Staples

That's not always true. Film labor in Aus/NZ is marginally cheaper, maybe 20% less on non-union jobs. Plenty of Americans are coming here to follow the money. Unfortunately, the film unions have done more harm than good in America. But they were right to strike. They were striking because pay is low and working conditions were bad, but that is because producers can't pay more because the incentives are so weak.

Some Hollywood bigshot asked him to do this. It's obvious. The LA film industry is dead and it's the government and studio's fault. It's being eaten by Australia, New Zealand and others who are offering 45%+ tax rebates. It's cheaper to fly hundreds of crew members to another country than to walk across the studio lot and do it at home. But most American states are too cheap to offer a competitive rebate. So tariffs it is. Atlanta is really the last bastion for American filmmaking, as far as I know.

There is nothing smart about wanting to be a billionaire.

People can disregard their hatred. It's the whole lesson Jesus taught. They just don't want to, because they enjoy being hateful in some way. I'm here to tell you that instinct of enjoying hatred is wrong. Give up hate. Don't make excuses for unhealthy behaviours and worldviews. Just because you can logically understand it doesn't mean it's justified.

@SQAAD How does it feel to carry that hate around with you? What's the point of hating? You can just stop doing it if you wanted to.

A lesson in gaslighting and manipulation. I really resonate with Charlie's experience here. I must admit I can be easy to gaslight as I try to take 100% responsibility for everything in my life, or give people the benefit of the doubt. But sometimes people take advantage of that habit. Luckily he got most of the money back. Be careful who you do business with, and trust your gut if you sense something wrong with them. Evil people can look and sound the same as good people. Judge people based on their actions, not just their character.

Let's not be mean about it. Charlie is not a dubious character. I met him once long ago when I applied to work as his video editor and he's a very genuine guy. He was simply naive and a victim of a manipulator.

“Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

You've found a thread of insights that have occured to me, that I figure Actualized.org enjoyers would appreciate.

Master writing short stories before doing novels. Publishers will do a lot to promote the hot new author on the block - so don't let that first break be a pile of shit.

Stephen King: On Writing Chuck Palahniuk: Consider This Best two books on creative writing I have ever read. Palahniuk in particular is amazing.

Thanks for the comprehensive answer. @Leo Gura

Interesting. Sounds like a paradigm of logic transcending consciousness. "Logic transcends thought." I am curious - do you make a distinction between imaginary and non-imaginary? Is logic non-imaginary? Are logic and distinctions the same thing? I ask because I cannot make sense of this next to my own insights of distinctions being absolutely fundamental and beyond mind. Distinctions run infinite - and the mind sensemakes those distinctions into reality. How can absolute unity exist in a reality where distinctions are required?

How do you reconcile these two points? @Leo Gura If we define logic as something like a system that formalizes distinctions... Then how can we say there is no difference between anything? In order for logic to be reality, then we must assume that some set of distinctions is fundamental to reality, or else there is nothing to use logic on. Logic can't work as a singularity, it's dualistic by nature.

@Clarence Respect. Very well said.

There's nothing to reconnect to. You're already it. It sounds more like you're suffering a lot and need to find everyday joy. Am I right? Psychedelics and meditation retreats aren't the solution if you're struggling. Those things are destabilizing and are not appropriate if you're on the back foot in life. Daily appreciation or gratitude journaling is a great step. Or if you want to access creativity block out a chunk on time to focus on your craft. Personally, I would take doing something I'm excited about every day over god-bothering.

We're all scoundrels.

Feelings are the raw input. However you decide to label them is up to you. Survival is a concept. A very powerful one. But it is not tied to feelings existentially.

Every point is space is conscious and alive. An atom of your hand is no more conscious than an atom from your desk. The difference between you and your desk is - that your arrangement of your atoms has achieved a remarkable level of complexity and intelligence. Enough to render a cohesive experience we call a mind. If your body and another's body were connected, and achieved a critical level of shared complexity and intelligence, you would cease to be two separate beings and merge into one mind. All beings are of one universal mind - separated only by gaps in complexity between their material forms.

You shouldn't believe in anything without direct experience. The problem is you are experiencing God 100% of the time, so like a fish in water most people don't know it's there. We should make a distinction between God as Source and god as the tool used to control people.

Even a little girl can ask profound questions. Do not hide truth from curious children. She has asked a more profound question then many adults will ever ask. As Gusteau from Ratatoullie would say: Anyone can cook.

It's very difficult. There's no advice to give. Just sit and think hard about what is best for everyone.

If you have experience just go fucking do it. If by qualifications you mean a business degree - you don't need one. Throw that idea out. Just go make money. Solve someone's problem and get paid for it. There you go, three years of business school done. You can figure out how to set up a company and the appropriate bank accounts in a weekend with a laptop and google. If you fuck up somewhere, you can fix it. Nobody was born a businessperson. They just decided to go figure it out.

Commit to working 12-16 hour days. Work meaning direct action-attention on your mission. Have no expectations - only a mission. We are those who play with fire. Foolish and hopeful to tame it. We are those who plunge into icy unknowns. Vulnerable to the burn and cold. We know ourselves as fools. And yet foolish we go.