Leo's Blog Discussion Mega-Thread

[Vynce]

Regarding @Leo Gura last post about analysing good structure and content in movies and video games.

Its good that you study it deeply, but how many games and movies have you actually made Leo? When do you get yourself in the real world and do a grand tripple A movie or game about the nature of consciousness or whatever. We are waiting!

On a side note: I watched "Taxi Driver" and "All silent on the western front" recently, which they just happen to become amongst my all time favourite movies ever. 

Have you guys watched "All silent on the western front"? Especially since we have war again in Europe. It leaves you utterly devastated. Real man cry on this one. Maybe the best anti-war movie ever. 

[EternalForest]

2 hours ago, Miguel1 said:

You’ve been in the forum since 2018 and this is where you’re at with understanding Trump?

See, you are the perfect example of Leo’s blogpost.

I understand Trump, and no, I don't hate him. Is that a crime?

I'd also prefer if we had a one on one conversation about this instead of calling me out as the "example" of a person to avoid.

[Princess Arabia]

2 hours ago, Ishanga said:

nothing we say here matters and is forgotten in a week or two..

You keep minimizing the effect this forum may have on anything even society and even the whole world. Anything for that matter. It's all connected, nothing is separate. This is not about woo woo Spirituality either. One comment on here could have impacted someone else in the moment, which in turn impact a family member, which could impact their co-worker, which could impact the boss and so on and so forth. Your very presence here matters in the relative sense or you wouldn't even be here. The mind is what's making the distinction between importance and what's unimportant. Our limited minds can project but so far and a simple thank you or I love you can have a huge impact just by the power those words have. Not the words themselves but the meaning they have and how they make one feel. Don't underestimate the power of what may seem unimportant to you. You'll be surprised when you peel back the layers and see the domino effect of why you married your wife. You might see how the action of someone killing a bee played a role - just saying, or a silly comment someone made on the street 50yrs ago to someone else. 

[Leo Gura]

3 hours ago, Vynce said:

Its good that you study it deeply, but how many games and movies have you actually made Leo? When do you get yourself in the real world and do a grand tripple A movie or game about the nature of consciousness or whatever. We are waiting!

I am working on a game. Which is why I made that post.

My game design skills have skyrocketed thanks to 10 years of pure philosophy. Existential contemplation and consciousness carries over into art and business and gives you a big edge over others.

Edited November 14 by Leo Gura

[koops]

7 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

My game design skills have skyrocketed thanks to 10 years of pure philosophy. Existential contemplation and consciousness carries over into art and business and gives you a big edge over others.

Sounds cool.

Remind me of this quote from Rick Rubin's book.

 

 

[Nemra]

I wonder why the philosophy is called "pure".

[Sandhu]

13 minutes ago, Nemra said:

I wonder why the philosophy is called "pure".

Original, meta, Paradigms free

[gettoefl]

27 minutes ago, koops said:

Sounds cool.

Remind me of this quote from Rick Rubin's book.

 

 

Art is simply anything I make

that people ask I write my signature on

- gettoefl

[Self Discovery]

@Leo Gura Curious, in 2024 how much are you implementing A.I in your game building process?

[docs20]

4 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

I am working on a game. Which is why I made that post.

My game design skills have skyrocketed thanks to 10 years of pure philosophy. Existential contemplation and consciousness carries over into art and business and gives you a big edge over others.

How do you realize a game on your own?

Can you make a blog post about it?

[Juan]

4 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

I am working on a game.

We might get Leo’s game before GTA 6! Let’s gooo! 

[Rishabh R]

On 11/5/2024 at 1:23 PM, Leo Gura said:

 

@Leo Gura Can the things you teach be applied to succeed in a science career or succeed in becoming a scientist ?

[Dazgwny]

8 hours ago, Vynce said:

Its good that you study it deeply, but how many games and movies have you actually made Leo? When do you get yourself in the real world and do a grand tripple A movie or game about the nature of consciousness or whatever. We are waiting!

