical jargon unless your audience is technical or academic.  Empathy - if you are offering a service that is supposed to make someone's life better, spend some time, before writing your copy, about what state the reader is in when they read the copy. What do they feel? What do they fear? How easily overwhelmed are they? How easily confused are they? What is likely to discourage them?  Create an avatar of your ideal client persona  - self explanatory but not easy to do 0.2 - 2 - 6 second rule - the numbers may be a bit off but basically, people make a decision whether an article is worth reading within a fraction of second. This happens subconsciously, especially if you are trying to speak to people who are generally overwhelmed . Then if they decided that it is worth browsing, they may take another 2-3 seconds to photo reading through (keywords, highlights, words they are searching for, "is this for me?". Once they acknowledge that article is worth reading they will spent about 6-8 seconds reading the first paragraph which is why you need to grab attention immediately, in the first paragraph by talking about the client, not yourself. if you lose them there, they leave. Once they are past 6-10 seconds they continue reading unless it turns out that the article is not for them and about them - then they leave.  Only talk about yourself through the lenses of the client: "Example: I am xyz and I help people who XYZ"  Rather than writing 5 paragraphs about how awesome you are your education, background and why you do what you do. People generally don't care about you, they only care about themselves and their problems (I don't mean this in a negative way, more from a business transaction way. That's just how it is. )  Always assume that your website visitor doesn't know who you are, what you do, how you do it, why you do it  - you need to be able to clarify these things to them immediately. Spell it out clearly without being too pushy Dangerous words & statements in your marketing copy   Patronising - "let me tell you why" , "I'm sure you can do better"  ,  "You haven't seen what XYZ is until you try my XYZ thing"  Being too presumptuous - "I'm sure you've heard , I'm sure you've seen the ..." I assume you've come to this website because...."  Bragging & belittling the reader  Being too rational and too technical  Talking too much about yourself  Trying to sound like an influencer (unless your clients want that)  Mixing tenses between present, future, past perfect, present perfect etc - stick to one  Excessively masculine style of writing (bro language using words like - strategy, tactical, conditioning, workout, dominating, influence, power etc)  Too much fluff & vagueness - turning the sales copy into poetry (Example of a fluff: "I will guide you through a journey of self discovery and recognition of your inner power, helping you rekindle that flame , showing you how to realise your greatest potential" caveat - some softness is good and it helps to empathise with clients and is more accepted by female readers but important not to soften up the entire copy unless your service requires it specifically Bonus: Don't assume that just because your business is ethical you don't need to master the technical side of online business. Even if you don't plan to abuse it, you need to educate yourself on Google SEO basics and the advertisement standards. 
There is much more but I find these were helpful. 

Morality has never been a complicated issue. The complicated issue has been implementing it. If you want a moral code it goes like this.
1. Whichever action maximizes the individual fitness and creative expression for all. 
2. This means all of countries resources should be centered around expanding opportunities for all, free training for all levels for all. Free support for all maladies for all. 
3. Within every human is an understanding of how things COULD look like if we weren't so selfish but collectively we are.
4. Also there is an age old ethic about whether you should sacrifice the few to save the many, the answer to that is easy. You use available resources to try to salvage/save the few but if you cannot save them you have to sever them. It's not difference than if your leg was detrimental to your body and needed to be cut off for your survival. You try your best to save it but if you can't then you off it.
Now the real question would be, when has it become too worse off to save? The difficulty in implementing morality is dealing with the various interest groups which seek to keep their power in spite of how it impacts the whole, and knowing when you cannot save the few who are dangerous to the whole. 
A true morality would lead with compassion, empathy, forgiveness, but also have the capability to be a stone cold killer if needed and would be decisive and swift in that action. Rare is the person/leader, much less the organization with that type of fortitude.
But a true test of morality is your ability to answer ethical dilemmas. So if you want a moral system....create some ethical dilemmas right now and then think up best what is the optimal system. Understand even if you think of the best moral system, it doesn't mean others will be selfless enough to implement it. The most important part of morality, is the developmental level of those implementing it.
When it comes to building and optimizing the moral system from the ground up, studying how the systems of our bodies and other bodies of living organisms and emulating them (while adjusting for the emotional bias component absent from these systems) would be a good start.
Systems thinking would be at the core of building a moral code. The code would be fluid and lead with principles of first do no or as little harm as possible, focus on support and empowerment and the development of autonomy, and then streamlining of resources and communication while supporting creativity and innovation. With the ability to be cold-hearted in times of emergency when you have to amputate the rotten part. 
For an outside the box example of systems thinking in action in nature....here is an example.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/brains-are-not-required-when-it-comes-to-thinking-and-solving-problems-simple-cells-can-do-it/
 

