Funny you say that. Had a talk with the head priest of my parish a few weeks ago, and he mentioned that an actor who was born here (lives in a big city now) has recently sent an act of apostasy.
He's best known for playing a role of a submissive husband on a fairly popular sitcom from the 90s. C-lister, short, skinny, his picture could easily be in the dictionary under the definition of a beta male. One persitent local rumour describes his classmates picking him up and putting him on top of the shelf at school.
Perhaps there is some gamma in the God for which we, lower, should maintain responsibility of keeping to its proper course (properly, of course, and with no concomitant diminution of respect)?
For example, does it cause any ill for any of us to say such things as, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely," given the fact that God has absolute power, as well as His Son Jesus Christ? Should Jesus be reminded by us to keep to His Way?
Okay, I'll explain. When you do the false omnity stuff - specifically, where you said 'everything' - it really shuts down any incentive for constructive improvement. I'll really appreciate when Christians start allowing things to get better.
In the last article I mentioned that studying Zen buddhism (or Taoism) would do Gammas a lot of good. This helped to nip my own Gamma tendencies in the bud and soften my sharp edges and stubborn nature. Let go of the Ego is key. Go with the flow. Easier said than done when someone strikes a raw nerve or blind spot you hadn't noticed though. But these too are learning experiences.
Eastern philosophy seems to be misunderstood by many in the DR or Alt Right whatever you want to call it.
I'll explain: Western Religion = you "ought to", "you will be punished by God, the King of the Universe" etc. While this works via fear and awe once those are removed frm the picture its too easy to be ambivalent and sink back into animal behavior. Eastern Religion = "why would you do this to yourself" or if you do things in a way that are disharmonious with the cosmic order (Tao) you're gonna have a Bad Time, dude. At the same time Eastern Religion's (as interpreted by Westerners) blind spot is that if you haven't tamed the Ego its easy to also just say "who cares everything I do is Tao anyway!" Eastern religion also tends to get misinterpreted as "You are God", which is false and not quite the same thing as "God is You, acting a part". Still, for those who find a sort of Rigidity where others can order you around claiming to be speaking on behalf of God offputting, Eastern Religion might work better and in your favor.
Personally I think whatever works for you as long as it is sincere is fine I am not saying either is an absolute right or wrong, each has their own benefits and drawbacks
How would your view of Eastern beliefs explain the hyper conformist 'ought to' nature of Japan, China and Korea? They seem very contradictory, as in your explanation does not produce the visible results you promise from them. Punishment from your peers and superiors is so expected and feared that a Korean airman would rather keep his mouth shut and die in a plane crash rather than voice disagreement with the senior pilot. That actually happened. See: Korean Air Flight 801.
In short, there's a reason "Point deer make horse" came from China.
Not at all. I just pointed out a) the irony of you engaging in Gamma behavior while explaining how you manage your Gamma inclinations, and b) that you're flat-out wrong.
Really good comment. I've never been able to put my finger on why there was such a disconnect when Western men attempt understanding at Eastern philosophy or practice; I hadn't considered the degree to which views differ on how proper authority flows, e.g., outisde-to-inside (submitting oneself to holiness) versus inside-to-outside (emptying oneself to numinousness).
I should also add that I myself coming from an "Eastern background" didn't understand Eastern beliefs properly for most of my life, either, since I grew up in the West. Point being: I've spent the majority of my life being confused about everything.
AML - Either the West cannot understand the East (because the East is labyrinthine poetic gibberish) and the East cannot understand the West (because Easterners are all lame retards).
You are correct. Took me a long time to understand some things in Christianity that I wasn't able to grasp until steeping myself in the worship practices and institutions of the West in a deeper way. (By the way, I'm not trying to make a superiority claim about at all here. Simply attempting to clarify).
Reading Augustine and Aquinas brought me back to the Christian faith by answering all my major objections. Get to the original. Study until you understand.
This is purely a thought. Could many of the issues low deltas and gammas deal with be related to OCD tendencies? If it did turn out to be a medical issue (in some cases) wouldn’t a small medical intervention be justified to fix the behavior?
In general, being a Christian (or anything else) does not stop you from getting any human affliction, from the plague to psychosis. Medical issues are medical issues. There is some overlap (such as scrupulosity -- an error in practice -- being like OCD).
But the author has it correct. It is honesty, integrity, forgiveness and humility that Gammas are deficient in. None of us are God. None of us are that smart. These issues need spiritual awakening, not a medical intervention.
Conflict avoidance: OCD can involve excessive worry about making mistakes or offending others.
