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Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidence: research

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Re: Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidence: research

#181
post #95

It’s a variant of the suggestion often given in therapy and recently popularized by Jordan B Peterson I believe — and no matter what you may think of him as a person, it is a good strategy — “Treat yourself as someone worth taking care of”. Meaning: look at yourself as you would look at your own child, a pet, or anyone you would have the responsibility of looking after. It’s easy to miss meals, not dress yourself wel…

> no matter what you may think of him as a person, it is a good strategy The thing about Jordan Peterson's book is that the chapter titles are usually _great advice_, but the content always tends to slide into his strange, mediocrely researched conservative ramblings and sometime worse, at one point he just about admitts that he blames one of his women patients for her own rape, at others he veers right into granddad…

> at one point he just about admitts that he blames one of his women patients for her own rape

Source please.

Re: Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidence: research

#182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Few people in my family use their first and second name in different contexts (family/friends/work). Reasons probably vary. For my mum it just started that way when she was a kid. Family used her second name and when she started working people knew her by her first name.

Some people don't use any part of their legal names at all with their friends and family. I used to have some extended family who all went by nicknames unrelated to their legal names. It was a cultural thing.

Same here. Its fairly common in the north east of England and parts of Scotland to be known by your nickname.

Both my sons have a couple of nicknames each, which come out depending on the situation. They're 3 & 6 now and are both called wee man by way of greeting. The youngest is now getting called Mac because his nickname is MacMonkey McBean. Names evolve over time.

Re: Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidence: research

#184
I have dissociative identity disorder, as a result of severe pervasive trauma when I was young. I have several alter egos, each fully conscious and each of which are capable in their own unique ways. They are nearly always present in my mind, speaking to me or each other and we have internal experiences nearly as rich as external experiences.

We absolutely have alters that are simply more composed than the rest of us, and that come out in specific scenarios. Some of us have worked and held positions supporting technology others of us can't even understand! Then others of us are better with people and can work with them more efficiently.

It's not all fun and games with this though. It's a very extreme form of PTSD, and it can be very difficult to manage, though in a way it's a blessing because we HAVE to be organized to work together. I wouldn't wish the flashbacks on anyone though, or the fact that most of us are still mentally teenagers even though we're physically nearly 30, which presents real and serious challenges to functioning as an adult.

Re: Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidence: research

#185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks, I edited it. Really sad to see his addiction has really put him through the wringer. I haven't heard him speak since he came out of treatment, in due time I suppose.

Last month Jordan Peterson and his daughter Mikhaila appeared on her podcast to talk about how he got out of treatment. https://youtu.be/HLWgVpmo1e0

That's kind of a freaky story. Enough to put you off mind altering drugs in general.

Re: Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidence: research

#186
post #95

It’s a variant of the suggestion often given in therapy and recently popularized by Jordan B Peterson I believe — and no matter what you may think of him as a person, it is a good strategy — “Treat yourself as someone worth taking care of”. Meaning: look at yourself as you would look at your own child, a pet, or anyone you would have the responsibility of looking after. It’s easy to miss meals, not dress yourself wel…

> no matter what you may think of him as a person, it is a good strategy The thing about Jordan Peterson's book is that the chapter titles are usually _great advice_, but the content always tends to slide into his strange, mediocrely researched conservative ramblings and sometime worse, at one point he just about admitts that he blames one of his women patients for her own rape, at others he veers right into granddad…

Disclaimer: I am a great admirer of Jordan Peterson, John Vervaeke, and other professors who are researching meaning.

> he just about admitts that he blames one of his women patients for her own rape

I think you've done a fantastic job strawmanning the chapter and book and man to the first story of the chapter to suit your ideological frame of reference.

The chapter for anyone who wants to read it for themselves is Chapter 9: Assume the person you are listening to might know something you don't. See any irony between that and the immediate shutting down of any insight he might of had because of a biasing mechanism?