I just gave GPT-4 and Claude Opus my YouTube subscription list, personal book list with my book ratings, and the "Me sheet" I created by doing the life purpose course and all its exercises a few times over. They both told me I'm destined to become a way cooler version of Leo. Now I just have to kick back and let the magic happen.

GPT-4:
Based on the detailed information provided, including your "Me Sheet," YouTube channel subscriptions, and book list, it's evident that your interests and strengths are deeply rooted in self-improvement, consciousness, creativity, learning, and teaching. Your values and strengths suggest a passion for understanding complex concepts and a desire to help others grow. Considering these insights, here are some career paths or professions that could align with who you are, where your talents lie, and what motivates you:
1. Educational Content Creator or YouTuber
Given your subscription to channels like 3Blue1Brown, Actualized.org, and Ted-Ed, and your interest in teaching and creativity, creating educational content could be a fulfilling path. You could focus on topics ranging from personal development, consciousness, to complex educational subjects, leveraging your creativity and love of learning.
2. Life Coach or Personal Development Coach
Your values in consciousness, wisdom, and guiding others, combined with strengths in perspective and leadership, suggest a career in coaching. Specifically, focusing on personal development, mindfulness, or executive coaching could allow you to guide individuals towards realizing their potential and achieving their personal and professional goals.
3. Author or Writer
Considering your extensive book list and love for learning and creativity, writing books or articles on topics such as self-improvement, consciousness, psychology, or even fictional works that explore these themes could be a good fit. Your appreciation for beauty and excellence could help you craft compelling narratives that resonate with readers.
4. Academic or Researcher
Your strong inclination towards knowledge, learning, and understanding, along with your list of book subscriptions, indicates a potential career in academia or research. Focusing on fields such as psychology, philosophy, or even the interdisciplinary study of consciousness could align with your interests. This path allows for deep exploration of topics that fascinate you while contributing to the body of knowledge through teaching and publishing research.
5. Mindfulness or Meditation Instructor
Given your value in consciousness and your subscriptions to channels like Moojiji and Sadhguru, becoming a mindfulness or meditation instructor could be a fulfilling career path. This role allows you to directly apply and share your insights on consciousness, presence, and equanimity with others, guiding them towards a more mindful and balanced life.
6. Innovative Leader in Tech or Creative Industries
Your strengths in creativity, leadership, and appreciation of beauty and excellence suggest a role where you can lead projects or teams in creating innovative solutions or products. This could be in tech startups, design agencies, or any field where innovative thinking and leadership are valued. Your ability to envision and execute novel ideas could drive significant advancements in your chosen field.
7. Therapist or Counselor Specializing in Existential or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Your deep values in understanding the human mind and minimizing suffering, along with a strength in perspective, might make you an excellent therapist. Specializing in existential therapy or CBT could allow you to help clients navigate their paths to self-awareness and personal growth, addressing core issues and promoting mental health.
8. Educator or Professor in Philosophy, Psychology, or Personal Development
Your passion for knowledge and guiding others could also translate into a career in education, specifically teaching subjects related to philosophy, psychology, or personal development. This role would allow you to shape the minds of future generations, encouraging them to explore and understand the depths of human consciousness and potential.
9. Public Speaker or Workshop Leader
Given your strengths in leadership and teaching, coupled with your interest in personal development and self-awareness, conducting workshops or speaking at public events on these topics could be a rewarding path. This role would leverage your ability to inspire and guide others through spoken word, sharing insights on consciousness, personal growth, and living a meaningful life.
10. Social Entrepreneur
Focusing on creating businesses or organizations that aim to solve social problems or contribute to the wellbeing of society could align with your values and strengths. This path combines creativity, leadership, and a desire to make a positive impact on the world, focusing on areas such as mental health, education, or sustainability.
In considering these career paths, it's essential to reflect on what resonates most with your personal mission and where you feel you can make the most significant impact. Each of these professions allows for the integration of your values, strengths, and interests, providing a platform for continuous personal and professional growth.



