Hey, I was hoping to use more of the discussion board as a means of planting a wider depth to our conversations. It’s nice to have a starting point, before we go live. I would like to spring one such idea off of what K—-y said. I am bipolar and I have noticed many of those in groups for non-theistic alcoholics are. I think it sucks losing out on one’s ability to cope with death. In AA, I’ve realized the group we are hanging around produces some sort of social psychosis. However I have noticed thesistic AA is beneficial, because I’ve learned how I can rationalize some bullshit behavior in myself, even if it isn’t through double talk. By being aware of my own self centered predisposition as a human, I can better keep in touch with my obligations towards humanity and life as a whole. Even if it all ends, we need to have basic faith that we can plant seeds for the future in the social psychology around us. By all means, postponing death and reducing hardships for others makes sense beyond super-enlightened egoism. Intellectually, I can grasp the bigger picture isn’t about me.
I can still act in extremely self-centered ways though, and my drop of double talk doesn’t prevent that. Sometimes group double talk is merely a way of positively influencing each other, but being strategically removed in a way that is protective from bruised egos to some degree. I definitely see my AA group as a cult, but good use can be used with such abstract communication. I focus on behavior as it relates to the abstract way people try to manipulate me. Not all manipulative people are bad. We’re all self-centered sometimes, but watch closely enough for the good and you will see it. Abstract concepts like ‘good’ are frightening to see people lose in their vernacular because they lost faith in morality when they realize their previous moral compass was shit. I’ve learned to focus less on the ethics of others and more on the moral progress I make within my own strategic goals that work with the actual values I have rather than the ones I have been conditioned to express I have. I look at my own behavior and where I want to head.
There are definitely bipolar people who think and communicate with precise techniques, but in the end, all language is abstract ways of communicating a rather subjective view of an objective reality best not reduced to points of space and quantum mechanics usually. That isn’t the human experience I care about.
Joker's Wild 