Philosophy/Quote Thread

Off Topic
1

Very much like the random thread, post your thoughts on anything or any quotes that you like, here’s some stuff that I wrote:
Striving for Mediocrity

Society as a whole has accepted the mediocrity of everything. It is now OK to be a failure, it is now ok to be a complete idiot as long as you surround yourself with like minded people. Everyone should aspire to be great, to lead the life that will be chronicled throughout the next thousand years, but few attempt to. Why you may ask, it is said being “competent” at everything makes you great at nothing, so I guess you really have to push yourself into one thing to be great at it, however I hold the belief that if one person can achieve one thing, so should anyone.

Someone I look at that was able to lead this life is Benjamin Franklin who was most notably a politician and an inventor, however he was also an author of a very famous almanac (Poor Richardâ??s Almanac), a composer (played violin, harp and the guitar), and a passionate chess player (inducted into the chess hall of fame in 1999). Truly he is regarded or at least should be as one of the greatest men to ever grace this earth.

Limiting yourself is a problem with a lot of people, they have obscure talents and think that if they try to hone them that people will mock and ridicule them, but a life with regret is like a beautiful voice to a mute person. Now many people are great and they have a lot of skill in one area, however they are truly lacking in a lot of other areas. Success isnâ??t formulated by having natural talent, success is formulated by trying new things and pushing yourself to be one day better then yesterday.

If you can look at yourself at the end of today and say physically or mentally that you have furthered yourself, then I think you have achieved something great with your day. Life is going to end and if you can say that everyday of your life you either attempted to make yourself physically stronger/faster/tougher or you learned something new, then I think you have done all you can. It is great to aspire, but remember if you canâ??t aspire, try to inspire.

A lot of people experience problems as they are usually forced into doing things that they have no interest in doing. If you are ever in a situation like this, then I highly suggest you stop whatever you are doing that is making you feel this way and pick up something that you want to achieve greatness in. It is never too late to start something, however every day you donâ??t start is a day that is lost.

If you are going to try something give it your best and really commit to it. Iâ??ve learned that if you are going to attempt to do something, you had better do your damn best at it because there is no such thing as looking a little bit foolish. For example I know that I myself have told many crappy jokes countless times that I know deserve no laughs, but the persistence of continuing the joke until you do get a positive reaction is what separates the good from the great.

It isnâ??t whether you can do this today or tomorrow it is whether you are still attempting to do it in a month, never give up on your dreams and if you do, donâ??t sit there like a shattered person, find a new passion and pursue it to the fullest. If at first you donâ??t succeed try try again, if you attempt to do something enough times you will succeed sooner or later.

Keep trying new things and when you have found something you are good at, keep getting better, but that doesnâ??t mean that should be your only passion, keep growing as a person and never limit yourself!

2

School

School is so bad these days, you know why? Well Iâ??m sure you could name me a thousand reasons, but here are my opinions. First of all for the first 3 years of high school you have 4 one hour and 20 minute classes, equating to around 27 hours in a week. So essentially you spend one day of your week trapped inside a school, you have two choices, either you bust your balls and do the work or you just say fuck it. The amount of work is ridiculous too,

I have known people that have maintained an 80 average while taking academic courses and you need to do at least an hour of homework a night, so that adds up to 34 hours in total. You are already at a day and a half (almost) and this is just if you want to get an 80, forget about a 90.

I have come to the conclusion that if you want to waste your life studying, so you can move onto university and do more studying and then get a job where you work another 12 hours, then all the power to you. However to me, I have absolutely no passion to do so and think that life should be lived to the fullest and if your opinion studying one and a half days a week is to the fullest, then thatâ??s up to you.

That is just a very basic over view, however we havenâ??t talked about what type of thinking it takes to do well in school. For most courses it is submissive and mindless and if you do what the teacher tells you, youâ??ll do well. Thinking outside the box is usually frowned upon. Also most teachers already have a standard of what type of student you are (smart, dull, smart but lazy) and they will use that to justify your marks.

