The Eyeglasses of Enlightenment

Let's make some video games!

Moderator: Ice Cream Jonsey

User avatar
pinback
Posts: 17672
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 3:00 pm
Contact:

The Eyeglasses of Enlightenment

Post by pinback »

One of my favorite analogies... Enlightenment is like the eyeglasses you can't find because you're already wearing them.

You are already enlightened. You are already enlightenment.

If you suffer, it's because you're missing it, because it's too close. It's because you're looking for the glasses already perched atop your nose.

User avatar
Tdarcos
Posts: 9333
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 9:25 am
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Contact:

Re: The Eyeglasses of Enlightenment

Post by Tdarcos »

pinback wrote:One of my favorite analogies... Enlightenment is like the eyeglasses you can't find because you're already wearing them.
Can't happen in my case. I have to wear glasses in two instances: (1) Dollar Store 3.50 level for reading, because my ability to read print has diminished over the winter; (2) prescription glasses for farsightedness. Doesn't do anything for me otherwise.

In fact, for normal vision I have to take off my glasses because I can't see when wearing them. In fact, my vision is still good enough to drive without corrective lenses. (Also, Maryland allows drivers' license renewal (1) by mail; and (2) for up to 8 years. So I won't have to do that again until 2022.)

Now, when you say "wearing them" do you mean "on your head" or specifically "on your eyes"? Because sometimes when I'll be switching between a set of tasks where I have to read print (which requires glasses) and ordinary work (which does not permit wearing glasses), I will push them up on the top of my head. (For some reason I find that quite sexy in a woman.)

I can almost understand those commercials where someone is trying to find their glasses and they had put them on the top of their head for temporary storage.
Alan Francis wrote a book containing everything men understand about women. It consisted of 100 blank pages.

User avatar
pinback
Posts: 17672
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 3:00 pm
Contact:

Re: The Eyeglasses of Enlightenment

Post by pinback »

Tdarcos wrote:Now, when you say "wearing them" do you mean "on your head" or specifically "on your eyes"?
I mean shoving them up your ass.

Fatass

Post by Fatass »

I was contemplating drinking myself through a panic attack but now I am laughing too hard and everything's fine.

User avatar
Tdarcos
Posts: 9333
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 9:25 am
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Contact:

Re: The Eyeglasses of Enlightenment

Post by Tdarcos »

pinback wrote:
Tdarcos wrote:Now, when you say "wearing them" do you mean "on your head" or specifically "on your eyes"?
I mean shoving them up your ass.
Hey, Ben, if being on the wagon is going to make you this much of an insufferable prick, please go back to being an alcoholic!
Alan Francis wrote a book containing everything men understand about women. It consisted of 100 blank pages.

User avatar
Ice Cream Jonsey
Posts: 28877
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact:

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

If you had to point to one thread which made me shut the entire BBS down rather than let it continue as a disgusting mockery of itself, it's probably this one, for the record.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

User avatar
Tdarcos
Posts: 9333
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 9:25 am
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Contact:

Post by Tdarcos »

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:If you had to point to one thread which made me shut the entire BBS down rather than let it continue as a disgusting mockery of itself, it's probably this one, for the record.
Jesus Suffering Christ almighty are you that thin skinned? What is wrong with you? Ben decided to pick on me and make it personal, so I did the same. Do you really think I meant that? Do you really think Ben intended for me to push my glasses up my ass?

My God, I'd hate to see you in the middle of a flame war. I've had people use insults on me that were so hot they would burn the char off a blast furnace. You'd be running home to your momma with your tail between your legs.

Look, if Pinback really knew what he was talking about, he could have explained what he meant better. Hell, I could do a better job. Since all he had left was an intellectual vacuum, his only option was to be insulting. I'm pointing out that he's shown that he isn't trying to explain his point, he's just ranting for the sake of being miserable.

Which he has been doing for years and hasn't seemed to bother you before. What gives?

I mean, if Pinback has something seriously enlightening to speak about, and has some reasonable argument to make, I'd like to hear it. That doesn't mean if he just throws around statements he can't defend I won't call him on it.