Seeking approval: OCD often includes a need for certainty and reassurance.
Difficulty asserting oneself: OCD-related anxiety can make it challenging to speak up.
Overly accommodating: Compulsions to please others or prevent perceived harm.
For Gamma traits:
Overthinking: A hallmark of OCD is intrusive, repetitive thoughts.
Idealization: OCD can involve perfectionist
tendencies and unrealistic standards.
Retreating into fantasy: This could be a coping mechanism for OCD-related anxiety.
Passive-aggressive behavior: Might stem from difficulty expressing emotions directly due to OCD-related fears.
I might be crazy but this shit lines up pretty well and there’s a reason that we seem to generally have little more respect for low deltas than we to do for gammas. If I’m wrong, then so be it. I’m not saying the author is wrong in any way, but instead that there might be an underlying reason that could explain some of it.
Here's a simple answer: Being unhealthy brings out the worst in people. An alpha that's sick, obese and hasn't slept is going to do worse than an alpha that's healthy, fit and well rested. Western society does a lot to make people unwell.
The spirit works with the body to make a soul. One doesn’t work without the other. God commands us to not be anxious but people with OCD often cannot control obsessive anxious thoughts. We don’t eat right and the body may not be functioning and producing the right hormones. It could be a spiritual issue with a physical solution. Not that any of the above advice is bad or shouldn’t be implemented.
It may interest you to know that ISTDP (intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy) can permanently reduce or even cause full remission of OCD symptoms. No drugs necessary.
I don’t think pharmaceuticals are the ultimate solution either. I believe proper nutrition would be. I’m merely pointing out that there could be a physical source for some of the less desirable traits expressed in deltas and gammas. The spirit is absolutely dependent on the body and vice versa according to Christian scripture, but we don’t have to agree on that as I don’t know your beliefs.
I’m more concerned that, in some cases, you may be looking at the actions of a person and truly ascribing that to their underlying personality, when it may be a medical issue that can be addressed with some mild medication that fixes their serotonin levels and the behaviors fix themselves.
WiseCracka - In the UK, original home of the dole scrounger, being professionally sick is a traditional career in many families, passed on from absent father to son / daughter / wildebeest.
So I bet it goes the other way just as much - the gamma says they have a medical condition, but they are a lying dosser who needs a good whipping with nettles to sort their endocrine system out.
This wouldn’t be a I’m disabled type of situation. If the meds, therapy or nutrition treatment doesn’t help, then it doesn’t. I’m trying to take away excuses with this idea, not add more.
It seems like the interior work is even harder than the exterior work. It’s hard to be dishonest with lifting weights or a 5k time. It can be very easy, comparatively, to be dishonest on interior work. And that’s the one that time will do less damage to. Your max bench will go down. Your integrity need not suffer just because you’re old. As an aside, I wish internet communications, particularly on religion, were as good as the “Right” examples used in the post!
Honesty is the best policy, and work hard at considering (loving) other people as much as you consider (love) yourself. Without BS excuses.
What a great way to build a civilization, not just the individual.
Oh, and read & understand some of the source documents. That builds the bridge from history to posterity.
While the approach in this essay is focused for Gamma-->Delta development, I suspect the SDL thinks there are broader applications.
PS this is a (more modern) good read on reasoning and morality. The Irrational Atheist: Dissecting the Unholy Trinity of Dawkins, Harris, And Hitchens https://a.co/d/hvcQFP7
Glad I never had to do any of this shit. As soon as the yamaka was place on my head (combined with my superior intellect), I was Judeo-Christened to be Sigma.
Forgiveness is dropping a promise. To forgive is to lose hope. To drop an expectation. To forgive is to stop believing in a thief or a promise. Your heart holds a piece of paper, where is says what you shall receive. A thief is still a thief, before and after you forgive. But if you forgive someone, then you will no longer be bound by what's on that piece of paper. Your promise might have had some value in it. But once its value dropped to nothing, the paper is worth nothing, may be bought for nothing, but your heart might still hope for the full value. So to forgive is to quit hope. And if you become free, if you forgive, then you no longer hope in vain. Why believe more in the darkness, more than the darkness does? You will be free, after you stop hoping in the tree which does not give any fruit.
If I promise you 100 bucks, I write it on a paper and give it to you, and the Vox says that you should drop the belief in me, should you hold on to it?
Should you and your heart believe in it? Should you stay angry with me? Should you ask me over and over again, when your promised money is coming? Or should you stop believing in me and the 100 bucks, burn the paper, and look elsewhere?
