International Falls Daily Journal - Thought provoking commentary by Ben Stein - Comments

Nobody Special; That is why

concernedperson — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 21:57:48 -0600

Nobody Special; That is why I moved here from the big city, to get away from noise. I enjoy quiet, and often drive long distances without music or other distractions to bother me. I like being away from areas where my cell phone has reception, I also like to read, and enjoy many types of books. of course to be able to read and comprehend well one must have quiet. This also helps with meditation.

Most people in our culture

nobody special — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 21:32:34 -0600

Most people in our culture see a person as anti-social just for wanting some alone time once in awhile. Just one more way we strayed from the ways of our ancestors.

See you at the alamo

Joespoon04 — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 20:34:06 -0600

See you at the alamo tomorrow?

There's a long history of solitary wise men like the desert fathers of Russia, the monks of Patmos, Thoreau and many others who figured out what they were all about by existing all alone. Granted, I only did my stint for five years, but I certainly am more self-aware for it.

It doesn't seem as though

nobody special — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 20:26:18 -0600

It doesn't seem as though our people are very tolerant of anything. Pherhaps you're onto something. After that last line I have a feeling you're about to recite the serenity prayer.

Real sophistocation is being

Joespoon04 — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 20:21:43 -0600

Real sophistocation is being able to tolerate your own presence and thoughts for long periods without music, internet or television. Because then, of course, you're less prone to doing anything you don't automatically think deeply about first. "Stimulus-response" is the most primitive biological and neurological mechanism there is. Witness roj2000. Real sophistication is knowing exactly why you are the way you are.

I like snowboarding =

nobody special — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 20:12:33 -0600

I like snowboarding = dangerous.
I really like red meat and fatty foods = dangerous in excess. I like to get wasted = dangerous. People like smoiking and drugs. Just a thought, seems like most people's favortie things are usually bad for them. Hence the inability to quit bad habo its or lose weight or whatever. I think it would benefit everyone to be a little more primative. It often seems people equate all the new fads with being more sophisticated.

We like things that ARE good

Joespoon04 — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 20:02:35 -0600

We like things that ARE good for us, as well as things that aren't. If our most basic biology dictates our desire to stay alive, then we do things that are in line with sustaining life. The things that are bad for us, though, are perhaps only bad in excess. Sugars and fats are energy for our bodies. In excess, they're killers.

I think the whole thing is very Zen. The equally weighted hands of the Libra give us balance, the Yin and the Yang are the makeup of our lives, the day and the night measure our time, and dualities such as the two hemispheres of the brain make one whole.

Imbalance is artificial and unnatural. I think you said it yourself that we're out of touch with nature. I think you're right.

Interesting about the

nobody special — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 19:45:07 -0600

Interesting about the poverty. It stands to reason. I think it may be our destructive nature too. Many people do not want to be fat and try hard not to be. Almost like a modern day plague. Many of these people aren't poor. Seems like another off the wall topic comes into play here. Why is it that the things we really enjoy are the worst for us. Whether it be eating or acitvities or whatever. Seems like something I think about alot.

Oddly enough, a lot of it

Joespoon04 — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 19:38:04 -0600

Oddly enough, a lot of it has to do with poverty. There's a long history of poor people frying everything from turkey necks to green beans, simply to add to the caloric content of the bottom-shelf foods themselves. Because I can go to the store and buy a can of crisco for like, a dollar, I can then bread and fry my velveeta cheese; a meal for pennies. That showed up on the news a couple of months ago, I think.

I'm fat for a different reason. I happen to like imported pate and Jarlsberg, and I mostly just read a lot. So there you go.

Hmmm? Obesity, another good

nobody special — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 19:29:56 -0600

Hmmm? Obesity, another good issue. How is it that an illness so debilitating yet preventable is so prevalent in our society? Is it kind of like "look at us, we're so rich we can afford to eat ourselves to death" or is it like we are so depressed at all the bad choices we've made that we are self destructive. Or maybe something else? Hmmmm

We could replace it if we

Joespoon04 — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 19:21:12 -0600

We could replace it if we liposuctioned everyone in Kansas, though. Problem solved.

Of course the "bubbling up"

nobody special — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 19:09:50 -0600

Of course the "bubbling up" is coming into play. I have done my research on global warming and the effects of industry on the environment. I just know the holes in the ozone and plenty of other problems we caused or are causing aren't getting any better by keeping industry going full tilt. Is it possible the tsunami and earthquakes have anything to do with milking so much oil out of the earth. From what I understand the oil lubricates the plates while providing a cushion between the core and the plates.

Exponential growth of

Joespoon04 — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 18:59:08 -0600

Exponential growth of technology and knowledge is something I've been reading about in The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil, the world's preeminent futurist and renowned transhumanist. I think that given the tremendous speed and power of our advances in the sciences, we are well able to heal the world if there was a financial incentive in it.

But I DO think that the proximity of my consciousness to all other human consciousness via radio, telephone, television and the internet is a major player in the "bubbling-up" of fear and feelings of doom.

I somewhat disagree with the

nobody special — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 18:48:36 -0600

I somewhat disagree with the world has always been goin to hell thing. Along with industry and technology the rate at which it is going to hell has increased exponentially. Just my 2 pennies though.

Concernedperson, Thank you.

Joespoon04 — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 18:45:56 -0600

Concernedperson,

Thank you. You must be an enlightened Christian to have written such a graceful post. I wish the best to you, as well.

Thought provoking commentary by Ben Stein

VikesFan — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 12:51:20 -0600

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession: