Vicarious Living

No matter how much you read about sex, the length of the passages and the size of the volumes going into voluptuous detail on the topic cannot begin to approach the real thing's equal. Billions of people are currently having sex, writing about sex, and talking about sex to others. Yet for the vast amount of literature available on the subject, we still must have it for ourselves in the only form that matters in order to have a true understanding of it.

And most of the time, the desire to understand sex doesn't make it into the equation.

This is merely an example to illustrate the point that regardless of what you can learn about a thing, nothing compares to doing it for yourself.

Another example: What does this mean to you: C17H21NO4?

Some would describe it as an organic compound. Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen.
To another person it is a prison sentence.
One might scoff at it, while another might become aroused.

This is the chemical formula for cocaine. And no matter what you've been told about this substance, you will never truly understand it unless you consume it. Until you do, it's just a formula, a description, and without anything else to go on... it is inherently meaningless. Those who have never taken it can learn from the descriptions of people who have, but it's still just a formula, or words, or symbols connected to images they've been taught to associate with it. It can't compare to the reality.

Let us extend this reasoning to matters of philosophy. (Hey, now we're philosophizing!) Philosophy is actually considered a science, or a branch of science. Perhaps it is the essence of science! Yet, generally speaking, how often is philosophy associated with experimentation? When we think of philosophers, we may think of Greek columns, and men in robes talking to one another. Or, in terms more modern, college professors lecturing to students. Now, when we think of scientists, we probably have a very different image.

How do philosopher's experiment? Their occupation is never with the material. It has only to do with thought. Thus, philosophy is only the beginning of science, just as learning the ABC's is the beginning of reading.

Who wants to just read and write the ABC's their whole life?

Philosophy without action is empty and hollow. The greatest woe of the professional philosopher is that his words must will be put to the test. So, to combat this, he makes it impossible to do so by venturing into the realm faith or disillusioned perspective. Or, worse, he philosophizes that any such test would simply be irrelevant. This is the life's journey by proxy. Vicarious living. You can spend your entire life looking at pictures of Jupiter, but until you see it with your own eyes through a high powered telescope... it's all crap.

You don't know how good the filet mignon is until you break down and buy it.

If I am going to spend the effort to philosophize, why not do so in a useful way? Can I apply it to that which I desire and seek? If I cannot, it is mental masturbation.

Not to imply there's anything wrong with wanking. I just prefer the real thing.

This falls into that quote "experience is the best teacher". Which I agree with. The body a receptive organism of sentience which requires stimulation to increase and maintain the health of the mind. The body reacts to sensation regardless of the mind, meaning the mind is influenced through the body's reception.

You can masturbate a thousand times with the most graphic intimate images in mind, but when you interact, penetrating a living being, it's a different thing, nothing compares to the reality of it. The body knows the difference because the bodily input, the mind then responds to the authenticity of it.

It's the same things with mineral and vitamins, body checks the source, if it's a natural source compatible with the body such as a banana, then the body absorbs and processes them, if it is an artificial source the body knows and then rejects them and usually disregards it into waste.

But of course, this is not just with the act of sex itself, it's with everything, touch, sound, sight etc in general. You have to expose the self to different stimulation, breaking routines and comfort zones, this is where growth and strength are accumulated provided you have the capacity to adapt with natural resilience.

i wonder what it feels like to get shot. i think i will go out and shoot myself so i can have the pleasure of understanding authentically.

no, really, i get it. yeah it makes sense. armchair philosophers, as they are called.

but its very useful to do your research before deciding to do something pivotal. skydiving for example. ive never done it before and im not about go go jump out of a plane without doing my homework.

Derek wrote:i wonder what it feels like to get shot. i think i will go out and shoot myself so i can have the pleasure of understanding authentically.

no, really, i get it. yeah it makes sense. armchair philosophers, as they are called.

but its very useful to do your research before deciding to do something pivotal. skydiving for example. ive never done it before and im not about go go jump out of a plane without doing my homework.

..and the significance of that post was what exactly?

Another pointless sarcastic reply which has nothing to do with anything..

....and who exactly was denying the usefulness of doing one's homework before attempting to do something?...oh right..nobody..