>>40020
I actually agree with you, I wouldn't want pessimists to be banned or forbidden to think and say whatever it is they want to say, that would be absurd. I prefer people to be able to say whatever it is they want to say much the same way I prefer to be allowed to express how I find a line of thought to be irresponsible like I just did. In regards to >>40018 there are many things I disagree regarding what you think Buddhist enlightenment is like, comparing it with reducing yourself to instinct, death, shutting down brain faculties and lack of consciousness, which doesn't have any support on any Sutta I've read nor in any common sense assumption you can make by having any biographical knowledge about Buddha. Animals, the dead and people asleep are not considered enlightened in anyway and Buddha continued to be a normal adult making full use of his brain for over 40 years after reaching enlightenment. But I feel like I would get preachy and long winded trying to explain what I think Buddhism is, besides I'm nobody of importance, you can read any sutta or sutta commentary by actual monks and scholars on the internet if you like and they're a better use of your time than any post I could make. I would just be parroting them anyway.

>>40021
>Animals, the dead and people asleep are not considered enlightened in anyway
Forget about what the texts consider as enlightened for a moment, why wouldn't you consider animals as enlightened? It's only man that sits around worrying about things, contemplating existence, the right way to behave, issues of ethics or morality, and suppresses its desires. Animals don't do any of that (*). They probably do have some rudimentary thoughts (although what you define as "thought" becomes fuzzy since our only frame of reference is ourselves. I imagine animal "thought" is basically just how they interpret raw stimulus) but it's not structured in the form of our own thoughts.

But with humans thought is intertwined with knowledge and experience, and this gives rise to long-term planning, reasoning, recognition, etc. It's a double-edged sword though. Animals certainly don't exist in a "desireless" state – if they feel hungry they go out and kill prey – but there's no higher-order reasoning associated with it. Whereas with the human, it's ironically that meta-self-awareness that is what makes you realize a desire is a "desire" and is something that you try to suppress in line with societal views.

If you eliminate consciousness, there's no problem to be solved in the first place. Dying, living, etc. wouldn't really matter in that case. Of course this is only possible if you accept a materialist viewpoint that there is no spirit or soul or whatever.

(*) You might say that you don't do any of that, in which case I congratulate and envy you. But the fact that religion and spirituality exist – people concerning themselves with the "best" way to live to achieve some goal (which they delude themselves into thinking will be something like "permanent tranquility") indicates that there's a non-trivial fraction of humanity who are victims of their own consciousness.

>>40022
I understand the term enlightened as a higher level of awareness. Diminishing, destroying or mutilating your tools for awareness is not enlightenment, not in my view, nor in any Buddhist context I'm aware of. To be clear, enlightenment to me is a way of being more aware, not less.

>>40023
Awareness of what though? It's still a bit of a vague word. Once this state of enlightenment is reached, how do you expect your experiences will differ from how they currently are. Eliminating consciousness is in my opinion precisely that form of enlightenment where your experiences become unfiltered – with consciousness eliminated, thoughts and knowledge no longer get in the way of raw experience. That is to say, you can look at a table without needing to tell yourself that it's a table (that is to say because you no longer access knowledge, you won't even have any idea what a "table" is. To you, it would just be another flat looking thing). All your actions become are unmediated without the meddling of thought, simply responses to stimuli.

>>40024
Awareness of the world around you. It's not vague but it does depend on what traditions of thought you find yourself in, same with everything I suppose. If you want a Buddhist metaphor for it, it's like sharpening a blade. The process of enlightenment is a sharpening of your awareness. You're telling me you threw the blade in the river and is calling that sharpening a blade. We have a term to act unfiltered, it's instinct, also one for the end of consciousness, it's death. You want to call it enlightenment, I wouldn't. If you're a pebble, then you're impervious to all suffering. Is that enlightenment? It's being a pebble. Enlightenment is not being impervious to suffering, it's how you deal with suffering while being aware it exists.

Sakurazaka46's new song came out. K-pop is a disease and it needs to be contained. Making idols do hip-hop breakdancing, are you fucking kidding me? Hot garbage. HOT GARBAGE! BOO! BOO! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

From what I can tell based on my limited knowledge, Buddhism and eastern religions in general are all about reaching a HIGHER state of awareness, like the buddhist poster here says. Awareness of what? Of ideals and laws. The enlightened monks and gurus keep all the laws of their religions, which usually place a big emphasis on not hurting anything around them. Even if they suffer much and die an early death, they try to live a moral/virtuous life and to be someone who keeps all the laws. The ideal of buddhism is exactly ultra-self-control and being super-conscious, not the opposite.

