Leo's Blog Discussion Mega-Thread

[Nilsi]

32 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

You're missing the point.

Of course you can find some counter-examples. The point is to notice how much low consciousness stuff humans usually sing about and how fooled they are with romantic love.

When I make points, they are not simplistic literal statements of absolute fact, they are pointers to things your mind could notice about reality.

When I say something like "everyone" it doesn't literally mean everyone, it is a generalization. I'm not going to over-explain that in a quote. If you can't get what is being pointed at, that's your loss.

That's fair, thanks for the clarification.

But sometimes it's hard to tell where the line is between hyperbole and literal statements with you. And since I don’t get the sense that you’re just throwing out one-liners for a bathroom calendar, I tend to take what you say at face value - because I genuinely respect your perspective and care about understanding where you're coming from.

Edited Thursday at 09:35 PM by Nilsi

[Nemra]

@Nilsi

On 2/6/2025 at 5:15 PM, Leo Gura said:

It's like I need to write a quote, and then write an explanation of it. Like some kind of BIble/Shakespeare commentary. But this feels over-the-top. Sometimes I don't feel like over-explaining it. But it's also important that it not be misunderstood.

There is a trade-off between pithiness and clarity. Quotes sacrifice clarity for pithiness.

 

[Infinite Tsukuyomi]

34 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

Of course you can find some counter-examples. The point is to notice how much low consciousness stuff humans usually sing about and how fooled they are with romantic love.

A few months ago it actually occurred to me that there was not much music about Truth. I only realized because I had the contrast of having come from a Christian background and remembering all the songs about Yahweh and Jesus growing up. Since I'm not a singer I didn't pursue doing so myself, but such music could be an intro to Truth and get people to have some insights. 

I dread the "what kind of music do you like?" question in meeting new people because it's mostly instrumental.  Of course, one would have to care about Truth to begin with to sing about it. 

[Nilsi]

59 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

You're missing the point.

Of course you can find some counter-examples. The point is to notice how much low consciousness stuff humans usually sing about and how fooled they are with romantic love.

When I make points, they are not simplistic literal statements of absolute fact, they are pointers to things your mind could notice about reality.

When I say something like "everyone" it doesn't literally mean everyone, it is a generalization. I'm not going to over-explain that in a quote. If you can't get what is being pointed at, that's your loss.

Also, isn’t it funny that while Swans arguably aligns pretty closely with your values, your actual taste leans toward lighter, more melodic music that mostly revolves around petty everyday themes?

Which raises the question: what exactly grounds your aesthetics?

Is there really such a thing as “great taste,” or is it just a function of your state of consciousness - one that, by definition, can’t be grounded in anything outside itself?

Edited Thursday at 10:02 PM by Nilsi

[Leo Gura]

37 minutes ago, Nilsi said:

But sometimes it's hard to tell where the line is between hyperbole and literal statements with you.

If I say something like "everyone" or "everything" or "no one", this is usually said figuratively, not literally. It means very rare.

Quote

And since I don’t get the sense that you’re just throwing out one-liners for a bathroom calendar,

That's what the quotes are.

Quote

I tend to take what you say at face value - because I genuinely respect your perspective and care about understanding where you're coming from.

Where I'm coming from is a complex place that blends literal truths with figurative ones.

Edited Thursday at 10:13 PM by Leo Gura

[Leo Gura]

24 minutes ago, Nilsi said:

Also, isn’t it funny that while Swans arguably aligns pretty closely with your values, your actual taste leans toward lighter, more melodic music that mostly revolves around petty everyday themes?

It is wrong to select music based on lyrics because great instrumentals and melody could have awful lyrics, and profound lyrics could sound awful. This is often the case.

I select music based on how good the melody is. If the lyrics happen to be good, that is a lucky accident. Usually the lyrics are nonsense.

Quote

Which raises the question: what exactly grounds your aesthetics?

It's almost impossible to articulate that.

I just know it when I see it or hear it.

I can hear a tune for 20 seconds and know if it's good or bad. That's how I select my music.

