The Crisis of Meaning

[NapLajoieonSteroids]

I cannot remember all the names of the players involved and the sequence of events but Descartes was a hammer for his buddies in the low countries to totally dismantle astrology overnight.

Calling it a paradigm shift doesn't do justice to how immediately the whole edifice collapsed-- which makes a fascinating account.

One of the reasons, I think, he stuck and became ensconced in our (english language) education that the influence goes unexamined.

Sorta cargo cultish-- if the children thinks success, it breeds success.

[Parodite]

Imagine a world where what you expect or hope to happen, hardly happens.

You send somebody a smile and get slapped in the face.

You give your all at college, work hard but still end up poor.

You pray to your divine Manager or CEO for help in times of dire need but that call is never answered.

You think you know your partner but then you didn't.

You do everything right and suddenly in your prime you get the news from the hospital: what was a regular check changed in you'll be dead within six months.

You compete in a sport as a female for females and then a transgender female crushes you and all other females by an extreme margin.

You express your opinion that transgender females should not compete against xx-chromosome females and lose your job: female dominated woke fascists want to protect the vulnerable but cancel-kill the innocent in the process.

Imagine what a POTUS looks like and how s/he behaves. Then look at J Biden. Or at D Trump if you are a Democrat with TDS. In what universe are you living suddenly?

Much of what seemed only fair, logical, common sensical no longer applies. The random, the unexpected is part of life of course but the base-line causal map of predictable reality, i.e. the lower resolution zoomed out maps of general expectation seem to erode. There still are the reliable laws of nature of course; get drunk into a car and then crash into an immovable object.

I would argue that the laws of nature are our most reliable allies. They are indifferent and without mercy but at least you can count on them. Which brings me to the question: how to fight? Nature seems to have certain standard formats for different types of fights. I tend to see reality as a collection of competitive environments, games with different but similar rules.

There is this now considered old skool low brow "an eye for an eye" philosophy. At an extremist other side of the spectrum, instead of eye for an eye you can choose complete surrender and max vulnerability: just kill me if you have to. Nail me to a cross if that's what you want and need to do.

"He who picks up arms will be killed by arms". In the animal kingdom to just expose yourself to other animals who need to kill and eat too to survive, you and people who think the same would soon be digested in the stomach of others. While you dream about a peaceful world and a brethrenhood of man.

Opposite the fundamentalist peacenik there is Genghis Khan. His stomach grows bigger with each new conquest and needing more meat to continue existing as a growing organism. The end of expansion means the beginning of its end. The nature of that expansionist game is that of a plague. Similar is the "forever growth" economic model.

Eye for an eye

Somewhere between Genghis Khan and Peacenik resides the "eye for an eye" optimal game model. I would change the definition somewhat and say that it means you both play the same game. "I play tennis, you play tennis", "You invite me to play UFC, I accept and play UFC with you", "You invite me to play win-win business, we shake hands and participate in the same game."

In personal relationships same applies. Many different games can be played. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. I hate you and slap you in the face, you reciprocally return the favor and give me a black eye. We love making music and join the band.

All these different games that can and are being played... have something important in common. The rules are understood by everybody, i.e. meaning cause-and-effect are mostly predictable. You know what to expect. Leave your neighbor alone, he probably leaves you alone. Kill his cat, poo in his garden and he probably returns you with some stinky if not painful favor.

The crisis of meaning exists here as well, because if we all play too many different games with each other... the outcome will never be what anyone expects it to be. If I think we play paintball but you believe we are in confrontation with real bullets... If I stretch out my hand as an invitation to play win-win peace together, but to you this hand is the hand of a killer who the day before massacred your village... there is no common game to play.

People who want to play extreme games, I would always accept their invitation immediately and not wait 20 years. The easy example is the Hamas game: everybody waited way too long accepting their invitation. And now we still have to play their game and destroy 2 million Gazan lives in the process. Or be destroyed by them... when their friends and allies get inspired to join the competition of horror.

[NapLajoieonSteroids]

I've been having a good laugh at our Spengler turning himself into a young Hegelian.

[Nonc Hilaire]

I've been having a good laugh at our Spengler turning himself into a young Hegelian.

Imagining Bowie’s “Young Americans” sung as “Young Hegelians”.

[noddy]

it when you squat and clench to strengthen your opinions

[NapLajoieonSteroids]

I've been having a good laugh at our Spengler turning himself into a young Hegelian.

Imagining Bowie’s “Young Americans” sung as “Young Hegelians”.

"Gee, my life's a funny thing
Am I still too Jung?"

