Post: #101

(10-19-2015 07:50 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  

(10-18-2015 09:14 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  Thank you Mech. There are some things you've written on this forum that have given me more pleasure and better laughs than just about anything ever. I could even explain exactly why I like them so much but it would take a lot of words...

This is my first choice

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyfada

Edit: I crossed threads again. I read then think. My posts sometimes don't end up where they should be. I'm the guy that should not be on the internet but like the cave-folks one made it across.

That's OK because it made me find this post and otherwise I might never have read it.

(07-27-2012 04:37 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  Strangely enough I'm not a dick in the Dominican Republic but in Greece I'm the biggest dick on the planet. Any anti American undertones send me into super dick mode. I actually spend half my time there fighting and fucking shit up.

Story:

I'm at my buddies apt in Ano Glyfada (Athens) and I walk down the street and ask the guy at the peeripthrero(news stand) for some bus tickets. He said signomi(sorry) I don't have any the other news stand across the street has them. Ok so I go across the street and ask and the other dude says "No sorry I think the guy across has some" ok fuckers! the bus driver just told me you have them but ok I'll see you later....

I go downtown and later that evening I was chilling at a taverna getting wasted with some friends and I decide to walk home....

I see a little car with some tire valve stem removers on the wheels as caps and thought Hmm...I can use this so I took one. I kept walking and thought about those dicks pissing me off with the bus tickets and decided to go pay them a visit. I go down to possibly kick some ass or whatever and they're both closed. Shit but wait....Don't those ice cream coolers and soda machine coolers have freon?? I have a shreader tool in my pocket. All four machines got dis charged.

So..I wake up about noon or so and go down to get some smokes. I grab an ice cream and its melted out of the cooler so I asked hey dude what's up with this fucking ice cream? I bet your buddies across is fucked too huh? I'll take a pack of Marlboro lights and my bus tickets now. Ok?

Post: #102

Some other ideas related to these matters:


http://qcurtius.com/2015/10/20/i-wont-go...to-nature/

Post: #103

(10-18-2015 08:52 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  

(10-18-2015 08:31 PM)iop890 Wrote:  Lizard, what books/drugs do I need to read/take to be able to write like you?

Boswell's Life of Johnson and coke, respectively. But skip the coke.

Seriously, if you ever want to spend a long season reading the best and most enjoyable book of prose ever written in the English language, you should buy this edition of the Life of Johnson, and give yourself a real treat.

Post: #104

Bump...

I want to respectfully and playfully challenge Quintus Curtius on a few of his "commandments".

Its just intellectual recreation.

Last time I did this, Quintus and I had a great exchange which actually inspired me to be a better person.

I'm curious what will happen here..

(10-12-2015 03:10 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  1. You shall not shield yourself from raw experience.

I guess you mean this in a philosophical way?

I want to point out that in the physical world, there are many "raw experiences" that you probably want to shield yourself from..

Do you want to experience your family being slaughtered?

Probably not, shield them.

Do you want to experience sex with a man?

Probably not, shield yourself!

Do you want to experience life in prison?

Probably not, shield yourself.

I could give many examples. I'm sure you see my point.

Many "raw experiences" should be avoided.

It is wise to shield yourself from these dangerous situations.

Just saying..

(10-12-2015 03:10 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  2. You shall not hide from the clash, clang, and roar of life. Instead, you will welcome it.

Would welcome an earthquake or tsunami into your city? The "Islamic State" into your home? A gang of murderous thugs into your bedroom?

Probably not, hide from these things.

(10-12-2015 03:10 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  5. You shall love passionately, and hate passionately.

Hating passionately can lead to violence. It can also cause physical and mental health concerns.

Be careful with extreme levels of hatred.

They can damage you as much or more than the person you hate.

(10-12-2015 03:10 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  3. You shall find the nature of that Great Spirit that resides in you.

When you say "great spirit that resides in you"

What exactly do you mean?

Please be specific.

(10-12-2015 03:10 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  10. You shall not expect, and shall not seek, a stupefying and illusory "happiness" from the World. You are entitled to nothing except what is in you.

"Stupefying" and "illusory" happiness from the world..

Interesting.. I'm curious how you will describe the "great spirit"?

If you don't have evidence to prove that the "great spirit" exists.. Couldn't one say that your insistence of a "great spirit" is itself "illusory" and "stupefying"?

(10-12-2015 03:10 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  Pain is good and natural.

It's certainly natural, but, its not always good.

The pain of being forced to watch your wife or daughter gang-raped.

Is this a good pain?

No.

See what I mean? Not all pain is good.

Sorry to use such violent examples but the world can be savage and violent.

Not all "raw experience" is good.

--

These ones I like:

(10-12-2015 03:10 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  6. You shall realize that we are, each of us, alone.

I agree.

(10-12-2015 03:10 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  7. You shall not expect your woman to "complete" you, and neither shall you "complete" her.

I agree.

