Ask Pinback!

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Ask Pinback!

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In this thread, I will answer all of your questions about:

1. Weight loss.
2. Quitting drinking.
3. Nonduality.

These are the only topics I feel qualified to answer questions about at the moment.
I don't have to say anything. I'm a doctor, too.

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Tdarcos
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Re: Ask Pinback!

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Questions:
1. Do you think the methods you use to quit drinking would work to quit other undesirable or unwanted habits?
2. Have you actually quit drinking?
3. Is the "nonduality" you speak about the same as or different from Wikipedia's explanation of nondualism?
4. If it is substantially different from #3, in what ways is it?
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1. Yes!

2. Well, I mean, so far so good in 2018, but who knows what the future holds?

3. That is Wikipedia's definition/explanation, which is as wildly inaccurate and ridiculous as you may have come to expect from
Wikipedia. So while it is essentially referring to the same thing, it is referring to it very, very terribly.

4. Well, that's more of an open-ended invitation for an essay. I was hoping for more of a snappy, entertaining back-and-forth style for this thread!
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Re: Ask Pinback!

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Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2018 6:44 pm Questions:
1. Do you think the methods you use to quit drinking would work to quit other undesirable or unwanted habits?
pinback wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2018 7:25 pm 1. Yes!
Can you give some examples of what your techniques are?
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2018 6:44 pm 2. Have you actually quit drinking?
pinback wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2018 7:25 pm 2. Well, I mean, so far so good in 2018, but who knows what the future holds?
With any addiction all you can promise is now, e.g. "one day at a time," you never really know what problems in your life in the future might cause a relapse. This is one of the reasons I am so very glad that I find all alcoholic beverages to be undrinkable and taste horrible. My sister is definitely an alcoholic and I suspect my mother was.

I'd like your take on Alcoholics Anonymous. Personally I have a problem with the idea that they say the alcoholic is suffering from a condition requiring help from a "higher power." To me this sounds like a type of religion or deism and is incompatible with the beliefs - or non-beliefs - of atheists such as you and I.
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2018 6:44 pm 3. Is the "nonduality" you speak about the same as or different from Wikipedia's explanation of nondualism?
4. If it is substantially different from #3, in what ways is it?
pinback wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2018 7:25 pm 3. That is Wikipedia's definition/explanation, which is as wildly inaccurate and ridiculous as you may have come to expect from Wikipedia. So while it is essentially referring to the same thing, it is referring to it very, very terribly.
4. Well, that's more of an open-ended invitation for an essay. I was hoping for more of a snappy, entertaining back-and-forth style for this thread!
Well, can you give us the Reader's Digest or Cliff's Notes version?

I mean, even South Park did an episode completely explaining Scientology in 10 minutes.

I can do one myself from memory: "A long time ago the Galactic Ruler Xenu shipped billions of people he wanted to get rid of to earth in Boeing DC-10's* to crash them into volcanoes, and the souls of the deceased are still hanging around as Thetans, invading people and causing them mental problems, but by using Dianetics and Hubble's quack e-meter and worthless "auditing" plus hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments you can flush the Thetans out of you and become Clear." Scientologists actually believe this bullshit. If I got anything wrong, like the planes were DC-3s or something else, I don't really care.


* DC-10s were made by McDonnell-Douglas until it was bought by and merged into Boeing a few years ago.
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Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jan 24, 2018 2:16 am Can you give some examples of what your techniques are?
Primarily, for me, the key is befriending desire. Desire is generally the addict's worst enemy, as it creates a very uncomfortable, "negative" feeling which demands to be relieved, and thus we go back to the thing that we know will relieve it, although it is the thing we're trying to quit.

When this feeling, this desire, is no longer the enemy, it can simply be acknowledged and allowed. Specifically, by placing the attention fully on the feeling, it's noticed that it is simply an amalgam of various thoughts and sensations, which in the absence of judgment of "bad" or "good", simply is, and it's noticed that by giving it this focused attention, the energy it once had to push us to our addiction subsides, and is allowed to be just as it is.