It is frustrating how easy it is for someone who keeps is looked as â??the smart oneâ?? hands in some essay regurgitating what the teacher said and gets an 85 just because they seem to be â??smart.â?? Meanwhile someone that is looked upon as dull can hand in the same essay and get a 70. Teachers have no accountability and it seems that you canâ??t challenge the teacher to tell you why they gave you the mark.

Why donâ??t we as students grade the teachers on the overall job that they did? It is much easier to give the â??dullâ?? student a bad mark, knowing that they wonâ??t fight with you on it and knowing that they have this reputation if they did you would be able to justify it to the higher ups. I would love to see this experiment, a bright student hands in a paper to one teacher with their name written on it and a dull student hands in the same essay to another teacher with their name written on it.

Ok so you have spent 34 hours in your week at or doing school events, but how much time can you effectively spend with your parents? The problem is that everyone has been brainwashed into thinking if you donâ??t do well in school you are incapable in doing well in life, which is not the case. Walt Disney, George Washington, Liza Minelli, Abe Lincoln, Thomas Edison all didnâ??t graduate High School and these are people that have had incredible influences on society.

You spend all this time doing work and you hardly have any time to spend with your parents, but where do you get your values and beliefs from? A long time ago parents would spend a lot of time talking to their kids on how to live life and just giving them advice. Now parents buy their kids things to keep them occupied while they are out working their 12 hour jobs and the problem is that kids learn their values and beliefs from their friends, T.V and school which can be heavily biased.

Unfortunately it seems like a cycle that will continue with the upcoming generation so concerned about their jobs and money, instead of happiness and love. It isnâ??t bad to have an opinion, but when it is based on one thing like school or friends or T.V, that opinion isnâ??t truly yours, it is something that has been forced upon you.

Another problem with school is that students have all this work to do, they hardly have any time to form their opinion and study things that truly interest them. I have seen way too many people wasting their time doing something that they have no want to do and one day they will look back and realize that they have wasted their lives. School is highly overrated because you can be successful without it if you work hard enough at something.

A reoccurring theme that I write about is living your life to the fullest and it is so true that you must live everyday like itâ??s your last, but how many of us truly do it? Just whatever you do, donâ??t over saturate yourself with one thing and when formulating an opinion, consider all options. Keep an open mind live your life and donâ??t let people tell you how to live.

3

Having nothing to say but writing anyways

Sometimes people talk and it is without reason, but that is who they are and they really say nothing. What if I were to write this and not stop typing once and just continue on every idea that pops into my heard. Would that be incredibly original or would that be incredibly stupid? How much amount of thought is supposed to be put into writing anyways?

I mean if our central nervous system knows what weâ??re going to do before our brain does that mean we are just escaping the inevitable? So as I continue to write I realize that while I believe I am saying something with this, I really am not.

Wow 2 paragraphs of nothingness, I guess you really want to kill some time. So as surprising as it is that people would put themselves through this, it really shouldnâ??t be. How many people truly say anything worth quoting anyways, when was the last time you had an epiphany over something that one of your friends said?

The reason behind this is unknown and if one person even reads this, that is one person than I wouldâ??ve thought. What if I were to delete right here and just forget that I wrote this all together? Well then I wouldâ??ve just wasted my own time and not yours and that wouldâ??ve been a true shame.

What is the realization that you will achieve after reading this? I hope it is to think more critically of everything you surround yourself and everything that you force your body to endure as how will it really help it in the end? Letâ??s just say that by some miracle you are still reading, you have some sort of fascination with what I am writing, yet you are reading nothing, but does this prove my theory from the start?

I mean I have written some stuff that has gotten zero comments or likes and I will never know how many people actually read it and that has way more thought then this yet will you comment on this over that? Would it have been better if I wrote nothing and posted it, but what if you learned something, does that justify this senseless ramble?

4

Dream Control

It has become apparent that at least a third of my day is dedicated to sleeping and am I just completely wasting that time? Most likely just about everyone reading this (Thanks <3 ï??) just goes to bed without any thought to what they are going to dream about. However this is the time where we can achieve most, do things which would otherwise be thought to be impossible and pretty much have the best time of our lives without any worry of any consequences.

