Leo's Post : Backfiring Mechanisms

[Loreena]

This is regarding Leo's post : Backfiring mechanisms. Little bit confused there. It feels abstract without examples or analogies.

Leo suggests that our life functions in a similar way. I watched but all I did was laugh.

To quote Leo, "To help you become more aware of this, watch the following funny videos. But as you do, instead of just laughing away and calling those people dumbasses -- like every other viewer does -- I want you to reflect it back on yourself. Think of this as a metaphor for EXACTLY how your life functions! Bring to mind all the ways in which you experience psychological backfiring."

I couldn't wrap my head around it. Maybe it means that human beings function in a way that whatever they do it ends up backfiring on them. So they have to be conscious of their actions just like the people in the videos. But again this is my personal interpretation which could be wrong.

I wanted clarification about it what it actually means. What is this backfiring stuff ?..Anyone have idea ?

[Guest Annetta]

My interpretation was like, saying how people will take two steps forward and one step back.  And to notice that when growing as a person when those steps backwards happen and to work on them.

[Principium Nexus]

I think what is meant is unconcious behaviour. Like hitting your toe against something and then blaming that object for hurting you. If you were really aware then you wouldn't hurt yourself anyway or atleast minimize the possible damage in a situation.

Haven't watched the video though.

Edited January 26, 2017 by Principium Nexus

[faith]

Well when I watched it, I pictured my life as an analogy for this video. When I thought of my life and how painful it is to take steps back, and the demons that hold me back, it wasn't very funny at all (except for the one where his pants fall down). 

But for the most part, every time the person's gun backfired, I thought of my life and the struggles I face that backfire on me. In that way, the video was more of a personal reflection rather than an automatic behaviour response. 

[Saarah]

The childhood vows video has lots of great examples, you face a crippling event so you make a vow to keep yourself safe, but instead those vows cripple you in numerous other ways for years 

Another example can be setting a load of goals forcefully and neurotically but you fail on all of them and do worse instead 

The subtler ones may come from making judgements, projecting onto others and moralising, we think we're saying important or necessary things by doing these but as we know they end up backfiring on us 

People who do personal development etc. might negatively criticise society for the way it is full of badness or shallowness, but that creates a bitterness and disconnectedness in such a person so that they too are part of the problem ironically

Also not taking responsibility and being victims, by doing so we get nothing done and keep ourselves in the same sorry state we are annoyed at being in

These things are everywhere! SOS!!  

[Christian]

I think he made the post with the intention of making people become aware of backfiring mechanisms. The problem is that people are not generally aware of how they sabotage themselves and how different actions backfire in their lives before it is too late. 

Different backfiring mechanisms might be the result of the following actions: 

Not finding your life purpose and becoming depressed and having your soul drained because you are working a mediocre job. 

Living in the wrong place

Not continueing Education after College 

Pissing your time away playing video games/ watching TV. 

Becoming a "Jack of all traits" (average at everything) and not developing any mastery in one field. 

The list goes on and on. There are 100's of backfiring mechanisms and the root cause is ignorance really. 

[Leo Gura]

The most important backfiring mechanisms have to do with the inner workings of your mind:

Your modes of thinking, your emotional reactions, your fears, your motivations and values, your habitual behavior patterns, your beliefs and justifications, your paradigms of reality, etc.

As a simple example, how might valuing sex or money or security backfire?

As a more advanced example, how might valuing spirituality or enlightenment backfire?

As a general rule of thumb, once a system reaches sufficient complexity, the greatest danger to its survival becomes a backfiring of itself. A sort of collapsing under its own weight.

Which is why to reach the greatest heights requires shedding egoic material, or purification to the point of nothingness or spirit. The word "spirit" connotes lightness of mechanism, and this is a good pointer of what you should be working towards.

To be conscious, it to be able to see how a mechanism truly works, and its backfire potential.