(10-12-2015 03:10 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  9. You shall not expect the other man to be like you, or to "understand" you, on more than a few points. He is he, and I am I.

I agree.

(10-12-2015 03:10 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  life is for the living. Life is for the stout of heart. For the coeurs-de-leon.

That one, I love!!!

"coeurs-de-leon" !!!

In conclusion, I must say that I have nothing but respect for Quintus Curtius.

This is a respectful, intellectual inquiry.

I like to debate smart people. I usually learn from it.

Last time, I exchanged with Quintus Curtius, I learned alot.

Thanks for understanding.

Post: #105

Ah, Gio gives me an invitation to the Dance.

How can I resist?
All right. Let me expand, and amplify, if I can.

First realize that the language used in these commandments is mean to be interpreted spiritually, rather than legalistically or precisely. I think that is something we need to say right from the beginning.

Gio gets off on the wrong foot, perhaps, by looking for legalistic precision in statements that are evocative, spiritual, and--dare I say it?--mystical in nature.

Stop looking for templates, boilerplates, precise explications of affairs of the heart. I said it before: we are dealing with moral truths.

And yet you insist on literal interpretations of everything. Do not try to analyze me: instead, you should be feeling me.

Feel, do not analyze.

1. All experience is good. Even that which hurts you temporarily. We should be going out of our way to seek out new experiences. It is self-evident to me that there is a limit to this, of course, if this search for experience leads to self-destructive behavior. I can't spell out everything, of course. I expect my readers to be able to read between the lines on some things.

2. And yes, we should not try to hide from the trials of life. They will find us regardless. Of course there is a limit. Do I really need to spell out all the obvious exceptions, like natural disasters? Awake! Feel me, Gio, and stop analyzing me!

3. Yes, you should both love and hate passionately. Americans are becoming dull, placid, tepid, boring people. Awake! Explore the outer ranges, the limits, of your emotional ranges. Enough with the milque-toast mentality. I want to feel, and hear, honest emotion. I am not interested in the dull, middle ground.

4. The Spirit in you. Every man has an internal soul. A great spirit of his own. His mission is to find this, and to follow its commands. Nothing more can or need be said about this. Here again, you already know what I mean by this. You are not confused. You are, instead, troubled by the implications of my words.

Be honest. Be honest with me, and be honest with yourself. My words require no further elaboration. Stop procrastinating, stop stalling, and instead: follow your spirit. You know what it tells you to do.

Don't ask me to "prove" that your spirit exists. Either you believe it does, or you do not. Again, you are dodging your heart. You are using argument as a way of procrastinating.

What was it that caused you to make this post? You reached out to me because my words spoke to you. You know it, and I know it. It was that little voice in you. Or, your spirit. So it does exist. Stop being dishonest with yourself.

Believe in it.

6. You are entitled to no happiness. A self-evident statement that requires no elaboration.

7. Pain is good. Of course there are limits. Of course I do not advocate suicidal stupidities. Of course I do not say that you should court death.

But you already know this, Gio.

I know you. I know you. And you know I know you.

Stop dancing around my truths. Stop mincing around the truth. Stop pirouetting around the implications of my words.

Analysis is dodge. It is a way of dodging reality, sometimes. Where we speak of spiritual and mystical matters, as I do often, it is a mistake to try to be a statistician, engineer, or mathematician.

The mathematics of the heart is what concerns me.

The mathematics of the heart adds together what's apart.

So there you have it, Gio.

Be honest, Gio. I know you, and I know you know better.

You have already plumbed the depths of darkness.

You have already peered into the abyss. So you know precisely what I mean, whether you are willing to admit it or not.

Post: #106

(11-04-2015 07:55 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  Do not try to analyze me: instead, you should be feeling me.

Post: #107

(11-04-2015 07:55 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  Ah, Gio gives me an invitation to the Dance.

How can I resist?
All right. Let me expand, and amplify, if I can....

*snip*

I'm ready to pay fealty, my Lord.

Post: #108

^^^
Food for thought: don't we give women crap for feeling rather than analyzing? Or as men, since our natural instinct is the reverse - to analyze rather than feel - we must work to feel, rather than analyze, as women have to work to analyze, rather than feel?

I think I answered my own question, but I figured I'd share my thoughts. Otherwise someone's only going to ask the first question and not the second.

Edit: Note that feeling doesn't mean "be feminine." As one might be able to tell from QC's writing, masculine feeling includes bravery, accomplishment, leadership, etc - neomasculine traits.

Post: #109

Feeling is in the realm of the feminine
Thinking, the realm of the masculine

These are metaphysical ways of seeing/knowing. There is a correlation between physical gender and metaphysical seeing, but any person can be born with a predilection to the opposite.

Each human being has both, but usually one is primary. Knowledge/insight occurs at the juxtaposition of the two. Buddhists refer to this as "thinking with one's gut". Christians, "to live your life on the cross"

Feeling is always an unconscious affair. When you try to think about what your feeling, you are bringing the unconscious into consciousness or to say another way, shining the light (consciousness) onto what is dark (unconsciousness)

Conciousness is masculine
Unconsciousness is feminine

The world spins on both.

