Personal Development for Smart People^TM Forums

WarrenG · 09-01-2011, 02:34 PM

Which path would you take?

The Choice of Hercules

Merr · 09-01-2011, 04:36 PM

Looking ahead and seeing darkness beyond the meadow would have been enough to put me off. Seriously though, I think that principles of LOA and a lot of what is on this board suggest that you don't need to work your butt off your whole life to feel good and get what you want out of life. There should be a third way.

WarrenG · 09-01-2011, 08:02 PM

If you were offered full LOA power right now, to create whatever you want, would you take it? And why?

Merr · 09-01-2011, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenG

If you were offered full LOA power right now, to create whatever you want, would you take it? And why?

Yes, as long as I couldn't see darkness beyond the meadow! I'd take it because I feel like I've already been waiting and working a long time to get the things I want in life. I feel that actually, a life of 'virtue' has not necessarily been as personally rewarding or satisfying as I would have liked. I think that's actually another aspect of virtue.. what is the sunset like? Is it beautiful? Just how long do you get to enjoy that sunset?

WarrenG · 09-01-2011, 08:48 PM

Maybe the meadow without darkness is at the end of the rocky path...

Merr · 09-01-2011, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenG

Maybe the meadow without darkness is at the end of the rocky path...

I'd like to think so but tonight I'm having one of those evenings where it feels like the rocky path would be followed by thorny pushes and a rough river before the meadow came anywhere into view.

WarrenG · 09-02-2011, 12:05 AM

I've been thinking about this, and I think there are some caveats to the Rocky Path, which probably don't apply if your name is Hercules.

The premise of taking the Rocky Path is that you grow by facing challenges.

But the first caveat is that the challenge has to be suitable for your own level of skill. If it's too hard you won't learn, like fighting in UFC before taking a martial arts class. Also if the challenge is too small, you're also not learning, like taking a children's martial arts class and sparring with 8 year olds. Might boost your ego, to beat a small challenge, but screw it, just go to The Meadow if you want to feel good.

The second is that sometimes you'll trip up even when the challenge is a good match for your skill. So you've got to be good at bouncing back and continuing on the rocky path, and not letting it get to you if you do fail.

The third is that it's good to visit the meadow from time to time, because it lets you recharge. The key, which I noticed recently when I was in my personal Meadow (getting drunk a few days in a row; it's a British thing), is that there's a certain amount of time you can spend in The Meadow, after which you don't want to leave. Then the Rocky Path is really hard to get back onto, and the first few days of travelling are going to be a little painful until you get the momentum back. But there is an amount of time you can spend in the Meadow - and you can feel it - where you know you could continue your journey on the Rocky Path refreshed at any time.

Merr · 09-02-2011, 07:20 PM

A fellow comrade from the UK eh? Funnily enough, alcohol has not been a meadow for me. I've lost sight of what my own personal meadow is at the moment but I hear what you're saying.

WarrenG · 09-03-2011, 10:32 AM

Yup, I'm in London. Alcohol's definitely a vice of mine. Roughly once a year I take a 30-45 day break from drinking, and it.... sucks!

lycan · 09-03-2011, 08:11 PM

Am I the only one who sees this story as a conflict between joy (vice) and vanity (virtue)?

WarrenG · 09-03-2011, 09:06 PM

You mean how he's doing all these things just to get the approval of other men etc?

lycan · 09-03-2011, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenG

You mean how he's doing all these things just to get the approval of other men etc?

Worse: their approval once he is dead.

WarrenG · 09-03-2011, 09:28 PM

Yeah that is a pretty poor reason for taking the rocky road. Like Achilles in Troy where he gets the choice of living a perfectly happy life, or having people remember him when he's dead. I wouldn't have gone for that one.

But I dunno about vice and joy being the same thing, I think of joy being separate to hedonism.

Andrew Brunelle · 09-03-2011, 11:36 PM

Life back in the time before time was amazing abundant and fun. People worked an hour a day or a day a week to make their basic needs. The rest of their time was spent in play and discovery. Their lives were not arduous or painful, at least not most of the time. They had no fear and did not even fear death. There was an understanding of oneness and cooperation, when we basically lived as Gods on Earth.

