Happy Atheist Forum

General => Philosophy => Topic started by: billy rubin on March 05, 2021, 09:10:12 PM

Title: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: billy rubin on March 05, 2021, 09:10:12 PM
people, wisdom comes from odd sources. some of it even from here.

if you discover that someone here has said something that strikes you as especially wise (or especially dumb, we're open to the catholic approach)

then post it here for everybody to consider. i found one a moment ago and will post is shortly as a fitting first offering to the god of forum wisdom

Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: billy rubin on March 05, 2021, 09:15:16 PM
well what i saw wasn't quite as profound as i thought. so i'm looking for a fitting alternaitves. if any o5f you have an attack of profundity, feel free to constriubute.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: xSilverPhinx on March 05, 2021, 11:33:52 PM
Be careful with the wisdom of others.  ;)

That's my take on it anyway. People have different backgrounds and different life experiences which might not translate that well in the lives of others.

Sincerely,

Wannabe armchair philosopher
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: billy rubin on March 06, 2021, 12:06:11 AM
if you would post something intelligent, i wont have to keep looking around.

i no longer really know what should be considered intelligent.

cept i can still fake it maybe
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Icarus on March 06, 2021, 12:22:47 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on March 05, 2021, 11:33:52 PM
Be careful with the wisdom of others.  ;)

That's my take on it anyway. People have different backgrounds and different life experiences which might not translate that well in the lives of others.

Sincerely,

Wannabe armchair philosopher

Thumbs up for your astute reply,  Silver!   


Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Randy on March 06, 2021, 12:56:35 AM
My thoughts are that one man's wisdom could be another man's folly. There have been times when I've gone against conventional wisdom and did better.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: billy rubin on March 06, 2021, 02:20:49 AM

this seems an appropriate place to start.

.
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on March 05, 2021, 11:33:52 PM
Be careful with the wisdom of others.  ;)

That's my take on it anyway. People have different backgrounds and different life experiences which might not translate that well in the lives of others.

Sincerely,

Wannabe armchair philosopher

youu areae all going to have tot op this from now on.




lol

sory y for th efuckin typoess
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Magdalena on March 06, 2021, 04:32:16 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on March 05, 2021, 11:33:52 PM
Be careful with the wisdom of others.  ;)

That's my take on it anyway. People have different backgrounds and different life experiences which might not translate that well in the lives of others.

Sincerely,

Wannabe armchair philosopher

Dear, Wannabe armchair philosopher...

I think you are right.
"People have different backgrounds and different life experiences which might not translate that well in the lives of others."

Let me give you an example of this:

The other day I read this:
"Mezcal is Spanish for jet fuel.  Never acquired a taste for it, though I tried."
--Ecurb Noselrub


I've never had Mezcal or jet fuel, but I could use the same words
...with a twist, if I find myself drinking with a religious person one day:

"Some say the Blood of Jesus has the power to make you free.
...Never acquired a taste for it, though I tried."

:grin:

Sincerely,

That atheist bitch
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Dark Lightning on March 06, 2021, 05:07:50 AM
Quote from: Magdalena on March 06, 2021, 04:32:16 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on March 05, 2021, 11:33:52 PM
Be careful with the wisdom of others.  ;)

That's my take on it anyway. People have different backgrounds and different life experiences which might not translate that well in the lives of others.

Sincerely,

Wannabe armchair philosopher

Dear, Wannabe armchair philosopher...

I think you are right.
"People have different backgrounds and different life experiences which might not translate that well in the lives of others."

Let me give you an example of this:

The other day I read this:
"Mezcal is Spanish for jet fuel.  Never acquired a taste for it, though I tried."
--Ecurb Noselrub


I've never had Mezcal or jet fuel, but I could use the same words
...with a twist, if I find myself drinking with a religious person one day:

"Some say the Blood of Jesus has the power to make you free.
...Never acquired a taste for it, though I tried."

:grin:

Sincerely,

That atheist bitch

:rofl:
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Randy on March 06, 2021, 04:47:41 PM
Quote from: Magdalena on March 06, 2021, 04:32:16 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on March 05, 2021, 11:33:52 PM
Be careful with the wisdom of others.  ;)

That's my take on it anyway. People have different backgrounds and different life experiences which might not translate that well in the lives of others.