Patience. These sorts of things are tremendously difficult to achieve, certainly of a high level and anything of any value. It’s not like he’s got some massive team of experts behind him. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult it must be to make a game, especially one that’s any good

[Leo Gura]

6 hours ago, Rishabh R said:

@Leo Gura Can the things you teach be applied to succeed in a science career or succeed in becoming a scientist ?

They are necessary for groundbreaking science.

[Leo Gura]

10 hours ago, Self Discovery said:

@Leo Gura Curious, in 2024 how much are you implementing A.I in your game building process?

Somewhat, but not much.

AI is nowhere capable of doing game development. 98% of it must be done by hand.

7 hours ago, docs20 said:

How do you realize a game on your own?

Can you make a blog post about it?

It's not on my own. I have full time employees.

[r0ckyreed]

Leo’s latest blog post on hummingbirds is quite insightful. I would suggest that spirituality is also seeing the God in the human as well. I find it easier to see the God in nature than I do the God in human. It is hard to see how corruption is God. But yet it is.

[Clarence]

10 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

It's not on my own. I have full time employees.

I'm not a gamer at all, but I'll definitely want to play 

[whh2222]

I really love Leo's hummingbird post.

I was having a drink with one of my closest and oldest friends. We somehow got on the topic of enlightenment and he instinctively said "That's bullshit". I challenged him on it in a polite and friendly way. He took a step back and said "Well, at the very least I think a human reaching enlightenment is bullshit". His viewpoint does not surprise me at all, because after knowing him for almost my entire life, it is easy for me to see that he has a malnourished soul. He has never attempted to meditate, admits he knows nothing about it, and assumes that it wouldn't 'work' for him if he tried. He's constantly in bad moods, he has crippling social anxiety, and his life consist of going to work, playing video games in his room, and occasionally going out for a drink or some food with me. But I digress.
 

I challenged him a bit further on his idea of enlightenment, by pointing out all the amazing things in life that we take for granted. The first thing that came to my mind was pickling. Imagine how amazing of a discovery pickling was many centuries ago. Before refrigerators existed and food spoiled very easily. The discovery of pickling must have been miraculous in its own unique way to humans. But now we can just open up the fridge and pull out a pickle from a jar and think nothing of it. He seemed open to the point I was making, but his mind and soul are too dug into his mode of being to have a breakthrough, especially after one small example.

But the hummingbird example is a much greater example of that. Of a miracle that we as humans don't even notice or contemplate. 

[Davino]

@Leo Gura I enjoyed your cold-blooded political analysis. After such a blackpilling and some reflections, I contemplated possible system corrections with AI. The following reforms are proposed:

Quote

Introducing Accountability and Meritocracy in Modern Democracy

1. Earned Voting Rights Through Education

Proposal: Every citizen retains the right to vote but must pass a comprehensive exam covering basic politics, economics, history, and governance to activate that right. One enabling exam and one renewal each election cycle.

Rationale: Similar to how a driver’s license ensures responsible driving, a "voter’s license" ensures voters are informed. This exam wouldn't be designed to exclude anyone permanently; instead, it would encourage citizens to learn, stay updated, and understand the implications of their vote for their own well being and the rest of the country.

Outcome: Informed voters can make better decisions, reducing the impact of demagoguery and shallow political rhetoric.

2. Meritocracy in Political Leadership

Proposal: Implement clear qualifications for politicians and government officials. Positions of significant responsibility should be filled by individuals with proven expertise, experience, and integrity. For example, economy ministers should have substantial experience in finance administration i.e. an enabling degree and succesful career.

Rationale: Just as we demand qualified professionals in critical fields like medicine and law by means of regulation, our leaders should meet high standards of competence and ethics.

Outcome: By ensuring leaders are knowledgeable and skilled, policies become more effective, and government becomes more accountable.