How much is the paper with promised money worth, if I'm not going to honor the paper or the promise? Can you sell the I.O.U. to anyone else?
I think I see what you're saying here. I'm not certain I agree, but I begin to understand.
EDIT: Forgiveness, then, is the erasure of debt. It is saying, "You have wronged me, but I will not pursue it." This is liberating to you, for the burden of your debt is no longer upon you, and it is liberating to me, who no longer need expend effort on restitution.
You've got it. Drop those papers in the gutters. God's angels will pick them up. Both of us are happier when we're doing good, trying to give good fruits. No one wants to be seen stiff and not-at-all angry holding useless papers. When we're visited, we want to be seen with soft and open postures, giving fruits. Leave vengeance to the Lord. We're incredibly weak and pathetic in comparison with the legal resources God has. And since there's also play-by-plays of our worst mistakes, we want Jesus to destroy them before God and his angels visit us.
And of course, just like working out, you absolutely can't go around telling everyone how much you care about the less fortunate and how you are taking precious time out of your life to help them.
If for some reason you absolutely have to mention it, just say you are helping some friends out and keep it at that.
Actually seeing some of this up close and taking part might help a lot.
It may be a man-thing... but most of the discussion and explanations for the gamma (or woman?) being stiff-necked and resistant might also follow from a childhood where "being wrong" resulted in very negative results: physical, mental, emotional. The child's subsequent / 'cobbled together' protections against the pain of the punishment and ongoing dread of future punishment can be any or a mix of: study and try to gird EVERY aspect with information and knowledge, retreat from engagement, or submit entirely. ("If only I can be PERFECT, then I will be safe!" Often accompanied by "if only I can know EVERYTHING, then I can never be wrong and I will be safe!")
In this, I describe me and my two sisters: the eldest retreated, the youngest submitted, I fought back. All three choices have permanent, or at least very deeply incuclated, 'forming' effects. I have always described myself as fear-biter. The eldest was an escape artist. The youngest just gave in, all the time. A gamma whose father is brutal in correcting or putting down his son may lead to permanant defensive aggressive-appearing behavior (pretty much also a fear biter?). Could a father who accepted the surrender lead to surrender seeming safe? And escape lead to sigma or omega?
("If only I can be PERFECT, then I will be safe!" Often accompanied by "if only I can know EVERYTHING, then I can never be wrong and I will be safe!")
Yes. Emphatically. You have to know everything and you have to be able to do everything. Because no one is coming to save you. No one has, no one tries to prove the opposite, so why should you believe otherwise? You have no memory of being saved. It's do or die, as always.
Normal deltas in teams, girls who are never seen without their friends, they get along fine with being ignorant and optimistic. Nothing has ever tested them. Their childish naivety is so cute.
Avalanche - Who knows. The SSH is silent about the 'whys', it's all about the 'whats', because the whys are both unknowable and irrelevant to its predictive application.
Yes, Gammas are annoying in large part because they exhibit feminine flaws with none of your charms, but comparing Gamma to Female is pointless IMO, not least because a woman's feminine behaviour does not automatically make her low status bad company like a Gamma's does.
I am suggesting that a gamma who is trying to ... get well .... might benefit from identifying 'why' he does what he does, as a precursor to catching himself before he does it. Recognizing that I am 'naturally' a fear biter has helped me to feel and see my angry fearful defensiveness as it comes up in relation to what may or may not be an attack, and then I can often choose not to respond with bared teeth and claws... Controlling an emotional response by intellect.
The distinction here is that, to the extent the gamma recognizes he needs to work on himself, focusing on "why" simply gives him an opportunity to perseverate, nurse past wrongs, and essentially excuse himself from having to make any positive changes. This is functionally different from recognizing cause and effect in order to redirect behavior or avoid an unwanted result.
Example of useful cause and effect analysis: "Why did you get dizzy?" "Because I didn't eat enough before engaging in physical activity" "Okay, make sure you eat enough next time."
vs.
What triggered Gamma's rage response: "Why are you not participating?" "Because I asked a question and she didn't give the response I wanted! I'm so angry, I hate all of them!" "Wow, that's a lot of rage for something that wasn't even an insult. Maybe let it go?" (Gamma continues to seethe to himself on the sidelines, cataloguing a lifetime of suffered microaggressions and justifying his rage against humanity in general; nothing changes.)
You're wrong. Gammas love nothing better to discuss and contemplate the whys. That's what Gammas do best. They love to do it here, while blithely continuing in their Gamma behavior.
"For anyone who wants to know why I'm a Gamma, I'm going to talk about myself in great detail!"