Sincerely,

Wannabe armchair philosopher

Dear, Wannabe armchair philosopher...

I think you are right.
"People have different backgrounds and different life experiences which might not translate that well in the lives of others."

Let me give you an example of this:

The other day I read this:
"Mezcal is Spanish for jet fuel.  Never acquired a taste for it, though I tried."
--Ecurb Noselrub


I've never had Mezcal or jet fuel, but I could use the same words
...with a twist, if I find myself drinking with a religious person one day:

"Some say the Blood of Jesus has the power to make you free.
...Never acquired a taste for it, though I tried."

:grin:

Sincerely,

That atheist bitch
I wonder if drinking the blood of Jesus makes one a vampire? The idea of wine turning into blood after drinking it makes me sick to my stomach.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: billy rubin on March 06, 2021, 05:04:40 PM
randy, there are different takes on transubstantiaion

with catholics and orthodox, the complete change from bread and wine into flesh and blood takes place before you eat it, when the host is elevated during the ritual, iirc. you are actually drinking real blood and eating real flesh, it's just the outward appearance is masked from you.

some protestants advocate consubstantiation, in which both aspects of the earthly and holy are present simultaneously. others believe the whole thing is symbolic. traditional quakers held that the whole thing was BS

one person's doctrine is another's heresy
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Randy on March 06, 2021, 06:16:53 PM
Billy, that sounds even worse. Yet can't the people tell at the taste that it is still wine and crackers? That alone should tell them it's bogus.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Magdalena on March 06, 2021, 07:07:19 PM
Quote from: Randy on March 06, 2021, 04:47:41 PM
Quote from: Magdalena on March 06, 2021, 04:32:16 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on March 05, 2021, 11:33:52 PM
Be careful with the wisdom of others.  ;)

That's my take on it anyway. People have different backgrounds and different life experiences which might not translate that well in the lives of others.

Sincerely,

Wannabe armchair philosopher

Dear, Wannabe armchair philosopher...

I think you are right.
"People have different backgrounds and different life experiences which might not translate that well in the lives of others."

Let me give you an example of this:

The other day I read this:
"Mezcal is Spanish for jet fuel.  Never acquired a taste for it, though I tried."
--Ecurb Noselrub


I've never had Mezcal or jet fuel, but I could use the same words
...with a twist, if I find myself drinking with a religious person one day:

"Some say the Blood of Jesus has the power to make you free.
...Never acquired a taste for it, though I tried."

:grin:

Sincerely,

That atheist bitch
I wonder if drinking the blood of Jesus makes one a vampire? The idea of wine turning into blood after drinking it makes me sick to my stomach.


I know what you mean, Randy...
(https://media.tenor.com/images/adb4c3dfc1552fb064d3d300959b4c56/tenor.gif)
That stuff can set you free, give you life or condemn you. If you can't decide, it gets you drunk. Multipurpose.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: xSilverPhinx on March 06, 2021, 07:15:42 PM
Quote from: Magdalena on March 06, 2021, 04:32:16 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on March 05, 2021, 11:33:52 PM
Be careful with the wisdom of others.  ;)

That's my take on it anyway. People have different backgrounds and different life experiences which might not translate that well in the lives of others.

Sincerely,

Wannabe armchair philosopher

Dear, Wannabe armchair philosopher...

I think you are right.
"People have different backgrounds and different life experiences which might not translate that well in the lives of others."

Let me give you an example of this:

The other day I read this:
"Mezcal is Spanish for jet fuel.  Never acquired a taste for it, though I tried."
--Ecurb Noselrub


I've never had Mezcal or jet fuel, but I could use the same words
...with a twist, if I find myself drinking with a religious person one day:

"Some say the Blood of Jesus has the power to make you free.
...Never acquired a taste for it, though I tried."

:grin:

Sincerely,

That atheist bitch

:lol:
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: xSilverPhinx on March 06, 2021, 07:17:42 PM
Quote from: Randy on March 06, 2021, 06:16:53 PM
Billy, that sounds even worse. Yet can't the people tell at the taste that it is still wine and crackers? That alone should tell them it's bogus.


