Comment by otisfunkmeyer | Hacker News Reader

Comment by otisfunkmeyer | Hacker News Reader

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Thank you for sharing this. I had my own version of a similar thing and the strangest part about it, which I think you may agree with, was that as someone who considered themselves smart, I could tell that many of my thoughts were totally crazy, BUT THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN SOME OF THEM WOULD TOTALLY ADD UP AND COME TO PASS.

I totally agree with you also about how it's "hard to even think about this now without getting drawn into it."

A voice in my head early on told me to immediately stop taking any/all substances (I quit all drugs, alcohol, cigarettes cold turkey due to this and have been completely sober because of it since 2008) and so I was able to avoid being hospitalized or scaring other people, but INTERNALLY, I was just as crazy as you were.

I am REALLY curious as to what this is because it seems like a very "real" realm that one can just pop into somehow--for us, probably due to drugs or what not--but "real" nevertheless.

For instance, these days I have so many positive coincidences or "synchronicities" as I/Jung/others like to call them. And these feel no "less real" or "less crazy" than the nightmare I experienced at that point.

I've only met 1 or 2 other people who were not crazy people who could relate at all to this experience of mine so if you'd ever like to chat, I'm easily findable thru teh interwebs.

To anyone else reading this who thinks it all sounds very crazy, that's exactly what I would have thought before it happened to me! Now, I wouldn't say it's any less crazy, but it's definitely less write-off-able.

You are probably having psychotic episodes. Ditto for GP. Nothing wrong with that. It means you have a health issue. It would probably be a good idea to talk to a doctor about these experiences.

Why the distinction between "crazy people" and normal people? Most of us have some degree of crazy in us, the important bit is managing it so you don't hurt yourself or others.

This is why there are so many religions.

Nobody really know what's going on. The official narrative doesn't explain everything, it's more like a comfortable half-truth. We're trained from birth to buy into a completely rational scientific viewpoint of the world, which is clearly accurate- but it's actually more like measuring objects inside of World of Warcraft when it's obvious that there's something bigger going on outside of the game. It just doesn't matter that much and isn't as interesting as the realization that we have no idea what we're in.

We are rewarded for buying into the official narrative with social credits by an organization we have created to control our minds (govern-ment). People want to be comforted and feel like they have control over what's going on, and society pays us to sell them these comfortable reassurances. This is social control and it makes us productive.

Most cultures become more spiritual and religion plays a more significant role as we age. Psychotic shock from emotional damage (this is not necessary schizophrenia or "insanity") is actually a necessary part of the human growth process. It's pretty much impossible to explain this to younger people, the only thing one can do as an adult is to program our children with the metaphors of choice (religion) to give them something to cling to when their bubble bursts.

Please see my website for my full story if you appreciate my explanation here.

Or you could teach your children something like Zen buddhism or Theravada vipassana meditation so they can learn to slowly and methodologically take their bubble apart and put it back together with each session of sitting practice. This way they don't get whacked over the head with it all at once and run screaming and crying to some form of fundamentalism, an extremist cult, or end up committed to some state institution.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassana

What a pleasant coincidence, I have been planning on going to a Vipassana 10-day retreat later this month.

I also happen to have gone to Game Closure's Thursday night parties a few times. They are nice people.

I also am a fan of gwern. I also just started a Kickstarter (since I am homeless) for my game and website which are very closely related to this topic. What a nice group of coincidences. Personally I believe it is because we are all part of a hive, and that we are also in a divine simulation of sorts, but that is all besides the point. I'll plug my Kickstarter in a new topic later this week when I make a nicer video.

Anyway, I believe all religions are correct (including Scientology) and that they function as abstract subconscious metaphors. Is Buddhism not a religion?

I would argue that Zen buddhism is not a religion, and vipassana/samatha meditation practice isn't in any way religious, as in there's nothing you're being asked to believe outside of what you can absolutely confirm for yourself in your moment to moment experience.

My personal interpretation of religion fits that description for the most part, but I think that is different from most.

FWIW Vipassana is one of the best experiences I have had and I'd highly recommend it.

Here is a observation I have and a question for the HN crowd:

Recently, I think I picked up a lot more articles in the tech circles, on reddit/HN/slashdot etc. that talk about the borders of mental illnesses, the question of the value of the humanities vs. STEM, Buddhism, the meaning of live, and more such fundamental/philosophical topics.

This is purely a gut feeling so far (I didn't do any math on frequencies of posts/submissions or similar), but:

Is this on the increase recently? I do feel some kind of phase transition the last couple of months. I actually posted that at a comment here on HN a while ago, back then I felt it was kind of like a 'collective identity crisis in the west'? Maybe I am just completely projecting my own inner soul searching to the outside world. But I do have the distinct impression that our society is at some kind of inflection point.

If I would try to boil it down to more 'everyday thoughts', I get somewhat of the impression that technology changed society so much that we all collectively begin to realize that we have as many new questions as we gained answers.

No one seems to know what will happen to our now quite-remote-from-the-people-governments, Bitcoin, surveillance, drones, etc.

And I have the impression even most of us are unable to see a clear picture for the future.

If I would look at history, I would expect some kind of mass movement(s?) to form soon.

Is anyone else having similar thoughts?

You're kinda all over the place with your question. I disagree with the idea that you can form any assumptions about what is happening broadly in the tech community based on frequency of certain types of posts appearing on HN, reddit, etc. After all there are many well funded organizations out there with their own agendas who post stuff regularly to try to influence certain demographics, and the tech sector is a particularly high value target I would imagine.

Yes, I know that I am all over the place :D That's why I said its mostly based on 'gut feeling'... I guess I am just trying to figure out what part of my world view is coming from myself and what from others.

Serendipity doesn't mean you're crazy, some people experience it more than others. Just relax. If you think that every time you experience one it means you're going mad then maybe you really will :)

All the existence of serendipity points to is that mainstream science doesn't fully understand how the universe works, it doesn't mean that you're crazy.

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." - Philip K. Dick

My reply to another poster about the SPECIFICITY and UNIVERSALITY of these experiences sums up my interest.

If I am crazy now, I am quite happy about it. Quite relaxed, if you will.

ROFL I just glanced @ your blog. I see you've made the most of the situation

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." - Philip K. Dick

The truth is something that doesn't go away - even if everyone stops believing in it.

there is a huge difference. i didn't except reality because i was only interested in the truth. i understand now that i can't operate if i don't accept reality - and that's true.

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