What the other, pessimist poster says is enlightenment is the opposite of buddhist enlightenment. It is a state where instincts rule and direct everything you do. That is wild, non-epicurean hedonism or egoism.

>>40017
I am 25. I don't know if getting friends is worth it anymore. I got rejected and ignored by others so much that quite frankly I hate humans. Whenever I meet or am forced to interact with anyone irl who isn't part of my immediate family I go on the defensive and start behaving in passive-aggressive ways. There is only so much pain/bullying one can take from the community before he becomes anti-social completely. I feel pity for those who are outcasts like me and people who can't defend themselves or get bullied by society like homeless people or semi-autist/aspie loners. Probably because I see myself reflected in them. But the majority? God, I do hate them so much.

I'm not that much of a sceptic as you are. Life might be one big illusion but it feels real and we perceive it as real. It doesn't matter from which angle I look at this world, it is just horrible. All the suffering and horrors outweigh the good things easily. I can't pretend that this world or existence is okay or fun.
I don't think being a tragic hero needs to be all about seriousness, there are certainly times in life when one can only laugh at all the stupidity and cruelty or even at himself. In fact, the fun times only increase the forces of suffering when they come again. I do have compassion, to tell the truth I think even more than most people have nowadays. But my compassion is egoistic, I feel sorry for those who are like me only.

This world, I'm tempted to believe at times, was created by a gnostic evil deity. It is just perfect ground for suffering and horror.

I quite like this world.
Even if I dislike the people in it and dislike them more as time goes on and society get worse. I see no need to befriend them in the first place so it does not matter much.

I like the world itself and I don't need to have friends to enjoy that. If I could live by myself and watch anime and read books, I would be happy.

>>40036
There are times when I feel like that too. Then life steps in and slaps me hard across the cheeks to remind me not to get too comfortable. Poverty, illnesses, accidents, disasters, little troubles here and there and I realize even if you don't have to put up with the retarded things of others, life is still very hard and merciless.

summer not fucking off already
cause its 40 degrees and when i wake up im soaked in sweat and its really uncomfortable
plus i havent showered in over a month so i guess it makes that case worse
wouldnt be a big deal in the winter
also literally cant go outside while its summer that sucks too
although theres that school starts back up once summer ends so never mind guess i need it to stay here

>>40047
If you don't have ac, and it tends to be cooler at night, I'd strongly recommend a window fan. No installation is needed, you just open a window at night, put the thing there, and cool air will blow into your room.
>i havent showered in over a month
That's gross any time of year, anon.

The concept of "influencers". It's such a bizarre and creepy "cultural phenomena". How anybody calls themself one with a straight face is a mystery to me.

I hate tan lines. I have a very defined one on my arm between paper white and pasty. I'll just have to stop wearing a shirt outside.

>>40050
It seems like something that started out as a sort of pseudo-derogatory term, I have no idea when or why people started to refer to themselves as such seriously.

>>40052
They look pretty nice on 2D girls at least.

>>40054
Sure, but most things do.

>>40053
I thought of it more as a doublet of influenza, a viral disease, and then again 'viral' is a synonym for trending.

People loitering in parking lots. I went to the store as I sometimes do, and there were a ton of kids hanging out in the Waffle House parking lot. They were blasting music too, but surprisingly it was Slayer and not some sort of rap music.
I don't get why they'd go some place that was open. There's a shopping center across the road with big empty parking lots. Dumb kids.

>>40064
Going out into the street in a group and listening to loud music...what's the good in this? I don't get it. Is it some mating ritual normal people do?

>>40065
Not much to get I guess, usually people like to be out and about with friends and usually they also like music. It's also easy to understand people are usually annoying, and most of the time they don't even want to be, it's just the end result of them being themselves (and you being you).

>>40067
But why can't they just go to a club or hang out at one of their houses? What is the fun in blasting loud music in the street, annoying others? Seriously, I want Covid restrictions to be back because of things like this.

>>40069
My theory is that it's because it gives them a false sense of importance and control.

>>40069
>why can't they just go to a club or hang out at one of their houses?
My guess is that they were in school on their summer break or something. Too young to go anywhere social, live with their family so they can't do it at home.
Still, they had better options than a small parking lot with traffic.