Quote

Is there really such a thing as “great taste,”

Yes, there certainly is.

But it is not monolithic. There are many varieties of great taste, as there are many great cuisines, so you should not expect everyone or even most to agree on it.

But a great melody is obvious.

You should notice that most people have poor taste, in everything: music, film, art, fashion, women, cars, design, etc. Great taste is rare, which is why great artists are rare. An artist is his taste.

Edited Thursday at 10:25 PM by Leo Gura

[Cireeric]

@Leo Gura I would guess you might like this one:

The lyrics in this one are great too

[Cireeric]

5 minutes ago, Cireeric said:

@Leo Gura I would guess you might like this one:

The lyrics in this one are great too

Although it is also more about petty human emotions, rather than capital T Truth  

[Nemra]

I'm presenting you Yann Tiersen.

 

 

[AION]

16 hours ago, Loveeee said:

 

@Leo Gura isn't love and truth the same thing though? Although love and truth can both be painful, truth (god) is merciful.

I think choirs or gospel is about truth (aka god). Especially hymns without text. A song about truth should not contain words imo. Words are not true by default.

Edited Thursday at 11:17 PM by AION

[Nemra]

6 hours ago, Nemra said:

@Leo Gura, I have other questions.

Do you think tools like psychedelics should be used after learning, understanding, contemplating, and deconstructing everything in one's "natural" state?

Before stopping for health reasons, what was the motive each time you did it?

Do you think that it's worth sacrificing a few things in life in order to do it?

@Leo Gura, I don't know whether you missed or didn't want to answer, thinking that they were stupid, obvious, not important, or I should derive the answers myself.

[Infinite Tsukuyomi]

17 minutes ago, AION said:

@Leo Gura isn't love and truth the same thing though? Although love and truth can both be painful, truth (god) is merciful.

I think choirs or gospel is about truth (aka god). Especially hymns without text. A song about truth should not contain words imo. Words are not true by default.

Both of those of are lower case l/love and lower case t/truth. Songs about l/love are normally about human romantic love. L/Love, God's Love is horrifying and amazing and would easily be dismissed as not Love by almost everyone if people sang about it. People sing about the things that are also included in L/Love such as pain, suffering and confusion but they are not recognizing that as love but as something less than that. 

Choirs and gospels think they are singing about T/Truth but are actually singing about t/truth. They are singing to a 'separate' God. 

[Leo Gura]

1 hour ago, AION said:

isn't love and truth the same thing though?

Yeah, but you won't know that without realizing truth.

They know not what they sing.

Edited Friday at 12:40 AM by Leo Gura

[Leo Gura]

7 hours ago, Nemra said:

@Leo Gura, I have other questions.

Do you think tools like psychedelics should be used after learning, understanding, contemplating, and deconstructing everything in one's "natural" state?

They are good in either case.

You won't be able to deconstruct everything in your natural state. That state is way too low for serious deconstruction. But you should still be deconstructing stuff all the time with or without psychedelics. The psychedelic is just a catalyst.

Quote

Before stopping for health reasons, what was the motive each time you did it?

I only have one motive: pure understanding.

Quote

Do you think that it's worth sacrificing a few things in life in order to do it?

Too vague for me to answer. Depends on many factors.

Edited Friday at 12:32 AM by Leo Gura

[The Crocodile]

12 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

Yeah, but you won't know that without realizing truth.

If people realize Love before realizing Truth it could be disastrous.

[Leo Gura]

1 hour ago, Nemra said:

I'm presenting you Yann Tiersen.

 

Too old-church-lady.

 

[The Crocodile]

19 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

Too old-church-lady.

What did you just say to me!!?!?

[Yimpa]

I cannot wait for the aliens to taste me. But I’m not just an appetizer sampler, no, I’m also the full-course meal + desert. Come n eat me while I’m still fresh off the grill!!!

[Leo Gura]

@Yimpa You will make a nice suckling PIG roast

 

[Nemra]

1 hour ago, Leo Gura said:

Too old-church-lady.

Well, it has a brutal, ultimate, distinct yet harmonious vibe. I like it.