Avalanche - "a gamma who is trying to ... get well .... might benefit from identifying 'why' he does what he does, as a precursor to catching himself before he does it."
Sure that may help, and it's separate from the actions a man must take to change his core habits.
A man could wake up with amnesia about his Gamma origins, and follow the GG program just like everyone else, 'cos amnesia or 'Namnesia, you may be a snowflake, but you ain't special!
That's how I imagine I would respond to a captive Gamma under my hypothetical tender care who thought he was here to talk about his boring life from days of yore.
Again, not a single argument can be brought forth against any of this. Oddly, it was Phillip K. Dick's exegesis that brought me back from secularism to accepting Christ. Augustine's were also particularly insightful as I rediscovered the faith. Humility is one of the most important things to bring to any spiritual journey. I think our host once coined the phrase "Humanity is a spiritual prey animal" once, and it rang so true, and I had realized that I while I might believe in demons, I was not as powerful over them as I thought I was. No one is.
I'm thinking that the Gamma lacks humility, and is riddled with pride to the point of vanity/futility and absurdity (like in Ecclesiastes when the Preacher talks about the "wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness." The Delta, on the other hand, has an excess of humility, which inclines toward self-deprecation, self-abasement or nullification. One is better than the other, but they both suffer from error, at least in this regard.
I agree with you concerning the gamma, but I think what you said concerning the Delta is true of the Omega instead. The Omega's flaw is denying the intrinsic worth he himself has as a human being...it's a debased form of humility.
That's why i wrote "inclined toward," and I could have stopped at self-deprecation. I take your point, though, the Omega being the end result of excess humility. I'm trying to express the overlap in the different categories, instead of the clear dividing lines.
BBL1986 & Kent Thomas - I think you are both right and it's a matter of degree.
Self-deprecating humour is low status* & promoted in the entertainment media constantly.
Delta guys are average Joes. Anglo ones are indeed often overly humble ("Don't be so humble, dear, you aren't that great!" - Grandma), and will commonly use self-deprecating humour. This makes them agreeable company among the guys. They aren't chest beaters like Alphas or smug wankers like Gammas.
Omega guys have a whole other level of mental knottery going on. They don't have social lives outside the handful of other low status men they've always known, a dysfunctional family, and furry conventions.
Nullification is a good word for their behaviour out in the wide social world.
An excess of humility is surely a kind of pride, when it's used as a social persona (self-defeating in the Omega's case), no?
*Except when Alphas do it because they are human too, and everyone likes them more
Thought I had this part locked down.
Thanks. I appreciate this
Gammahood is a form of apostasy.
Being a Gamma is sinful! Repent!
Funny you say that. Had a talk with the head priest of my parish a few weeks ago, and he mentioned that an actor who was born here (lives in a big city now) has recently sent an act of apostasy.
He's best known for playing a role of a submissive husband on a fairly popular sitcom from the 90s. C-lister, short, skinny, his picture could easily be in the dictionary under the definition of a beta male. One persitent local rumour describes his classmates picking him up and putting him on top of the shelf at school.
Would you forgive Jesus if he happened to have said something even slightly incorrect? Is that possible?
Jesus is The Truth, there is no lie in Him. Hold your tongue.
Is it possible something can be more true than another thing?
Reality is fractal. Newtonian physics is true, but not as accurate as modern quantum physics.
Perhaps there is some gamma in the God for which we, lower, should maintain responsibility of keeping to its proper course (properly, of course, and with no concomitant diminution of respect)?
For example, does it cause any ill for any of us to say such things as, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely," given the fact that God has absolute power, as well as His Son Jesus Christ? Should Jesus be reminded by us to keep to His Way?
Are you perhaps, smarter and more moral than God?
If so, you should absolutely let God and his son know everything they are doing wrong. They will probably be really surprised by your insight!
Okay, I'll explain. When you do the false omnity stuff - specifically, where you said 'everything' - it really shuts down any incentive for constructive improvement. I'll really appreciate when Christians start allowing things to get better.
That's not what I meant. Godgamma vibes pls go
This question does not make any sense.
One should worry more about being forgiven by Jesus.
Here is a useful written-in-ordinary-language explication by C.S. Lewis on forgiveness.
https://www.maitlandpres.org/post/cslewis
Assuming you have not broken rule 2. out of an abundance of irony.
Indeed. That's a fair description of forgiveness. Now that we agree on what forgiveness means, may you perchance address the question?
