Rebuilding after a wasted youth

[Joseph Norris]

Hello everyone

 

After many misspent years, I first came across The Fountainhead and quickly followed with many more of Ayn Rand's books. I think it was the first clear sign I'd seen in too many years of there being any appreciation for truth and honesty in the world. I guess I had lost hope and it was the start of regaining it. The relationship between Mallory and Roark in particular stuck me and I could feel Mallory's pain, and the relief of finding something good in the world in Roark.

I've read a lot more philosophy since (most notably Mises and Popper). I've defeated a lot of my own nihilism and suspicion and started forming good values and connecting back to reality. I still think I have a long way to go.

My life is still not in the place I want it to be. But I'm in a position where I can take the time to make the changes I need to. I came across this forum while looking for places to discuss values and ideas, hopefully meet some good people, and work out how to live a good life. I have wasted far too many years of my life, and I want to make the next few years worth something.

Other interests include maths, programming and games. I'm English.

 

-Seph

Edited February 22, 2023 by Joseph Norris

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Seph,

A warm welcome to OL.

You will find a lot of wicked smart people around here with good hearts.

As to feeling you wasted your earlier years, I don't believe anyone does that. I believe they can waste their lives only if they give up on themselves.

But I hear you on the frustration of not knowing basic stuff like how to take pride in your own life. People can keep you running in circles as they feed you bullshit. Rand's works are a great corrective for that.

Here on OL, you will not find a preaching of Rand's works so much as a common ground. This means the people who show up here became attracted to Rand's works for whatever reason, then they take that foundation and go off in whatever direction their best, honest, independent thinking takes them.

Some go into a more orthodox view of her ideas and some, like me, use her as a foundation, but can get a bit woo-woo at times. Definitely MAGA, too.  

So here is a great place to seek and understand and try out ideas, but not so great to become formatted into Rand's philosophy. But that happens, too.

It's all good because each of us has one precious thing that nobody else has, our own independent minds. They belong to us as individuals just as much as our individual lives do.

If this is interesting for you, and I hope it is, dig in.

If you are important to you, I am sure you will become important to the people here.

Be good to yourself...

 

Michael

[Joseph Norris]

Hi Michael

Thank you for your kind welcome.

I guess it's true, my past years are not a zero or a waste. There are things I good learned from them as well as bad. I don't think anyone has a life where they never learned anything that they didn't discover was wrong later.

I suppose I'm grieving my past in a way. Looking at the years and all the things I could have done if I had just known better or things had gone differently. It feels like a loss.

But the reality is, I didn't know better, things went the way they did, wishing otherwise just takes me floating away from reality and I wouldn't want to turn into a floating abstraction. The only thing to do is decide what to do now.

 

 

[william.scherk]

On 2/22/2023 at 7:39 AM, Joseph Norris said:

After many misspent years, I first came across The Fountainhead and quickly followed with many more of Ayn Rand's books. I think it was the first clear sign I'd seen in too many years of there being any appreciation for truth and honesty in the world. I guess I had lost hope and it was the start of regaining it.

My boss gave me Atlas Shrugged in ~2005. I had just put down Battlefield Earth -- stinkbomb -- and for five chapters Ayn Rand's authorial voice boomed out in Hubbard's titanic overkill register and hysterical tone, not hers ... I am now delving, doing a re-run with lice comb in my fave bedside collection, a vintage copy of the fifth edition of The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution.

Bibliography of Ayn Rand and Objectivism - Wikipedia

EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

 

On 2/22/2023 at 7:39 AM, Joseph Norris said:

The relationship between Mallory and Roark in particular stuck me and I could feel Mallory's pain, and the relief of finding something good in the world in Roark.

I've read a lot more philosophy since (most notably Mises and Popper). I've defeated a lot of my own nihilism and suspicion and started forming good values and connecting back to reality. I still think I have a long way to go.

This place is rich with material from top-notch thinkers, and has always tolerated a measure of respectful dissent. Michael is the Owner and leader. He is here every day, despite a busy family and writing life. He is the best-read of all of us, and can intelligently lead a discussion on just about any topic ...

On 2/22/2023 at 7:39 AM, Joseph Norris said:

My life is still not in the place I want it to be. But I'm in a position where I can take the time to make the changes I need to. I came across this forum while looking for places to discuss values and ideas, hopefully meet some good people, and work out how to live a good life. I have wasted far too many years of my life, and I want to make the next few years worth something.

Other interests include maths, programming and games. I'm English.