Claude Opus:

Based on the information provided, including your values, strengths, YouTube subscriptions, and book list, here are some career paths and professions that might suit you well:
Teacher or Professor: Your values of teaching, guiding, and leading, along with your strength in love of learning and your diverse interests, could make you an excellent educator. You could teach a variety of subjects, from philosophy and psychology to technology and science.
Life Coach or Personal Development Consultant: Your strengths in perspective, leadership, and creativity, combined with your interest in personal growth and self-improvement, could make you an effective life coach or consultant, helping others navigate challenges and achieve their goals.
Researcher or Academic: Your love of learning, creativity, and appreciation of excellence could lead you to a fulfilling career in research or academia. You could pursue advanced degrees in fields such as psychology, philosophy, or computer science and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in these areas.
Entrepreneur or Innovator: Your strengths in creativity, leadership, and perspective, along with your diverse interests and curiosity, could make you a successful entrepreneur or innovator. You could start your own business or work for a company that values innovation and creative problem-solving.
Writer or Content Creator: Your love of learning, creativity, and perspective could lead you to a career in writing or content creation. You could write books, articles, or scripts on a wide range of topics, from personal development and philosophy to technology and science.
Meditation or Mindfulness Instructor: Your interest in consciousness, awareness, and wisdom, along with your strengths in teaching and guiding others, could make you an effective meditation or mindfulness instructor. You could help others develop greater self-awareness and inner peace.
Software Developer or Data Scientist: Your interests in technology, problem-solving, and creativity, along with your strengths in love of learning and perspective, could lead you to a career in software development or data science. You could work on cutting-edge projects and use your skills to create innovative solutions.
These are just a few ideas based on the information provided. Ultimately, the best career path for you will depend on your specific interests, skills, and values, as well as your willingness to pursue education and training in your chosen field.

I've been using Obsidian for note-taking for 3 years, and it has been a great app for organizing and connecting ideas and thoughts. 
But recently, I found this plugin that allows you to connect ChatGPT with Obsidian and basically talk to your notes and find insights and connections. It does a great job of finding recurrent ideas/themes or generating new ideas across thousands of notes. 
https://github.com/brianpetro/obsidian-smart-connections
Just thought I'd share this. 

Woodrow Wilson was a strong center-left progressive for his time (1910s). He actually became the very first liberal Democratic president in US history whereas FDR was the 2nd liberal Democratic president in US history. Wilson's New Freedom major policy changes were undoubtedly on the order of Teddy Roosevelt's Square Deal policies (1900s decade) and his leadership was very heroic during WW1. That's why most experts rank him as one of the top ten presidents in US history along with TR.
JFK and his legacy has been widely credited for leading the left-wing in America towards success with the civil rights movement and other historic domestic polices that would eventually become LBJ's Great Society programs before he was assassinated. LBJ's major policy changes were on the order of the New Deal in his own way. Like FDR, he too was a progressive center-left populist and most progressives love to reference him as a badass left-wing activist president like FDR, despite his terrible handling of the War in Vietnam.
Truman has also been widely considered amongst experts to also have been a strong and decisive center-left president who fought hard for his party and the rest of the Truman. His policies dramatically expanded both our military defense and US Intelligence agencies. He was in fact responsible for the creation of the CIA. He also has been has usually been ranked as one of the top ten presidents in US history.
Those were all exceptionally strong liberal/progressive Democratic in their own ways. Teddy Roosevelt was actually the last liberal/progressive Republican president in US History. He was a real badass too.
FDR though has been considered by most to the greatest president since the early 1900s because of his incredible heroism as president during the dark days of the Great Depression and WWII. Also, because of how powerful and sustainable of an influence his New Deal policies had many decades later. His policies amounted to the greatest expansion of both the size and scope of the US government and government intervention compared to the policies of any other president in US history. Yet, even though many Americans have hated the idea of the government not minding its own business, FDR's policies still to this day are still alive. Since the 80s, Reagan and the Republicans have failed to eliminate practically any of the New Deal policies including Social Security. The Republicans have also failed to eliminate virtually any of the Great Society policies including Medicare, Medicaid, the landmark Civil Rights Acts, and the landmark Voting Rights Acts. Just like how Trump and the Republicans failed to repeal Obamacare and totally repeal Dodd-Frank.

