[Nicketas]

Originally Posted by The Cloud

for anybody else. You only have the answer for yourself.

I've been realizing this more and more of late. Giving people answers, no matter how eloquently stated and logically argued, accomplishes virtually nothing in terms of helping them. Until somebody comes to a personal understanding independently, the answer means nothing. Only once this independent understanding has been achieved does the answer have any meaning.

So I am beginning to believe that telling somebody why their beliefs are wrong and explaining what is wrong with them and proposing a belief that doesn't encounter that problem is next to useless. Only once they fundamentally understand the belief will they realize that you were right (provided you were), and by that time they no longer need your explanation. I've been posting long involved answers to many people's questions on why they are so miserable and what they can change their beliefs to in order to not be so miserable, and I'm beginning to think that it has no real benefit beyond improving my typing skills. The same thing applies to my interactions with real people; no matter how clearly I state my point it just doesn't penetrate.

So people have to find their own answers. The only way that I've found to truly help them is to provide them with the right questions. I can only suggest where to look, it is up to each individual to know what they're looking for and to recognize it once they find it. The Socratic method, with each question leading them deeper down the rabbit hole of their consciousness. I've tried this with friends, and the effect is astounding. Unfortunately, so far it's been so astounding that they feel there must be some trick to it and that it can't be true. But I think that this is the only way that I can really help, by providing questions rather than answers.

Edit:
This doesn't necessarily apply to people with roughly equivalent understandings and beliefs. Amongst such people I believe that eloquent logical discussions can lead to bigger and better things. It is those that are not able to understand the premises of those discussions that cannot benefit from them.

"MY LEG IS BROKEN!"

"You need to see a doctor"

"yeahhh but but but".