[NapLajoieonSteroids]

Just to clarify, I'm laughing more at the sudden change of heart than Goldman directly. God bless him, the guy finally got around to the Kabbalah and wants to incorporate it into his philosophical framework.

It just seems such an abrupt 180 from the man crapping all over german idealism for 30+ years-- the Franz Rosenzweig turn.

And I do think a bit of cynicism (or is it sinicism?) is in play, just as he pivots towards how wonderful China is, he adopts the philosopher whose had a bit of a resurgence there. Xi Jiaoping, "Kant is Marxist; Hegel is Dengism".

[noddy]

he has been a sinophile since day one, seems more pronounced now, but is part of the doom n gloom schtick

the tiger mums making their kids excel at maths and western classical music have been one of his favourite topics.

ditto all the checkers/chess/go analogies over the years.

[NapLajoieonSteroids]

Arguably, yes. One of the many charming things about the old Spengler articles. But his "Chinamen make better Westerners than us" is not really sinophilia.

In recent years there has been a real pivot there; which all things counted, is probably a smart move.

[NapLajoieonSteroids]

[Parodite]

Spengs Sinophilia reads to me as a leftover brainstem infection of his Merrill Lynch period.

[NapLajoieonSteroids]

That could be it too. "The Crisis of Meaning for Spengler." Behind a paywall but yours for six months at the low, low price of .99 cents a subscription.

[Typhoon]

I've been having a good laugh at our Spengler turning himself into a young Hegelian.

Imagining Bowie’s “Young Americans” sung as “Young Hegelians”.

[Doc]

Spengs Sinophilia reads to me as a leftover brainstem infection of his Merrill Lynch period.

Goldman when he is emotionally detached is pretty good in his analysis. When he isn't not so much. With China is it at least partly "high culture" due to the love there for classical music. His first love

[Miss_Faucie_Fishtits]

Spengs Sinophilia reads to me as a leftover brainstem infection of his Merrill Lynch period.

Goldman when he is emotionally detached is pretty good in his analysis. When he isn't not so much. With China is it at least partly "high culture" due to the love there for classical music. His first love

I think it's his skepticism of the Enlightenment even after his mash note on Hegel.....'>......

[Doc]

Spengs Sinophilia reads to me as a leftover brainstem infection of his Merrill Lynch period.

Goldman when he is emotionally detached is pretty good in his analysis. When he isn't not so much. With China is it at least partly "high culture" due to the love there for classical music. His first love

I think it's his skepticism of the Enlightenment even after his mash note on Hegel.....'>......

What were Hegel views on deadly man made pathogens?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1fboB1YdEQ

China 'CREATES' Deadly New MUTANT Covid Strain With 100% Kill Rate in Mice: Dr. Alina Chan Reacts

[Parodite]

True Stories That Drive Spiritual Growth | Bishop Barron | EP 431


Air Jordan and Bishop Barron have a fairly interesting and well-tuned conversation. The God narrative is saved, but only to a point. A good thing this baby is not thrown away with the bathtub water; I'm pro-life and not particularly like abortion. Live and let live, preferably die after a life that was worth living.

However, there are many more babies worth saving. My favorite babe is called Nature. It is gender neutral and embodies Diversity, Equity (we all share in the same outcome: death) and Inclusion. As such it is a true Deity and should be the dream of any woke enthusiast. Being the singular and plural, the particular and general, the one and many, the hidden and revealed, this and the other, text and context. In fact, you can put anything in Baby's bag you want, make it/him/her the center of all categories and give it specific name: Beingness, Baby Beingness, or just BB.

But then this baby starts to resemble the other one called JHWH God who says these magical words: I am that I am. The same and first words of BB in fact: dada-baba. The resemblance is chilling.

I would argue in favor of Baby Beingness because it is more than just a human narrative. To be fair: I believe this to be the case. When we all stopped breathing, BB will continue being what it always was, is and will be. It does not need a floor to stand on; nor is it "the ground of being" for others or things to emerge-from.

Most importantly, it needs no narrative but does allow for any and all story, for fact and fiction to co-exist as they emerge, change and disappear again. It also is the experiential map of any sentient animal that has not yet collapsed onto itself as "self-awareness". Caveat: whether self-awareness is a curse or a blessing in disguise remains to be seen, the jury is still out according to trusted sources at the Pentagon.

One could depict Baby Beingness as some multi-headed gender-neutral multi-faced Shiva representing all other Gods. Like the Eye of Sauron on top of Mount Doom where all things are destroyed. The One Ring that Rules them All to bring you Death, but enables Creation and new Life in the Shire, eventually.

