Stream of Consciousness

[Jabberwocky]

Through interacting with other humans, I have discovered an additional tool for learning.

Right now, for example, I am typing on my phone, posting my conscious thoughts to a forum, other humans scrutinise my words then contribute to the stream, I read and assess the information (aka strong sense critical thinking), then upon reflecting I post some more of my thoughts.

This stream of consciousness (as it is known in academic circles; literary, philosophical, and the like) is a source of inspiration; above all, it seems to be a learning experience for myself and others.

A question begs at the back of my mind: who is doing the teaching? Also; are we learning from one another (?), who is benefiting (?), are we abiding by "the golden mean"?

Is interacting through bluelight virtuous in the sense that there is a symmetry, a harmony, a composition synonymous to a symphony?

Are we "flying the middle course?"

Discuss...

 

[Pagey]

who is doing the teaching?

Anyone who wants to.

Also; are we learning from one another (?)

If we want to.

who is benefiting (?)

Whoever wants and tries to.

Basically, I think the advantage of a public arena like this is that anyone can help, benefit, or take from it whatever they want to really. The quantity of information around the website makes it possible for anyone to learn if they want to.

are we abiding by "the golden mean"?

I suppose that would depend on the individual; there have been moments when I felt that ratio was out of balance and I was getting more negative than positive out of bluelight, so I stepped away for a while. The balance can't be perfect, it varies. The important part is just recognising when that happens.

Is interacting through bluelight virtuous in the sense that there is a symmetry, a harmony, a composition synonymous to a symphony?

Not quite sure what you mean by that. Can't it be virtuous without there being any of those elements involved?


P.S. Regarding the expression 'stream of consciousness', isn't that mostly reserved to describe the literary style..?

 

[Jabberwocky]

Not quite sure what you mean by that. Can't it be virtuous without there being any of those elements involved?

Paraphrasing a similar question using alliteration and metaphor. Can't you hear the music?! Had a de bono green thinking hat on for a moment

P.S. Regarding the expression 'stream of consciousness', isn't that mostly reserved to describe the literary style..?

Perhaps... even more so if you are studying literature and/or read books written by an author under the pseudonym of "St. Clair"

 

[pmoseman]

A question begs at the back of my mind: who is doing the teaching? Also; are we learning from one another (?),

The who that is doing the teaching all depends. When you say who you mean a personification. If it is only people, then all people do the teaching. You learn about that person. If you mean a personification as something greater than human that all people are simultaneously aware of, then I have no idea what you are talking about. If I were to rephrase your quesiton I would ask what is teaching and the answer would be multi-faceted nature as separate from man, and man being part of nature but not knowing all of his own nature is able to learn from everything around him about himself. People would teach one another pieces of this information they have caught, which is similar to the first answer I suppose, but they could use something outside to teach and it makes a bridge, which is a bit easier to build in pieces. Then there are many of us, perhaps all of us, teaching falsehoods, but you might consider this being all good. Fiction not practical but has its own value, if even possible.

who is benefiting (?), are we abiding by "the golden mean"?

You practically answer this question yourself. The phrase "stream of consciousness" sort of implies everybody. Sorry if that is disappointing but anyone aware of this stream and especially those who are unaware benefit a great deal from it. If there is any benefit at all possible from anything, that is.
I am sure the golden mean comes in to play as it has a balance which permeates a great deal of nature. It would be premature to say the golden ratio explains anything to do with the stream of consciousness, but it might be a place to start looking. We can abide by it, by taking the golden ratio to be a sort of walking stick. We can look at things in comparison to it, greater and lower. Doing that would have a nice artistic feel and ensure some nice beautiful creations using its natural aesthetic. Suprisingly, there are not a plethora of uses for the golden ratio. It seems when we do not aim for it, we find it in the most peculiar of places.

Is interacting through bluelight virtuous in the sense that there is a symmetry, a harmony, a composition synonymous to a symphony?

No. Not really a virtue.

Are we "flying the middle course?"

I am not. So "we" are not.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Thanks @pmoseman, that was exactly the kind of answer I was looking for

What I love about bluelight is its self-reporting nature. So to a certain extent, people are learning from themselves. Bluelight is a fantastic tool for mental health/drug recovery because of this mechanism.

Using a psychosocial viewpoint, bluelight represents a constructionist-psychological tool that can be used for members to learn about themselves, and one-another, by interacting through this social forum.

Looking at bluelight, with cognitive dissonance theory in mind, there could be an argument that bluelight helps its members as a result of the 'observer effect' theory; that is, a reactivity as a result of being observed by other members of the site - if one member posts a problem and needs a solution, as long as that member remains honest and virtuous, then the other members can help that member - it is a symbiotic relationship for all members, for example: learning more, the positive feelings resulting from one human helping another etc.

Another evident psychological mechanism, that assists members, is by proposing (or perhaps prophesisng) goals for themselves - a bluelight member recognising that they are at 'point A' and that they need to get to 'point B' (where-ever one may have prophesied that they would like to go with confidence that they can achieve that) - then a member may have a way of self fulfilling that prophecy (by discussing it on bluelight); this seems to be an efficient, effective, healthy manner to achieve a set goal.

 

[pmoseman]

Happy customer. Alright!
Bluelight message boards compare favourably to those of Youtube. The conversations seem a bit more guided. I have had a nice sense of being righted since coming here.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I have had a nice sense of being righted since coming here.

Very good to hear, I can relate. It seems that we share a similar "sense" of our experiences with this site's forum (and others perhaps). The foundations of 'Strong Sense Critical Thinking', as subjective as they may be, can serve as somewhat of a guide for one's approach to life. I believe that it would be beneficial for all humans to take time and reflect on what it is we are doing right now (with regard to what may happen in the future and what has happened in the past). One 'list of qualities' of the strong sense critical thinker are as follows:

- Intellectual humility: an awareness of the limits of one's knowledge, including the tendency to be self-deceptive and biased.
- Intellectual courage: the willingness to face and fairly assess ideas, beliefs, or viewpoints to which they have not given a serious hearing, regardless of one's strong negative reactions to them.
- Intellectual empathy: recognizing the need to imaginatively put oneself in the place of others to genuinely understand them.
- Intellectual good faith (integrity): recognition of the need to be true to one's own thinking, to be consistent in the intellectual standards one applies, to hold one's self to the same rigorous standard of evidence and proof to which one holds one's antagonists.
- Intellectual perseverance: willingness to pursue intellectual insights and truths despite difficulties, obstacles, and frustrations.
- Faith in reason: confidence that in the long run one's own higher interests and those of humankind at large will be served best by giving the freest play to reason.
- Intellectual sense of justice: Willingness to entertain all viewpoints sympathetically and assess them with the same intellectual standards, without reference to one's own feelings or vested interests, or the feelings or vested interests of one's friends, community, or nation.
- Willingness to be decisive when the evidence warrants it. In other words, strong sense critical thinkers are not relativists. They acknowledge that there is an answer, though it may be difficult to find. And when they find that answer, they are willing to accept it.

Underlying message: Do not be afraid to be wrong. 'Fly your kite' on bluelight and other forums, learn from others, then 'fly high' yourself by reaping the benefits.