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Ninth Doctor

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Posts posted by Ninth Doctor

  1. 15 hours ago, thenelli01 said:

    Does anyone have any suggestions on how to move forward (besides seeing a therapist)? I took him out of my life completely last week... I try to stay positive - I have good and bad days. But, I really want to move on and have a meaningful, happy life and friendships, but I can't seem to do it.

    I have a feeling this song might help, even though it's about a good relationship that's (evidently) not going south.

     

  2. 13 hours ago, StrictlyLogical said:

    A person who undergoes a healthy transformation will have fond perhaps warm nostalgic feelings when introspecting thier prior selves but when a person does not undergo a healthy transformation they become psychologically stuck, they cling and fail to let go (in the same way malfunctioning grief over a loved one can end up) retaining poignant, yearning, and painful nostalgic feelings about thier prior selves...

    What are your thoughts on death bed conversions, or re-conversions?  I'm thinking of people (like myself) who received the childhood imprinting of religious doctrines, particularly that you need to be right with God at the moment when you die, otherwise your soul is going eternally to the hot place.  Christopher Hitchens even allowed that he might call for a priest at the last minute, and asked that people be kind to that poor suffering entity who was no longer himself.  I wonder about the limits of "healthy transformation" in the face of childhood imprinting. 

  3. On 7/11/2018 at 6:27 PM, jonathanconway said:

    The guy spent his whole life studying and writing music. Clearly he had a passion for the work, and wasn't just trying to be popular or rich. He also spent a significant portion of his life in the Sankt Florian cathedral, an immense, beautifully ornamented structure, one which must have given him inspiration every day. He surely had traits Rand (and I) would disapprove of, particularly belief in God and a bit of an obsession for teenage girls.

    That last part might leave a wrong impression.  When he was middle aged he tried to get into an arranged marriage, and it had to be with a virgin.  This was because of his deep Catholic religious commitment, not that he was a pervert.  I bet he died a virgin himself.   On at least one occasion the father had to tell him he was too old. 

    Here's a funny (and/or creepy) anecdote.  Bruckner was one of Hitler's all time favorites, along with Wagner, Lehar, and Kalman (also a particular favorite of Rand's (and a Jew)).  The conductor Herbert von Karajan related a story (this is in one of the bios of him) that he went to St. Florian's at Hitler's behest, and Hitler accompanied him to the crypt below the altar where Bruckner is buried, and had him stay alone there for an extended period (half an hour or so) to absorb Bruckner's spirit.  He said it was just dark there and that whole experience was uncomfortable (not at all inspiring). 

    One of Hitler's last orders was that the 2nd movement of the 7th be broadcast on the radio immediately after the announcement of his death.  He specified this recording:

     

  4. 18 hours ago, William O said:

    I haven't read either of these books, but they both basically seem to argue some variant of "everyone is irrational" based on the reviews I've seen.

    Are you sure it's not "everyone is fallible" instead of "everyone is irrational"?  From my experience with Shermer (and Randi), I expect that's the mix-up (/equivocation) being made by whichever reviewers you've seen.

     

  5. Ted's sister just posted a reminiscence on OL.

    http://www.objectivistliving.com/forums/topic/16758-ted-keer-rip/?do=findComment&comment=277620

    The end is particularly memorable:

    " May this parting bit hopefully bring a smile...He was buried with a copy of Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology minus a few pages from which the kids crafted origami boats and sent off some honorary ashes downstream where he often wandered. "

    This calls to mind Leonard Bernstein being buried with his score of the Mahler 5th.  He performed the Adagietto at the memorial service for Bobby Kennedy in 1968, here's that recording:

     

  6. 7 minutes ago, Eiuol said:

    Carl Jung more so.

    From what I gather, he was only invited because of his free speech position. But his viewpoint isn't particularly special, and he doesn't offer any new approach. Certainly nothing from an egoistic perspective on rights. 

    Jung was one of Campbell's primary influences, so we're on the same page.  Unless you meant to swap out Dr. Laura.  Peterson's view on religious belief reminds me of her.  I recall a quote from her, paraphrasing it amounted to: everyone needs a religion, so pick one. 

  7. In this book:

    https://www.amazon.com/Ideas-Ayn-Rand-Ronald-Merrill/dp/0812691571/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1529846162&sr=8-5&keywords=ronald+merrill

    there's a theory that Atlas Shrugged parallels the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah.  The number of people in the valley is key to this theory.  I recall it being a worthwhile book, though it has been a long time (more than two decades) since I read it. 

  8. I won't be attending, but I recently got an email saying Jordan Peterson is going to appear.  He's to do a panel with Dave Rubin, Yaron Brook, and Onkar Ghate.  That session will probably make its way to YouTube.  I find Peterson interesting.  I'd characterize him as a cross between Joseph Campbell and Dr. Laura.  He's certainly not an Objectivist. 

  9. On 6/15/2018 at 6:48 PM, 2046 said:

    Anyways, comments, deconstructions, analysis?

    Just that Dave Rubin has accumulated quite a history of excellent interviews over the past couple years.  Yaron Brook did an outstanding job particularly on his first appearance.

    Larry Elder, Thomas Sowell (naturally), and Alex Epstein's appearances are particularly worth checking out. 

    https://www.youtube.com/user/RubinReport/videos

    Rogan is a new name to me. 

  10. 55 minutes ago, Boydstun said:

    .

    Some readers here may have known Ted Keer, at least as a poster. He posted a while at Objectivism Online. I have learned from his Facebook page that he died on 5 March 2018. He died in his sleep of natural causes. Ted once quipped of my paper Universals and Measurement: "At last, metaphysics that stays crispy in milk."

    Here is a comment of Ted's on The Logical Leap

    This is terrible news.  Ted was one of the best people to interact with in Rand-land.  Always so stimulating.  He stopped posting years ago, and has been much missed.  I'll let the folks at OL know.

  11. On 7/29/2017 at 9:26 PM, DonAthos said:

    I'd like to echo some of the earlier choices, including Roger Ackroyd (though perhaps Mysterious Affair at Styles, first) and I think any/all of Hugo or Douglas Adams. I do wonder about the Good Doctor's selection of Ulysses, however; I've had surgeries I've enjoyed more. Well, at least he didn't drop Finnegans Wake on the thread, lol. :)

    I agree Mysterious Affair at Styles ought to be read first (it being the first in the series), but Ackroyd is special.  And it shouldn't be spoiled for anyone who hasn't read it.  Please don't look it up on Wikipedia first, you only get one chance to read it the first time. 

    I've never been able to get into Finnegans Wake.  Even with Joseph Campbell's book length analysis laid side-by-side. 

  12. Foucault's Pendulum - Umberto Eco

    The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco

    Mason & Dixon - Thomas Pynchon

    Ulysses - James Joyce

    The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman - Laurence Sterne

    The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Victor Hugo

    Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency - Douglas Adams

    The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - Robert Heinlein

    The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Agatha Christie

    All the Jeeves novels (plus the short stories) of P.G. Wodehouse

     

     

  13. 13 hours ago, Severinian said:

    What if someone with the moral character of John Galt was the heir to a dictatorship? What would he do? Would he just leave the country, or would he take the position as dictator and try to subtly govern the country towards a more Western society, or at least prevent it from getting even worse? 

    Try looking into the history of the 18th century monarchs who were influenced by the Enlightenment.  Joseph II of Austria is a prime example.  With the stroke of a pen he freed the serfs and gave Jews equal rights.  There was a backlash, and he ended up writing his own epitaph: Here lies Joseph II, who failed in all he undertook.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_II,_Holy_Roman_Emperor

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