Jirh

"Magick" is a red herring from the real magic underneath everything. It looks shiny, imitates the wonderful feeling of mystery, it feels like the real thing, but it distracts from it. In a way, it's the devil. Like the opposite of God if that's possible 😂

Tricksters.

That's realistic, not materialistic. There's a difference. All of this is theoretically fine. But in practice, it's not. When you claim something, you must show evidence. Otherwise, it's just a belief. Earlier human societies were more primal and superstitious. They didn't have science. So they believed in all sorts of supernatural fictions to explain away ambiguity. It was the best they had. Also scientists used to be cast out or called wizards. They were literally doing magic through chemical reactions and sleight of hand. They were not allowed to exist in the system. But it's just science all along.

Blocking (and related things like unfriending and unfollowing) is for girls. Men do not use these functions. We just ignore what we're not interested in. Deleting photos and stuff is probably a healthy step towards moving on.

@Joseph Maynor Yes, that's why trust is earned over time, not given freely to anyone. When you're first meeting someone, you're still deciding if they deserve to be trusted, and to what degree.

Responsibility is important, yes. In relationships, and everywhere else.

It's astounding how far we are from source!

@Joseph Maynor Yes. Manipulation is an umbrella term for things like shit testing and drama invoking and others.

Generally there are two ways to deal with shit tests: The first way is to engage with it and turn it around in the following steps: Recognize it (i.e. This is not a normal or a playful behavior). Understand the motivation behind it (i.e. What are they trying to do here?). Stay calm (Don't get sucked into their frame. Maintain yours). Re-interpret it playfully. The second way is the nuclear way. You don't have capacity for nonsense and are ready to leave. If you're texting and she brings up some shit test, you just go offline until the next day and ignore the topic entirely. If she brings up the topic again or ask why you disappeared, you go offline again. If you're on a date and she tests, show annoyance and say "I am trying to have a good time". If she complies, good. If she escalates, you tell her "okay have a great day", and walk away.

Most of higher education is socializing anyway. You don't have to go crazy or expensive, just hangout with friends and go to normal places like cafés or sport events and meet new people. You can also work part time waiter in a restaurant and socialize a little there. I'd also sign up for learning a new language in an institute, which is a great place to meet new high quality people.

@something_else I don't know a lot about pickup theory, but I know that shit tests are about power and leverage in a relationship. Something inside you feels off when it happens, even when you don't know that it's a test. Your boundaries being tested is not playful or innocent. Anyone with decency would respect your boundaries. With shit tests, your subconscious recognizes it before your conscious mind does. At worst you feel confused, and at best offended (worst because you're unable to decipher the message, and best because it means you're able and the content of the message is not good). And I agree with your approach. I think it's often a waste of time to engage in these games even if you're aware of them. But sometimes they're inevitable, like at work, so awareness is essential.

Even if it's not intentional, it's usually driven by unconscious malice and selfishness on the expense of another. And that drive often points to a dark place inside the person doing it, like an unresolved trauma or an innate evil. It's like a lite version of trolling and bullying. Those who do it get a little enjoyment off of it. A huge red flag to watch out for.

No. It's a real phenomenon unrelated to insecurity. And whether it's done consciously or not does not diminish it or minimize its effects. It would help to be aware of it when it's being done to you. That awareness is part of social skills.

It's when someone pushes your boundaries to test your desperation. It's a passive aggressive way of assessing your real values and valuing you. And it's often done unconsciously and by women to men. But most people do it all the time. It's a form of unhealthy negotiation.

@Emerald I think that puts too much responsibility on women, especially the younger ones, which they can't fulfill even if they wanted to. If it is true that half people are abusive terrible partners, then anyone has 50% chance of being abused whenever they enter a relationship. The solution you're providing makes it a catch-22 situation, where you can't be discerning until you're abused, and you're almost guaranteed to be abused. I think this is more of a systemic issue of the family unit and the larger society where selection is made to be an independent choice of an isolated woman. But most women aren't isolated from their families and social circles. So the issue is much less prevalent than it seems. And the solution is not really applicable until the woman is like in her mid 30s.

True and false are logical entities. The question is self-referential.

Cool! Seems very worth it.

There are way too many more options. Probably an infinite number of possibilities about the origin of life. But in the end, they're all speculation. So what's the point? Like maybe God did everything in option 4 then died at some point, hit by a gigantic star or something. Maybe no creation happened at all and reality is ever eternal and we're just temporary projections. Maybe God is bored. Maybe God killed himself. Maybe he retired. Maybe there's more than one God. Maybe the Gods are fighting too. Maybe anything. How would you or anyone know? Even AI cannot answer that.

@LordFall I'm not disagreeing, but what does God have to do with anything?

Good for you. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Life is suffering. So what?

It works this way too. The first two movies are not in real order. But leave Glass to the end.

You might enjoy the Unbreakable Trilogy.

Women are not moody. Moody is simply more receptiveness to truth and paradox. Femininity is the state of fluidity and openness

@Someone here Cheaper brands are healthier for your wallet too 😉 Have you tried not smoking until right before the limit? If your limit is around a week, you can make a choice to smoke 3 cigarettes for a day every week. This way you start recovering your agency that it is your decision to smoke every seven days. Then slowly over time, it will become easier to make it 8 then 10 then 15 then 30 days, until smoking is no longer meaningful or relevant. About the rituals, I meant the exact hand movements and facial expressions that come with smoking. I think most people make funny faces unconsciously when they inhale their first drag. I don't think they know, but it is a consistent pattern among most smokers. The squinting tense eyes and that distinct sharp look into the void as they exhale while their hand is holding the cigarette half carelessly. The image is just funny 🤣 Coffee is also part of the rituals for many smokers. About the stress, I don't think you can really avoid stress unless you can somehow opt out of life or live as an escapist. And I think moderate amounts of stress are not only okay, but also beneficial for growth. So I don't suggest that you fight normal everyday stress. However, I question the role that smoking has in relieving stress. I think substance dependence creates stress in the form of addiction. The triggers you listed are real for most smokers. But I'm talking about smoking at rest. When nothing is happening, but you experience that lingering tension and desire to smoke, that's not a trigger. That's the substance dependence and early withdrawal symptoms. It is very challenging. I know many people who can't quit. But also some who did quit. Personally, I bought my first packet last year. But it was also my last. I gave most of it to friends when I noticed my body starting to desire it. I dodged the bullet early. But you can do it. It just requires more willpower and to accept pain as the price for freedom.