Frame Bold Conjectures! · 5 June 2008
I get some pretty weird email through the contact link on this blog. But one today was so alienated by my writing, and generally angry towards my strong positions, that it concerns me that others might feel the same.
If you do, I’m sorry.
If you have been reading this for a little while, and looking at the comments, hopefully you have an idea of my personality—that any strong position is usually taken with a wink. If I get in to it with R or DailyM or Carl or Cody or Patrick in the comments, that is us enjoying each other and learning a lot in the process.
I am sort of a child of the philosopher and research methodologist Karl Popper, who said Frame Bold Conjectures! And then do everything you possibly can to try to falsify them.
I see ashtanga as a “science” of research on the self, and feel that Americans get in our own way by heaping unnecessary fantasy-world beliefs and hero-worship in the way of their own experience. So sometimes I toss out a bold conjecture in hopes of encouraging others to frame their own, different experiences in a clear way. The contrast challenges all of us to pare down useless beliefs, understand each other better through ribald epistemological compromise, and dig that much deeper in to our own intuitions and experiences.
I’m here to figure out what ashtanga is about. Collectively, culturally, individually, spiritually, whatever. This is just my way of investigating.
My favorite people are those who are curious, brave, interested in everything, and have finely-tuned bullshit detectors. I guess I write the way I do to attract those excitable skeptics, expecting that a little non-PC boldness will be taken lightly.
Namaste and shit. And with all the love of my well-loved, wrung-out, blown-open, hardworking little heart.
Posted by (0v0)
Categories: social theory
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Posted by: (0v0) · Jun 5, 10:00 AM · #
People who DON’T want to make and then tear holes in bold conjectures scare the bejeezus out of me. One of my strongest convictions is that wanting to believe in something is one of the most worst and most dangerous reasons to believe anything. Beware what “feels good”. All manner of bullshit ridiculous and dangerous is doubtless folded into that fluffy blanket. Like smallpox. ;)
GREAT last line, by the way.
Posted by: joy · Jun 5, 11:49 AM · #
Most worst? quoooi? ugh, typos.
Posted by: joy · Jun 5, 11:50 AM · #
Unbelievable! Among subversives you’re extraordinarily sensitive of others. I don’t recall reading anything on your blog that might be considered inflammatory. The hive in that angry writer’s bonnet must have been up to some peeving business lately.
Posted by: Carl · Jun 5, 02:05 PM · #
Hi (0v0)
Keep on truckin’
Cheers,
Arturo
Posted by: arturo · Jun 5, 07:04 PM · #
Ideas are just ideas. Nothing personal. The way they live in the wild on this blog is delightful.
Posted by: karen · Jun 6, 03:27 AM · #
Aw fuck. It’s that silly idea that people’s blogs need to be constructive and palatable to everyone. I call bullshit and always have. If you don’t love me you can hate me, and if I offend you don’t have to read.
I am often alienated by your writing, and generally angry towards your strong positions, but I keep reading. Hahahahahahahaha.
Oh, excuse me. Yoga is serious business.
Sorry. So sorry…I got carried away. Seriousness. Serious.
Posted by: Susan · Jun 6, 06:08 AM · #
Uptight peeps need to relax.
Posted by: RE · Jun 6, 05:29 PM · #
As Carl Sagan put it: we live on a small blue dot.
In the middle of a vastness that is beyond vast.
So speak loudly.
And as we all like to tell each other, just be yourself, since there is no-one else to be. And rubbing shoulders and grating nerves and looking right into someones eyes is what we all do best – to understand ourselves best.
Posted by: Gregor · Jun 10, 05:16 PM · #
Gregor, hey you! Welcome. Hope you have been well.
Posted by: (0v0) · Jun 12, 12:00 PM · #