In the last article I mentioned that studying Zen buddhism (or Taoism) would do Gammas a lot of good. This helped to nip my own Gamma tendencies in the bud and soften my sharp edges and stubborn nature. Let go of the Ego is key. Go with the flow. Easier said than done when someone strikes a raw nerve or blind spot you hadn't noticed though. But these too are learning experiences.
Eastern philosophy seems to be misunderstood by many in the DR or Alt Right whatever you want to call it.
I'll explain: Western Religion = you "ought to", "you will be punished by God, the King of the Universe" etc. While this works via fear and awe once those are removed frm the picture its too easy to be ambivalent and sink back into animal behavior. Eastern Religion = "why would you do this to yourself" or if you do things in a way that are disharmonious with the cosmic order (Tao) you're gonna have a Bad Time, dude. At the same time Eastern Religion's (as interpreted by Westerners) blind spot is that if you haven't tamed the Ego its easy to also just say "who cares everything I do is Tao anyway!" Eastern religion also tends to get misinterpreted as "You are God", which is false and not quite the same thing as "God is You, acting a part". Still, for those who find a sort of Rigidity where others can order you around claiming to be speaking on behalf of God offputting, Eastern Religion might work better and in your favor.
Personally I think whatever works for you as long as it is sincere is fine I am not saying either is an absolute right or wrong, each has their own benefits and drawbacks
How would your view of Eastern beliefs explain the hyper conformist 'ought to' nature of Japan, China and Korea? They seem very contradictory, as in your explanation does not produce the visible results you promise from them. Punishment from your peers and superiors is so expected and feared that a Korean airman would rather keep his mouth shut and die in a plane crash rather than voice disagreement with the senior pilot. That actually happened. See: Korean Air Flight 801.
In short, there's a reason "Point deer make horse" came from China.
Shame Culture (east) Vs Guilt Culture (west) explains that, but I see your point
Shame culture is when if no one sees you. It's not wrong. It necessitates everyone keeping an eye on everyone at all times.
But with guilt culture it actually originates from God seeing All.
Even if alone. Your actions matter
You haven't nipped them in the bud very well here. You do realize you are offering an explanation for which no one has asked, do you not?
There is no such thing as Eastern Religion per se. And it's absolutely not a solution for Gamma, as you have helpfully demonstrated here.
did u just well ackually me?
Not at all. I just pointed out a) the irony of you engaging in Gamma behavior while explaining how you manage your Gamma inclinations, and b) that you're flat-out wrong.
im willing to accept some criticism, ty for keeping it civil
Really good comment. I've never been able to put my finger on why there was such a disconnect when Western men attempt understanding at Eastern philosophy or practice; I hadn't considered the degree to which views differ on how proper authority flows, e.g., outisde-to-inside (submitting oneself to holiness) versus inside-to-outside (emptying oneself to numinousness).
Do you believe Eastern men are equally unable to understand Western philosophy or practice?
Yes. Without training and exposure.
I should also add that I myself coming from an "Eastern background" didn't understand Eastern beliefs properly for most of my life, either, since I grew up in the West. Point being: I've spent the majority of my life being confused about everything.
Quite right. Either the west cannot understand the east and the east cannot understand the west or no one can understand anything.
AML - Either the West cannot understand the East (because the East is labyrinthine poetic gibberish) and the East cannot understand the West (because Easterners are all lame retards).
Or vice versa?
Fight!
You are correct. Took me a long time to understand some things in Christianity that I wasn't able to grasp until steeping myself in the worship practices and institutions of the West in a deeper way. (By the way, I'm not trying to make a superiority claim about at all here. Simply attempting to clarify).
Great advice.
Reading Augustine and Aquinas brought me back to the Christian faith by answering all my major objections. Get to the original. Study until you understand.
"Better to pray for understanding, and not receive it, than to understand everything but not be a praying man."
This is purely a thought. Could many of the issues low deltas and gammas deal with be related to OCD tendencies? If it did turn out to be a medical issue (in some cases) wouldn’t a small medical intervention be justified to fix the behavior?
In general, being a Christian (or anything else) does not stop you from getting any human affliction, from the plague to psychosis. Medical issues are medical issues. There is some overlap (such as scrupulosity -- an error in practice -- being like OCD).
But the author has it correct. It is honesty, integrity, forgiveness and humility that Gammas are deficient in. None of us are God. None of us are that smart. These issues need spiritual awakening, not a medical intervention.
I’ll spell it out:
For Delta traits:
Conflict avoidance: OCD can involve excessive worry about making mistakes or offending others.
Seeking approval: OCD often includes a need for certainty and reassurance.
Difficulty asserting oneself: OCD-related anxiety can make it challenging to speak up.
Overly accommodating: Compulsions to please others or prevent perceived harm.
For Gamma traits:
Overthinking: A hallmark of OCD is intrusive, repetitive thoughts.
Idealization: OCD can involve perfectionist
tendencies and unrealistic standards.
Retreating into fantasy: This could be a coping mechanism for OCD-related anxiety.
Passive-aggressive behavior: Might stem from difficulty expressing emotions directly due to OCD-related fears.
I might be crazy but this shit lines up pretty well and there’s a reason that we seem to generally have little more respect for low deltas than we to do for gammas. If I’m wrong, then so be it. I’m not saying the author is wrong in any way, but instead that there might be an underlying reason that could explain some of it.
Here's a simple answer: Being unhealthy brings out the worst in people. An alpha that's sick, obese and hasn't slept is going to do worse than an alpha that's healthy, fit and well rested. Western society does a lot to make people unwell.
Spiritual problems need spiritual solutions.
Do drugs provide spiritual correction?
The spirit works with the body to make a soul. One doesn’t work without the other. God commands us to not be anxious but people with OCD often cannot control obsessive anxious thoughts. We don’t eat right and the body may not be functioning and producing the right hormones. It could be a spiritual issue with a physical solution. Not that any of the above advice is bad or shouldn’t be implemented.
It may interest you to know that ISTDP (intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy) can permanently reduce or even cause full remission of OCD symptoms. No drugs necessary.
Had to look that up. Looks much more ideal that drugs in general. Thanks for that!
I don't believe the spirit depends on the body, or that your spirit has a physical need for pharmaceuticals that weren't even invented until recently.
Perhaps they are helpful, but the unknown side-effects and the dependencies are a red flag.
I don’t think pharmaceuticals are the ultimate solution either. I believe proper nutrition would be. I’m merely pointing out that there could be a physical source for some of the less desirable traits expressed in deltas and gammas. The spirit is absolutely dependent on the body and vice versa according to Christian scripture, but we don’t have to agree on that as I don’t know your beliefs.
"The spirit is absolutely dependent on the body and vice versa according to Christian scripture"
What scripture tells you to eat better so you don't act sinfully?
NT 1 Corinthians 6:19 Acts 15:29 Acts 21:25 OT Leviticus 11:3-8 Deuteronomy 14:4-8 Leviticus 11:9-22 Leviticus 17:10-14 Deuteronomy 14:21
Trauma and insecurity are overlooked and probably play a large role here
I’m more concerned that, in some cases, you may be looking at the actions of a person and truly ascribing that to their underlying personality, when it may be a medical issue that can be addressed with some mild medication that fixes their serotonin levels and the behaviors fix themselves.
WiseCracka - In the UK, original home of the dole scrounger, being professionally sick is a traditional career in many families, passed on from absent father to son / daughter / wildebeest.
So I bet it goes the other way just as much - the gamma says they have a medical condition, but they are a lying dosser who needs a good whipping with nettles to sort their endocrine system out.
This wouldn’t be a I’m disabled type of situation. If the meds, therapy or nutrition treatment doesn’t help, then it doesn’t. I’m trying to take away excuses with this idea, not add more.
WiseCracka - whipping people with nettles takes away excuses too, and they aren't sponsored by Pfizer
It seems like the interior work is even harder than the exterior work. It’s hard to be dishonest with lifting weights or a 5k time. It can be very easy, comparatively, to be dishonest on interior work. And that’s the one that time will do less damage to. Your max bench will go down. Your integrity need not suffer just because you’re old. As an aside, I wish internet communications, particularly on religion, were as good as the “Right” examples used in the post!
Honesty is the best policy, and work hard at considering (loving) other people as much as you consider (love) yourself. Without BS excuses.
What a great way to build a civilization, not just the individual.
Oh, and read & understand some of the source documents. That builds the bridge from history to posterity.
While the approach in this essay is focused for Gamma-->Delta development, I suspect the SDL thinks there are broader applications.
PS this is a (more modern) good read on reasoning and morality. The Irrational Atheist: Dissecting the Unholy Trinity of Dawkins, Harris, And Hitchens https://a.co/d/hvcQFP7
The Irrational Atheist is AMAZING and a must read specially for people that seem on the fence regarding their beliefs.
Glad I never had to do any of this shit. As soon as the yamaka was place on my head (combined with my superior intellect), I was Judeo-Christened to be Sigma.
This series is enjoyable to read in itself, and I bet I'm not alone in thinking about forgiveness and a couple of other points deeply now.
