tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810514527237098008.post2607514228290137710..comments2023-10-16T06:52:23.061-04:00Comments on Notes From The Outside: GripesBrandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704525078859327898noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810514527237098008.post-462725946835113452012-03-08T20:39:35.800-05:002012-03-08T20:39:35.800-05:00"...words are divisions, and joy is more a fe..."...words are divisions, and joy is more a feeling of connection..."<br /><br />I've come late to this party, but this jumped out at me...it sounds a little like "those who speak do not know, those who know do not speak" to me.baroness radonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14593108634484542286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810514527237098008.post-25027384498468946822012-03-04T12:19:56.219-05:002012-03-04T12:19:56.219-05:00I think my reaction is born of the fact that you m...I think my reaction is born of the fact that you made a blanket statement (something I've been known to do as well!). Yes, I DO complain about politicians that are mostly talk, but little do. However, in those sorts of cases, I see a difference than what I think you were referring to. That difference is that their tack is intentional! They do this to mislead and delude the public -- what the Taoist sages refer to as contriving.The Rambling Taoisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04730292897416827840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810514527237098008.post-65624092389333095842012-03-03T21:24:17.216-05:002012-03-03T21:24:17.216-05:00Yeah well the way I see it it's all good, ever...Yeah well the way I see it it's all good, everything has it's place, everything is part of the process, all words contribute to the collective body of knowledge. Even if much of it is just a bunch of hot air, a lot of talk, no action, whatever is of value will be applied eventually, and if not, it's back to the drawing board. The point is you can't expect instantaneous results, or change over night; sometimes people need to talk longer than others, repeat themselves, going around in circles for years, but will eventually orientate themselves in the direction they need to be. <br /><br />Either way, all problems I think have a way of working themselves out, some people just need a little more time for that to happen, and for some talking about problems, without actually doing anything, is just part of the process of building up the momentum they need to get to where they need to be. You could think of all that hot air as potential energy accumulating to eventually power a hot air balloon leading to a new renaissance of innovative thinking and social change.Cymhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04465389888585291447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810514527237098008.post-27803757472208122852012-03-03T20:11:43.481-05:002012-03-03T20:11:43.481-05:00I just feel like as a society, there's a lot o...I just feel like as a society, there's a lot of talk about issues but little done about them. It starts to seem like just a lot of hot air. Trey, you must agree with this, you post about it all the time, the Democrats are famous for it (while the Republicans are just insane). If you write a book about some issue or problem, or even a series of blog posts and the like, it gives you a feeling of having done something without really accomplishing anything towards a true resolution of said problem.<br /><br />Look, I'm a blogger and a writer, I'm not saying it's pointless. Bringing an issue publicity is important, and dialogue in general is necessary and natural for humans. We'd all be crazy hermits otherwise; and you can't solve a problem if you don't talk about it. <br /><br />So Cym, I didn't mean always. I just see it... well, a bit analogous to spiritual pride. You think you're getting close to god, when all you're doing is beefing up the ol' ego. Words/writing/talk have their place, of course, but too often it gets stuck there. Again referring back to that sense of having done something when you really haven't. <br /><br />By the way, I also miss the email notifications, when I remember to click the box, that is.Brandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12704525078859327898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810514527237098008.post-77712561269139508812012-03-03T15:41:12.910-05:002012-03-03T15:41:12.910-05:00Brandon, while I pointed out a couple things I dis...Brandon, while I pointed out a couple things I disagree with, I did not mean to imply that I disagree with everything. It's a good post. And look, you may have helped inspire at least two or more posts from it, so thanks for the inspiration. <br /><br />I get what you're saying about people being all talk, no action, it is a common complaint of my own. I guess what you need to do when looking at any problem or complaint, is to ask yourself if there is actually anything that can be done about it, or if complaining is just a waste of time? Regarding your construction job example, if your job is to install something that is an over-priced piece of shit, the best you can do is to advise people not to use it, give them better alternatives, and not use it yourself, but if the decision is out of your hands, complaining about it will change nothing. <br /><br />So yeah, I get what your saying, and agree with much of what you've written here, with just a couple of disagreements.Cymhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04465389888585291447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810514527237098008.post-79731650031633173872012-03-03T15:19:24.377-05:002012-03-03T15:19:24.377-05:00I just did some investigating, and apparently emai...I just did some investigating, and apparently email notification is not currently available in the "pop up" and "full-page" comment form options, but it does work in the "embedded" comments format. I've just switched over to that for the time being. One good thing about that option, is that they've recently added a cool new feature, where you can reply to individual comments.Cymhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04465389888585291447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810514527237098008.post-9667910510197417392012-03-03T15:03:38.456-05:002012-03-03T15:03:38.456-05:00Cym, you're right. I thought something was mi...Cym, you're right. I thought something was missing in the <i>new look</i> comments section and that's it. I agree. I hope they bring it back. It's a very helpful tool for engaging in conversation via a blog.The Rambling Taoisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04730292897416827840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810514527237098008.post-30970857115752490082012-03-03T14:59:28.616-05:002012-03-03T14:59:28.616-05:00Great comment, Cym!!
