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balls
December 2007 
The Most Pretentious Collection Of People On The Net
Posted on Aug 17th, 2006
by 
David Jon
David Jon
I know I am going to get my balls busted for this one. That's cool. I've got iron-nuts, so they can take it---er, I can take it.
What am I referring too? Well, let me see, how do I put this both kindly and succinctly? How can I tell someone--or numerous someones!--that I have the distinct impression that they are the most pretentious collection of souls ever gathered.
I suppose you are a really 'important' person when you are out to 'change the world.' Don't get me wrong, it's not like the world doesn't need some changin' here and there. Certainly there is a lot of bullshit that get my ire up (including the pretentiousness and self-importance of the world-changing types!), so I am not immune from wanting to change the world myself. I'd like to see a little more tolerance for differences. I'd like to see a more just distribution of the world's resources. I'd like to see Civilization get off the crack that is petroleum. And I'd even like to see a certain someone with her clothes off. So, yeah, change is good.
But what happens to us and what kind of impression do we make (though I doubt the type of people I am referring to here ever worry about the impression that they make on others--as it's always about them and what they can do to 'change the outer-world;' so that their 'world' around them will more closely mirror their own reflections, as seen shimmering on the surface of Lake Narcissus--by the way, ever been there, it is really quite a lovely place!) on other people when all we are spouting is what is 'wrong with the world' and how we 'need to change the world?
Do we become insufferable creatures that occupy some distinct bardo that even Tibetan Buddhists failed to mention for fear of 'going there' to investigate it? Perhaps we do. When all we are doing is spouting rhetoric about the 'unacceptable nature of the world' at present we are sending out some icky-energy to be sure. Yes, I said 'icky!' Because that is what it feels like to me. I feel like I could get a bad-case of the spiritual cooties around here at Zaadz. Truth be told there are few places I would go here--should I say, few people?--due to a high-incidences of pretentious, self-important, look-at-what-we-are-doing behaviour.
The wierdest thing of all is that this behaviour is 'well-meaning' and 'good-intentioned.' Thousands of people commenting on the world and what is 'wrong' with it due to the 'change the world' vibe of Idealism behind the inception/conception of this particular hive.
It has left me wondering where the love is. I just saw someone else's profile--one of the top-ten Zaadzsters in terms of numbers--and there was so much hate in the purported love being touted in the spiel that went on and on to the point of inducing a bad case of nausea in me. I think I read the word 'destroy' like ten or twenty times on that one page.
But we need to love everyone, right? Well, except those who are different from us!! ; o )
No Love = The Need To Change, So That One Can Love The New & Improved World
See, I guess that is the thing that gets me. When someone says 'I want to change the world' what is going to be changed? What is the world if not people and creatures? What is the world if not animals and insects? What is the world if not cultures and consciousnesses? What is the world if not distinct entities? So, when we say we want to 'change the world' we are essenmtially saying that we a) don't love people, beings, systems as they are, such that b) we want to change people, beings, systems by c) being able to exert control over others.
And that makes for some icky-sticky energy, I can assure you.
What am I referring too? Well, let me see, how do I put this both kindly and succinctly? How can I tell someone--or numerous someones!--that I have the distinct impression that they are the most pretentious collection of souls ever gathered.
I suppose you are a really 'important' person when you are out to 'change the world.' Don't get me wrong, it's not like the world doesn't need some changin' here and there. Certainly there is a lot of bullshit that get my ire up (including the pretentiousness and self-importance of the world-changing types!), so I am not immune from wanting to change the world myself. I'd like to see a little more tolerance for differences. I'd like to see a more just distribution of the world's resources. I'd like to see Civilization get off the crack that is petroleum. And I'd even like to see a certain someone with her clothes off. So, yeah, change is good.
But what happens to us and what kind of impression do we make (though I doubt the type of people I am referring to here ever worry about the impression that they make on others--as it's always about them and what they can do to 'change the outer-world;' so that their 'world' around them will more closely mirror their own reflections, as seen shimmering on the surface of Lake Narcissus--by the way, ever been there, it is really quite a lovely place!) on other people when all we are spouting is what is 'wrong with the world' and how we 'need to change the world?
Do we become insufferable creatures that occupy some distinct bardo that even Tibetan Buddhists failed to mention for fear of 'going there' to investigate it? Perhaps we do. When all we are doing is spouting rhetoric about the 'unacceptable nature of the world' at present we are sending out some icky-energy to be sure. Yes, I said 'icky!' Because that is what it feels like to me. I feel like I could get a bad-case of the spiritual cooties around here at Zaadz. Truth be told there are few places I would go here--should I say, few people?--due to a high-incidences of pretentious, self-important, look-at-what-we-are-doing behaviour.
