> Unlike a dog, you can stop before you die. In alcoholics terminology, people call that “rock bottom”. Its when you realize, at a fundamental level, that you are going to die if you keep going.
If I have to hit rock bottom first, then how much agency do I really have? Ideally I'd opt out of the death march towards rock bottom before I get there. Stop playing fetch.
I never try too hard to train my dogs apart from staying in the yard when I have the gate open .
My Sweet used to ask me "what are you looking at on the computer ?" and I'd say "porn !" ~ she'd come over and see an old truck, mtocycle etc. and shake her head .
I'm very clear about the dangers of this new computer world, I don't really see the use in looking at nekkid women you'll never be able to meet much less touch .
"The pornographic mind. We all have one. I have long felt the greatest evil in our time is Noise and the greatest good is Flow. Culturally, mind you, though we affirm there is always a Spirit of the Age and it comes with its attendant bedmistresses. The Spirit of the Age is a nameless god powered by sin, but it hates God and will plunge us all if it could. Its handmaiden is Noise, a concept I’ve defined before I won’t define here.
The pornographic mind desires above all else something delicious. Isn’t the question of what makes a story delicious to read somewhat pornographic?
Candy, not that plain rice biz. America runs on humpin’
Nicotine is pornographic, alcohol is pornographic, television is pornographic, eating out is pornographic, a job you like is pornographic, news articles are pornographic, career goals are pornographic, feeling affection for your loved ones is pornographic, acquiring knowledge is pornographic, going on road trips, hosting a party, jumping in a hot tub, buying new clothes, getting a raise—all pornographic."
Saints are the masters of saying no to this petty human sinful instinct and saying yes to God. Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. When God Himself tells you to deny yourself, He's telling you to say no.
It's quite simple really. Sometimes you have wisdom and sometimes you don't. The way to win is to determine what that wisdom tells you to do, and then when the wisdom leaves you, you do what you had learned you must, despite not knowing exactly why.
God of course has the greatest and most prescient wisdom. Thankfully he has told us what we must do.
Nothing has made me move more toward genetic determinism than watching my roommate's border collie endlessly herd his cat around the house, snout bleeding, as he cannot bring himself to leave the cat alone for more than about seventeen seconds.
What claws am I endlessly sticking my nose into simply because I don't engage the override?
> Unlike a dog, you can stop before you die. In alcoholics terminology, people call that “rock bottom”. Its when you realize, at a fundamental level, that you are going to die if you keep going.
If I have to hit rock bottom first, then how much agency do I really have? Ideally I'd opt out of the death march towards rock bottom before I get there. Stop playing fetch.
so do it
ok
I don't think you have to hit rock bottom to acquire agency, it's just one of the times you come upon this realization.
A good article as always
Well said .
I never try too hard to train my dogs apart from staying in the yard when I have the gate open .
My Sweet used to ask me "what are you looking at on the computer ?" and I'd say "porn !" ~ she'd come over and see an old truck, mtocycle etc. and shake her head .
I'm very clear about the dangers of this new computer world, I don't really see the use in looking at nekkid women you'll never be able to meet much less touch .
-Nate
100%
Literally just wrote about this very thing a week ago:
https://bizguydiary.substack.com/p/21325
"The pornographic mind. We all have one. I have long felt the greatest evil in our time is Noise and the greatest good is Flow. Culturally, mind you, though we affirm there is always a Spirit of the Age and it comes with its attendant bedmistresses. The Spirit of the Age is a nameless god powered by sin, but it hates God and will plunge us all if it could. Its handmaiden is Noise, a concept I’ve defined before I won’t define here.
The pornographic mind desires above all else something delicious. Isn’t the question of what makes a story delicious to read somewhat pornographic?
Candy, not that plain rice biz. America runs on humpin’
Nicotine is pornographic, alcohol is pornographic, television is pornographic, eating out is pornographic, a job you like is pornographic, news articles are pornographic, career goals are pornographic, feeling affection for your loved ones is pornographic, acquiring knowledge is pornographic, going on road trips, hosting a party, jumping in a hot tub, buying new clothes, getting a raise—all pornographic."
Saints are the masters of saying no to this petty human sinful instinct and saying yes to God. Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. When God Himself tells you to deny yourself, He's telling you to say no.
Meatfare is this Sunday.
It's quite simple really. Sometimes you have wisdom and sometimes you don't. The way to win is to determine what that wisdom tells you to do, and then when the wisdom leaves you, you do what you had learned you must, despite not knowing exactly why.
God of course has the greatest and most prescient wisdom. Thankfully he has told us what we must do.
Nothing has made me move more toward genetic determinism than watching my roommate's border collie endlessly herd his cat around the house, snout bleeding, as he cannot bring himself to leave the cat alone for more than about seventeen seconds.
What claws am I endlessly sticking my nose into simply because I don't engage the override?