> Honestly it's a bad book

I think you are doing many people seeking meaning and stress relief at this time a huge disservice with this comment. It's a tough book, not for everyone. Written for people who like ideas and need wisdom in my estimation. Anyone who wants to understand 12 rules for life better after their first read through- I recommend the youtube series where Jordan goes through the Bible's stories. I know you may have shunted that off because you are not religious. I'm not either but what the series is- is Jordan Peterson basically explaining his life's work into the wisdom and psychology of ancient stories humanity has kept alive for our existence. Take care

Re: Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidence: research

#187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious, does this still work? Since GMail is likely the largest email provider in the world, I would have expected spammers to simply filter out the `+.*` by now.

What advantage would spammers get from trying to hide the provenance of a bought/rented/stolen list? If it was a really profitable scam like crypto phishing, having the modifiers might even be an advantage because they could target the templates more effectively.

Well, if the ones who sell email addresses to spammers filter out the `+`, there’s a larger chance they can continue to do so without getting caught or exposed?

Re: Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidence: research

#188

I've long been fascinated by the complex imaginal techniques of tantra in Tibetan Buddhism, in which you vividly imagine yourself as a yidam, or tutelary deity. Via intense concentration on elaborate self-visualization, repetition of the yidam's mantra, and ritualized hand gestures (mudra), you take on the form, attributes and mind of the yidam for the purpose of transformation - to recognize that one's own mind is n…

If you're using tantra (vajrayana) for ego-oriented material benefit, then that's called "spiritual materialism." According to Tibetan Buddhism, the vajrayana can be dangerous for you and those around you. Edit: I apologize. I realize that was very heavy handed. I felt obligated to throw out the usual warnings about Buddhist tantra.

No worries! I'm familiar with Trungpa's warnings about spiritual materialism. I know the context of Vajrayana is quite different from the "Batman Effect" discussed in the original article, but I wanted to spur discussion in general about the power of assuming the identity (transitory though it may be) of a chosen figure.

And for anyone who's interested in tantra, I'll spell out the warnings more explicitly: this kind of practice should only be attempted under the careful guidance of an expert - a teacher who is empowered by a qualified lineage. These kinds of visualizations are very powerful, and can be dangerous to one's mental health if done foolishly. Hacking with the boundaries of one's ego and merging with deities is not to be done lightly. Seek expert instruction.

Re: Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidence: research

#189
post #95

It’s a variant of the suggestion often given in therapy and recently popularized by Jordan B Peterson I believe — and no matter what you may think of him as a person, it is a good strategy — “Treat yourself as someone worth taking care of”. Meaning: look at yourself as you would look at your own child, a pet, or anyone you would have the responsibility of looking after. It’s easy to miss meals, not dress yourself wel…

> no matter what you may think of him as a person, it is a good strategy The thing about Jordan Peterson's book is that the chapter titles are usually _great advice_, but the content always tends to slide into his strange, mediocrely researched conservative ramblings and sometime worse, at one point he just about admitts that he blames one of his women patients for her own rape, at others he veers right into granddad…

What page was that rape on? I don't remember reading it.

Re: Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidence: research

#190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're using tantra (vajrayana) for ego-oriented material benefit, then that's called "spiritual materialism." According to Tibetan Buddhism, the vajrayana can be dangerous for you and those around you. Edit: I apologize. I realize that was very heavy handed. I felt obligated to throw out the usual warnings about Buddhist tantra.

No worries! I'm familiar with Trungpa's warnings about spiritual materialism. I know the context of Vajrayana is quite different from the "Batman Effect" discussed in the original article, but I wanted to spur discussion in general about the power of assuming the identity (transitory though it may be) of a chosen figure. And for anyone who's interested in tantra, I'll spell out the warnings more explicitly: this kind…

Why do people on this website take this seriously? Is that because this whole stuff is incredibly in fashion in SV?

I can visualise myself as Hitler; for all it is I can also visualise how I could consciously go all the way with whatever methods he employed.

Are you trying to say I should not think about it because so will suddenly start World War III?

How is this different from visualising myself as the all-powerful deity?

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