"It can't be wrong if it feels so right."
It's true that i often cater to the preferences and motivational needs of my audience. It's a chamaeleon-like nature, i suppose; but not intended to be manipulative. It's just that i simply want to make my communications more palatable to people's particular individual tastes, if possible. There are no upper-case letters in truth, fact, or reality... those tendencies people have to capitalize such things are probably left-overs from mono-theism, which we can usually do without. So, whatever facets that we happen to be discussing at any given time, i realize that the map is not the territory. trans_simian & i were talking about ethics last night, and i certainly don't want to have any hidden agendas -- i just don't want to waste anyone's time bothering them with information they're not interested in hearing.
Today, i see that many people are unsurprisingly talking about similar issues related to truth... aethersinger talks about closure in a manner that is dear to my heart... and hanzatsu talks about extreme honesty, & truth vs. facts
If i have used the bull in the china shop method of radical honesty method previously (q.v. my crude but effective radical honesty experiment, areopagus... or my post on how people are annoyed with my utilization of game theory), i am attempting to utilize more tact at this juncture (damn, those geek social fallacies of mine!)... Although i recognize that triangles are difficult structures for many people to manage, i'm not entirely certain that my current tactic utilizing one-on-one dialogue suits my nature, or the interests of my community; but my intention is to be considerate. Public silence has just always reminded me of Victorian/Puritan conventions that disgust me. But i suppose that hermetic communication is only strategic silence; so in its practice, the moral responsibility to the greater good can be honored. And although looking in the mirror is a powerful metaphor, i would like to stress that the important thing is that one's conscience must be educated, and the ideas of honesty, openness, and responsibility are a good start.
Jiminy Cricket needs all the help he can get...
As i'm sure by now, all of us here have encountered someone in our lives who justifies their whimsical transgression of another's boundaries by perverting the expression of "Do What Thou Wilt"
For levity, i am also reminded of an amusing Z-Cluster diatribe called, _Why Chaos Magicians Are Such Assholes,_ by Max K, the Little Sister of the Order. But on a serious note, there's even a webpage out there with some great resources for dealing with Pagan Bullies, which i only think mildly amusing that i found through a post by tim_maroney
i suppose it's probably somewhat ironic that i'm talking about this 'cause i'm such a "judgmental moralist" (although i've mentioned this sort of thing before in one context or another). But if people don't appreciate my ethics, then they don't have to play with me... i determine the rules i use within my own boundaries. And for further reference, please consult the gestalt prayer.
Here are a couple of the more reliable musings on the Law of Life, Light, Love, and Liberty that i have found...
this is from an essay on Thelemic Theology at the US Grand Lodge, OTO:
` ` ... According to Thelemic doctrine, the expression of Divine Law in the Æon of Horus is "Do what thou wilt". This "Law of Thelema", as it is called, is not to be interpreted as a license to indulge every passing whim, but rather as the divine mandate to discover one's True Will or true purpose in life, and to accomplish it; leaving others to do the same in their own unique ways. ... ' '
q.v. this selection from The Confessions of Aleister Crowley
and to quote the Master Therion, from Liber II:
` ` Again: ``Thou hast no right but to do thy will. Do that and no other shall say nay. For pure will, unassuaged of purpose, delivered from the lust of result, is every way perfect.''
Take this carefully; it seems to imply a theory that if every man and every woman did his and her will--the true will--there would be no clashing. ``Every man and every woman is a star,'' and each star moves in an appointed path without interference. There is plenty of room for all; it is only disorder that creates confusion.
From these considerations it should be clear that ``Do what thou wilt'' does not mean ``Do what you like.'' It is the apotheosis of Freedom; but it is also the strictest possible bond. ' '
Today, i see that many people are unsurprisingly talking about similar issues related to truth... aethersinger talks about closure in a manner that is dear to my heart... and hanzatsu talks about extreme honesty, & truth vs. facts
If i have used the bull in the china shop method of radical honesty method previously (q.v. my crude but effective radical honesty experiment, areopagus... or my post on how people are annoyed with my utilization of game theory), i am attempting to utilize more tact at this juncture (damn, those geek social fallacies of mine!)... Although i recognize that triangles are difficult structures for many people to manage, i'm not entirely certain that my current tactic utilizing one-on-one dialogue suits my nature, or the interests of my community; but my intention is to be considerate. Public silence has just always reminded me of Victorian/Puritan conventions that disgust me. But i suppose that hermetic communication is only strategic silence; so in its practice, the moral responsibility to the greater good can be honored. And although looking in the mirror is a powerful metaphor, i would like to stress that the important thing is that one's conscience must be educated, and the ideas of honesty, openness, and responsibility are a good start.
Jiminy Cricket needs all the help he can get...
As i'm sure by now, all of us here have encountered someone in our lives who justifies their whimsical transgression of another's boundaries by perverting the expression of "Do What Thou Wilt"
For levity, i am also reminded of an amusing Z-Cluster diatribe called, _Why Chaos Magicians Are Such Assholes,_ by Max K, the Little Sister of the Order. But on a serious note, there's even a webpage out there with some great resources for dealing with Pagan Bullies, which i only think mildly amusing that i found through a post by tim_maroney
i suppose it's probably somewhat ironic that i'm talking about this 'cause i'm such a "judgmental moralist" (although i've mentioned this sort of thing before in one context or another). But if people don't appreciate my ethics, then they don't have to play with me... i determine the rules i use within my own boundaries. And for further reference, please consult the gestalt prayer.
Here are a couple of the more reliable musings on the Law of Life, Light, Love, and Liberty that i have found...
this is from an essay on Thelemic Theology at the US Grand Lodge, OTO:
` ` ... According to Thelemic doctrine, the expression of Divine Law in the Æon of Horus is "Do what thou wilt". This "Law of Thelema", as it is called, is not to be interpreted as a license to indulge every passing whim, but rather as the divine mandate to discover one's True Will or true purpose in life, and to accomplish it; leaving others to do the same in their own unique ways. ... ' '
q.v. this selection from The Confessions of Aleister Crowley
and to quote the Master Therion, from Liber II:
` ` Again: ``Thou hast no right but to do thy will. Do that and no other shall say nay. For pure will, unassuaged of purpose, delivered from the lust of result, is every way perfect.''
Take this carefully; it seems to imply a theory that if every man and every woman did his and her will--the true will--there would be no clashing. ``Every man and every woman is a star,'' and each star moves in an appointed path without interference. There is plenty of room for all; it is only disorder that creates confusion.
From these considerations it should be clear that ``Do what thou wilt'' does not mean ``Do what you like.'' It is the apotheosis of Freedom; but it is also the strictest possible bond. ' '