I am a "mature student" who maintains a 500 gigabyte online archive. Much commentary on this forum reverberates elsewhere online (Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Gettr, Truth Social). I've done a lot of cataloging, indexing and research noting -- including six years of OL commentary, arranged in 80-plus directories. [Please DM me if you ever want to talk CODE. I know HTML5, JQuery, PHP and MySQL and steal effectively. Recently I went crazy with a manic breakdown ... and I blame ChatGPT. I escaped the psych ward by being "Compliant."]

Am basically reborn -- with old circuits fried out. I have a lot of work to do here not being a twit ... and to further understand why Kim Kardashian had to freeze out Ye.  

Prepare for the occasional bout of mindreading, snark, one-upmanship and lordliness. Some have earned the right, I haven't.

Until he went to prison or died or fled to Belize, we had a great fellow here -- pen name "Adam Selene" -- who would often if not always great a new arrival with a couple break-ice queries and corny GIFs.  I'll dig one up. 

It's never to late to grow up and Live Life Fully. Ask Michael. Ask me. Ask anybody ... even those 'regulars' who avoid giving personal information. [Name: Nunya Bidnezz.]

Guidelines in one place:  OL Guidelines⁺ | LOG-IN | Online Users | Inbox |   Blogs 

Please take a look at these Guidelines, they are in three places (updated, Caveats given). Remember that if you use a smart phone or tablet, you cannot log in at all without a plan. Michael doesn't need or want a smart phone, so copy the log-in link in my signature block or remember to 'force desktop site' on your browser. Vivaldi offers that option, but it can be done with Brave as well, I think.

We call Michael MSK, and he is in the middle of several major life works.

Beware emotion. Embrace emotion. Use the best, tested sense of proportion, and let all your hairs down. Clean your room.

Welcome! 

Edited February 24, 2023 by william.scherk
Blabber and yak, grammar lapses, managing mania

[Joseph Norris]

Hi William, thanks for your welcome

 

42 minutes ago, william.scherk said:

My boss gave me Atlas Shrugged in ~2005. I had just put down Battlefield Earth -- stinkbomb -- and for five chapters Ayn Rand's authorial voice boomed out in Hubbard's titanic overkill register and hysterical tone, not hers ... I am now delving, doing a re-run with lice comb in my fave bedside collection, a vintage copy of the fifth edition of The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution.

When I read The Fountainhead the first time it was as an audio book, I remember it had a good (strong, clear, suitable to the voice of a man like Roark) voice actor.

46 minutes ago, william.scherk said:

Much commentary on this forum reverberates elsewhere online (Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Gettr, Truth Social).

I'm honestly rather sick of social media. At the moment I think I'm going to spend any energy that I'd put towards social media into forums like this instead. Though I admit I'm yet to try Gettr or Truth Social.

43 minutes ago, william.scherk said:

I know HTML5, JQuery, PHP and MySQL and steal effectively

I mostly know C# and (slightly less) C++, with bits of java/html/basic and a number of other lesser known scripting languages. I mostly code to make games in the Unity game engine (and I've started learning the Unreal game engine).

[william.scherk]

Idea Farming with ChatGPT ...

Spoiler

[A] [In 'relaxed' narrative 'voice']

"Welcome to our video podcast, where we explore the theme of finding a sense of life in your Golden Years. Today, we'll be taking a closer look at the ideas of philosopher Ayn Rand, who believed that a person's sense of life is shaped by their philosophy and values.

 

We'll begin by discussing the concept of sense of life and how it relates to the ideas of freedom and individualism, which were central to Rand's philosophy. From there, we'll touch on some contemporary issues that touch on these themes, such as former President Trump's views on immigration, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and President Biden's recent trip to Kiev.

We'll also delve into some of Rand's personal life, including her love of mathematics and the impact that the death of her husband had on her later years. And, to set the mood, we'll even play an old marching band tune by DeSouza, a favorite of Rand's.

 

By the end of this video, we hope to have helped you gain a deeper understanding of the ideas that can help shape a fulfilling Golden Age. So, let's dive in!"

[Q] via WSS as heartbridge@proton.me:

Absolutely great. We will chat again tomorrow in a Fresh Instance. Very very fine work indeed.

[A] Thank you, I'm glad I could assist you. Have a good day!
 

Edited February 25, 2023 by william.scherk

[Backlighting]

On 2/22/2023 at 7:39 AM, Joseph Norris said:

 I have wasted far too many years of my life, and I want to make the next few years worth something.

-Seph

 

[chuff]

Just wanted to welcome you Seph. Start a few topics and tell us your thoughts or ask a question sometime.