Deva Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Eastern thinking is useful for when Western thinking isn't working. Western thinking is useful for when Eastern thinking isn't working. In reality, it's all just thinking. True Rev R, but don't you confess a preference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Babylonian Dream Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Perception isn't always reality. My aunt was a smart lady, but her perception that cable satellites were the aliens way of communicating with government spies spying on her was not a reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yrth Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Perception isn't always reality. My aunt was a smart lady, but her perception that cable satellites were the aliens way of communicating with government spies spying on her was not a reality. Although I hesitate to argue with Einstein, I agree with you. But whether her delusion brought "misery" was definitely perception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Babylonian Dream Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Perception isn't always reality. My aunt was a smart lady, but her perception that cable satellites were the aliens way of communicating with government spies spying on her was not a reality. Although I hesitate to argue with Einstein, I agree with you. But whether her delusion brought "misery" was definitely perception. Whether or not it brought her misery, I know she was scared of the satellite dish so she stayed clear away from it. Little positive can be found in having such a delusion though, am I not right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev R Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 True Rev R, but don't you confess a preference? Sure, but it does not follow that the three teachings have an inherent superiority to other ways of doing things. It simply means they are preferable in this collection of conditions. With that said, wisdom is where you find it. Useful principles transcend the geography of their origin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 "He who sees dependent origination, sees the dhamma; he who sees the dhamma, sees dependent origination." - Buddha "We do not have knowledge of a thing until we have grasped its why, that is to say, its cause." - Aristotle "Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." - Buddha "Anyone can become angry -- that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way -- this is not easy." - Aristotle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antlerman Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 The subject is Western versus Eastern thinking. There happen to be a couple of active threads that have finally caused me to offer a general reply. I'm weary of hearing how superior the deep, mystical, reality-grasping Eastern school of thought is to the decidedly inferior Western mode of thinking. Somehow it gets assumed that Western ways of thinking and doing are practically evil when compared to the wisdom available from long dead sages of the Mysterious East. Why do you make it an either/or variable? Why do others, for that matter? I agree with you on the West's superiority. I also agree with the East's superiority. Yes, they are more advanced in the area of the development of the mind towards enlightenment than the West is. Are you kidding? But they are woefully behind in the social and technological development areas you mentions. And the West? Good god! They largely still believe in a sky parent, praying to it on bended knee for their fucking football team to win via this sky-parent's favor, like petitioning the Greek Fates! Atheism accomplishes getting rid of that immature belief, but doesn't do anything to advance the inner person. If so, how? What's it's yoga to develop the inner human? So the solution is simple. It's not and either/or situation, but find a way to bring the Western Enlightenment together with the Eastern Enlightenment. But how can that be done if you are still thinking your way is superior in all regards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted October 1, 2012 Author Super Moderator Share Posted October 1, 2012 But how can that be done if you are still thinking your way is superior in all regards? Good example. You think my defense of our accomplishments against the lopsided fascination with exotic cultures was a claim of superiority. If you have followed the thread, I was asking for balance against Westerners who are currently berating themselves and their accomplishments simply because we are not naked sages living in poverty and disease. I guess I am railing against something akin to the phenomenon of the white man's self loathing. The pathology seems to be gaining momentum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antlerman Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 But how can that be done if you are still thinking your way is superior in all regards? Good example. You think my defense of our accomplishments against the lopsided fascination with exotic cultures was a claim of superiority. If you have followed the thread, I was asking for balance against Westerners who are currently berating themselves and their accomplishments simply because we are not naked sages living in poverty and disease. I guess I am railing against something akin to the phenomenon of the white man's self loathing. The pathology seems to be gaining momentum. Ahh, I see. Yes, I agree. You're speaking something akin to white guilt. Yes, that's bullshit. We should embrace the advances of our own culture, and embrace what we are able from others to our further advancement. Just as they should. Why do you suppose that pathology seems to be gaining momentum? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted October 1, 2012 Author Super Moderator Share Posted October 1, 2012 Why do you suppose that pathology seems to be gaining momentum? The West, America in particular, has fallen on hard times when compared with our golden era. It ain't your daddy's 1950's and we're not on top of the world anymore, so many people seem to want to discard everything that made us who we are. There are those whose mission seems to be to convince us we are somehow responsible for all the evils in the world, and a lot of people buy it. The alternative appears to be pretending you're Asian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybaris Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 There are those whose mission seems to be to convince us we are somehow responsible for all the evils in the world, and a lot of people buy it. The alternative appears to be pretending you're Asian. You must live in a region where that is prevalent. In the cornbelt it's still very much god, guns, and USA (white people) #1 yeehaw! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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