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The Eyeglasses of Enlightenment
Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 5:22 am
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.
Re: The Eyeglasses of Enlightenment
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 10:02 am
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.
Re: The Eyeglasses of Enlightenment
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 10:43 am
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.
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 4:56 pm
by Fatass
I was contemplating drinking myself through a panic attack but now I am laughing too hard and everything's fine.
Re: The Eyeglasses of Enlightenment
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 9:48 am
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!
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 1:01 pm
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.
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 2:47 pm
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.
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 2:59 pm
by pinback
Oh my god.
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 3:27 pm
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.
Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 8:37 am
by Tdarcos
pinback wrote:Oh my god.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but didn't you say you're an atheist?
Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 8:43 am
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.
Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 1:10 pm
by Flack
Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 3:34 pm
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
Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 9:02 pm
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.
Posted: Sat May 02, 2015 6:13 am
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.
Posted: Sat May 02, 2015 9:03 am
by Flack
So...
...uh...
...happiness is McDonald's?
Posted: Sat May 02, 2015 12:31 pm
by pinback
I think we've all suspected it.
Posted: Sat May 02, 2015 4:28 pm
by Flack
It's all so clear to me now.

Posted: Sat May 02, 2015 6:48 pm
by AArdvark
Dat's fucked up. DaVinci is rolling in his Subterrainian Italian burial niche.
THE
SCARY CONCEPT
AARDVARK
Posted: Sun May 03, 2015 9:46 am
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.