Atheism and the meaning of life - what drives you?

[Spongebob]

Then SB's effort was poor and he made some assumptions and assertions that he should not have. I have little issue with the psychology, I have an issue with the presentation. Unaware of drives does not equal negative consequences. Yet I needed to be warned? I need therapy to understand? By not considering the mind the same as SB I'm in peril?

Fuck off SB.

I no assumptions about anything.  You just have an over active imagination and apparently are easily offended when no offense was remotely intended.  I made no unnecessary assertions, nor did I even comment anything that's not already pretty much well known.  You could educate yourself if you wish to be better informed on the subject.

My "warning" was merely a statement to explain that we, as humans, are usually resistant to knowledge that we disagree with, particularly when it could help us in life.  Clearly I hit a nerve with you or you wouldn't be reacting with such emotion.  I don't believe insulting me is in any way called for since I explained that I meant no such insult and was stating only commonly understood knowledge.  But you can be pissed off all you like; it isn't doing me nearly as much harm as it is you.  And btw, you are making my point by engaging in this sort of flame war.

[vulcanlogician]

brewer is not the type to get easily offended or upset over nothing. I read back over the last page, and it's possible he thought Spongebob meant something more than he did. I'm not exactly sure where. I believe Spongebob got really into what he was saying and went off making general statements and forgot that he began by addressing brewer.

Now it's becoming both saying heated things to one another, and (regardless of who might be justified in taking issue) maybe both parties should chill and try to resume the conversation later, starting with the point of disagreement.

[brewer]

Then SB's effort was poor and he made some assumptions and assertions that he should not have. I have little issue with the psychology, I have an issue with the presentation. Unaware of drives does not equal negative consequences. Yet I needed to be warned? I need therapy to understand? By not considering the mind the same as SB I'm in peril?

Fuck off SB.

I no assumptions about anything.  You just have an over active imagination and apparently are easily offended when no offense was remotely intended.  I made no unnecessary assertions, nor did I even comment anything that's not already pretty much well known.  You could educate yourself if you wish to be better informed on the subject.

My "warning" was merely a statement to explain that we, as humans, are usually resistant to knowledge that we disagree with, particularly when it could help us in life.  Clearly I hit a nerve with you or you wouldn't be reacting with such emotion.  I don't believe insulting me is in any way called for since I explained that I meant no such insult and was stating only commonly understood knowledge.  But you can be pissed off all you like; it isn't doing me nearly as much harm as it is you.  And btw, you are making my point by engaging in this sort of flame war.

Educate myself? I'll put my psych education and years of practice up against yours any day. FUCK OFF!

Don't have the ability to apologize, do have the ability to dodge. Good for you.

So, again, fuck off.

[Neo-Scholastic]

@Spongebob & @brewer, I am not taking sides because I really don't care about any alleged offenses but rather the topic. Please, PM each other.

[brewer]

@Spongebob & @brewer, I am not taking sides because I really don't care about any alleged offenses but rather the topic. Please, PM each other.

You can piss off also.

[Spongebob]

@brewer

How about letting me try to explain this another way.  And before you leap into insults, please understand that I'm not directing this at you, personally, Brewer.  But, being human, I see no reason for you to be exempt from this type of common human psychology.

The brain or mind has a center or balance point.  When you are put into a situation where you are uncomfortable, stress and anxiety is the result and this is not a place the brain or the body likes to be in.  As a result, the brain plays tricks to keep you from getting into that state.  One of those tricks is to reinforce whatever pleasantness you experience in what you might consider a feedback loop.  If you are eating some ice cream and it's not just awful, then you may feel emotions of pleasure.  The brain reinforces these feelings to make the experience even better and the result is that you experience satisfaction with the fact that you chose this particular flavor and thus did not waste your money.  This kind of feedback goes on in all of our experiences and we have very little control over it.  I'm sure with practice and patience we can become aware of such brain activity, but I'm not sure we can ever take full control of it.  Research has shown that this extends to just about every activity that we engage in, including our choice of spouse, which I suppose accounts for people liking a spouse that others find incredibly unlikeable (like my bro in law).

This is the extent of what I was telling you.  So surely you can see there's nothing personal in this discussion despite the fact that I use the word "you" a few times.  It's not uncommon to do this when explaining something.  I might say to a person who asks for directions by saying, "Well, you turn left on Broad street, then you go four miles..."  So what do "you" think?  Is there really a reason to be offended by this?

---

@Spongebob & @brewer, I am not taking sides because I really don't care about any alleged offenses but rather the topic. Please, PM each other.

You can piss off also.

I really see no reason for this, but it's incredibly immature.

---

@Spongebob & @brewer, I am not taking sides because I really don't care about any alleged offenses but rather the topic. Please, PM each other.

I have no interest in engaging in any PM's regarding this, as I have taken extreme steps to explain that no offense was intended.  If I wanted to, I could have let loose plenty of return insults but that does no one any good.  He has to figure out how to calm himself down.

[Ranjr]

On, so now the talking cheese is going to preach to us.

[Spongebob]

On, so now the talking cheese is going to preach to us.

You, too?  Clearly there are some here who don't like what science tells us.  Don't blame me, I'm just reporting.

---

Educate myself? I'll put my psych education and years of practice up against yours any day. FUCK OFF!

Don't have the ability to apologize, do have the ability to dodge. Good you.

So, again, fuck off.

No dodging, just EXPLAINING.  There's a difference.  If I did have something to apologize for, believe me I would.  I do know how to insult people if I like and I haven't done that so no, I have nothing to apologize for.

[Ranjr]

On, so now the talking cheese is going to preach to us.

You, too?  Clearly there are some here who don't like what science tells us.  Don't blame me, I'm just reporting.

---

[brewer]

Educate myself? I'll put my psych education and years of practice up against yours any day. FUCK OFF!

Don't have the ability to apologize, do have the ability to dodge. Good for you.

So, again, fuck off.

No dodging, just EXPLAINING.  There's a difference.  If I did have something to apologize for, believe me I would.  I do know how to insult people if I like and I haven't done that so no, I have nothing to apologize for.

Dodge.