By the way, like Brandon, th...Great comment, Cym!!<br /><br />By the way, like Brandon, the posts you both wrote motivated me to write one myself that features snippets from both of your posts. It will hit my blog tomorrow evening.The Rambling Taoisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04730292897416827840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810514527237098008.post-31503694057326437512012-03-03T14:56:59.418-05:002012-03-03T14:56:59.418-05:00I'm not seeing an option to email comments to ...I'm not seeing an option to email comments to me. Do you know anything about that? There used to be a box to check off, but I'm not seeing it any more. Any one else having that problem? <br /><br />Hmm, I also noticed that feature is missing on my blog too. That sucks. Hope they fix it soon, it was a nice feature to have.Cymhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04465389888585291447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810514527237098008.post-89765641731312594842012-03-03T14:47:07.468-05:002012-03-03T14:47:07.468-05:00Dogs speak in barks, rain speaks in drops, and peo...Dogs speak in barks, rain speaks in drops, and people speak in words; words are just as much a part of our nature, and nature as a whole, as our own breath. Words may divide, but they also unite; just as closed fists may be used to divide in an act of hate, open hands may be used to embrace in an act of love. They'll be an upcoming post on this topic: on the naturalness of words. <br /><br />I also disagree with what you said here: <br /><br />"In fact, in many ways, endlessly talking or writing about a problem or political issue or whatever, is a great way to avoid really dealing with it, really doing anything about it." <br /><br />Perhaps you don't mean always, or even most of the time, but only sometimes...because otherwise what would you say of books, or journalism? For instance, were all the books written about global warming written as a way to avoid dealing with it? Do people write social justice books with the purpose of nothing being done about their issue? Are you saying that reading/writing doesn't play any productive role in addressing the world's problems? <br /><br />I don't think you are saying that, but that is your objection taking to the extreme. <br /><br />If someone is endlessly talking about something, without doing anything about it, then perhaps it is because they are talking about the wrong things; they need to change their dialogue. But then again, some people are not doers, but are messengers. Their role is to point the way, to provide the knowledge for others to act on, and speaking and writing is often the only way of sharing that knowledge. <br /><br />The fact is people make excuses all the time, people talk about problems and do nothing about them, just as much as people don't talk about problems and do nothing about them. But that doesn't change the fact that words, both spoken and written, are our primary method of communication, for sharing information, accumulating facts, and researching possibilities.<br /><br />Words are perhaps not actions in themselves, but they are inciters of action, and before you can do something it helps if you have some facts before you to aid in your action. It's about preparation, getting educated, gathering knowledge before you act, and perhaps helping to educate others before they act.<br /><br />But if you think talking, writing, or reading about doing stuff, is preventing you from acting, then by all means stop talking, writing, reading about it for awhile, and see how far it gets you.Cymhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04465389888585291447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810514527237098008.post-17714265888799316862012-03-03T13:59:44.105-05:002012-03-03T13:59:44.105-05:00I disagree that writing about something "is a...I disagree that writing about something "is a great way to avoid really dealing with it, really doing anything about it." In many cases -- though certainly not in all cases -- writing serves as the prime motivator to commit to action by yourself and others.<br /><br />At this stage of my life (due to my physical and mental deterioration), I'm no longer an activist, but when I was out in the streets, I wrote a lot and I wrote to motivate myself and others. It's near too impossible to maintain activism without some kind of emotional spark. Passionate writing and speaking often provides that.<br /><br />Also, as I have noted on my blog before, writing helps me to think about things more deeply. I can work things out in my own mind far better if I put pen to paper, as it were.<br /><br />Before the advent of the blogging platform, I basically wrote all the time for my eyes or my family's eyes only. Now I write for the world and I get the added benefit of feedback!The Rambling Taoisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04730292897416827840noreply@blogger.com