Post: #110

(11-04-2015 07:55 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  Gio gives me an invitation to Dance.

This was my favorite part of your post!

Why?

Because it was playful!

Playfulness is the most important part of this, for me.

I want everyone to know that my questions were playful and respectful.

That's why I made statements like this:

(11-04-2015 12:33 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  I want to respectfully and playfully challenge Quintus Curtius

(11-04-2015 12:33 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  I have nothing but respect for Quintus Curtius.

(11-04-2015 12:33 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  Last time, I exchanged with Quintus Curtius, I learned alot.

---

(11-04-2015 07:55 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  the language used in these commandments is meant to be interpreted spiritually

Thanks for clarifying..

Your writing is meant to interpreted "spiritually" rather than literally.

"Spiritual" is such a vague word. For some people, it means practicing religion. For others, it means, self development and moving towards peace of mind. For others, it means some sort of supernatural force.

I took your words at face value, I assumed that you meant exactly what you wrote.

But, apparently, you don't mean for your words to be taken at face value.. Your words are to be taken with a "spiritual' slant.

Understood.

(11-04-2015 07:55 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  All experience is good.

there is a limit to this

Thanks for saying that.

Thanks for acknowledging that there is a limit to "all experience being good".

Many experiences are not good and people should take caution to avoid them.

(11-04-2015 07:55 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  Pain is good.

Of course there are limits.

Again, thanks for acknowledging that there is a limit to the amount of pain that is "good".

Pain can lower the quality of ones life. Pain can cause people to lash out against others. Pain can cause depression and sadness.

Not all pain is good.

(11-04-2015 07:55 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  What was it that caused you to make this post?

I made this post because of intellectual curiosity.

I like to debate smart people, just for fun.

(11-04-2015 07:55 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  I know you. I know you. And you know I know you.

Well, we all get a glimpse at each others personality through our writings.

How well do you know me?

I'm not sure, that's tough to measure.

(11-04-2015 07:55 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  we are dealing with moral truths.

Please elaborate a little..

What moral truths are we dealing with?

Serious question.

I'm not trying to be disagreeable.

I honestly don't know what "moral truths" we are dealing with?

Please explain.

(11-04-2015 07:55 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  You have already plumbed the depths of darkness.

I'm not sure I have..

I've never killed or raped or tortured anyone.

I've never been in war. Ive never been in prison.

I've never participated in large criminal schemes.

I don't like hurting people.

I'm actually a pretty good guy.

I really haven't ventured very far into "darkness".

(11-04-2015 07:55 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  You have already peered into the abyss.

I'm not sure what you mean here..

I do like to study the human mind, both the good side and the bad.

But, I'm not a trained psychiatrist/psychologist. I've never interviewed sociopaths or psychos.

I'm not sure that I have any special insight in to the "abyss", other than growing up in a poor, sometimes violent neighborhood.

I'm really just a regular guy who happened to have a few questions about your post.

--

In conclusion, I want to say that I have enjoyed this exchange. Thanks for responding.

Sorry if I offended you with my graphic examples of violence.

Best,

Gio

Post: #111

^^^
My guess is Gio's playfulness is a part of his success with college girls as a 40?-something guy.

Post: #112

(11-05-2015 02:42 PM)262 Wrote:  My guess is Gio's playfulness is a part of his success with college girls as a 40?-something guy.

Of course!

Playfulness is a big part of my philosophy.

This thread needed more playfulness.

Guys get frustrated with women. Guys get frustrated with life.

This thread is about a man who LITERALLY GAVE UP WOMEN BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO FRUSTRATING FOR HIM!!!

He was too serious about women, not PLAYFUL enough.

Being playful increases the quality of my life!

Post: #113

there's one way to objectively measure happiness: we monitor the releasing of certain brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonine and than compare the values of a middle class guy whose life is materially good but rife with anxiety and stress with the values of a gypsy who lives in extreme poverty but without a care in the world and see who is happier between the two. then repeat the experiment on a wider sample.
as for the original topic, personally I believe the best compromise is chasing pussy overcoming approach anxiety.

Post: #114

(11-16-2015 01:36 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  

(11-05-2015 02:42 PM)262 Wrote:  My guess is Gio's playfulness is a part of his success with college girls as a 40?-something guy.

Of course!

Playfulness is a big part of my philosophy.

This thread needed more playfulness.

Guys get frustrated with women. Guys get frustrated with life.

This thread is about a man who LITERALLY GAVE UP WOMEN BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO FRUSTRATING FOR HIM!!!

He was too serious about women, not PLAYFUL enough.

Being playful increases the quality of my life!

Nice.

Party on dude!

(As an aside, I don't think there's a 90s/00s/10s phrase that quite captures the same sentiment, as much as I'd like to stick up for my generation).