The wierdest thing of all is that this behaviour is 'well-meaning' and 'good-intentioned.' Thousands of people commenting on the world and what is 'wrong' with it due to the 'change the world' vibe of Idealism behind the inception/conception of this particular hive.
It has left me wondering where the love is. I just saw someone else's profile--one of the top-ten Zaadzsters in terms of numbers--and there was so much hate in the purported love being touted in the spiel that went on and on to the point of inducing a bad case of nausea in me. I think I read the word 'destroy' like ten or twenty times on that one page.
But we need to love everyone, right? Well, except those who are different from us!! ; o )
No Love = The Need To Change, So That One Can Love The New & Improved World
See, I guess that is the thing that gets me. When someone says 'I want to change the world' what is going to be changed? What is the world if not people and creatures? What is the world if not animals and insects? What is the world if not cultures and consciousnesses? What is the world if not distinct entities? So, when we say we want to 'change the world' we are essenmtially saying that we a) don't love people, beings, systems as they are, such that b) we want to change people, beings, systems by c) being able to exert control over others.
And that makes for some icky-sticky energy, I can assure you.
Access: PublicTagged with: energy, love, tolerance, Zaadz, change the world, balls, Narcissus, self-importance, pretentious
Balls busted? Whatever for? I think you make some excellent points. At the same time, speaking as a young person who’s more used to being surrounded by either apathy or hopelessness or a unembarrassed enthusiasm for materialism and fame, I find the idealism (pretentious or otherwise) of those on this site a welcome change. And too, while I think you’ve described one interpretation of “change the world” means, I can’t help but point to Zaadz’s mission:
“We’re gonna change the world. Our math goes like this: you be the change + you follow your bliss + you give your greatest strengths to the world moment to moment to moment + we do everything in our power to help you succeed + you inspire and empower everyone you know to do the same + we team up with millions like us = we just affected billions = we (together) changed the world.”
Changing the world can also equate to actualizing your potential, growing your own seed, and learning how to be your own sweet, loving, amazing, beautiful self, so that you can meet others from a place of compassion and allow them the freedom to realize them same in themselves. I do think we could all stand to be reminded of this more often, but in the same breath, it’s important not to be too passive! If those of us with ideals and visions of equitability remain overly tolerant, we risk giving free rein to the forces of injustice already rampant in the world. And to my mind it’s important that we keep trying to meet - and blend with and gently shift - these forces.
But thank you, in any case, for an important reminder. Awareness is all, hm? And love, too. Not that there’s any difference.
“That's cool. I've got iron-nuts, so they can take it—er, I can take it.”
then i want to see your BIG compassionate iron nuts in here so they (er, you) can network with people who are actually DOING something. maybe their not-so-icky energy would rub off on us so we can actually DO something too.
zPod:Starship Social Enterprise is now ready for warp drive! WOOT!
Iron-nuts?!? Hmmmm, you never mentioned those to me before…lol…
I appreciate what you’re on about tho as I sometimes feel my sensibilities being offended by the maniacal ‘save the world’ mentality that floats around the halls of zaadz. That being said – I’ve also come across some incredible and dedicated people here, here, and here (just to name a few) who are really walking their talk whilst humbling me to no end.
There will always be over-enthused world savers juxtaposed with those that just quietly go out and ‘do’ (not to mention everyone in-between). We’ve talked about the unconscious drives that can lurk behind these more extreme motivations - not always pretty and can require a deeper sense of compassion.
Ultimately - we have a choice about where we cast our attentions and to what degree we will allow the icky-sticky fanaticsm of others “get up our ire”. Still, your Arian verve made me smile - keep speaking your sane counter-balancing mind David Jon - a joy to read as always…Melis :)
Well, uhm, let me see here…
I… uhm… don't personally feel it is Idealism if you actually notice the Beauty, Truth, and Goodness that does exist. I feel it is Idealism if you don't notice IT to the point you think you are the one responsible for having to personally create it/manifest it!
And gosh yes, the Zaadz vibe certainly does make me wanna puke sometimes!!! It also leaves me inspired and motivated too.
In the end, the final analysis—I feel also that the world may end up changing us more than we change it. After all, as token individuals we are outnumbered aren't we?
Guess I am just not groovin' on the 'let's change the world' hyper-masculine, vigilant-agency approach that goes along with the 'change the world set.' It's way too ambitious for me…. and one-sided.
I like to learn in relationships, be gifted, be receptive, be graced, and not always be the one instituting the change because I said so…. or because I thought of it.
Iron-Balls Of Love,
David Jon
P.S. Thanks Siona, Mel, and Melis for making me aware of peeps out there doing their thing. I wasn't dissin' anyone in particular (well, maybe a few someone's in particular!!). I just was/am getting creeped out by Zaadz to some degree and had to share what I was picking up on.