Borrowed Opinions

I have come to the realisation lately that a lot of my opinions seem to be based upon what the people around me have preferences toward.

I was thinking about religion today and how I hated something about one of them. I then realised that the only reason I thought this was that someone I knew had expressed dislike for that part of it.

It sickened me.

I had no reason to dislike any part of that particular religion. It really
didn't matter to me about what I thought I hated, I had no particular qualmsabout anything to do with that religion. I don't really know about what I think of that religion now.... I draw a blank.

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Its not the first time I have thought about something like this before. I was in bed one night staring at the ceiling. I just started thinking.... I questioned everything that came to my mind. I dont know why... It was like I was being interrogated by my subconcious or something... I just kept thinking to myself and going over thoughts that came to my mind like I was asking myself questions.

I'd post some of the thoughts I went through and the questions I got asked by my mind here, but i'd sound insane. That doesn't float well with me.

Eventually I'd gotten to the dreamworld its reality, and the prospects thereof. Heres what it was like,

Mind: Do you dream to escape reality?
Me: Is the dreamworld itself not a reality?
Mind: A Reality? What leads you to think this?
Me: It has to be real, there are things there that couldn't be a product of an overactive imagination...
Mind: Really? Are you sure? Did you come to that conclusion yourself... Or is it something Serinanth or Lost Soul told you...?
Me: What?!?
Mind: Have you came to any conclusion that you did not assimilate from another and call your own?
Me: Of course! I am not a machine! I am capable of independant thought and opinons of my own!
Mind: Show me proof... What are these opinions you have formulated and these conclusions you have drawn yourself...

It goes downhill from there...

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I have decided that I shall not be voicing any of my opinions from now on unless I am sure that I have reached the conclusion myself, or to the best of my abilities.

There is so much else I wan't to say but i cannot find the words to express it... So instead of making a half-ass post, jumbled and chaotic I shall leave it at that...

Sorry to bother everyone with my thoughts, but I just wanted to say something... and if its in the wrong section I apologise but to question everything in such a way i thought it was very philosphical...

When it comes to things like religion..believe,faith, spirituality..whatever you wish call such things its very important you follow your heart..all the answers and the truth is inside of you, it doesnt matter what this truth is, truth is not absolute, there is personal truth but no universal,absolute truth..there is no absolute answer to each question, there is no absolute right and wrong..in your eyes there is absolute good and evil, which is, in a sense true, things like rape and murder are evil, and morally wrong..but nessasary none the less, the world runs on a balance, and I hate and despise the negative energy, though it must be present.

Im wondering away thats not the point..we were talking about your truth, your believes, start asking yourself questions..what makes most sense to me(not in a rational sense though), what seems right to me, what must be done to make the universe go round, what is my idea of how to reah the greater goal?(heaven,enlightment whatever, how do you reach it), what rules must be obeyed at all costs..what rules can be bend..what rules are there to be broken, what is a good person? What is an evil person? , am I doing the right thing right now, am I good for everything? Or bad? And why? Ask yourself such questions, and imagine there was no world, there was no general opinion, there was no religion yet, there were no parents, there were no other people to argue with, what would you say then..

Do research on several religions, and gather things that you feel good with and build your own, or perhaps there is one just perfect for you, that might work aswell, observe the life styles of several religions and wonder if they are doing something right or wrong, and what they do right and wrong, and you will notice almost every religion as something you do, and dont agree with..ultimately you will make choices of your own, what you stand for, what you believe in..

If you think about it everything you believe/know comes from something youve heard/read/seen, pretty much everything is second hand so dont feel bad about it: you learn everything by copying something and remembering it, thats how you learnt to talk :D and thats how you make your own opinions. I think explore all possibilities even if one sounds perfect, dont stick with it, question everything.

It doesnt really matter if its orginally your idea or not..I mean almost every religious/spiritual idea you come up with already exists in a sense, but what does matter is that heart agrees with all the actions you take, with everything you believe, that you are at peace and perfect harmony with yourself and your actions..I hate to say it but better be on the side of darkness and be at harmony then be at the side of light and not be at peace with it and not truely believe in it(not that I am, but for anybody who is,it runs on a balance anyway)..:/

And why do you feel sick about it? Probably because the same people that dont like religion also are really big on beeing an indiviual and not following the latest fashion and popular music, think about it :P.

Everybody is a product of their surroundings. (to an extent) There's nothing bad about it. You learn stuff from other people, right?
Other people can help you grow as a person, make you notice things, see things in a different light, can help you discover that you could be wrong about things.

do what you think is right.

It made me feel that way because it was not my opinon, I had taken the opinon of another and followed it without thought as to why I should not. It really doesn't have anything to do with my religion, that was just the point at which I realised that I had become what I hated. One of the mindless masses accepting the crap fed to me and acting upon it as if it were my own conclusion.

I now wonder why I take the views of others as my own... Perhaps it is some kind of defense mechanism, absorb the views of those around you to be accepted and to get along...

I am fed up with accepting the information others give me, from now on I question as much as I can and make my own views. I don't want to get along that way.