Yup we guys like a piece of ass and titties. for some men that's the end of the story and that's fair enough.
 
I've always been intrigued WHY do I find specific things sexually attractive and other things sexually repulsive .  Why am I attracted to ass, titties, a beautiful face and smile, well put together, youth, slim , makeup and color? 
Today I'm excited to share some simple but personally satisfying answers. 
It felt like zooming outside of my human being to become conscious of myself being this chimp, and that this chimp has specific preferences and dislikes, like love for sweet and hate of bitter, or being a bee and realizing the evolutionary reason why I'm drawn to flowers
 
This may apply to males at large but I've noticed that different guys have slightly different preferences, which only makes sense because of different successful genetic backgrounds ( if your ancestors mated with females with "X" traits, and you're alive here today, it means traits "X" work for survival and therefore are attractive to you)
Quick note. All of this is from an non judgemental POV with the sole purpose of noticing and understanding . In no way I'm trying to make women feel worse about themselves.
Second quick note. Since in the scope of our evolution the risks of sex are minimal for men compared to women (besides getting your head smashed in by another male/gang of males for having sex with the wrong woman ) we are more okay with just sticking it in literally any chance that we get and possibly skipping on any of these preferences. 
Women on the other hand get f*cking disabled for a year and they can LITERALLY DIE if impregnated. ACTUALLY LITERALLY DIE. Therefore they are a little more picky.
 
Anyways, from my BIOLOGIES POV, for me to be attracted to a woman she has to display physical traits that mean she can bear children GOOD,  and a minimum degree of mental capacities ( otherwise it would be a turnoff because it signals bad genetic material)
For me personally, I know if I'm physically attracted to a women immediately. At a primal biological level. In a single glance. 
Now since I'm not an absolute chimp, her personality can be a further turn off if it's just not for a pump and dump.
 
This one I found to be the most interesting. And it's the exception to the rule:
Beautiful face , smile, teeth. A symetrical Golden Ratio face doesn't provide much raw survival value or information about fertility. The value of a symmetrical face is a strange loop. It's valuable because we value it.
Beauty is slippery. We love the golden ratio. Beauty is valuable because we value beauty. But a pretty face by itself is not enough of an attraction cue as you may have noticed.
You've got all teeth? Clear sign of youth and health. Showing your teeth in monkey societies signals submission . Perfectly aligned teeth are more of a aesthetic and universally recognized love of Beauty in the abstract, like Greek sculptures. 
Why men/I'm not attracted to chubby / fat women This one I've been racking my mind over the longest, and the Insight came to me watching an Instagram reel of a couple dancing bachata.
It was a before / during pregnancy dance video.
In the initial video the girl was slim and I felt she looked very attractive. Few seconds later, the video was cut to them dancing months later where you could tell she is just a tiny little pregnant, she had an inflated belly and my attraction was immediately killed!!
 
