💾 Archived View for tilde.pink › ~bencollver captured on 2022-04-28 at 17:16:10. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
⬅️ Previous capture (2022-03-01)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
I might try to describe or explain who i am and where i am coming
from. This can be taken as a deeply metaphysical and philosophical
topic, but i will try to keep it real and stay grounded.
As an "accident of birth," my ancestry is neither a source of pride
nor of shame. My ancestors were Puritans. One nice thing about having
puritanical ancestors is that they left a paper trail. I can read
what my ancestors wrote. Another positive inheritance is their
idealism and zeal, which shows through the writings of their
transcendentalist offspring.
"Accident of birth" explanation
On MB tests i consistently score either INFJ or ISFJ. I spend a lot
of time reading, so literature has a huge influence on how i view the
world. I seem to fit in well with people who self-describe as
"aspies." Learning is prominent in my hierarchy of values and i view
it as my saving grace. This helps me to be open to people who are
different from me, and to avoid getting stuck in pitfalls such as
addiction. Another prominent value is self-determination. Another
prominent value is nature. I view nature as right and good, even the
parts that we may judge to be harsh.
My ethics go something like this:
1) Don't try to harm others. Avoid causing pain.
2) Do try to help others. Seek the greater good.
3) Be honest. Remember that there are many levels of honesty.
4) Be prepared to learn. Learning is worth more than money.
5) Work within your sphere of influence. Don't worry about the rest.
6) Assume responsibility for yourself, but not for others.
7) Be careful what you wish for. Your thoughts and words are powerful.
My politics are complicated. I intensely dislike propaganda and
groupthink because i value dignity, freedom, and intellectual
honesty. I believe that i, and the people around me, have a
heightened awareness of our differences. In other words, yes we are
different, but our differences don't mean what we think they mean.
When we make mountains out of molehills, we hurt more than we help.
When we obscure our own vision with imaginary mountains, we lose
sight of a more universal Truth. This narrow vision can subvert even
evidence-based policies, because we are the ones who decide which
evidence is worth considering. So in my politics it is crucially
important to build self-trust. This will enable you to remain true
to yourself even while learning where others are coming from, and in
spite of misinformation and secrecy.
I'll skip religion and deal instead with my spirituality. I am a
mystic. This is synonymous with what inspires me, what my internal
essence resonates with, what brings me joy, and what makes my life
worth living. As you can probably guess from my values, i enjoy
learning, nature, and reading. But what really makes my life worth
living is connection with family, friends, and with the source of my
being. This takes many forms, but my "love language" is quality
time.
Well, that covers ancestry, personality type, values, beliefs,
ethics, politics, and "religion". If you would like to know me
better, then i warmly invite you to email questions to me.
"How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is
strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air or the
sparkle of the water, how can you buy them? Every part of the Earth
is sacred to my people, every shining pine needle, every sandy
shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clear and humming insect
is holy." --Chief Seattle
"I am part of the sun as my eye is part of me. That I am part of the
earth my feet know perfectly, and my blood is part of the sea.
There is not any of me that is alone and absolute except my mind,
and we shall find that the mind has no existence by itself, it is
only the glitter of the sun on the surfaces of the water."
--D.H. Lawrence
"Who am I? It matters not that you know who I am; it is of little
importance. This clay garment is one of a penniless pilgrim
journeying in the name of peace. It is what you cannot see that is
so very important. ... There is a spark of good in everybody, no
matter how deeply it may be buried. It is the real you. ...
Inner peace is found by facing life squarely, solving its problems,
and delving as far beneath its surface as possible to discover its
verities and realities." --Peace Pilgrim
Email: bencollver at riseup dot net
Earth-Planet, Universe