So, yeah, eternal bliss or arduous path?? Not really the easiest question, but if we could take the arduous path to the eternal bliss so that we could appreciate it more, that would be the best path.

09-01-2011, 02:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
WarrenG Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 595	Vice or Virtue? Which path would you take? The Choice of Hercules

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09-01-2011, 04:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
Merr Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 510	Looking ahead and seeing darkness beyond the meadow would have been enough to put me off. Seriously though, I think that principles of LOA and a lot of what is on this board suggest that you don't need to work your butt off your whole life to feel good and get what you want out of life. There should be a third way.

09-01-2011, 08:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
WarrenG Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 595	If you were offered full LOA power right now, to create whatever you want, would you take it? And why?

09-01-2011, 08:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
WarrenG Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 595	Maybe the meadow without darkness is at the end of the rocky path...

09-02-2011, 12:05 AM	#7 (permalink)
WarrenG Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 595	I've been thinking about this, and I think there are some caveats to the Rocky Path, which probably don't apply if your name is Hercules. The premise of taking the Rocky Path is that you grow by facing challenges. But the first caveat is that the challenge has to be suitable for your own level of skill. If it's too hard you won't learn, like fighting in UFC before taking a martial arts class. Also if the challenge is too small, you're also not learning, like taking a children's martial arts class and sparring with 8 year olds. Might boost your ego, to beat a small challenge, but screw it, just go to The Meadow if you want to feel good. The second is that sometimes you'll trip up even when the challenge is a good match for your skill. So you've got to be good at bouncing back and continuing on the rocky path, and not letting it get to you if you do fail. The third is that it's good to visit the meadow from time to time, because it lets you recharge. The key, which I noticed recently when I was in my personal Meadow (getting drunk a few days in a row; it's a British thing), is that there's a certain amount of time you can spend in The Meadow, after which you don't want to leave. Then the Rocky Path is really hard to get back onto, and the first few days of travelling are going to be a little painful until you get the momentum back. But there is an amount of time you can spend in the Meadow - and you can feel it - where you know you could continue your journey on the Rocky Path refreshed at any time.

09-02-2011, 07:20 PM	#8 (permalink)
Merr Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 510	A fellow comrade from the UK eh? Funnily enough, alcohol has not been a meadow for me. I've lost sight of what my own personal meadow is at the moment but I hear what you're saying.

09-03-2011, 10:32 AM	#9 (permalink)
WarrenG Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 595	Yup, I'm in London. Alcohol's definitely a vice of mine. Roughly once a year I take a 30-45 day break from drinking, and it.... sucks!

09-03-2011, 08:11 PM	#10 (permalink)
lycan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 626	Am I the only one who sees this story as a conflict between joy (vice) and vanity (virtue)?

09-03-2011, 09:06 PM	#11 (permalink)
WarrenG Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 595	You mean how he's doing all these things just to get the approval of other men etc?

09-03-2011, 09:28 PM	#13 (permalink)
WarrenG Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 595	Yeah that is a pretty poor reason for taking the rocky road. Like Achilles in Troy where he gets the choice of living a perfectly happy life, or having people remember him when he's dead. I wouldn't have gone for that one. But I dunno about vice and joy being the same thing, I think of joy being separate to hedonism.

09-03-2011, 11:36 PM	#14 (permalink)
Andrew Brunelle Family Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Home Posts: 2,578	Life back in the time before time was amazing abundant and fun. People worked an hour a day or a day a week to make their basic needs. The rest of their time was spent in play and discovery. Their lives were not arduous or painful, at least not most of the time. They had no fear and did not even fear death. There was an understanding of oneness and cooperation, when we basically lived as Gods on Earth. So, yeah, eternal bliss or arduous path?? Not really the easiest question, but if we could take the arduous path to the eternal bliss so that we could appreciate it more, that would be the best path.

Personal Development for Smart PeopleTM Forums

Personal Development for Smart People^TM Forums