on your nature, and fighting/embracing your nature

with all the talk of "purpose" in llife, I am thinking about nature, our nature. I find myself embracing my nature, or trying to find what my nature wants, more and more. both in terms of my "spiritual" side as well as my "physical" side.

what do I mean by that?

for instance, I think that our bodies haved evolved to follow a certain diet, and trying to eat in a way that comes close to that makes us happier and fitter. on the other hand, our bodies enjoy certain foods, and whether they are healthy or not, endoulging in a little bit of extra that makes us happy isn't such a bad thing, in moderation.

our nature requires sex at a certain frequency. for our health as well as mental wellbeing, as well as for the wellbeing of our relationships, we should ******** within that framwork.

we have certain social requirements - to some extent driven by our natures - we evolved in a certain way, in a certain social enviorment, and we are comfortable in that enviroment, in many ways. we need friends, and we need a certain critical mass of friends with a limit to the size of the group we interact with.

differnt people need social status differently. some crave it, some less. as much as I don't like to admit it, I do require a certain level of social status, and enjoy having it much more than not having.


excersize - we evolved as very physical beings, and need excersize and movement, some of us require differnt types and different levels.


for years I fought this concept, and tried to escape my "nature". frankly, I like this approach better.

anybody else looking at it this way?

Yes, embracing your primal nature is a very good thing. However, you do have to separate between conditioning and instinct, as well as how applicable some instincts are in your surroundings.

So basically you go with what works for you right?

Hmmm. This topic is deeper than I usually go for, but I'll take embracing your nature for $400, Alex,

I think my nature has changed through the years in terms of social interactions and status, and I try to feed my compulsions on a regular basis instead of denying them. I want to be around people more than I used to, I want to burn the candle at both ends where I once felt that pacing myself was prudent. Status matters less to me than it once did.

Whether this is a matter of conditioning myself into certain mindsets or accepting truths that I used to hide, I really can't say. I can say that I'm happy where I am now in life, and I was probably equally happy 20 years ago when I crashed with a friend's family and lived on ramen noodles and moon pies.

You are slowly coming to the understanding of why no one is happy in modern society.

Originally Posted by MetroStyles

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You are slowly coming to the understanding of why no one is happy in modern society.

Funny you say that: one thing my mom said recently was that "Happiness is a choice". Which I found all kinds of ironic since she's a bitter old crone.

I think about it in terms of what it is to be a man, and gender roles in general. I'll admit that a lot of it had to do with watching John and Kate Plus 8. That show should be required watching for any teen male about to enter adulthood.

I wouldn't embrace nature for the sake of naturalism; only when it's practical, which it often is.

Originally Posted by Reggs

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I'll admit that a lot of it had to do with watching John and Kate Plus 8.

That's interesting, what'd you specifically pick up from the show?

Originally Posted by Thomas

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Funny you say that: one thing my mom said recently was that "Happiness is a choice". Which I found all kinds of ironic since she's a bitter old crone.

we should introduce our mothers, they sound like they have a lot in common

Originally Posted by MetroStyles

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You are slowly coming to the understanding of why no one is happy in modern society.

I don't think that you are right.

Originally Posted by globetrotter

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we should introduce our mothers, they sound like they have a lot in common

Does your mother think everyone's an idiot? Well, by everyone, I mean people not in the room with her.

Actually: true story. Mom sends me an email that could have come from Artisan Fan: quoting some 'source' about how the healthcare bill will abolish the legislature and judiciary branches, making us one nation under Obama. So I responded with three salient thoughts, poking holes in the piece and throwing a few verbal elbows. She blew her top and - she won't ever admit to these things - I'm sure she disowned me for a few hours. I'm so happy I did this.

Originally Posted by MetroStyles

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You are slowly coming to the understanding of why no one is happy in modern society.

What, not enough Moon Pies? I heartily agree!

Originally Posted by Thomas

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Does your mother think everyone's an idiot? Well, by everyone, I mean people not in the room with her.

Actually: true story. Mom sends me an email that could have come from Artisan Fan: quoting some 'source' about how the healthcare bill will abolish the legislature and judiciary branches, making us one nation under Obama. So I responded with three salient thoughts, poking holes in the piece and throwing a few verbal elbows. She blew her top and - she won't ever admit to these things - I'm sure she disowned me for a few hours. I'm so happy I did this.

your mother sounds sophisticated, my mother can't figure out how to use email.

my mother isn't exactly evil - that is my mother in law. my mother has, however, turned into a really bitter woman.

true story - one of her last remaining friends invited my mother to lunch. apperently some shell fish got into their dish (the friend's) and she had a dramatic alergic reaction. the friend excused herself and rushed to the hospital, paying the bill but leaving my mother alone in the resteraunt to have to call a taxi to get her home. the taxi cost maybe 1/4 of the resteraunt bill. my mother was furious over the taxi bill - the friend took her, she should have dropped her back at home on her way to the emergency room. since the friend didn't offer to pay for the taxi, my mother dropper her relationship.

^zach, my mother in law told us this during her last visit:

"it worked out well that you two were away during your anniversary because i wouldn;t have watched the kids so you could celebrate your sham wedding. you were knocked up for chrissakes."

Originally Posted by globetrotter

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true story - one of her last remaining friends invited my mother to lunch. apperently some shell fish got into their dish (the friend's) and she had a dramatic alergic reaction. the friend excused herself and rushed to the hospital, paying the bill but leaving my mother alone in the resteraunt to have to call a taxi to get her home. the taxi cost maybe 1/4 of the resteraunt bill. my mother was furious over the taxi bill - the friend took her, she should have dropped her back at home on her way to the emergency room. since the friend didn't offer to pay for the taxi, my mother dropper her relationship.