This is befriending desire. It's not saying, okay, now we love it. But once befriended, it can reside within us, until it eventually fades or transmutes into something else (which it always does.)
I'd like your take on Alcoholics Anonymous. Personally I have a problem with the idea that they say the alcoholic is suffering from a condition requiring help from a "higher power." To me this sounds like a type of religion or deism and is incompatible with the beliefs - or non-beliefs - of atheists such as you and I.
I went to a few "recovery" meetings, at which the twelve steps were always prominently displayed and discussed, though never to an "official" AA meeting. My main problem with it is not the "higher power" bit -- at least this place was clear to say it doesn't have to be a religious thing, it could be anything you considered larger than yourself; nature, the universe, what have you -- but with the fact that it is focused on dealing with/struggling with your "problem."

The issue there is that by calling it a problem, and implying that it needs to be struggled with, generally has the effect of strengthening the illusion that there IS something called "your addiction" and it IS a problem that you DO need to struggle with, and then it becomes exhausting, as you search for techniques and tools to stave off the dreaded monster.

Contrast this with befriending the monster. With that, there IS no problem or struggle, as simply putting attention on the thoughts and feelings that seem to lead to the destructive behavior naturally has the effect of turning down the volume, dissipating the urgent energy they seem to create, and leaving you with the realization that there was nothing wrong the whole time, you just didn't notice it.

But hey, whatever works. (I suspect AA doesn't, almost all of the time, but I have no numbers at the ready.)
Tdarcos wrote: Well, can you give us the Reader's Digest or Cliff's Notes version?
The essential expression of nonduality is this: There is only what is.

That may seem trite and meaningless on the face of it, but its implications are revelatory and shattering. Perhaps the key implication is that it precludes the observer/observed paradigm.

That is, our normal way of thinking is that there is a "me" "in here" somewhere (points to head, or body), and there is a "world" "out there" (points around the room), and the me is observing and living in and moving about the world. Upon the realization that there is only what is, however, this interpretation is revealed to have all of the solidity and verifiability of a wisp of vapor in a hurricane. And not even that.

There is only what is. If you pay close attention, you'll notice that this is always the case. And though you may still be convinced that your interpretations of what is represent the real truth, eventually you realize you have exactly zero evidence for any of it. It's the cosmic joke, and you fell for it.

After that, you've got no problems.
I don't have to say anything. I'm a doctor, too.

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Re: Ask Pinback!

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Re: Weight loss

besides eating less and exercising, what goofy -ass programs are available for the average gullible lard-o that want's to have cake and eat it too?


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AArdvark wrote: Wed Jan 24, 2018 6:25 pm Re: Weight loss

besides eating less and exercising, what goofy -ass programs are available for the average gullible lard-o that want's to have cake and eat it too?
Is this... are you asking how you can lose weight without eating less and/or exercising more? I... I don't think that's how it works.
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I go from thinking that food is disgusting and I don't need it to thinking about all the delicious things there are to eat in the world. How do you stop the cravings?
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I don't know what works for everyone else, I got my own problems.

However, my general routine is, lots of low/no-sodium chicken bouillon and crunchy vegetables throughout the day, and then a reasonable-sized dinner of whatever you want (preferably something satisfying but not full of cheese and fat and garbage).

That being said, there may still be cravings, and at that point, see above, re: befriending desire.
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Re: Ask Pinback!

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Actually I was hoping for a two page rant about how stupid people go in for all these diet schemes I see at the grocery checkout.

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Perhaps you'd like to take that one?
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Let's make it INTERACTIVE, VARKUS!
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Re: Ask Pinback!

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well, Ok but not here, this is the Ask Pinback thread.

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Speaking of which, any other questions about weight loss, addiction recovery or nonduality? If not, I'll close this out with some final words.
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Re: Ask Pinback!

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Can it be that trying to lose weight is making giving up alcohol more difficult?

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Does any of it really matter?

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RealNC wrote: Sat Jan 27, 2018 5:53 am Can it be that trying to lose weight is making giving up alcohol more difficult?
No, giving up alcohol is making losing weight easier.

(And realization of nonduality is making giving up alcohol easier. See how they all tie together?)
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AArdvark wrote: Sat Jan 27, 2018 11:39 am Does any of it really matter?
To whom?
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Re: Ask Pinback!

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you're gonna die anyway, just like the rest of us dronk assholes so why try and stave it off

that's what i'm saying

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Perhaps file that one away for the Ask Aardvark segment of our show.
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