So the Insight is that I'm genetically not attracted to chubby or fat women because it resemblances pregnancy. That their fertile real estate is currently taken and therefore not worth pursuing. Also you can't tell THAT easily if they're pregnant already .
Imagine you had sex with a female thousands of years ago and she was pregnant already and you raised a child that's not yours. It's shooting yourself in the foot genetically. Although you may argue being overweight was pretty uncommon throughout history. I know personally men who are into chubby girls.
On the other hand, easily storing fat would be extremely useful and therefore attractive for species who have to survive in places of extreme cold like Alaska. Otherwise It kind of signals scarcity of food and the need to hoard. Historically Surviving is easier if you're capable of consistently obtaining food from outside of your own fat sources. It's more efficient to be thin.
Make up , Youth , Color An appearance well taken care of is the physical visual equivalent of seeing muscles on a guy . It's a what's called a "honest signal" , which means it's a conveyance of value that can not be faked. You are strong, end of story. Or in her case , you have put time and effort into your appearance, which signals good caretaking , which is essential for raising children. Contrast it with looking like this
A dishonest signal of value would be mentioning you get laid a lot, even if it's true . Because that CAN be a lie and not true.
Make up covers skin signs of ageing. And genetically we're attracted to young women because they're in their prime for bearing children.
I'm genetically attracted to female eye contact, a primal indicator of sexual interest.
Once two attractive women were in front of me. Only one had done her eyes and eyelashes done. It emphasizes her eyes A LOT more.
 
Colorful make up for eyelids, lipstick etc, simply draw attention for humans overall, not just for men. I have been using my smartphone in black and white mode for the last few weeks and it's astonishing how much less distracting app icons are.
Color provides vital information about ripeness of food, time of day, poisoning factor of food or animals or insects, purity of water, etc. Conclusion : color draws attention because it conveys information.
Why the hourglass shape? Thin body with broad hips is the genetic  preference. I didn't know this but broad hips are a big factor on how well the mother can give birth. The mother can literally die if her hips arent wide enough, because of the size of human babies. Nowadays C-sections exist which would minimize the attraction to wide hips, but it's still there instinctually.
Why the attraction to booty? It comes from our monkey times. Bonobos and macaques specifically find swollen buttocks more attractive because it signals more estrogen and fertility
Titties? I was watching  a absolutely non sexual video. Some people were talking . The woman was wearing a loose shirt. For a speck of a second, she accidentally pulled on a part of her shirt and it slightly shaped to the form of her bra. I instantly noticed I felt a primal feeling of attraction. It was so quick I barely noticed it happening, and had to rewind the video to investigate what the fuck had just happened
If she has breasts , biologically it means she is past puberty and ready to bear children. Non sagging breasts are a signal of youth as well.
 
All of this is just from a primal perspective. Of course modern humans have the capacity to appreciate personality, and for quality couples it's an absolute must.
Hope I shared an insightful perspective about why men judge women that heavily on physical appearance.
Let me know if you want to share some interesting take.
Do not turn this into a gender war post 
 