But they believe, Randy. :grin:
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: xSilverPhinx on March 06, 2021, 07:27:42 PM
Since there are so many smart, knowledgeable and wise people here I thought I'd bring this quote to be discussed. :grin:

I don't know if this counts as wisdom, but someone I consider to be relatively wise said something like, "Learning from your own mistakes doesn't make you wise, a truly wise person learns from the mistakes of others and does not make those same mistakes."

Even though people's circumstances may not always be the same, I always thought this was an interesting statement.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Randy on March 07, 2021, 01:15:48 AM
Here is something I learned when I lived in Germany:

You can lead a yak to water but you can't teach an old dog to make a silk purse out of a pig-in-a-poke.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: xSilverPhinx on March 07, 2021, 01:34:23 AM
Quote from: Randy on March 07, 2021, 01:15:48 AM
Here is something I learned when I lived in Germany:

You can lead a yak to water but you can't teach an old dog to make a silk purse out of a pig-in-a-poke.

What a colourful expression! :lol:
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: billy rubin on March 07, 2021, 01:45:36 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on March 06, 2021, 07:27:42 PM
Since there are so many smart, knowledgeable and wise people here I thought I'd bring this quote to be discussed. :grin:

I don't know if this counts as wisdom, but someone I consider to be relatively wise said something like, "Learning from your own mistakes doesn't make you wise, a truly wise person learns from the mistakes of others and does not make those same mistakes."

Even though people's circumstances may not always be the same, I always thought this was an interesting statement.

what exactly is wisdom? i ask myself that question and don't really have an answer. back in my reductionist days i used to think that i could define wisdom as the abilty to derive correct answers on the basis of apparently insufficient data. but that reall y seems to describe intuition more than wisdom

wisdom seem associated more with human understanding and conduct that with general knowledge. you can say that knoledge allows me to predict the path of a rock thrown into the air at a certain angle, but it is wisdom that chooses the best way to tell someone that their father is dying.

so is wisdom just the capacity for displaying and utilizicng insight into human behavior? if so, i am clearly not very wise
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: xSilverPhinx on March 07, 2021, 01:57:33 AM
Quote from: billy rubin on March 07, 2021, 01:45:36 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on March 06, 2021, 07:27:42 PM
Since there are so many smart, knowledgeable and wise people here I thought I'd bring this quote to be discussed. :grin:

I don't know if this counts as wisdom, but someone I consider to be relatively wise said something like, "Learning from your own mistakes doesn't make you wise, a truly wise person learns from the mistakes of others and does not make those same mistakes."

Even though people's circumstances may not always be the same, I always thought this was an interesting statement.

what exactly is wisdom? i ask myself that question and don't really have an answer. back in my reductionist days i used to think that i could define wisdom as the abilty to derive correct answers on the basis of apparently insufficient data. but that reall y seems to describe intuition more than wisdom

wisdom seem associated more with human understanding and conduct that with general knowledge. you can say that knoledge allows me to predict the path of a rock thrown into the air at a certain angle, but it is wisdom that chooses the best way to tell someone that their father is dying.

so is wisdom just the capacity for displaying and utilizicng insight into human behavior? if so, i am clearly not very wise

One definition of wisdom I came across (but don't particularly like) is wisdom is crystallised intelligence. There are two basic types: fluid and crystallised intelligence. The first is based on stuff like mental processing power, reflex speed, memory, etc. and is more prevalent in young people. The second would be knowledge that draws on past experiences, and is associated with older people. While the first tends to decrease with age, whereas the second tends to increase as people get older.

But I don't know. It seems this definition is lacking. :notsure:

For one, what about someone who is said to be "wise beyond their years?" What would such a person be like? Would they display a higher IQ? A higher EQ? Probably, but not exclusively. Would they be more empathetic, would they have more diverse life experiences and know how to better deal with adversity? I don't know.

