Back again

[Madiel]

If there's no understanding and you want to keep GMG what it means for you and only for you, I'm gone.

It's a boring, moralistic place to me. More than before. Nasty and cold. You seem to like it.

One of the problems with English is that the word "you" has come to be both plural and singular.

One of the problems with this post is that it significantly blurs the two options.

[Henk]

One of the problems with English is that the word "you" has come to be both plural and singular.

One of the problems with this post is that it significantly blurs the two options.

Selective quoting, the context said I mean in the plural (and not targeted to all of you personally). But let's forget about it. 💛

[AnotherSpin]

Have you read something by Byung-Chul Han? His book 'Absence: On the Culture and Philosophy of the Far East' might be of your interest. I haven't read it yet, but want to read it sometime.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byung-Chul_Han

I no longer read books by Western philosophers. It's hard for me to find the strength and desire to delve into thoughts about thoughts anymore. Nevertheless, thank you for the recommendation. I don't recall hearing this name before. I'll try to find it and start reading.

[Madiel]

Selective quoting, the context said I mean in the plural (and not targeted to all of you personally). But let's forget about it. 💛

The context clearly suggested plural. Except that your use of the plural doesn't make any logical sense (neither would the singular, actually, hence my reference to blurring because both options didn't work for different reasons). "You and only you" is hardly an appropriate phrase when talking to an undifferentiated mass of people.

Seriously, your complaint seems to be that all of us have somehow conspired together to make GMG suitable for "us and only us"? How on earth does THAT work?

If you think that any one person here likes everything that goes on here, you're fooling yourself. It's perhaps even more foolish to think that you have no power to influence the tone of the place if you so choose.

[Henk]

The context clearly suggested plural. Except that your use of the plural doesn't make any logical sense (neither would the singular, actually, hence my reference to blurring because both options didn't work for different reasons). "You and only you" is hardly an appropriate phrase when talking to an undifferentiated mass of people.

Seriously, your complaint seems to be that all of us have somehow conspired together to make GMG suitable for "us and only us"? How on earth does THAT work?

If you think that any one person here likes everything that goes on here, you're fooling yourself. It's perhaps even more foolish to think that you have no power to influence the tone of the place if you so choose.

💛

[Henk]

I no longer read books by Western philosophers. It's hard for me to find the strength and desire to delve into thoughts about thoughts anymore. Nevertheless, thank you for the recommendation. I don't recall hearing this name before. I'll try to find it and start reading.

Han is Asian by birth. He seems to compare Western and Asian thought particulary in this book. He also wrote a book on Zen Buddhism. Just a suggestion.

[AnotherSpin]

Alright, I've already checked out the information about him.

I must say, don't think you're the only one who finds this forum a bit of a trial. I registered several years ago and have been subjected to rather unpleasant attacks from a few, shall we say, not particularly agreeable characters more than once. Honestly, it doesn't bother me much. Life outside the computer screen has far more serious troubles. So, the main reason I'm here and don't think about leaving is the unexpected and perhaps especially valuable discoveries. An interesting recording, a little-known name of a composer or performer, a film, a book. And today, you recommended an author I hadn't heard of. I must say, it's quite delightful to stumble upon something new and interesting, which is why I stay.

[Henk]

Alright, I've already checked out the information about him.

I must say, don't think you're the only one who finds this forum a bit of a trial. I registered several years ago and have been subjected to rather unpleasant attacks from a few, shall we say, not particularly agreeable characters more than once. Honestly, it doesn't bother me much. Life outside the computer screen has far more serious troubles. So, the main reason I'm here and don't think about leaving is the unexpected and perhaps especially valuable discoveries. An interesting recording, a little-known name of a composer or performer, a film, a book. And today, you recommended an author I hadn't heard of. I must say, it's quite delightful to stumble upon something new and interesting, which is why I stay.

Keep learning. 

