The Mystical Man

I think we're basically saying the same thing. You're saying that the experience of art is always subjective. And I agree. The analysis of art, however, should be objective.

They may feel that way subjectively, but objectively they would be wrong. I can love Lost and still acknowledge that it's not the best written TV show ever. I think it's important to have a refined taste. If someone actually believes that Twilight is the best movie ever, then she's simply wrong, and she needs to consume more art.

Art is subjective. But it's also objective. For example, it's an objective fact that Twilight isn't well-written. However, Meyer has enthralled teenage girls. It's an objective fact that the writing in Lost isn't always high-quality, but it's one of my favorite shows, because there's lots of stuff in there that I love. The writing in The Sopranos, on the other hand, is consistently high-quality. Some people may not like The Sopranos, because it might be too dark for them, or they don't like mob stories, or it's too slow, but none of that is a reason to say that The Sopranos is bad, because The Sopranos is objectively good. If any show deserves the number one spot on WGA's list, then it's The Sopranos.

Nothing. It's the language that I love. I find it difficult to read other classic books now, because the prose is boringly simple compared to Moby-Dick.

HBO obviously spent a lot of money on Carnivàle. The production value is high, but it's not well-directed. I have to admit that I haven't finished the show, but I get the sense that it's not going anywhere, so I don't really feel inclined to keep watching. Maybe I'll return to it once there's nothing else left to watch. It's possible that they're projecting something onto the show that isn't actually imbedded in the show. People did that with Dead Man too; it's the kind of movie that pretends to be profound, but in reality it's completely devoid of meaning. The way I see it, Rick and Morty is more profound. I also recommend Midnight Mass. The finale is spiritual.

In my opinion, Star Wars is one of the greatest stories ever told, and Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader is one of the best fictional characters ever. Star Wars is psychologically relevant, mythologically powerful, emotionally impactful, philosophically fascinating, and yet endlessly entertaining. It's a great tragic story; it's instructive, but it's also fun. This is my favorite tribute: "Dramas of human error are of value because they serve as learning examples. Maturity often evolves through painful errors and mistakes and is therefore accompanied by rueful irony and satire, as well as comedy." - Dr. Hawkins

Change is scary. The answer is courage. In the midst of change, find that which doesn't change; something you can trust in implicitly: the eternal principles and values. When your job gets replaced, it's time to uphold the values of courage, flexibility, and willingness; the courage to face the reality of your situation, the flexibility to retrain and evolve, and the willingness to follow through.

As far as I can tell, our world is doing fine. We've been through worse. There never was a world in which you could just lean back and "do what you love". It's never been easy, but it's easier than ever to live a good life.

I've said this before in this thread: The only thing you can rely on, in each moment, are the eternal principles. What you're talking about is nothing new. Reality has always been in a state of flux, and it always will be. Even in the past, successful people had to be flexible and adapt to changing realities. The way I see it, Life Purpose is not about coming up with something specific. Sadhguru never could have known that he would become a YouTube Yogi. George Lucas never could have known that he would become the creator of Star Wars. In my view, Life Purpose is about following vague interests. The specifics will emerge over time as you align yourself with the eternal principles and values.

I love that interview.

These are some of my favorite interviews, documentaries, and speeches that I've watched again and again over the last years: Share your favorites.

Timing is key. There is a time and place for everything. To create, for example, something like Star Wars, you need certain people, under certain circumstances, at a certain place. You couldn't make that kind of a movie today, or in the eighties, or sixties; no, it had to be the seventies. The only thing you can rely on, in each moment, are the eternal principles: commitment, focus, and perseverance. Timing and place are outside of your control; that's up to the intelligence of the universe to orchestrate. Therefore, you need to trust the universe a little bit. The universe is not against you; it has your best interests at heart. However, you can't just be anything you want, because there's another important principle called authenticity: the authentic desire. Much more important than what you want is what the universe wants, and when the universe's will and your will become one, then there's no problem. What the universe wants will end up being what you want, and it will be authentic, and it will be good, and it will be right. It might not be "big", but it will be good. Even if you never become "big", if you love what you're doing, then what's the problem? "No time spent doing what you love and learning to do it better is ever wasted." - Rowling If the possibility of "never making it" can stop you from doing something, then there is a good chance that it wasn't an authentic desire. Rowling worked on Harry Potter for seven years. There was no guarantee that it would get published, but she did it anyway, because she couldn't not do it. When you study the Harry Potter phenomenon, you realize that it didn't happen just because a little ego named Joanne wanted it to happen. The quote "when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it" is false. Turn that around. When the universe wants something, you help the universe to achieve it. Harry Potter happened because the universe wanted it to happen. Joanne, and thousands of other people, were in service of that desire. Service and sacrifice are another two important principles. Sacrifice the ego's desire, and serve the soul's desire. JK never wanted to write a fantasy book for children. Lucas never wanted to make a theatrical film. Therefore, another important principle is flexibility. Commitment, focus, perseverance, authenticity, service, sacrifice, and flexibility. You can't follow these principles and not end up having some measure of success.

I'm sure it was. Unfortunately, most discussions about the finale that I've found were rather disappointing.

I highly recommend East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I just finished reading it, and it's one of my favorite novels now.

Mesh RDA (VandyVape) Yes.

I finished The Leftovers. What's your take on the finale?

I know that video. I basically have the same set up. GeekVape AEGIS Solo Riccardo Drip Tip But maybe my drip tip is too short?

I've been trying to smoke DMT, but the smoke is very harsh. When I try to inhale the smoke, it burns my throat, forcing me to cough. How am I supposed to hold that smoke in my lungs for ten seconds? I think I wasted most of my DMT just by trying to smoke it properly.

I'd say the difference is that dream characters are all aspects of my personal psyche, whereas people are unique sparks of the Infinite. The dreams that we have at night seem to be smaller, flimsier, and more neurotic versions of the Big Dream that's occurring in Infinite Mind.

There is no way of knowing. It certainly seems as though others are having their own experience. When you interact with the characters in your dream at night, they will react in certain ways, giving you the impression that they are experiencing; however, when you wake up, you know for a fact that it was all in your mind: the only one who was experiencing was you.

The dictionary definition of a dream is "a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep". That's all you ever have. Even when you're "awake", your life is a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in your mind. The only difference between the dream at night and the dream you're having now is that this dream seems to be more stable and linear.

McKenna inspires me to smoke DMT, specifically this quote: "Under the influence of DMT, the world becomes an Arabian labyrinth, a palace, a more than possible Martian jewel, vast with motifs that flood the gaping mind with complex and wordless awe. Color and the sense of a reality-unlocking secret nearby pervade the experience. There is a sense of other times, and of one’s own infancy, and of wonder, wonder and more wonder." - Terence Mckenna That sounds beautiful.

You can't recommend DMT? Why not?

That doesn't surprise me. When a story is truly entertaining and profound, people will respond to it. I wouldn't underestimate the masses; they're not stupid, they just want to be entertained. Showmanship is important. If a movie, series, or novel is boring, and yet it claims that you're too stupid to understand it, well, that's snobbish and condescending. Make something that's fun to consume and meaningful. George Lucas learned that the hard way. He made a movie like THX and it tanked. So he had to learn how to entertain an audience. He made American Graffiti, which inspired young people, and that inspired him to make a movie for kids: Star Wars, which was very, very fun to consume, but it also had a meaningful subtext. There's nothing great about being intelligent but boring.