The problem is that most people have no idea or want to control their dreams and it truly is a shame that you allow yourself to waste that time every night when you can achieve your wildest fantasies with little real effort.

I have been reading and also testing out some theories to try and control my dreams and something that I found works very well is: when you are in your bed before you are about to fall asleep, think about your wildest fantasies, visualize them over and over again and just keep going until you fall asleep, however this a really elementary tactic and I will show you some that would probably yield a better result.

Suspension of disbelief is something that we experience when watching a movie or a play, it doesnâ??t matter that the character has been shot 20x, none of them went through his vest and just like that, you should translate that to your dream world and before you go to sleep convince yourself that you can achieve anything you want (flying, becoming a giant robot and reeking havoc).

Believing is key to anything you want to do in life, but especially in dreams. Ignoring the negatives and focusing on positives is very important in life, but this also translates into good dreams, if you are constantly thinking about bad things you will obviously have bad dreams (since your mind is on that topic constantly), make sure throughout your day you stay positive and think of the best.

Make sure that when you are thinking about everything you want to dream about, that you donâ??t forget anything as anything not thought about will not come to exist and when donâ??t be discouraged if right away you donâ??t have the best dreams possible. Make sure you keep a dream diary and keep track of your dreams, to make sure what techniques or things you did the night before and how they worked, it might sound annoying, but looking back on your wacky dreams when youâ??re bored can be extremely entertaining.

You only have 24 hours in a day, however you only utilize about 14-18 in actual activity, but with these few simple methods you can help maximize what you achieve. You might be saying to yourself, itâ??s just a dream who cares? But while you are in a dream you are convinced it is reality and therefore it is reality, if you can maximize the amount you achieve in your dreams it can bring you great joy maybe just for the time you dream, but why not have that joy instead of a dream about complete randomness?

For a few hours a night why not have that kick ass house and that amazing car that can fly? This was mostly simple techniques and there are much better ways out there so just do some research and get the most out of your days! Maximize your dreams and maximize your days.

5

The Journey for Happiness

Of course the conquest for happiness is always something that everyone is looking to find, but how do you personally pursue it? Do you surround yourself with people that like the same things as you or are you surrounded by people that have forced you to like the same things as them? Hopefully everyone realizes that there is a cap to everything you do (happiness, sadness and every emotion you can experience).

Now everyone has been prescribed their happiness prescription whether it be going to university, then getting a job and having a family or just whatever you believe will make you happiest, however is this your true view of happiness or one that has been forced upon you and you have realized that there is no escaping it? I guess if you really want to know if that will provide the happiness you desire is if you know your ultimate goal in life and how it relates to what you are currently doing to reach that goal.

No matter how much you or I try to avoid it, it seems that life is a giant circle (same old shit different day), but there is something you can do to change that cycle. I know for a fact that there are things that everyone wants to do or try that they havenâ??t yet because they are afraid of what other people will think. In the end you only get one life so why not live it to the fullest and do whatever the hell you want?

People seem to get too caught up about what other people think about them to just say whatever they want and do whatever they want, but by doing this they are suppressing natural urges. The correlation between other peopleâ??s thoughts and your happiness is something that I think is related too close.

People now a days seem to live for their parents (whether it be grade attaining or doing things in which they have no interest) this is something that they think will make you happy, but in reality you are your own person and no matter how weird you think you are, your parents will always accept you for who you are. Of course they want you to do well in school so you can get a nice job, a loving partner and live in a nice house and try to one up them and have a better life.

However have we reached the cap in one up from our parents, really there is no competition between you and your parents and you should only do whatever you are doing for one person and that is yourself. The most important thing to me is that if I ever look back I can see that everything I did is what I thought was best for me at the time, not what was prescribed to me by my parents, society or the people that I surround myself with.

The circle might not be able to be completely broken, but Iâ??m going to do my damn best to try and change that cycle.

