Think positive. Question reality.
Yesterday we got to see a close friend of mine who I've rarely gotten to see since she moved to Michigan a few years ago. We first met nearly eleven years ago and there's lots of dramatic history with her, but now it's to the point that we're just comfortable with each other. It's a nice feeling. It helps that she's gotten her life to such a positive point, having rid herself of most of the negativity that had been haunting her for so long.
One of the things that we used to talk about a lot when we first met was the possibilities and implications of quantum reality and related philosophical issues. She would lend me such fascinating books as Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah and Space-Time and Beyond (which, according to Brian Greene, includes some quantum physics information no longer considered accurate, but hey, it was published in 1982).
So when nontacitare suggested going to see What the #$*! Do We Know!? Friday at the Drexel (based at least partly on braider's recommendation), I knew my old friend, also in Columbus for the weekend, would enjoy it too, so the three of us went together.
The film was pretty cool, though I occasionally found myself getting bored by the talking heads and wanting to get back to "Amanda's" (Marlee Matlin) story. The wedding reception scene was a hoot. But I'd be pretty frightened if Armin Shimerman (a.k.a. Quark and Principal Snyder) started haunting me.
I found that I was watching it with (at least) two minds simultaneously. On the one hand I already knew and/or believed in most of the things it was saying. (I have a shelf full of books on this stuff, including two written by one of the scientists appearing in the film.) On the other hand my skeptical side was feeling unconvinced, and a bit turned off by the crediting of one interviewee as "Ramtha, channeled by JZ Knight"; this may be one reason the interviewees weren't identified until the end credits. Often I was simultaneously agreeing with (most of) what they were saying and asking what credibility they have.
It's not often that my dual worldview is demonstrated to me so clearly. I believe that there's more to reality than any of us can possibly imagine, but also that saying "this is definitely the way it is" requires some rigorous proof. I believe in good luck and positive thinking but not bad luck, and that that keeps me lucky, but I don't claim to know the mechanism involved, and am skeptical of definitive explanations.
Watching the film, I also realized that it has the ability to give very different impressions to different viewers. Watching it with two women I know very well, I could easily see how it could provoke different thoughts in each of us because of our varying experiences and backgrounds.
One of the things that we used to talk about a lot when we first met was the possibilities and implications of quantum reality and related philosophical issues. She would lend me such fascinating books as Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah and Space-Time and Beyond (which, according to Brian Greene, includes some quantum physics information no longer considered accurate, but hey, it was published in 1982).
So when nontacitare suggested going to see What the #$*! Do We Know!? Friday at the Drexel (based at least partly on braider's recommendation), I knew my old friend, also in Columbus for the weekend, would enjoy it too, so the three of us went together.
The film was pretty cool, though I occasionally found myself getting bored by the talking heads and wanting to get back to "Amanda's" (Marlee Matlin) story. The wedding reception scene was a hoot. But I'd be pretty frightened if Armin Shimerman (a.k.a. Quark and Principal Snyder) started haunting me.
I found that I was watching it with (at least) two minds simultaneously. On the one hand I already knew and/or believed in most of the things it was saying. (I have a shelf full of books on this stuff, including two written by one of the scientists appearing in the film.) On the other hand my skeptical side was feeling unconvinced, and a bit turned off by the crediting of one interviewee as "Ramtha, channeled by JZ Knight"; this may be one reason the interviewees weren't identified until the end credits. Often I was simultaneously agreeing with (most of) what they were saying and asking what credibility they have.
It's not often that my dual worldview is demonstrated to me so clearly. I believe that there's more to reality than any of us can possibly imagine, but also that saying "this is definitely the way it is" requires some rigorous proof. I believe in good luck and positive thinking but not bad luck, and that that keeps me lucky, but I don't claim to know the mechanism involved, and am skeptical of definitive explanations.
Watching the film, I also realized that it has the ability to give very different impressions to different viewers. Watching it with two women I know very well, I could easily see how it could provoke different thoughts in each of us because of our varying experiences and backgrounds.