I think wisdom is one of those things that's difficult to define but you know it when you see it. I think. :notsure:   
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Randy on March 07, 2021, 03:39:54 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on March 07, 2021, 01:57:33 AM
Quote from: billy rubin on March 07, 2021, 01:45:36 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on March 06, 2021, 07:27:42 PM
Since there are so many smart, knowledgeable and wise people here I thought I'd bring this quote to be discussed. :grin:

I don't know if this counts as wisdom, but someone I consider to be relatively wise said something like, "Learning from your own mistakes doesn't make you wise, a truly wise person learns from the mistakes of others and does not make those same mistakes."

Even though people's circumstances may not always be the same, I always thought this was an interesting statement.

what exactly is wisdom? i ask myself that question and don't really have an answer. back in my reductionist days i used to think that i could define wisdom as the abilty to derive correct answers on the basis of apparently insufficient data. but that reall y seems to describe intuition more than wisdom

wisdom seem associated more with human understanding and conduct that with general knowledge. you can say that knoledge allows me to predict the path of a rock thrown into the air at a certain angle, but it is wisdom that chooses the best way to tell someone that their father is dying.

so is wisdom just the capacity for displaying and utilizicng insight into human behavior? if so, i am clearly not very wise

One definition of wisdom I came across (but don't particularly like) is wisdom is crystallised intelligence. There are two basic types: fluid and crystallised intelligence. The first is based on stuff like mental processing power, reflex speed, memory, etc. and is more prevalent in young people. The second would be knowledge that draws on past experiences, and is associated with older people. While the first tends to decrease with age, whereas the second tends to increase as people get older.

But I don't know. It seems this definition is lacking. :notsure:

For one, what about someone who is said to be "wise beyond their years?" What would such a person be like? Would they display a higher IQ? A higher EQ? Probably, but not exclusively. Would they be more empathetic, would they have more diverse life experiences and know how to better deal with adversity? I don't know.

I think wisdom is one of those things that's difficult to define but you know it when you see it. I think. :notsure:   
I don't know if I can buy into that definition. It sounds too simple. Wisdom generally comes with age supposedly but children can be taught some wisdom. I just think it is more complex to define than this.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: billy rubin on March 07, 2021, 04:58:19 PM
sometimes children are a great deal wiser than their parents, because they cut through the cluttler.

the story of th eemperor who had no clothes comes to mind.

and sometimes adults have no wisdom at all, no matter how much they have experienced. i am thinking here of the person who has twenty years of experience somewhere, except that it amounts to one year of experience repeated twenty times.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Randy on March 07, 2021, 08:56:02 PM
Quote from: billy rubin on March 07, 2021, 04:58:19 PM
sometimes children are a great deal wiser than their parents, because they cut through the cluttler.

the story of th eemperor who had no clothes comes to mind.

and sometimes adults have no wisdom at all, no matter how much they have experienced. i am thinking here of the person who has twenty years of experience somewhere, except that it amounts to one year of experience repeated twenty times.
I'm thinking that happens more often than not.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Icarus on March 07, 2021, 09:29:02 PM
Wisdom, or absence of it, can be thought of as the manner of judgement or analyses of some subject or situation.  Assessment of some other persons wisdom is subjective at best. It is not easy to get into another persons head no matter how well we believe that we know them.

Here is a rather lengthy article about brain functions of genius level people and how so many of them have been subject to mental disturbances. How not why. This a good read if such stuff is of interest to you.  It has been noted that genius does not imply wisdom.

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/secrets-of-the-creative-brain?utm_source=pocket-newtab

Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: xSilverPhinx on March 07, 2021, 09:44:46 PM
(https://scontent.fpoa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/156837845_3266272040138887_6876406220232816580_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=2c4854&_nc_eui2=AeFjcKuVu_ZbiykIK7ELFZH1n05wIHrEC0KfTnAgesQLQq6AubD48iulKTMyiCb0QDYa4Y5zLyFLBCFwKnDNDxUi&_nc_ohc=nzgEEpFEhh4AX-dbeSh&_nc_ht=scontent.fpoa1-1.fna&oh=e53d547d354c2d76a1fbe8b31a469b41&oe=606B610B)