6

Perception

The most widely accepted belief is that you can change people’s perception of you, but does this hold true? Are you encapsulated in being “the funny oneâ??, â??the ladies man” or “jacked one?” It seems that everywhere you look society is trying to bunch you up into being a one trick pony. Does it really make a difference if you’re a kind and funny person or a complete douche bag because you will have people that love you either way?

One person who is a great example of what you can do when you don’t follow the script and just be who you are is comedian Andy Kaufman, he would be in the middle of a hilarious set and just when you thought you had him figured out, he would blow up right in front of you. Truly a man who lived for himself.

Can you win people over or is it that the moment you meet them, you can slightly alter the way they look at you, but there comes a point where they have learned enough about you and what you mean to them? Nobody cares about people in the world anymore, people have their friends and they just stick with them, but is this because of the amount of emotion and time it takes to connect with someone or is it because people just don’t care enough to put in the effort?

Sometimes for jokes try and be somebody completely different to everyone else around you and see how the so called “funny one” or the so called “jock” does as “the poet” or “the photographer.” People are ever changing and so should the way you look at them, talk to them and treat them, going round in circles is no fun mix it up and fuck with people’s perception of you every once in a while.

Flavor is the essence of life so don’t be a pussy and always use salt and pepper, mix it up and toss some anchovy sauce or whatever floats your boat, just don’t live your life as a one dimensional character.

7

Karma is something that should be considered before taking any action

The past is for has beens and the future is for will bes, so live your life in the present and never look too far behind or ahead.

Life is about wants and needs, but which one will rule your life?

School is one of the most over rated things in life, you are taught what they want you to know and if you think outside of the box you are scolded. Teachers already have a preplanned notion of you and what you are as a student, so is it any bother trying for someone who is going to give the 80 to the “smart one” and the 65 to “the one who is smart, but never tries.” The people who are considered smart are the ones who can best regurgitate what they are told and these are the people that go on to lead the country, so is there any surprise that there isn’t change? Since all they know so far is conform to the rules and listen to what everyone tells you and you will advance in life.

Know what you want in life and pursue it, never settle.

Every positive can be turned into a negative and every negative can be turned into a positive.

With god death is the first of answers, without him it is the last of questions.

Glory is the road you take to get there, the longer the road the sweeter the glory.

Life is like watching a movie, you press play knowing it’s going to end, but the difference should be that you shouldn’t sit there and watch your life pass you by.

Knowledge is the ability to have a discussion on just about anything.

Attempting something and failing should be embraced; if you fail but you are persistent you will succeed because of the fact that if you try to do something enough times your ratio of success increases with each try.

If what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, then death should be the only pain you fear.

Too much time spent thinking about the meaning of life prevents you from living it. (Irony??)

Surround yourself with people bent on succeeding and you will succeed too, succeeding and success can be replaced with any other verb and this sentence will still hold true.

Sex sells, but sex also sells you out.

Love is like a girl scout selling cookies, it comes and goes, but you know that one day you will find it again.

8

“Love is like a girl scout selling cookies, it comes and goes, but you know that one day you will find it again.”

I’ve never ever encountered a girl scout trying to sell me cookies. What does that mean?

9

“A witty quote proves nothing”

10

[quote]asusvenus wrote:
“Love is like a girl scout selling cookies, it comes and goes, but you know that one day you will find it again.”

I’ve never ever encountered a girl scout trying to sell me cookies. What does that mean?[/quote]

It means it’s time to pull out the old tinted window van and free candy sign.

11 
How long can one man fight the darkness, before he finds it in himself?

"People do not lack strength, they lack will"
-Victor Hugo

Today is a good day to die

Betrayal is the only truth that sticks.

â??The devotion of the greatest is to encounter risk and danger, and play dice for death.â??
""Man is something which ought to be overcome"
-Friedrich Nietzsche

"Black and white and gray, all the shades of truth"

"Existence precedes Essence"

"Soon there will be war. Millions will burn. Millions will perish in sickness and misery. Why does one death matter against so many? Because there is good and there is evil, and evil must be punished. Even in the face of Armageddon I shall not compromise in this."
-Rorschauch

Remember friends as you pass by,
as you are now so once was I.
As I am now so you must be.
Prepare for death and follow me.

