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The illusion of being stuck

the-simulation-strategists.beehiiv.com

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Re: The illusion of being stuck

#51

Post by praptak »

noufalibrahim wrote: post #26
rors wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Over the last few months I've been experimenting with Buddhist meditation, which leans heavily into this metaphor. They phrase the metaphor differently, with a focus on flattening of the grooves in your mind. I've found these ideas helpful, but they're hardly novel. The Buddha lived over 2000 years ago. One big difference the objective. Most of these blogs are about hacking your mind to be more successful, whereas re…

I appreciate the point you're trying to make. However, my general experience of attempts to take "useful" parts of of religion and then sanitise them for secular mass consumption is that they're at best useless and at worst harmful. Sure, there might be some proximal benefits to (say) meditation but these are things that were done in a larger (often spiritual) context and I'm not sure that pulling them out of that is…

Effects of meditation are there regardless of the religious context.

Although you are right in that the deeper stages (say as described in "The Mind Illuminated") may not make much sense without at least some spiritual foundation.

Re: The illusion of being stuck

#52

Post by benoitmalige »

cess11 wrote: post #12

"Here's the problem: Your brain and its cortical columns are designed to conserve energy at all costs." How does this model explain substance addiction? 'You need to consciously and repetitively seek out "False" signals and embrace the discomfort they bring. You need to construct a new reality.' Much like the 'why aren't you growing? you need to grow. grow!' sentiment in the beginning this seems more in line with som…

The brain's tendency to conserve energy does play a part in substance addiction, reinforcing behaviors that provide a high reward for little effort. However, this model overlooks the complexity of addiction, which involves not just the pursuit of rewards but also the avoidance of withdrawal discomfort.

The conversation around addiction would also need to consider the neurological changes that perpetuate the cycle, making it a state that's incredibly challenging to break free from.

However, I can't specifically speak on physical addiction, as it's outside my area of expertise. The intention behind my writing is to unpack my own thoughts, aiding me in my journey toward self-discovery and the pursuit of purpose.

Re: The illusion of being stuck

#53

Post by benoitmalige »

richrichie wrote: post #17

Any time i see an article that talks in definitive terms what parts of the human brain do and extrapolate that to tactics to mold behavior patterns, i take a ritual bath and open a bottle of whiskey.

I appreciate your perspective — it's always good to approach definitive statements with a healthy dose of skepticism. My articles are really personal reflections, a way for me to process and sort through my own thoughts. When I'm offering advice or insights, I'm often speaking to myself, hoping to uncover a bit more clarity in the complex web of human behavior.

Re: The illusion of being stuck

#54

Post by gchamonlive »

ufocia wrote: post #50
FlyingSnake wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is also a folly to equate Buddhist traditions with Self help book sellers. Siddhartha Gautam Buddha was just one of the 6 other prevalent Dharmic masters and there enough original material from many of those traditions. The Dharmic traditions arose over centuries through a healthy collaboration of diverse set of people over a vast geography.

True, the Dharmic masters didn't have printing presses.

Or late stage capitalism

Re: The illusion of being stuck

#55

Post by ericmcer »

Don’t people have partners, kids, aging parents, hell even pets that depend on them?

The authors version of being stuck seems like a luxury, an inward exploration to find out how you are holding yourself back. To even approach it from that angle you need to have no one depending on you. I can’t “shake things up” by trying a new career or taking impulsive vacations because other human beings rely on me being “stuck”.

Re: The illusion of being stuck

#56

Post by faeriechangling »

noufalibrahim wrote: post #15

I've come across these kinds of articles before and they always seem to suggest that you rewrite the metaphorical firmware of your brain so that it operates in a way that is advantageous to you. There's some notion of self discovery from first principles. I'm not convinced that this is generally a good idea. It makes a person unmoored and open to anything ("so open minded that your brains fall out"). It's also often…

>It makes a person unmoored and open to anything ("so open minded that your brains fall out")

I agree with your assumptions, but not your conclusion. When I was at my very lowest I took pretty high doses of acid for my first time on psychedelics. The point was that I was starting from a long time experiencing daily mental anguish and physical pain being treatment resistant, ideating suicide but not completing it. I thought if I became more "open minded", either I'd get better or I'd off myself and I really preferred both over the status quo. The former happened.

Being open minded is a bad thing only if you like how your mind how it is.

Re: The illusion of being stuck

#58

Post by benoitmalige »

oskapt wrote: post #23
hyperhello wrote: post #2

Just a tip, it’s actually “break free”, not “brake free”.

And it also isn’t “dreadfull.” I am very skeptical of taking any advice from a person unable to use basic spell checking before publishing an article. I’m also skeptical of advice from someone who has only recently discovered a possible solution for his very personal problems and feels he should share it with the world. In the 12-step world there are people who only do the first and last steps. They’re called two-ste…

Thank you for pointing out the spelling mistake.

Your skepticism is valid; advice should be considered carefully, especially when it’s based on personal experiences that might not be universally applicable. My letters are less about instructing others and more about sharing my reflections as I navigate through my own journey. It’s not about two-stepping around the hard work of self-improvement, but about the ongoing process of understanding and growth.

As for the need for validation, I see this platform more as a conversation with others who might relate or benefit from my experiences, rather than seeking applause.

Again, I appreciate your candor — it’s an important part of the dialogue.

Re: The illusion of being stuck

#59

Post by Eudaimion »

oskapt wrote: post #23
hyperhello wrote: post #2

Just a tip, it’s actually “break free”, not “brake free”.

And it also isn’t “dreadfull.” I am very skeptical of taking any advice from a person unable to use basic spell checking before publishing an article. I’m also skeptical of advice from someone who has only recently discovered a possible solution for his very personal problems and feels he should share it with the world. In the 12-step world there are people who only do the first and last steps. They’re called two-ste…

You are taking things, way too seriously.

> I’m also skeptical of advice from someone who has only recently discovered a possible solution for his very personal problems and feels he should share it with the world.

Advice should never be just taken at face value. Even if it is a successful person giving it. Personally, any advice from Elon Musk is worth less, than any random link on HN.

> The author should just quietly repair his life and shelve his egotistical need for external validation.

This is just mean.

I one hundred percent guarantee that there are other people, with the same problem as the author. And his solution will be useful. Sharing is a net good.

TL;DR through a Dev World Prism: No, I completely disagree that only staff engineers should be allowed to have technical blogs.

Re: The illusion of being stuck

#60

Post by benoitmalige »

rolandog wrote: post #9

Estoy orgulloso de tí ;). I like your article. It takes courage to pivot and get out of your comfort zone.

Muchas gracias. Your words mean a lot to me.

It's one thing to step out of the comfort zone, and another to share that journey openly.

I'm glad you liked the article, and I hope it can inspire courage in others as well.

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