For years I wondered if I was a woman, or just a sensitive guy. When I lived 100% as a guy, I remember always feeling the tug of humiliation almost every time I expressed the way that I felt about something, especially to other guys. For example, me complaining to my friend:
Me: “People at work are so focused on looking good, they don’t care about what they’re doing. It’s so frustrating!”
Mansplaining “Regular” guy: “That’s the way the world works, you need to get better at understanding the dynamics of the work environment and how you can make yourself…
A glossary for discussing these times is helpful, especially for our young people.
Somebody who makes a mountain out of a molehill, finds division when there isn’t any, etc in order to get power. Often Stokers will create a problem (without people knowing) and then claim to be a solution to that problem. Here are some examples:
I have to refresh my supply of guitar picks regularly. I’ve never solved the puzzle regarding how they just vanish all the time. The prevailing theories are:
I’m not quite sure how democracy really works considering that it’s pretty much impossible to have a productive detailed discussion in a group with more than 4 or 5 people. Just think of how hard it is to choose a place to goto dinner with your family. And then talk about politics? Forget it. When you hit 20, it’s downright impossible, and anything beyond that no way. And then try to do it online…ha!
I love the concept of the wisdom of crowds as it applies to supporting a populist candidate like Bernie Sanders or AOC. But it can also…
This is probably obvious, but we have to always remind ourselves what game is really being played so the ensuing drama doesn’t overcome us. And set any respectful debate in the right context, free from the emotional manipulations of the mediocre. (Which is really hard to achieve on social media because the person who shouts loudest gets the most attention — sigh).
The founding fathers of the US were afraid of the 2 M’s:
So they structured the government to…
There are many religions in this world, for example:
Most of which are of course egocentric. There is nothing wrong with a healthy ego, but there are many people in power who prey on inflating our egos — for example politicians, advertisers, and religious / cult leaders and dictators. This technique of controlling people has demonstrated century after century to be highly effective, and an essential tool for organizing and sustaining societies and economies. …
Most teachers suck…it’s not because they are bad people, it’s because they are part of a infected and perverted system that prioritizes as follows (DESCENDING order of importance):
I don’t make up the rules, but in order to not be frustrated, best to know the way things really are. I think many of us are in denial about it. I’m old fashioned, I prefer to get to know somebody first, be romantic, then make love. So many people laugh at me for being so old fashioned. Modern dating is clearly having sex first, and then if all that fucking works out, and you can tolerate each other, and you keep having fun, then maybe think about hanging out without fucking, and if that works out, then maybe try…
I just got back from my second Burning Man, and I can’t help but think about what was transformative this time. My first time I was just amazed at how this was really a city in the desert, the art, the symbolism that the Man instilled in me, and how generally nice and open people were. And I loved it, despite my hatred of being dirty and dusty. This time the same theme kept coming up : “You Have the Power, We Have the Wisdom”
I don’t normally get a chance to engage that much with the younger generation (e.g…
A lazy Sunday afternoon and it’s time to finally document my guitar collection (which actually also serves as a little primer on guitars — which I use mostly for rock, metal, blues, folk, etc.). From Right-To-Left:
Fembassador,Producer of San Francisco's variety show Under the Golden Gate, CyberSecurity professional, Ex-lobbyist, Ex-man, Ex-executive, jazz pianist