How about this pictorial representation? :notsure:
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Randy on March 08, 2021, 04:12:31 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on March 07, 2021, 09:44:46 PM
(https://scontent.fpoa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/156837845_3266272040138887_6876406220232816580_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=2c4854&_nc_eui2=AeFjcKuVu_ZbiykIK7ELFZH1n05wIHrEC0KfTnAgesQLQq6AubD48iulKTMyiCb0QDYa4Y5zLyFLBCFwKnDNDxUi&_nc_ohc=nzgEEpFEhh4AX-dbeSh&_nc_ht=scontent.fpoa1-1.fna&oh=e53d547d354c2d76a1fbe8b31a469b41&oe=606B610B)

How about this pictorial representation? :notsure:
It does seem to fit. :)
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Ecurb Noselrub on March 08, 2021, 04:06:37 PM
My advice for a young man marrying a young woman:  What she's like on the outside is not what she's like on the inside.

My advice for a young woman marrying a young man:  You can't change a pig, no matter how hard you try.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Tank on March 08, 2021, 04:47:58 PM
If you wouldn't marry her mother don't marry her.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Randy on March 08, 2021, 07:41:18 PM
Pay attention to your date at a restaurant. How do they treat the staff that waits on them? It's a good indication of the true personality.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Ecurb Noselrub on March 08, 2021, 09:30:45 PM
Quote from: Tank on March 08, 2021, 04:47:58 PM
If you wouldn't marry her mother don't marry her.

And that, my friends, brings an end to the institution of marriage.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Tank on March 08, 2021, 09:35:29 PM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on March 08, 2021, 09:30:45 PM
Quote from: Tank on March 08, 2021, 04:47:58 PM
If you wouldn't marry her mother don't marry her.

And that, my friends, brings an end to the institution of marriage.

:rofl:
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Dark Lightning on March 08, 2021, 09:51:29 PM
I'm with Tank on this one, actually. I would have married my MiL if we had met and were the same age. She's good people.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: billy rubin on March 08, 2021, 11:24:19 PM
i did marry my mother in law.

well, my wife now looks just like her mother looked thirty years ago. and they're the same in a million other ways.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: hermes2015 on March 09, 2021, 02:53:31 AM
Quote from: Randy on March 08, 2021, 07:41:18 PM
Pay attention to your date at a restaurant. How do they treat the staff that waits on them? It's a good indication of the true personality.

I couldn't agree more.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Bad Penny II on March 17, 2021, 02:59:18 PM
Quote from: Tank on March 08, 2021, 09:35:29 PM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on March 08, 2021, 09:30:45 PM
Quote from: Tank on March 08, 2021, 04:47:58 PM
If you wouldn't marry her mother don't marry her.

And that, my friends, brings an end to the institution of marriage.

:rofl:

Well that is just silly.
So females pass their genes onto their female offspring and presumably males pass theirs onto their sons, exclusively.
I don't a accept this, if my daughter is going to bring home a boy she wants to keep for a while, I will take the effort, (very slight) to look slinky and seductive, well aged and desirable. 
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Ecurb Noselrub on April 01, 2021, 04:40:50 PM
The absolute value of punishment for a bad act always exceeds the absolute value of reward for a good act.

In a more colloquial phrasing, the bad is always worse than the good is better.

Thus, the lesson is that a life of relative calm is superior to a life of dramatic ups and downs. The valleys are lower than the mountains are high compared to the normal level.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: No one on April 01, 2021, 06:32:18 PM
Everyone's a douche.
Everyone's a moron.
Brooklyn has the best pizza.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: billy rubin on April 01, 2021, 07:59:20 PM
Quote
Thus, the lesson is that a life of relative calm is superior to a life of dramatic ups and downs. The valleys are lower than the mountains are high compared to the normal level

thatz actually true  but it never seemed to be a strategy i followed

win or blow
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: billyportne on February 14, 2022, 12:24:52 AM
Wisdumb... thinking of something stupid but resisting the temptation to say it.
Title: Re: your own wisdom thread. post wisdom from forum members
Post by: Tank on February 14, 2022, 01:14:24 PM
:rofl: