I can get along with some christians, who barely think about religion, usually those from stolid, traditional, level-headed churches.
But the actual New Testament doctrine, taken neat, is poison.
Comforting for people who have nothing left to lose, but disastrous for everyone else, if taken to heart.
I would be about as eager to rely on a fundamentalist as on someone with a history of failed suicides.
The ideal christian is a celibate monk who lives on a desolate rock.
Those who want that at heart, yet live in "the world," are potential spanners in the works.
As I see it:
Esprit de corps isn't humility. It's respect.
What athletes call humility isn't humility. It's being honest with yourself.
What betas call humility is usually just cowardice - making yourself less of a target.
There's room for all three.
Respect the respectable, never lie to yourself, and choose your battles.
Sound like humility? Maybe so, but with an important detail:
Alway reserve a small piece of arrogance: the will to choose when to do these things.
To arrogate means to take or claim without justification.
But where did the first justifications come from? The first divisions of land into property? The first laws?
Claims without prior justification.
Acts of arrogance created everything we know.
When to choose not to be humble:
Maybe someone is genuinely as skilled as you or even more so, but he won't ally himself with you.
In that case, consider fucking him over. Your other "humble" traits (honesty to yourself, choosing battles) will aid you in this.
Maybe there are occasions where a show of bravado is more important than what having what that bravado requires: bluffing, for example.
The only exception is lying to yourself. I can't see how that could ever help except as an emergency morale boost, but we're men, after all.
Harshness envigorates us. Patting yourself on the back will ultimately make you feel weak.
But the actual New Testament doctrine, taken neat, is poison.
Comforting for people who have nothing left to lose, but disastrous for everyone else, if taken to heart.
I would be about as eager to rely on a fundamentalist as on someone with a history of failed suicides.
The ideal christian is a celibate monk who lives on a desolate rock.
Those who want that at heart, yet live in "the world," are potential spanners in the works.
As I see it:
Esprit de corps isn't humility. It's respect.
What athletes call humility isn't humility. It's being honest with yourself.
What betas call humility is usually just cowardice - making yourself less of a target.
There's room for all three.
Respect the respectable, never lie to yourself, and choose your battles.
Sound like humility? Maybe so, but with an important detail:
Alway reserve a small piece of arrogance: the will to choose when to do these things.
To arrogate means to take or claim without justification.
But where did the first justifications come from? The first divisions of land into property? The first laws?
Claims without prior justification.
Acts of arrogance created everything we know.
When to choose not to be humble:
Maybe someone is genuinely as skilled as you or even more so, but he won't ally himself with you.
In that case, consider fucking him over. Your other "humble" traits (honesty to yourself, choosing battles) will aid you in this.
Maybe there are occasions where a show of bravado is more important than what having what that bravado requires: bluffing, for example.
The only exception is lying to yourself. I can't see how that could ever help except as an emergency morale boost, but we're men, after all.
Harshness envigorates us. Patting yourself on the back will ultimately make you feel weak.