Hello Everyone! I do an Ayahuasca ceremony once per year in the Spring. And I just had my yearly Ayahuasca ceremony a couple weeks ago. 
To preface this, it has been revealed to me in previous ceremonies that the purpose of my life is mercy. And that I came from a point of God's consciousness that felt totally overwhelmed by the infinite. So, it created Emerald as an imperfect, ordinary, finite being as a vacation for God's consciousness from the perfect, extraordinary, and infinite. And along with these insights showed me that I (and all of the finite) is a precious gem in its eyes as it is through me (and other finite beings) that beauty and meaning can be derived.
Another thing I had learned in previous ceremonies is that there is a generational trauma pattern that goes through my matrilineal line around betrayal. And this has created a dynamic in my mother, myself, and my daughter where we all feel like we have to have perfect knowledge... because we don't trust God, the universe, ourselves, or anyone else. So, we must have the omniscience of God... because of this lack of trust so that we can avoid the betrayal that we expect at every turn (from our mothers and from God itself).
And this presents itself in different ways for all of us... but the trauma is the same.
My mom convinces herself that she's absolutely right and will sacrifice everything so that she can maintain the idea that she's correct and therefore righteous. I am never certain that I'm right or righteous about anything, so I've spent every spare moment of my life compulsively questioning everything about everything ad infinitum in hopes that I can finally find the truth... only to find nothing solid to grasp. And my daughter will never guess at anything unless she's 200% certain that she knows... so it takes here about 4-5 times longer than her peers to finish her school work.
Here is what happened with the medicine
I went in with the intention to forgive my mom for the ways she's hurt me. My mom is a very fabulous mother to children under the age of 8. She's attentive and really sees the child as a special apple of her eye and she will do anything for them. And this was the treatment that I got until I was 8 and she was my favorite person in the world... shy of maybe my paternal grandma.
And that's when I started to develop a mind of my own that wasn't exactly like hers.
And this began to trigger the fear of not possessing infinite knowledge. And (to avoid getting into too many details) led her to become tyrannical and infantilizing at first to try to keep me in her narrative... trying to keep me from growing up. Then, eventually (at age 12) when she saw that she couldn't control me and I was challenging her logic, she cut me out of her life and I went to go live with my dad. And she didn't talk to me for a year or two at a time at various points during my pre-teens, teens, and earlier adulthood.
So, I wanted to forgive her because I'm still angry and hurt by this... given that it was a total rug-pull and pendulum swing.
And I've been expecting that of God ever since... and continuously questioning everything so that I am not blind-sided in case all of reality and everything I think I know was actually a trick of the devil.... and eventually it will be revealed that I've been in hell the whole time and all the direct experiences of God's mercy were all just a trick.
I've experienced God in my medicine journeys many many times... and I always convince myself afterwards that it could just be an illusion... even though I believe it's real deep down. I'm just always spinning my wheels with a lack of trust and constant questioning... expecting a betrayal from God.
So, in this medicine experience... I woke up to God with me as an extension of its consciousness (as it often presents itself in my Ayahuasca journeys).
And it exposed me (as it had done a couple times before) to infinite knowledge. And infinite knowledge in a finite being is hell... and is a large part of why God decided to manifest part of its consciousness as Emerald in the first place because part of its consciousness could not handle the exposure to the infinite mind and infinite heart.
And when I was exposed to the infinite knowing, I had to actively choose to forget the infinite knowledge and to choose to be Emerald again and again. 
It was showing me that the birth of meaning and beauty comes from choosing finiteness. And if you can choose between being finite and infinite... it's wisest to choose to be finite.
And when I was choosing to be Emerald I was going through the labor pains of birthing myself and the entirety of the world into existence as the finite. The labor pain was experienced as part of God extricating itself from the infinite to become finite.
And I had to keep doing this as I would lose connection to the finite and slip off into the chaos of infinite knowing. And I'd have to trust God that it would choose to re-manifest Emerald again.
And it communicated to me (I was also it so it was like another being was talking to me... but also like I was talking to myself)... and it told me that I can choose to trust it. And it was very understanding as to why I wouldn't trust it because the ways it works aren't easy or possible to grasp from the perspective of a finite being with a finite mind. 
But it said that I could choose to trust it. And it showed me how I/it manifests everything in my life with my own permission. And that I could trust myself to not subject myself to needlessly tragic circumstances. And that any negative circumstances that I have decided to manifest thus far have all come for the purpose of manifesting future positive outcomes.
And it mentioned that the reason why some people experience intense tragedies is because it is part of the things they've come to learn and experience in this life... though it also specified that this is not always a compassionate truth to share when someone is deeply suffering.
So, I could choose to trust God and myself (which were one and the same) to not have the universe do a sudden heal-turn and subject me to needlessly hellish circumstances and that I didn't have to be hyper-vigilant and know everything to avoid the heal-turn.