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

A few thoughts: while I've landed myself in hot water in the past and called out on past behavior (and deservingly so), I have made the conscious decision that I genuinely want to get along with the members here and the only way I could do this was to look in the mirror and address why there was a need to be such a jerk in the first-place. There was absolutely no reason to act the way I did and, more importantly, no one deserved it.

I'm here because I enjoy conversing with other people about music and I've known many of the members here for quite some time now (certainly over a decade and perhaps even longer). @Henk nobody is forcing you to be on GMG (or any other forum or website you may frequent), but if in your heart of hearts you want to be here, then you will and if you don't, then you will leave again. While it's always a great thing to have another member to converse with, you're under no obligation to post and that's fantastic if you want to but bear in mind that getting along with members and, most of all, respecting them is far more beneficial for your long-term success on this forum.

[Henk]

A few thoughts: while I've landed myself in hot water in the past and called out on past behavior (and deservingly so), I have made the conscious decision that I genuinely want to get along with the members here and the only way I could do this was to look in the mirror and address why there was a need to be such a jerk in the first-place. There was absolutely no reason to act the way I did and, more importantly, no one deserved it.

I'm here because I enjoy conversing with other people about music and I've known many of the members here for quite some time now (certainly over a decade and perhaps even longer). @Henk nobody is forcing you to be on GMG (or any other forum or website you may frequent), but if in your heart of hearts you want to be here, then you will and if you don't, then you will leave again. While it's always a great thing to have another member to converse with, you're under no obligation to post and that's fantastic if you want to but bear in mind that getting along with members and, most of all, respecting them is far more beneficial for your long-term success on this forum.

Success as in well-being, learning and being inspired or finding new stuff I suppose?

[Henk]

A few thoughts: while I've landed myself in hot water in the past and called out on past behavior (and deservingly so), I have made the conscious decision that I genuinely want to get along with the members here and the only way I could do this was to look in the mirror and address why there was a need to be such a jerk in the first-place. There was absolutely no reason to act the way I did and, more importantly, no one deserved it.

I'm here because I enjoy conversing with other people about music and I've known many of the members here for quite some time now (certainly over a decade and perhaps even longer). @Henk nobody is forcing you to be on GMG (or any other forum or website you may frequent), but if in your heart of hearts you want to be here, then you will and if you don't, then you will leave again. While it's always a great thing to have another member to converse with, you're under no obligation to post and that's fantastic if you want to but bear in mind that getting along with members and, most of all, respecting them is far more beneficial for your long-term success on this forum.

It's good to find value and social value on this forum even make some friends.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Success as in well-being, learning and being inspired or finding new stuff I suppose?

It's good to find value and social value on this forum even make some friends.

It's never a bad thing to make a new friend, especially if this friend is someone you can talk for hours about subjects that interest the both of you.

[AnotherSpin]

It's never a bad thing to make a new friend, especially if this friend is someone you can talk for hours about subjects that interest the both of you.

Your best friend is right there in the mirror. If you're still willing to chat for hours, well, that's just marvelous.

[steve ridgway]

Henry Miller: 'Why paint? For whom? Enjoy what you see. That's quite enough. The man who can do this is an accomplished artist.'

"For whom?" reveals a problem - the social pressure to contribute something for approval by other human beings. The fear that by not achieving this one's life is worthless. The belief that the only value of each thing in this whole immense universe lies in its benefit to the human race.

[AnotherSpin]

"For whom?" reveals a problem - the social pressure to contribute something for approval by other human beings. The fear that by not achieving this one's life is worthless. The belief that the only value of each thing in this whole immense universe lies in its benefit to the human race.

Society, if we're being honest, can be a rather dubious beast, don't you think? It promises care and support, tempts with communication and connections, offers shared values, and dangles the alluring prospect of growth and opportunity. But let's not kid ourselves—or anyone else—it's not hard to see what lies beneath the shiny surface: control, fear, violence, humiliation, and all those other delightful little perks of life among others

[Henk]

It's never a bad thing to make a new friend, especially if this friend is someone you can talk for hours about subjects that interest the both of you.

Or be silent for hours.