UnbornTao

The argument is ontological. What does it mean for a thing to exist? A chair isn't a chair, it just is. Humans create chair. It's a human activity, fundamentally. Do the trees exist with no one to perceive them? I guess it'd be better to turn the thread into a contemplation of discovery and invention, what those are. It seems that, absolutely speaking, everything comes from nothing. So in that sense everything is "invented." Both, maybe? Fun topic.

Without humans to perceive and interpret, is there math? I'd say invented is the word, instead of developed.

Better to get it yourself instead of speculating about it.

What is it to be in relation to?

Encountering the person as they are in the present moment fosters a more alive and dynamic relationship. In contrast, interacting with your notions about them buries the conscious being before you beneath layers of conceptual activity such as memory, preference, judgement, expectations, past associations, and the like.

You're extrapolating and speculating as to the end result of this work. This activity is based on your ideals and concepts, which are necessarily wrong. Intellectually, you know what this work is all about and where it leads. Experientially, however, there's a lot yet to contemplate. Ground the work in your experience instead of just intellectualizing about it.

There's a book titled "50 Psychology Classics" or something like that. You might find it useful.

Practice differentiating between perception, thought, and feeling within your experience.

The truth isn't about yourself! It may even go against your self-agenda, desires, beliefs, expectations, and so on. Given that, avoid falling into the trap of self-importance.

Don't confuse having talked extensively about a subject with understanding it. These are two different domains.

Could you be using skepticism as a defense mechanism? What is good-quality skepticism?

Master your work. If you're going to do something, do it well. Otherwise, why do it at all?

Answers and beliefs undermine questioning.

In order to become aware of your conditioning, create contrast by changing your environment. For example, when people travel to a culture entirely different from their own, it becomes much easier--if they’re paying attention--to notice how their culture operates, and by extension, how they themselves think and behave.

The extent to which you recognize the truth and align yourself with it is the degree of your spiritual growth.

Seeking value undermines the search for what's true.

Which desktop OS do you use and why? What do you think of Windows 11? What about Linux and macOS?

Thinking is having a thought you've never had before. How often does that happen for you?

A few signs of intelligence seem to be: Being inquisitive rather than assumptive The ability to consider and integrate various perspectives Humor

I didn't mention touch features. OK. A HP Pavilion was the last 2-in-1 that I owned, more than four years ago. It was a mediocre experience at best but to be fair the device was pretty cheap. You're confusing the latest ones with the awful butterfly keyboard from 3-4 years ago. Now MacBooks use the Magic Keyboard again – the original, better technology you're referring to. It's a portable device, after all. Portability is key. If given the choice, everyone would want a thin and light laptop that doesn't compromise on function nor durability. I disagree. With Mac, you get a better package. They last better for longer. Furthermore, their resell value is higher. They can be sold probably for about 1/3 of the original cost after years of use. People are always interested in buying old Macs while PCs drop in value just after being purchased. Not many people are willing to spend a lot of money in old laptops, unless it's a Mac. So, depending on your needs, M1 Macbooks are a much better deal in the long term. What do you mean by compatibility issues? Yeah, at least give us that option! I suspect the same, let's see what they end up doing. Porting macOS to iPad is a possibility, although a remote one imo. iPad Pro is already extremely powerful even though the OS is still quite immature, lacking a lot of basic desktop functionality. Unnecessary hyperbole. They aren't a dictatorship. To tell you the truth, they seem quite green to me. If Apple isn't one of the few big green tech companies along with Google and Microsoft perhaps, then there aren't any. Funnily, it was founded by a hippie who was into spirituality and meditation. Of course, they're solid orange, too. Haven't their mobile processors been top-class for a decade or more? So what? Every company plays its cards. Microsoft could do the same, but they don't. I'm sure that the processor helped a bit. And yet they were still massively popular and loved by many. Android manufacturers have to lure customers in with additional features and brute specs while Apple doesn't need to. Refining the basics like privacy, optimization, consistency, simplicity, and brand reputation is their focus. They can afford that luxury. A benefit can be considered a drawback from another viewpoint, and viceversa: Apple's OSes are locked down, offering less choice than a PC depending on your needs. On the other hand, that factor might in some ways contribute to better security, privacy, consistency, etc. Windows backwards compatibility is excellent. And that legacy code is precisely a key impediment for Windows' substantial improvement, UI consistency, etc. Apple: "No phone, fancy box. $99."

Emotions are one of our most powerful drives in life, yet we tend to think that we are above them in a way - that our minds or intellects are somehow in control of them. Notice, for example, that most people tend to judge a communication mostly by the impressions it makes on them and by how these impressions make them feel. This is significant.

How you perceive reality might be causing a vast amount of your suffering. How do you see life and your self? What beliefs are you attached to?

Real skill is experientially-based. For example, being given instructions by a football coach is probably a positive first step, yet that, by itself, doesn't transform your skills. Intellectually understanding the assertions isn't enough. In such a case, you'd need to ground that understanding on your experience of the activity--into something you can actually put into practice. If you can't do what it is you think you already understand, you may be missing this point. Now, try to apply this principle to the couple of skills you intend to master.

Making new, finer distinctions within your experience is what learning is about.