The nature of Baby Beingness is both destruction and creation. Obviously, because Baby Beingness is all that was, is and will be.

People inclined to refer to Baby Beingness as a male God, a Lord… a Father, have their legitimate reasons according to Dr. Phil. Probably one way or other some territory is under threat. If you want to refer to Baby Beingness as Mother Nature you are probably more fair-minded, emotion oriented and tending towards inclusion, the female instinct of caring for a collective. BB is fine with all that.

Baby Beingness is even fine with those who reject any anthropomorphism, only accept scientific truth and technology that works. The taste of rich baby milk full of nutrients. BB loves it!

[Miss_Faucie_Fishtits]

Mary Harrington posed the sharpest question concerning 'my bodily autonomy'. Is my freedom worth your life?........

[Parodite]

Screenplay
A ChatGPT test run

INT. UNIVERSITY LIBRARY - DAY

A group of PHILOSOPHERS huddles around a dusty ancient text, their faces filled with curiosity and concern.

PROFESSOR JORDAN, the leader of the team, flips through the pages with reverence.

PROFESSOR STALKENBERG
This text could be the answer to our greatest challenge yet.

DR. SCOTT, a young and determined philosopher, leans in closer, studying the faded words intently.

DR. WEINSTEIN
But how can an ancient text help us combat woke culture?

PROFESSOR JORDAN
Legend has it that it holds the wisdom needed to restore balance to our society.

Their conversation is interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. AGENTS burst into the room, their faces masked and their intentions clear.

AGENT SMITH
Hands up! You're under arrest for unauthorized research!

The philosophers exchange worried glances but stand their ground, unwilling to relinquish their discovery.

INT. HIDDEN STUDY - NIGHT

The philosophers gather in a secret study, illuminated by flickering candlelight. They pore over the ancient text, deciphering its cryptic messages.

DR. WEINSTEIN
It speaks of a time when society valued critical thinking and open dialogue. Perhaps that's the key to overcoming woke culture.

PROFESSOR JORDAN
We must spread this message before it's too late.

EXT. REMOTE MOUNTAIN PASS - DAY

The philosophers journey through rugged terrain, facing obstacles at every turn. They encounter hostile activists and face ideological clashes, but their determination never wavers.

DR. SCOTT
We're getting closer. I can feel it.

Suddenly, they stumble upon a hidden cave, its entrance adorned with ancient symbols.

PROFESSOR JORDAN
This must be it—the key to unlocking the truth.

INT. CAVE - DAY

The philosophers enter the cave, their hearts pounding with anticipation. They discover a chamber filled with ancient artifacts, each holding a piece of the puzzle.

DR. SCOTT
It's beautiful—a testament to the wisdom of the past.

As they piece together the clues, a sense of hope washes over them. They realize that the true power lies not in censorship or division, but in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding.

PROFESSOR WEINSTEIN
We have the answer—the key to saving our world from the grips of woke culture.

With newfound resolve, they set out to share their discovery with the world, determined to ignite a renaissance of critical thinking and free expression.

FADE OUT.

The above could be an introduction, a trailer screenplay for a serious and philosophical comedy, me thinks.

[Doc]

Screenplay
A ChatGPT test run

INT. UNIVERSITY LIBRARY - DAY

A group of PHILOSOPHERS huddles around a dusty ancient text, their faces filled with curiosity and concern.

PROFESSOR JORDAN, the leader of the team, flips through the pages with reverence.

PROFESSOR STALKENBERG
This text could be the answer to our greatest challenge yet.

DR. SCOTT, a young and determined philosopher, leans in closer, studying the faded words intently.

DR. WEINSTEIN
But how can an ancient text help us combat woke culture?

PROFESSOR JORDAN
Legend has it that it holds the wisdom needed to restore balance to our society.

Their conversation is interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. AGENTS burst into the room, their faces masked and their intentions clear.

AGENT SMITH
Hands up! You're under arrest for unauthorized research!

The philosophers exchange worried glances but stand their ground, unwilling to relinquish their discovery.

INT. HIDDEN STUDY - NIGHT

The philosophers gather in a secret study, illuminated by flickering candlelight. They pore over the ancient text, deciphering its cryptic messages.

DR. WEINSTEIN
It speaks of a time when society valued critical thinking and open dialogue. Perhaps that's the key to overcoming woke culture.

PROFESSOR JORDAN
We must spread this message before it's too late.

EXT. REMOTE MOUNTAIN PASS - DAY

The philosophers journey through rugged terrain, facing obstacles at every turn. They encounter hostile activists and face ideological clashes, but their determination never wavers.