"Forgiveness is not affection."
Forgiveness is dropping a promise. To forgive is to lose hope. To drop an expectation. To forgive is to stop believing in a thief or a promise. Your heart holds a piece of paper, where is says what you shall receive. A thief is still a thief, before and after you forgive. But if you forgive someone, then you will no longer be bound by what's on that piece of paper. Your promise might have had some value in it. But once its value dropped to nothing, the paper is worth nothing, may be bought for nothing, but your heart might still hope for the full value. So to forgive is to quit hope. And if you become free, if you forgive, then you no longer hope in vain. Why believe more in the darkness, more than the darkness does? You will be free, after you stop hoping in the tree which does not give any fruit.
I'm trying desperately to follow, but I'm struggling.
If I promise you 100 bucks, I write it on a paper and give it to you, and the Vox says that you should drop the belief in me, should you hold on to it?
Should you and your heart believe in it? Should you stay angry with me? Should you ask me over and over again, when your promised money is coming? Or should you stop believing in me and the 100 bucks, burn the paper, and look elsewhere?
How much is the paper with promised money worth, if I'm not going to honor the paper or the promise? Can you sell the I.O.U. to anyone else?
"Forgiveness is writing off bad debt" might communicate your point better.
I think linking forgiveness to "losing hope" is misguided. 3 things are eternal: Faith, hope, love.
I wouldn't call the desire to get what's due to you, "hope". Jealousy, maybe.
Well said. I am reminded that there's the phrase, "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors".
I think I see what you're saying here. I'm not certain I agree, but I begin to understand.
EDIT: Forgiveness, then, is the erasure of debt. It is saying, "You have wronged me, but I will not pursue it." This is liberating to you, for the burden of your debt is no longer upon you, and it is liberating to me, who no longer need expend effort on restitution.
You've got it. Drop those papers in the gutters. God's angels will pick them up. Both of us are happier when we're doing good, trying to give good fruits. No one wants to be seen stiff and not-at-all angry holding useless papers. When we're visited, we want to be seen with soft and open postures, giving fruits. Leave vengeance to the Lord. We're incredibly weak and pathetic in comparison with the legal resources God has. And since there's also play-by-plays of our worst mistakes, we want Jesus to destroy them before God and his angels visit us.
I would strongly recommend doing any IRL volunteer work consistently for a time.
Try Homeless Shelters, Churches, Animal Shelters, etc...
And of course, just like working out, you absolutely can't go around telling everyone how much you care about the less fortunate and how you are taking precious time out of your life to help them.
If for some reason you absolutely have to mention it, just say you are helping some friends out and keep it at that.
Actually seeing some of this up close and taking part might help a lot.
It may be a man-thing... but most of the discussion and explanations for the gamma (or woman?) being stiff-necked and resistant might also follow from a childhood where "being wrong" resulted in very negative results: physical, mental, emotional. The child's subsequent / 'cobbled together' protections against the pain of the punishment and ongoing dread of future punishment can be any or a mix of: study and try to gird EVERY aspect with information and knowledge, retreat from engagement, or submit entirely. ("If only I can be PERFECT, then I will be safe!" Often accompanied by "if only I can know EVERYTHING, then I can never be wrong and I will be safe!")
In this, I describe me and my two sisters: the eldest retreated, the youngest submitted, I fought back. All three choices have permanent, or at least very deeply incuclated, 'forming' effects. I have always described myself as fear-biter. The eldest was an escape artist. The youngest just gave in, all the time. A gamma whose father is brutal in correcting or putting down his son may lead to permanant defensive aggressive-appearing behavior (pretty much also a fear biter?). Could a father who accepted the surrender lead to surrender seeming safe? And escape lead to sigma or omega?
Okay, gentlemen, any relation to male gammahood?
("If only I can be PERFECT, then I will be safe!" Often accompanied by "if only I can know EVERYTHING, then I can never be wrong and I will be safe!")
Yes. Emphatically. You have to know everything and you have to be able to do everything. Because no one is coming to save you. No one has, no one tries to prove the opposite, so why should you believe otherwise? You have no memory of being saved. It's do or die, as always.
Normal deltas in teams, girls who are never seen without their friends, they get along fine with being ignorant and optimistic. Nothing has ever tested them. Their childish naivety is so cute.
Avalanche - Who knows. The SSH is silent about the 'whys', it's all about the 'whats', because the whys are both unknowable and irrelevant to its predictive application.
Yes, Gammas are annoying in large part because they exhibit feminine flaws with none of your charms, but comparing Gamma to Female is pointless IMO, not least because a woman's feminine behaviour does not automatically make her low status bad company like a Gamma's does.
