Litiquette V

[Paul_Chance]

"This too shall pass..." was the poet Edward Fitzgerald. It's a good line and mostly true.

As Buddhist's we remind ourselves of the First Noble Truth - "All life is suffering and disappointment" when we get in similar (sucky) circumstances.

Now, for the quote that irritates me to no end - it has to be either "Fear Nothing" or "No Fear". Holy crap there is shit in this world you should be afraid of because the experience of it truly sucks and is truly terrifying.

Okay, so you're not afraid someone is going to serve you a cold latte or your beamer is going to get scratched - snap the fuck out of it. If you think you're fearless get out of your shell and push your life to the point where you do know what fear is. It's easy to be brave when the greatest threat you face is they might be out of kale at Whole Foods.

LOL - it is also complicated by a strange thing I learned years ago - people talk about things (and wear slogans) in proportion to how much mental time they spend thinking about them, so the wearing a t-shirt that says "Fear Nothing" is basically telling the world you spend all your time thinking about fear and need to try and constantly remind yourself and boost yourself to overcome it.

End of pet motivational quote peeve vent.

 

[aussiegeekygal]

Man. I realised something reading your responses (which are very insightful).
Life is entropy.
You'd think I'd have figured this out by now.
And Buddhism is onto something.

I think as humans, we have a need to cluster. Inspirational quotes fuel into that need, as it helps us remember we're not alone, and if someone else can get over it, so can I. I struggle to buy into that, but then again, my brain is pickled with some random, weird shit, like an aversion to inspirational quotes and blowjobs...

I wonder if there is some kind of relationship between religion and inspirational quotes. I mean, the Bible is a bunch of inspirational quotes, murder, and stuff.

Another good question that comes out of this discussion is what drives us? What is our motivation in life? Why do we get up in the morning and do what we do?

Damn, SMN. Way to get deeper than Chainey-boy ever could (pun intended).

 

[LWulf]

...Now, for the quote that irritates me to no end - it has to be either "Fear Nothing" or "No Fear". Holy crap there is shit in this world you should be afraid of because the experience of it truly sucks and is truly terrifying...

As with a lot of sayings, you need to temper words with good judgement. "No fear," or the like, doesn't mean you should put a blindfold on and take a walk on the yellow line, it means, to borrow a line or two from Michael Crichton:

"The All-Father wove the skein of your life a long time ago. Go and hide in a hole if you wish, but you won't live one instant longer. Your fate is fixed. Fear profits a man nothing."

It doesn't say "don't be wary," nor does it say "don't be intelligent."

 

[Paul_Chance]

As I have gone through this life, I have used (and do use) self-talk and affirmations as a source of motivation to help me power through difficult times.

At work, I have two "tricks". First, I wear a small silver ring - but it's not just any ring - it's a sterling silver replica of the "One Ring" from Lord of the Rings LOL. It pumps my ego up to think of myself as the Evil Overlord of Everything - and a lot can be achieved in this world by sheer brass.

Then, I draw on one of my favorite mythic figures for inspiration - Cu Cuchulain - the Hound. One of his many mythic titles was "The Master of Every Craft". I tell myself "Remember, you are the master of every craft".*

Finally, to counter attachment to this transitory world I remind myself of that it's all temporary. This comes more from zen buddhism that the other traits.

"You're going to die. Everyone you love is going to die. Everything you love is temporary. It's all going to be destroyed."

Hahaha - that is not exactly a life-affirming mantra, but it is accurate.

What motivates me changes on a daily basis but at the core of it is this - I love life. I love it passionately. I love the mystery and the majesty of it all. It's fucking beautiful, even when it is trying to crush you.

Even though it's all temporary, it's all beautiful. Be inside that beauty and life is constantly amazing.

*Here is another weird factoid for the day about how the mind works - for whatever reasons studies have found that people who engage in self-talk in the third person are better at altering their behavior or self-motivating. If that little voice inside is an "other" voice it seems to work better.

 

[ChainedUp]

Runs in spews out: "Don't take this personal". Not exactly a motivational quote but it does bug the shit out of me.

 

[Paul_Chance]

As with a lot of sayings, you need to temper words with good judgement. "No fear," or the like, doesn't mean you should put a blindfold on and take a walk on the yellow line, it means, to borrow a line or two from Michael Crichton:

"The All-Father wove the skein of your life a long time ago. Go and hide in a hole if you wish, but you won't live one instant longer. Your fate is fixed. Fear profits a man nothing."

It doesn't say "don't be wary," nor does it say "don't be intelligent."