"'It is destiny' - phrase of the weak human heart! 'It is destiny' - dark apology for every error! The strong and virtuous admit no destiny."

"The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naïve forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget"

Physical strength is nothing without an indomitable will.

You cannot dream yourself into a Character, You must Hammer and Forge yourself one. ΣΧ

â??Your actions, and your action alone, determines your worth."

"God is great, beer is good, people are crazy"

â??Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once"

"Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power"

â??Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.â??
12

Have you been reading Slavoj Zizek or something?

13

Google Dale Carnegie and Abraham Lincoln. Those guys have immortal quotes.

This one is my favorite: “YOU ARE IMPORTANT!” -Dale Carnegie.

14

[quote]legendaryblaze wrote:
asusvenus wrote:
“Love is like a girl scout selling cookies, it comes and goes, but you know that one day you will find it again.”

I’ve never ever encountered a girl scout trying to sell me cookies. What does that mean?

It means it’s time to pull out the old tinted window van and free candy sign.[/quote]

Never gets old

15

Favorite bumper sticker:
“Honk if you don’t exist.”

I usually honk, but I’m lying (I think.)

16

“Do not go where the path may lead, instead go where there is no path and leave a trail.”- Emerson

17

I recently read an article on Forbes about the things billionaires have in common (besides money). The vast majority of them didn’t finish college, they made much of their fortune from self discovery and trial-and-error. Yes many of them failed on their early attempts, but also pushed forward onto success. I would not suggest to leave or miss college, but I like the idea of figuring shit out for yourself too.

18

[quote]DickBag wrote:
nik133 wrote:
School

I have come to the conclusion that if you want to waste your life studying, so you can move onto university and do more studying and then get a job where you work another 12 hours, then all the power to you. However to me, I have absolutely no passion to do so and think that life should be lived to the fullest and if your opinion studying one and a half days a week is to the fullest, then that�??�?�¢??s up to you.

that sounds to me like the words of someone who is looking for a way to justify not educating themselves.

“live life to the fullest”

like what? travel the world? that gets old, living out of backpacks gets old. knowledge is a big part of life. if you like what you study, then your are definatly not wasting away your life. Dont catagorize everyone into the same catagory as the people who ONLY went to college to get a job. some people choose what they enjoy learning, thats it.

Deliver your opinions with more respect.

[/quote]

Well to me school requires you to become a drone and submit. If you like what you are studying then good for you, but to me it seems that you spend copious amounts of time studying so you can do more studying and then work 12 hours a day, it just doesn’t seem worth it to me.

My opinions will be delivered how I feel they should be delivered as after all they are my opinions. I am passionate about things too, but I can’t imagine devoting the amount of time that school requires to just one area in my life that’s all. And as for not educating myself, I spend a lot of time reading and trying to gain general knowledge in most subjects, so just because I choose not to produce an 85 in English and someone else does, it doesn’t mean they are anymore “educated” then me.

19

" ."
— Mark Bavaro

20

[quote]DickBag wrote:
nik133 wrote:
School

I have come to the conclusion that if you want to waste your life studying, so you can move onto university and do more studying and then get a job where you work another 12 hours, then all the power to you. However to me, I have absolutely no passion to do so and think that life should be lived to the fullest and if your opinion studying one and a half days a week is to the fullest, then that�¢??s up to you.

that sounds to me like the words of someone who is looking for a way to justify not educating themselves.

“live life to the fullest”

like what? travel the world? that gets old, living out of backpacks gets old. knowledge is a big part of life. if you like what you study, then your are definatly not wasting away your life. Dont catagorize everyone into the same catagory as the people who ONLY went to college to get a job. some people choose what they enjoy learning, thats it.

Deliver your opinions with more respect.

[/quote]

Agreed, some people do live life to the fullest by studying for hours of Physics since they actually enjoy it. :wink: