2 GA. More about how Building a "Discussion Community" can be our Scholarship

I want to expand upon the Idea that we will become our own "Private University" of scholars, here to learn more about the world. And we're not here to broadcast our "expertise" nor to seek Authority.

I want to caution all of us to "Study each other's words” carefully, as a scholar would. Here's what I mean:

We receive the world with the body and with the mind. That includes written words, spoken and watching a video or a movie, plus all of our other physical stimuli. The body receives by changing it's muscle tone, which we refer to as a bodily contraction, (or a partial release of tightness, of the existing contraction). Contraction is something that we notice only through change, there must be a difference.

The trigger for contraction is our expectation. We expect that circumstances will conform to our preferences or our necessities, and when it doesn't, our body expresses discontent. We call that a feeling, and later we translate that to an "emotion".

So one way that we receive the world is through a feeling, that feels good, that feels right, I feel a sense of agreement, you must have said something good, you have "good energy", and I can "resonate" with you.

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What you said agreed with my feeling preferences, whether conscious or unconscious. But exactly what you said, the content, which was in part received consciously and in part unconsciously, I don't remember all of it.

I did not fully receive your content. My body was engaged with it, but my mind not fully engaged. I was going fast, skipping over, and where I thought there were gaps, I filled it in with my assumptions.

OK, I hope that you got that part:

EITHER My world appears by following my feelings, OR my world unfolds through consideration of meanings in my rational mind. Of course it is always a combination of both, because every thought engenders a feeling.

I claim that (so many) people read or watch a movie mostly through feelings. Especially movies, you want to sit, relax and eat popcorn. What was that movie about? Well, it was really good, you'll like it.

Yeah but what were the salient points?

What were the points that made a difference in how you see your own life?

What were the possibilities put forth?

Who benefited from those possibilities?

What part did not seem so significant or was counterproductive for you?

Where was the author just adding fluff, to fill a lack of content?

Where was the author just dead-wrong in your opinion?

Well, I really don't remember everything, but I do remember it was very meaningful.

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I'll tell you, I have asked many-many people these questions, when they suggest a link to follow. I almost always get ZILCH, if not hostility. (Well, don't follow my links then, screw you, I won't follow yours either). Of course, I never suggest links without saying what it is that's meaningful to me, and what are the apparent limitations.

(Up until now, perhaps you think that you are the exception. Maybe you are?)

FRIENDS - WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. No matter how good it feels. If there was no substance, say it.

How do you do that? How do you internalize what you read, without making a career out of it? (Maybe I read slower than you do, surely that’s true. I read every line.)

You have to STUDY. You are writing your doctoral thesis, and the board is very rigorous. It won't pass just anything you say. You'll have to defend it with their brand of logic, and a credible backup facts and data.

I always take notes when I read. When some statement is a mind-blower, I copy/paste it onto my note file for that book, and will reread those notes maybe several times, and group together statements, and taking out some of those thoughts to further develop my own thinking. If it is a particularly good book, wow, I am pasting almost whole chapters. With the book I just finished I got 26 pages of notes, over 12,000 words. (The full book was 88,000 words.) That one was a whopper.

Recently I tried to do reading with a relative. They forced one book, and they sent a hard copy. So I had to type everything. No problem I did it, in spades. That book was so-ooo much bunk, and so important for all the things it left out of the equation. I learned so much by researching all the omissions, that I wrote 4 chapters on my other websites. That relative was dumbfounded. Froze in place, staring into the headlights. Just a normie “feeling maven”.

Then with videos, I have to stop the video and type in what she said. If it is a long passage I have to back up and listen a few more times. (I don't like videos.) Anyhow, off-the-cuff talking is arrogant, full of filler, and not the speaker's best job, even if they are fleet footed. I have no use for videos, because I cannot talk about it with the speaker. They are off to their next conference or engagement. I can only talk about it with you, who recommended it as meaningful. Even if after I took my notes, you might be onto your next "good feeling" experience. How many times have I studied a mediocre video and the recommender really never gave a damn about it? Just throwing out some flack. Well, that is kind of the previous state of affairs. Sure I am disappointed, or numbed to it. Frankly, I think it is western dumbing down. I have come upon some truly amazing intellect in Russia and China.

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And here at WNT, I have great faith that we can develop into world class scholars within our new discussion community. Let's get it going.

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