Then they should edit the shirt to say "Fear Nothing (But, be careful cause there is shit that will fuck you up)". LOL - that would be truth in advertising. I'm a huge fan of the 13th Warrior (cheesy but beautiful movie). I don't buy fate. Fate is the refuge of the powerless.

 

[Paul_Chance]

Runs in spews out: "Don't take this personal". Not exactly a motivational quote but it does bug the shit out of me.

LOL - the proper response to that one is "Then stop and think real carefully about what you're going to say to me."

 

[Trekka]

It's times like these when I really miss pot.

 

[Paul_Chance]

Pot is an illusion. A comfortably fuzzy warm illusion.

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/4c/7c/bd/4c7cbd8732e8afbbe85d744bd194b17c.jpg

 

[Suz_anne]

It's times like these when I really miss pot.

I just sucked on a pot lollipop and I still got nothin'.

#keepingitshallow

 

[LWulf]

Then they should edit the shirt to say "Fear Nothing (But, be careful cause there is shit that will fuck you up)". LOL - that would be truth in advertising. I'm a huge fan of the 13th Warrior (cheesy but beautiful movie). I don't buy fate. Fate is the refuge of the powerless.

Or we could be grown up about things and realize that not all things are spoon fed to us.

All homilies, affirmations or inspirational quotes, in essence, are all stupid sounding bullshit because of their simplicity. Yet, what makes them easy to remember is their simplicity, and personally, when you are in the thick, you don't want lengthy things to remember to make you feel good/help you over a hurdle. Also, they all usually sound like stupid bullshit when you don't need to hear them, but when you do... sheer genius!

Yes, I agree. 13th was cheesy, but that's what Hollyweird sells.

meh, and control is the refuge of the clueless. The only thing you can truly control is your decisions, and even then, sometimes those are chosen for you as well.

 

[LWulf]

I just sucked on a pot lollipop and I still got nothin'.

#keepingitshallow

*cough* it helps if you remove the wrapper first.

 

[SMNaughtywife]

Grabs a few lollipops from Suzanne's stash, hand then out to you, you and you my dear get two! Looks up at the rainbow swirly AV.
*I'll replace them sweet lady. Or gummy bears are pretty damn good.*

 

[default24]

Yeah, I could really go for one of those lollipops right about now. Care to share suzanne?

 

[Suz_anne]

*cough* it helps if you remove the wrapper first.

Grabs a few lollipops from Suzanne's stash, hand then out to you, you and you my dear get two! Looks up at the rainbow swirly AV.
*I'll replace them sweet lady. Or gummy bears are pretty damn good.*

Ooooh, I'm a fan of the gummies, too. And rice krispie treats.

Yeah, I could really go for one of those lollipops right about now. Care to share suzanne?

Wanna wrestle for it?

 

[default24]

Wanna wrestle for it?

Absolutely! I feel like I could win with one hand tied behind my back though...

 

[Suz_anne]

Absolutely! I feel like I could win with one hand tied behind my back though...

http://i.imgur.com/pqoYJhu.gif

 

[PeteHulbert37]

"What are any of us really doing here? Whether I get your question right or wrong doesn't really matter. Free will is an illusion. Life is a game that plays us."

 

[SMNaughtywife]

Creates distraction, Default starts babbling.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/9d744b6cb435b29b7103c90e4de2f5e1/tumblr_mx8n98lkiY1qkw6uio1_500.gif

 

[default24]

http://i.imgur.com/pqoYJhu.gif

https://images.rapgenius.com/c524595d4887ed9e784d17fe69afa9cc.426x240x57.gif

 

[default24]

Creates distraction, Default starts babbling.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/9d744b6cb435b29b7103c90e4de2f5e1/tumblr_mx8n98lkiY1qkw6uio1_500.gif

I'm not THAT simple-minded, it takes more than an amazing, luscious set of tits on a gorgeous girl to-- oooo that jolteon plush and fenix toy are pretty awesome!

 

[ChainedUp]

Brownies. Definitely the brownies.

 

[RubenesqueAphrodite]

I've seriously considered moving Colorado.....
Not sure Texas will pass the medical MJ this year for any conditions that don't require you being on your death bed...

All this talk of lollies and gummies makes me sad...

Insurance would rather pay for Haldol or Orap and a drool bib than letting me chillax with a sucker...

 

[ChainedUp]

Hump day quickie - when you give pleasure are you doing it because it makes you feel good or because it makes them feel good?

 

[Trekka]

Both.