Does anybody know any practical way to identify an insect/bug? There was this gross thing in my desk, I tried all descriptions but nothing comes out.
The creature looked like a cylindrical very small, near half a centimeter, very slow bug. It was very hairy and had hairs sticking out from every inch of its body.
Does somebody recognizes this thing?

>>40080
Sounds like a maggot or caterpillar. Knowing your location would help.

>>40081
>>40080
And a picture.

>>40081
South America. I live 10 min from the Atlantic Ocean. I never gets below 20 degrees in here.

I really hate to see people getting upset because someone did something weird. For example, if someone were making a sexdoll and they wanted to share, most places would give responses along the lines of "WTF, kill yourself". While I might not want to make one myself, I really find it interesting how one would go about doing it and the resources they use. Sure, it's not "normal", but isn't it kind of cool? It's a real project, that requires real solutions to real problems. It could even be applied for something "normal" like making Halloween decorations or something.
That's just one example, but really, I think people are missing out for stupid reasons. There's a lot you can learn from even if it wasn't applied in a way that you approve of.

>>40130
Eh. That's why places with "normal people" should be avoided when sharing anything.

>>40131
Well, I certainly wouldn't share in those places. It's just a little sad when I see it, even if it's rare these days.

>>40130
>Sure, it's not "normal", but isn't it kind of cool?
For me personally, I just feel a strong twinge of sadness when I see stuff like that. It's heartbreaking whenever people find themselves turning to dolls as a substitute for the genuine human connection that they've either given up on having or have never believed they could achieve. Not to be all melodramatic or anything, but it's probably a sign of deep cultural malaise too.
I don't understand "normal people" lashing out in anger over it, though, but "normal people" these days seem to get angry at the pettiest things.

>>40133
>genuine human connection
Doesn't exist, and people who fall for this are deluding themselves. My only qualm with sexdolls though is that they're in the uncanny valley. 2D is perfect precisely because it exists as a platonic ideal-type abstraction. Anything you try to bring into the real world is going to be imperfect, and sexdolls exist in that in-between realm where it's trying to reify something that's best left in the realm of ideas.

>>40133
>turning to dolls as a substitute for the genuine human connection
I'm convinced "genuine human connection" only exists in fiction, or is exceedingly, exceedingly rare. Relationships in real life are either very limited in their intimacy, transactional, or based on deceit(or a combination of the three).

People crave relationships in spite of this because of biological imperatives. Where do you get your source of emotional gratification?

>I don't understand "normal people" lashing out in anger over it
It's an existential threat to their value system.

>>40134
>>40135
By "genuine human connection," I literally just mean "not uncanny valley dolls." I'm not exactly setting the bar very high, lol. I know modern relationships have serious flaws of their own.
I just can't help but feel that twinge of sadness for people turning to inanimate objects for what they can't have in real life. I'm not even criticizing them for doing it, really, just expressing my own gut feelings on the subject.

>>40133
I don't really care. If they want to do that, they should go for it. I was mostly talking about the construction. There's plenty of ways to rig up a skeleton and emulate flesh, depending on how accurate you need it to be. I like to see how people bring their ideas to reality, especially if it involves unconventional methods.
>>40134
>Anything you try to bring into the real world is going to be imperfect
I agree. I'm happy with the fictional things I love as they are. No form of replication can be perfect, but I think it's okay to try if you can accept that. Think of a child drawing something they like. It's probably far from the source material, but isn't it still nice?

>>40137
Oh yeah, the construction side of things is probably interesting if it's a well-made doll. Not disputing that.

>>40136
>I literally just mean "not uncanny valley dolls."
Aside from appearance, they're better than people in a few important ways.

>modern relationships have serious flaws
I don't buy this blaming the modern world thing. Have some things gotten worse? Sure. Were things ever good in the past? I don't think so. Idealized depictions of love have been around for hundreds of years. In real life though, human nature makes such things impossible. It's a not a consequence of culture.

>people turning to inanimate objects for what they can't have in real life
I'll ask again, what do you turn to? You're separating yourself from "those people", so you must have an alternative.

Post edited on 27th Jul 2022, 8:33pm

>>40139
>idealized depictions of love have been around for hundreds of years
Indeed, it's a common trope in romance novels that people fall for the idealized version of a person, and the difference between that facade and the real person leads to friction that ultimately leads to the downfall of that romance. Real-life relations are necessarily founded upon a basis of deceit and treachery because people selectively expose themselves to the other – real people are selfish and self-centered at heart, but people conceil this.

Why bother falling for a facade of a "real person" when you might as well avoid the act of self-deception and find comfort in a fiction that you at least admit is fiction.

>>40134
Platonic ideas are not 2D, they're 4D you fool! The 3D realm is a reflection of the 4D ideas, and 2D art is a reflection of a reflection, twice removed from reality. The philosopher that you're looking for to justify 2D art is schopenhauer.

>>40142
>Platonic ideas are not 2D, they're 4D you fool
I've never actually read plato, I guess you're referring to his ramblings on allegory of the cave stuff where he probably would refer to the world of forms as some forth dimension that the real world is merely a slice projection of. I don't subscribe to the theory of forms stuff, I only meant to use the term "platonic ideal" as a metaphor.

Thus by 2D being a "platonic ideal [of] abstractions" I meant that
1) thoughts/ideas can be made flawless by fiat, i.e. you can conceptualize your ideal scenario that maximizes your personal value function
2) Media (art, books, shows, etc.) are basically a way to transfer ideas from the author to you. It just so happens that mangaka have mastered the art (moreso than their western counterparts) of distilling the essence of emotions we tend to find satisfying (friendships, romance, lust, etc.) and conveying those ideas in a form that you can readily adopt yourself.

>>40144
I understand what you meant. I just wanted to point out that strictly speaking the kind of 2D adoration that takes place here is schopenhauerian, not platonic.

Carpeted floors. In a house, except for rooms where things get cleaned or cooked, the floor should be made of wood, or something else that's hard but not plastic. And then if you want, you can put a rug on top of that. Carpeted floors are the devil.

>>40185
I don't mind carpeted floors or floorboards, but what I hate are floors that are on top of a concrete slab which is how houses are built in my country now, so a carpet is pointless because the floor is still hard and so are floorboards.

The casting of non-athletic actresses as physically strong characters. Meanwhile, most actors in such roles are practically contractually obligated to take steroids.

First person games on console. The controls feel really awkward and imprecise. They also don't let you change the FOV, so it feels really cramped. I don't know how I did it in the past. Out of necessity I suppose...

4/jp/ sucks. Laugh if you want, but I tolerated until recently everything because it felt a little sad to leave. I don't know why, but only recently it's become clear that I haven't been having any fun posting there. I like another /jp/ far more.
I wanted to try and make a change, but that was a very ambitious idea to say the least. I learned it was fucked from the start. Otaku Culture is too broad of a topic to please anyone. I've seen complaints about TC for having a large amount of boards, but I think it was a great choice. I don't think there is a better place on the internet for anonymous discussion than TC. The fact that it is as fast as it is, as well as the age of the site means that there is a higher than average concentration of people with experience and knowledge of the topics it covers.
TC is the most best and wonderfullest website evar!

>>40211
Yeah I think it's a bit hard for one person or even a handful of people to make any kind of change (for the better) in places with that many people. Your efforts can easily be drowned out by people who put in no effort.

>>40212
I did start a nice thread. I'm considering continuing it, even if it isn't super popular. Maybe /jp/ sucks, but I want to give those poor bastards that have stuck around for some time something to enjoy every once and a while. Maybe some of the new blood can enjoy it too.
I think maybe I can take pride in it, even if 4/jp/ sucks. While I might not be as active there as I once was, at my heart I am an otaku. I will discuss my interests in better places while trying to get those young and new people into those older things.
4/jp/ may be dead, but I'll give my best to teach the young and new posters a taste of otaku culture beyond touhou (not that it's bad, but I think a lot of kids think that's all there is these days).
Yeah, I think getting older won't be so bad if I can provide guidance to the young.

>>40213
I'm of the opinion that it's futile. Unless they're young children, people tend to find out things they want to know on their own. This even applies to word of mouth since people choose who they spend time with. I'm saying this as one of those "young people".

>>40214
I'm young too, and what I've come across is word of mouth as well. I'll admit I'm slow to get to things, especially after spending 5 or so years without remotely decent internet access. I guess I just want to spark interest. I used to be extremely picky, but I'm pretty happy with most things I consume these days. I imagine someone out there is the same as me, that they want to catch up on the best of yesteryear like I did. Even today, I rarely watch any current anime or read anything new. There is just so much to catch up on.
I really wish I had okay internet those 5 years, but at the same time, I wonder if I'd be no different from most young folk. I'm pretty satisfied with my shitty 2014 culture.