I am suggesting that a gamma who is trying to ... get well .... might benefit from identifying 'why' he does what he does, as a precursor to catching himself before he does it. Recognizing that I am 'naturally' a fear biter has helped me to feel and see my angry fearful defensiveness as it comes up in relation to what may or may not be an attack, and then I can often choose not to respond with bared teeth and claws... Controlling an emotional response by intellect.
The distinction here is that, to the extent the gamma recognizes he needs to work on himself, focusing on "why" simply gives him an opportunity to perseverate, nurse past wrongs, and essentially excuse himself from having to make any positive changes. This is functionally different from recognizing cause and effect in order to redirect behavior or avoid an unwanted result.
Example of useful cause and effect analysis: "Why did you get dizzy?" "Because I didn't eat enough before engaging in physical activity" "Okay, make sure you eat enough next time."
vs.
What triggered Gamma's rage response: "Why are you not participating?" "Because I asked a question and she didn't give the response I wanted! I'm so angry, I hate all of them!" "Wow, that's a lot of rage for something that wasn't even an insult. Maybe let it go?" (Gamma continues to seethe to himself on the sidelines, cataloguing a lifetime of suffered microaggressions and justifying his rage against humanity in general; nothing changes.)
You're wrong. Gammas love nothing better to discuss and contemplate the whys. That's what Gammas do best. They love to do it here, while blithely continuing in their Gamma behavior.
"For anyone who wants to know why I'm a Gamma, I'm going to talk about myself in great detail!"
Avalanche - "a gamma who is trying to ... get well .... might benefit from identifying 'why' he does what he does, as a precursor to catching himself before he does it."
Sure that may help, and it's separate from the actions a man must take to change his core habits.
A man could wake up with amnesia about his Gamma origins, and follow the GG program just like everyone else, 'cos amnesia or 'Namnesia, you may be a snowflake, but you ain't special!
That's how I imagine I would respond to a captive Gamma under my hypothetical tender care who thought he was here to talk about his boring life from days of yore.
Again, not a single argument can be brought forth against any of this. Oddly, it was Phillip K. Dick's exegesis that brought me back from secularism to accepting Christ. Augustine's were also particularly insightful as I rediscovered the faith. Humility is one of the most important things to bring to any spiritual journey. I think our host once coined the phrase "Humanity is a spiritual prey animal" once, and it rang so true, and I had realized that I while I might believe in demons, I was not as powerful over them as I thought I was. No one is.
Jesus called us sheep. Spiritually we are.
Is there a specific title to the work? an interview? I'd be interested in reading it.
It's just called "The Exegesis of PKD". It's almost 900 pages, and it is...intense. Cannot recommend enough, especially if you like his work.
Gracias
I particularly like the section on integrity.
I'm thinking that the Gamma lacks humility, and is riddled with pride to the point of vanity/futility and absurdity (like in Ecclesiastes when the Preacher talks about the "wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness." The Delta, on the other hand, has an excess of humility, which inclines toward self-deprecation, self-abasement or nullification. One is better than the other, but they both suffer from error, at least in this regard.
I agree with you concerning the gamma, but I think what you said concerning the Delta is true of the Omega instead. The Omega's flaw is denying the intrinsic worth he himself has as a human being...it's a debased form of humility.
That's why i wrote "inclined toward," and I could have stopped at self-deprecation. I take your point, though, the Omega being the end result of excess humility. I'm trying to express the overlap in the different categories, instead of the clear dividing lines.
BBL1986 & Kent Thomas - I think you are both right and it's a matter of degree.
Self-deprecating humour is low status* & promoted in the entertainment media constantly.
Delta guys are average Joes. Anglo ones are indeed often overly humble ("Don't be so humble, dear, you aren't that great!" - Grandma), and will commonly use self-deprecating humour. This makes them agreeable company among the guys. They aren't chest beaters like Alphas or smug wankers like Gammas.
Omega guys have a whole other level of mental knottery going on. They don't have social lives outside the handful of other low status men they've always known, a dysfunctional family, and furry conventions.
Nullification is a good word for their behaviour out in the wide social world.
An excess of humility is surely a kind of pride, when it's used as a social persona (self-defeating in the Omega's case), no?
*Except when Alphas do it because they are human too, and everyone likes them more
As I wrote I was thinking about excess humility being the mirror image or flip side of pride, but couldn't figure out how to express it.
That's remarkably insightful.
BBL1986 - Chat GPT, mate, and thanks