It also showed me that I chose the whole entire dynamic with my mother... and that there was nothing to actually forgive. 
At a certain point in time, it showed me the reason for authoritarianism, bigotry, hatred, ignorance, and other forms of pettiness. 
The reason why is because most people don't value finiteness and limitation. And in lieu of consciously choosing to limit ourselves... we manifest authoritarian patterns that create unequal power imbalances. (my mom's infinite knowing tendency is a microcosm of this... but it plays out macrocosmically as well).
And this works to stave off the chaos of the infinite and the suffering that entail... but it creates the suffering associated with constriction and repression. 
So... it was showing me that sovereignty and limitation are important to incorporate in the proper balance. That way, we don't fall over on one side of the horse and drown in the chaos of infinite knowledge and don't fall over on the other side of the horse and have our sovereignty squelched.
It was also showing me (as it has before) how valuable and precious the finite is from the perspective of the infinite. 
Heavy is the head that wears the crown.
And because God is infinite... the infinite is an infinitely heavy crown to wear. And the reason why God can do so effortlessly is that it has TONS of complex mechanisms for fragmenting itself and distributing the weight of the crown.
This is ultimately where Emerald came from. This part of God's consciousness was overwhelmed by the crown. And so, it manifested Emerald as a very ordinary woman to hold a small portion of the crown from time to time. I'm certain the same is true for all finite forms.
And it had shown me in a previous ceremony the consequences of identifying with extraordinariness and specialness and how existentially heavy and disconnecting that is. And then, when it re-integrated me with the ordinary, it was like all that weight got distributed to all of reality. 
So, in this ceremony it showed me how to hold the crown and pass it around to alleviate the weight of the gifts that I have been given.
And this went from me recognizing that, during my ceremony, I was healing the world. And I proudly wore the crown for a moment.
Then... I realized that I was actually just a side character in the whole story and that the random guy journeying next to me was healing the world. 
Then... I realized that it was actually the Yawanawa tribe that was healing the world.
And I kept dispersing the crown across the whole net of humanity to disperse the weight of the crown... which is also important when it comes to having an experience of being God. You are God.... but then... you are also just a small side character in God's story.
Then, this went on further... and I realized that my whole entire life was as a side character in one of my client's lives. And that all of my life purpose was just to serve that other person.
Then... it shifted to me being a side character in one or two of my other client's lives.
Then, it went to me being a side character in the guy next to me's life. 
And it was releasing all this pressure as I was embracing the anonymity and humility of the experience.
Once I started to come back down where I was more in tune with the Emerald Aspect than I was with the God Aspect... I started to look at all the people journeying around me around  the fire.
And I was overjoyed to be surrounded by all these people. And I felt all this appreciation for all the people in my life. And it was a further solidification of the notion that, it is only through finiteness, imperfection, and separation that things like meaning and beauty and relationship can be experienced. 
At this point, I had totally forgotten the infinite knowledge and saw it was wisest to choose to be Emerald, to choose to be finite, to choose to be ordinary, to choose to be imperfect, and to choose to be feminine. (as I had to keep saying all throughout the ceremony)
To give an analogy... if God is the peacock and I am the peahen... the peahen is drab and dull and ordinary from our perspective... but it is the most beautiful and precious creature on Earth from the perspective of the peacock itself.
And in this sense, all finite beings are the peahens. And this allows us to experience an imperfectly beautiful and meaningful story.
There was also a realization that the line between life and death is slight... and beyond that I could see all these other Emerald-related timelines I could live. And it was clear that I could live as Emerald for a zillion lifetimes if I wanted to as God could spin up my life any time it wanted to. So, that also let me know that I didn't have to worry about ultimate loss and having to die and facing the chaos of the infinite again.

Today, Beckley psytech released initial results of a phase2a (mid-stage) clinical trial for treatment-resistant-depression using synthetic 5-meo-dmt.
To enter the study, participants must have clinical depression in which previous treatment options failed (such as SSRIs). Participants were given a single 10mg dose of 5-meo-dmt intranasally. 55% of patients were in remission at week 4 and 45% of patients were in remission at week 12. 
This is the longest follow-up study for 5-meo-dmt. The sample size is small (12 patients), yet very encouraging. TRD is extremely difficult to treat, since standard treatments have already failed. 5-meo-dmt pretty much cured 50% of patients. Non-psychedelic treatments are nowhere close to this. The closest would be psilocybin - which has about a 35% success rate in clinical trials. Yet this involved multiple doses (two or three).
I find it interesting that a single 10mg dose was able to have such an effect. This seems like a relatively low dose (although it was intranasal, which may be a bit stronger than plugged).
As well, participants did not have to go through any lifestyle changes. They came into the clinic for two hours, received a single 5-meo dose and psychological support. And half the recipients were cured. . .