DR. SCOTT
We're getting closer. I can feel it.

Suddenly, they stumble upon a hidden cave, its entrance adorned with ancient symbols.

PROFESSOR JORDAN
This must be it—the key to unlocking the truth.

INT. CAVE - DAY

The philosophers enter the cave, their hearts pounding with anticipation. They discover a chamber filled with ancient artifacts, each holding a piece of the puzzle.

DR. SCOTT
It's beautiful—a testament to the wisdom of the past.

As they piece together the clues, a sense of hope washes over them. They realize that the true power lies not in censorship or division, but in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding.

PROFESSOR WEINSTEIN
We have the answer—the key to saving our world from the grips of woke culture.

With newfound resolve, they set out to share their discovery with the world, determined to ignite a renaissance of critical thinking and free expression.

FADE OUT.

The above could be an introduction, a trailer screenplay for a serious and philosophical comedy, me thinks.

Suggested script edit:

[Parodite]

To play with this definition a bit:

Alchemy is the process of transformation.

Day 1. Calcination: The purifying fire.
Day 2. Dissolution: Stirring the pot.
Day3. Separation: The good and bad.
Day 4. Conjunction: The point of no return.
Day 5. Fermentation: Death & resurrection.
Day 6. Distillation: Refinement in stages.
Day 7. ......

Especially in the West a lot of mixing is going on. Multiculturalism as a concept arose here because it is a reality, with the idea/hope that different cultures can mix into one society where those differences are perceived as adding value, making it stronger, more vibrant.

As opposed to a monoculture that tends to become static and eventually deteriorates into isolationism and weaker genes due to incest. I would associate such monoculture with:

Day 1. Calcination: The purifying fire

A purified culture resulting in a monoculture. It can function for quite a while, until the inevitable winds of change start to "pollute" this organism and bringing it off balance. Dissolution is at the door, creepingly slowly or perhaps with sudden force. Norway comes to mind, but any traditional society relatively unbothered will do.

Day 2. Dissolution: Stirring the pot

All places on earth are now in the process of being stirred. Physically by mass migrations of people and technology, communication and information on an exponential growth curve, it leaves nobody off grid and unaffected.

The growing desire to isolate politically, to conserve what is now exposed to change is a response to the fact that the world as a whole as pretty much one pot being stirred.

The West specifically is at the mercy of this and is now forced to separate "the good from the bad", i.e. it needs to find answers, solutions.

Multiculturalism, it turns out, not only brings juicy fruits and mutual benefits, politically it poses a real challenge: what are the ground-rules that can be embraced by everybody? And who then decides on those ground rules? Which dictatorship will enforce what type of freedom on us?

Day3. Separation: The good and bad

What values can be kept or dismissed? This is the phase the West is in right now. Various values and overlapping interests that happen to co-exist in the mix are locking horns, compete, battle it out. I would label this phase as the UFC mode of Cultural Alchemy. The mother of all civil wars. A lot of corpses and potentially many more grinning you in the face. But not yet at the point of no return.

Day 4. Conjunction: The point of no return

This is when all variables and parameters are set with brutal causality taking over brittle quantum probabilities. The Olympic Fire is torched, the wave function collapsed. Destruction and Creation shaking hands in a moment of great intimacy.

Day 5. Fermentation: Death & resurrection

To borrow from Air Jordan Peterson: We who wrestle with God. A match you can never win but... you may resurrect! As an ultimate act of out-maneuvering the Gods. Newborns who survived the onslaught and still free of memory mark a new day. Fermentation, the fumes of blissful oblivion.

Day 6. Distillation: Refinement in stages

Like a nursery home, new realities attended with great care. Feeding, fine tuning, calibrations and celebrations. The inevitable cycle, to further purify and have another Day 1.where things look familiar.

[NapLajoieonSteroids]

[Parodite]

Why Solitude Promotes Greatness - The Benefits of Being Alone

[Parodite]

There once was a Nose very keen,
Who tried to explain what he'd seen.
To Eye, he did say,
"In fragrant display,
Life's colors are hidden, you glean!"

Then Eye with a vision so bright,
Tried show Nose that all there is light.
But Nose just replied,
A sniffle beside,
"Your world just lacks scent so outright!"

Thus Eye and Nose had a long chat,
On senses and this and all that.
Alas, in the end,
Could not understand,
Each other's unique habitat.

[Parodite]

As per the previous:

https://suno.com/song/e0e2c549-c5b2-444 ... a1c4f0aa8c