Seriously, if he has something useful to say I'd like to hear it. But if he's not sure what he wants to say he should say so, then ask for assistance to clarify his point. But he's not doing that; he comes out with these long winded propositions where he has no new ideas and does not have enough background to support them.

Further, if he wanted to make a serious discussion I'll be happy to seriously debate him over his ideas. But if he's going to just pontificate he has to expect comments over his less than fully-resolved concepts.

I don't understand why this is making you so upset.
Alan Francis wrote a book containing everything men understand about women. It consisted of 100 blank pages.

User avatar
pinback
Posts: 17672
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 3:00 pm
Contact:

Post by pinback »

Oh my god.

User avatar
Ice Cream Jonsey
Posts: 28877
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact:

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

I do like the bit where Paul insinuates that I would not be "in my element" in a BBS flame war. On many levels.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

User avatar
Tdarcos
Posts: 9333
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 9:25 am
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Contact:

Post by Tdarcos »

pinback wrote:Oh my god.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but didn't you say you're an atheist?
Alan Francis wrote a book containing everything men understand about women. It consisted of 100 blank pages.

User avatar
pinback
Posts: 17672
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 3:00 pm
Contact:

Post by pinback »

Tdarcos wrote:
pinback wrote:Oh my god.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but didn't you say you're an atheist?
That's right, Paul.

User avatar
Flack
Posts: 8822
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:02 pm
Location: Oklahoma
Contact:

Post by Flack »

"I failed a savings throw and now I am back."

User avatar
AArdvark
Posts: 16177
Joined: Tue May 14, 2002 6:12 pm
Location: Rochester, NY

Post by AArdvark »

Wait, I want to hear more about eyeglasses and how they became a separate subtext from enlightenment.


We were eating at McDonald's one time (this is back in the 80's) and the girl I was dating read the tray liner. It read: 'Find McDonald's in this picture'. Below that was a line drawing of a country scene. Barns and fields and shit. In the smaller print below that it extolled the environmental resposibility McD's was showing by removing the styrofoam burger containers and switching to all paper. The girl, however, never read the small print and spent five minutes staring at the drawing trying to find the hidden shapes that weren't there.

I feel that there is something similar happening here.


THE
DIVERGENT
AARDVARK

User avatar
RealNC
Posts: 2244
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 4:32 am

Post by RealNC »

pinback wrote:
Tdarcos wrote:
pinback wrote:Oh my god.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but didn't you say you're an atheist?
That's right, Paul.
Jesus still loves you though.

User avatar
pinback
Posts: 17672
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 3:00 pm
Contact:

Post by pinback »

AArdvark wrote:The girl, however, never read the small print and spent five minutes staring at the drawing trying to find the hidden shapes that weren't there.

I feel that there is something similar happening here.
That is exactly right.

We're looking for something somewhere, and can't find it, because it's everywhere.

User avatar
Flack
Posts: 8822
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:02 pm
Location: Oklahoma
Contact:

Post by Flack »

So...

...uh...

...happiness is McDonald's?
"I failed a savings throw and now I am back."

User avatar
pinback
Posts: 17672
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 3:00 pm
Contact:

Post by pinback »

I think we've all suspected it.

User avatar
Flack
Posts: 8822
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:02 pm
Location: Oklahoma
Contact:

Post by Flack »

It's all so clear to me now.

Image
"I failed a savings throw and now I am back."

User avatar
AArdvark
Posts: 16177
Joined: Tue May 14, 2002 6:12 pm
Location: Rochester, NY

Post by AArdvark »

Dat's fucked up. DaVinci is rolling in his Subterrainian Italian burial niche.



THE
SCARY CONCEPT
AARDVARK

User avatar
Tdarcos
Posts: 9333
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 9:25 am
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Contact:

Post by Tdarcos »

Clearly Ronald has the Jesus position. Who is Judas in the picture?

And what did they get? 30 Big Macs or just 30 cheeseburgers?

----
Vincent: They got the metric system, they don't know what a quarter pounder is.
Jules: Well what do they call it?
Vincent: Royale with cheese.
Alan Francis wrote a book containing everything men understand about women. It consisted of 100 blank pages.

Post Reply