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Everybody is a product of their surroundings. (to an extent) There's nothing bad about it. You learn stuff from other people, right? [/b]

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It is learning if I were to take that information and form my own views from it, but just to take it and run with it is nothing more that conformity.

I constantly adopt ideas and incorporate them in my world model.
I dont really care if it's my idea, or it was invented by someone else. The point is - it teaches you something, it puts hundreds of thoughts into words...
Then you can draw upon ideas and lift yourself up...

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I dont know if what I feel about you is true, but I'll say it anyway.
you may have reached a point, where your old beliefs dont let you grow anymore...So you may want to change your views, but you are afraid to pick something specific?

questioning reality is normal and I guess at some point everybody does it to the best of their ability....

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Originally posted by Ev
I constantly adopt ideas and incorporate them in my world model.
I dont really care if it's my idea, or it was invented by someone else. The point is - it teaches you something, it puts hundreds of thoughts into words...
Then you can draw upon ideas and lift yourself up...

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I have no problem taking up the ideas of others and looking at them myself. That is how we grow and change, but I no longer have any intention of taking on the opinons of others without looking at them and trying to decide why I also believe that it is true.

Good reasoning Aphius. You sound like a person I can trust if I need help. Taking philosophy or reading papers that question society's impressions and sterotypes is what I think will keep a person's mind sharp and critical.

Hmm... This topic could even lead to people saying " Yeah I hate people who do that!!"........................................... ...................... Ugh..


Anyways... I think it's important that we hear other people's ideas, so that we actually have the knowledge to create our own.

Yep, I've had the same sort of dicussion with myself... But I concluded that with other people's opinions/ideas floating around is the only way to actually find your opinion. I don't believe in the concience.. little voice telling you whats right or wrong, because it IS people who've said that in past experiences, or on the news etc.

If an Orphan, raised by the homeless is taught to steal from people, and sheltered from anyone else, would that child think it's wrong?

Anyways, Im going kind of off-topic. Don't let it sicken you that you've used other people's opinions, just build what you truly believe in out of theirs. Sculpt it.

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Originally posted by Naruto
Hmm... This topic could even lead to people saying \" Yeah I hate people who do that!!\".......................................... ....................... Ugh..

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I don't hate people who do that, I just don't want me doing it.

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Originally posted by Naruto+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Naruto)</div>

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Anyways... I think it's important that we hear other people's ideas, so that we actually have the knowledge to create our own.

Yep, I've had the same sort of dicussion with myself... But I concluded that with other people's opinions/ideas floating around is the only way to actually find your opinion.
[/b]

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Of course. Without input from others we cannot begin to understand about other things, but I'm talking about not even considering the aspects of the opinion that you have taken as your own. I'm not trying to shun off society or something here, I'm merely talking about how some people do not question the information they are given before assimilating it.

<!--QuoteBegin-Naruto
Don't let it sicken you that you've used other people's opinions

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It wasn't the fact that I'd used someone else's opinon, it was the kind of opinion it was. Derogatory thoughts towards a particular thing because someone else had bad feelings towards it.

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I have no problem taking up the ideas of others and looking at them myself. That is how we grow and change, but I no longer have any intention of taking on the opinons of others without looking at them and trying to decide why I also believe that it is true.[/b]

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Well, yay I guess, that you figured this out then!

I enjoyed reading about your thoughts and deeply respect that you yourself concluded and admitted to taking on someone else's slant. So many people I encounter on a daily basis express borrowed opinions with nothing to back them up. Myself, I've found that the more I "inspect" my opinions...the more lenient I become of them; thus confusing me further. I've come to realize that I am happier and more at peace when I DON"T over-think things. As long as I know who I am and what I stand for on hard-core subjects, i ponder the rest briefly and then move on.

:goodjob: Aphius!!! :goodjob:

Socrates was of the same opinion as you. Examine a belief when someone presents it to you. If you find it is true, integrate it into yourself. If you find it is false, determine what about it is false and integrate that knowledge into yourself!

Socrates eh? I did not know that. :P

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Originally posted by Zapheera
I've come to realize that I am happier and more at peace when I DON\"T over-think things.

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I agree with you there my friend, but this is probably the most in-depth thought I've expressed... ever... :?

I think it was great. :)

Although, one could drive themselves insane by overthinking something like that... :disconcerted:

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Originally posted by Aphius+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Aphius)</div>

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Socrates eh? I did not know that. :P

<!--QuoteBegin-Zapheera

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I've come to realize that I am happier and more at peace when I DON\"T over-think things.

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I agree with you there my friend, but this is probably the most in-depth thought I've expressed... ever... :?

I think it was great. :)

Although, one could drive themselves insane by overthinking something like that... :disconcerted:[/b]

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oh well. being sane is over-rated.

Exactly. :P

I've been accused of having no opinion about things... mainly because of this very subject.

I dont like to judge people, stuff... If I dont know anything about the subject, I might have an opinion about it (because you just have it, cant help it) but I keep it silent because I know its probably wrong because I dont know all the facts.

I tend to do the same thing. I try to avoid giving my opinion on anything that I'm not terribly informed about.