Growth is just closed-mindedness towards negativity?

[7thLetter]

Going to try and keep it short, but would you agree that positive growth is just closing your mind off to negativity? Like Leo mentions, we're all living in a world of perspectives. Everyone is living in their own paradigm with their own web of beliefs, thought patterns, etc. And once you get out of the negative thinking paradigm into a more growth-oriented positive paradigm, it seems to me like its just closed-mindedness towards negativity. You don't want to hang out with negative people anymore, you don't watch the news, you don't eat junk food, etc. And sometimes I think of it the other way around as well. Negative people are closed-minded to positivity. But I'm starting to just think that there is no absolute right way to live life. It seems to be more of "Positivity is the best paradigm, strive towards it." And I think we can all agree that people in a certain paradigm will always favor the paradigm that they are currently living in.

Is there a point that we need to strive towards where we are free of any paradigm and be completely open-minded to everything? Or is it to maintain the positive growth paradigm because it has the most benefits?

[YaNanNallari]

You can be open minded and still make a choice. Usually by preferring something based on your previous experiences and knowledge.

[7thLetter]

@YaNanNallari @Mighty Mouse I agree you can definitely get to that point in some point in your journey but maybe it actually is closed-mindedness in the beginning stages. Especially if it was only a beginner who looks into more basic forms of personal development, and transitioning into a positive thinking paradigm. Might’ve answered my own question here with a combination of all of our answers, but okay thanks, its all starting to come together for me.

[Extreme Z7]

Nothing is inherently "positive" or "negative". Those are value judgements. Positive-Negative, Good-Bad, these are just illusory labels your mind uses to distinguish between what it will and will not pursue.

Growth just means becoming more and more aware of how various systems in reality work and how they interconnect with each other.

I don't watch the news not because I think it's 'negative', but because it's, more often than not, very low-brow, sensationalizing, and highly drenched in mainstream culture mentality. Does that make news inherently a 'bad' or 'negative' thing? No. Everyone still has the freedom to watch it. But it sure as hell makes me avoid it anyway. Because I also have the freedom not to watch it. That's growth.

[star ark]

14 minutes ago, blazed said:

You just replaced the "negative" label with more "labels" which you inherently deem as negative or things you dont want or value.

There's no point in talking about illusory labels, because it can't fix the problem.

You putting your hand into a fire is also a illusory label, you're still not going to do it, no matter how illusory it is.

Not watching the news has fixed the problem

Over analysis doesn't help much

[star ark]

1 minute ago, blazed said:

I mean't that talking about illusory labels doesnt stop labelling.

Your brain is always going to make judgements, thats how the mind functions, if it didnt it would work anymore or make any judgements or calls, or actions.

of course

if you label things then yes that is labelling. 

what is the point or question? It feels like more over analysis to me

[star ark]

Just now, blazed said:

I can ask you the same thing?

My point was I didn't understand why you looked so deeply into someone's motivations for not watch the news and then told them they had all these illusions of labels. My simple take on the situation:

"I don't like that thing over there, so  I will not go over there and now I have no problem"

[star ark]

so you don't like synonyms? 

[Leo Gura]

@7thLetter Of course there is no absolute best way to live.

But characterizing self-actualization as closedmindedness towards negativity is like characterizing being a man as closedmindedness towards having a vagina.

Why you gotta frame it in such a silly way?

And nonduality transcends positive/negative anyways.

[star ark]

4 minutes ago, blazed said:

it's funny you question why im posting when you maker even more pointless posts. You have a lack of understanding here, go re-read the messages and until you fully understand the irony, its not a case of synonyms

before you said "The problem isn't with negativity per se but the fact that most people don't actually want to be negative deep down"

why is it a problem that people don't want to be negative? 

[Faceless]

@7thLetter  

I think I understand what your implying my friend. And I see your point on moving in the direction of positivity as being a movment of thought torwards abstractions being beliefs, living according to ideas, and so on. Also the escaping from what is actually taking place “negativity” into what is seen as positive which is an “idea” seems to bring about a further contradiction and perpetetual conflict psychologically. It seems reasonable that there is nothing wrong with cultivation of the self when it comes to function and for making a nice lifestyle. And yes cultivation does tend to become a mechanical self centered habitual state of being for some, but not all. Again cultivation to make for a physically comfortable and secure life for yourself and your family is not a problem at all. It’s when this cultivation is carried over into the psychological realm, thats where there becomes a problem. Because then this cultivation becomes mechanical, creates further fragmentation, and prevents what I think most people actually really want and need in life, which is psychological order. 

To chase positivity or avoid negativity will never bring psychological order. But to listen, watch, learn, observe, the process of thought “the self” and it’s subtle, mechanical, and fragmented nature is the only way to bring about order in ones life. This is what I refer to as an art of living. 

I hope I don’t come across as picking either side here. Just an attempt to observe objectively. I apologize if it seems otherwise friends. 

 

Edited January 21, 2018 by Faceless

[7thLetter]

@Leo Gura I just tend to think very deeply and overanalyze things, and this just happens to be one of those questions that has crossed my mind. Just thought it would be interesting to see it this way but it sounds like you framed it in an even more sillier way than it actually is. It sounds nothing like that. Also no one really has agreed or disagreed yet, maybe it is closed-mindedness? Maybe its not. We often talk and think about how dysfunctional people are closed-minded to different ideas, but we never talk about the actualizers closing their mind off to the things that non-actualizers do. Anyways, I’m just a man questioning my thoughts and life. Maybe this is just one of those questions that is needed for me to get to the next level. Because the ideal is to work yourself out of the closed-mindedness right? You talked about how we often move from one paradigm to the next, and we’re always stuck in the next paradigm. I see my questioning as trying to be aware of the paradigms that I lock myself into. And I guess what we’re looking for is to be more of an observer of everything out there, and not to hold any one paradigm. And there we go, “non-duality” is the answer I was looking for.

@Faceless Don’t have a lot to say about your post but thank you for your insight

 

Edited January 21, 2018 by 7thLetter

[star ark]

5 hours ago, blazed said:

I think there is a lot of lack of understanding here.

Read what OP said. Most people who have negative habits become negative but deep down they dont want to be negative... so they should not have the negative habits, and should avoid it as it is self defeating.

I agree with that so yes it looks like a lack of understanding what you meant