Potential Concerns and Responses:

Disenfranchisement: The goal is not to restrict voting but to encourage education. Just as anyone can learn to drive and obtain a driver’s license, anyone can study for and pass the voting exam.

Elitism: Merit-based leadership isn't about forming an elite class but ensuring those in power possess the expertise and dedication needed for good governance.

 

[Davino]

This is the summary of the AI discussion about the problems of democracy in first world countries

Quote

Cautionary Warnings about Modern Democracy and Governance

Voter Ignorance & Emotional Decision-Making: Most voters in democratic systems are not unbiased policy analysts but emotionally driven individuals easily swayed by simplistic slogans, sensational media coverage, and charismatic demagogues. Intelligent decision-making is the exception, not the norm.

Media Manipulation & Echo Chambers: The information landscape is saturated with bias, propaganda, and sensationalism—both in mainstream and alternative media. This creates echo chambers that reinforce prejudices and illusions, preventing genuine understanding or consensus-building.

Politicians & Performative Governance: Elected officials often prioritize re-election and public image over effective policymaking. Governance frequently becomes a performance art, where politicians cater to short-term public whims and special interests instead of addressing complex, long-term societal challenges.

Tribalism & Identity Politics: Democracy is heavily influenced by group identities and tribal loyalty. Political debate often devolves into us-vs.-them rhetoric, where ideological purity and emotional solidarity matter more than facts, nuance, or workable solutions.

Shallow Public Discourse: Complex political issues are simplified into black-and-white narratives to fit short election cycles and media soundbites. Substantial policy discussions and critical thinking are overshadowed by drama, sensationalism, and populist appeals to fear or anger.

Systemic Corruption & Self-Serving Elites: Political systems—whether left, right, or center—are subject to corruption. Special interests, corporate money, and personal ambitions shape policy more than public good. The ideals of public service are compromised by careerism and self-interest across the political spectrum.

Lack of Long-Term Perspective: Short-term electoral cycles incentivize politicians and the public to focus on immediate benefits rather than long-term societal well-being. Critical issues like climate change, infrastructure decay, and systemic inequality receive inadequate attention because they require vision beyond the next election.

Miseducation & Under-education of the Electorate: Democracy assumes an informed public, but educational systems often do not equip citizens with critical thinking or deep political and historical knowledge. The complexity of governance is reduced to simplistic slogans that fit on social media platforms like TikTok.

Exploitation of Human Psychology: Politicians and media outlets exploit cognitive biases, fear, and tribal loyalty to manipulate public opinion in favor of their own selfish interests. This means well-intentioned, fact-based debates rarely move the needle compared to emotionally charged rhetoric and disinformation.

Inefficiency & Institutional Paralysis: Modern democracies often end up in gridlock, as polarized factions block each other's efforts; instead of working towards the common good. This results in ineffective governance and inability to address urgent problems. Legislation that does pass is frequently diluted by compromises that undermine effectiveness.

Elitism Behind the Scenes: Real power in democracies often rests with unelected bureaucrats, lobbyists, corporations, and special-interest groups operating behind the scenes. While the public believes it holds power through voting, these elites greatly influence policy outcomes with minimal transparency.

Self-Deception & Delusions of Progress: Society clings to a belief that democracy automatically leads to moral progress and rational governance. In truth, the system can just as easily stagnate, regress, or be exploited by authoritarians if vigilance, critical awareness, and genuine civic engagement are missing.

Disclaimer: Democracy, as practiced in most first-world countries, is an imperfect and easily manipulated system. Voters and leaders alike are susceptible to ignorance, bias, and corruption. While democracy aims to distribute power among the people, without widespread critical thinking, open-mindedness, and moral responsibility, it often fails to achieve its noble ideals and can lead to governance that prioritizes short-term interests over long-term societal well-being. Understanding these harsh realities is crucial for anyone looking to engage meaningfully with political life and advocate for genuine progress in governance.