Comments on: The resistant mind http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/12/01/the-resistant-mind/ "Hitch your wagon to a star." —Ralph Waldo Emerson Fri, 29 Aug 2008 02:53:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0 by: Top of the Mountains » Blog Archive » Heart to heart http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/12/01/the-resistant-mind/#comment-56858 Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:48:18 +0000 http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/12/01/the-resistant-mind/#comment-56858 [...] My lunch break is swiftly coming to a close, so I’m going to paste in something I wrote in a comment the other day: People are so interesting. It’s cliché to say, but everyone has a story. Even the apparently boring people. :) For example, what makes them so boring? Were they always like that? If not, what changed? And what’s it like being on the inside of a “boring” mind? What’s their passion, even if it’s buried so deep down they’ve forgotten it exists? [...] […] My lunch break is swiftly coming to a close, so I’m going to paste in something I wrote in a comment the other day: People are so interesting. It’s cliché to say, but everyone has a story. Even the apparently boring people. :) For example, what makes them so boring? Were they always like that? If not, what changed? And what’s it like being on the inside of a “boring” mind? What’s their passion, even if it’s buried so deep down they’ve forgotten it exists? […]

]]> by: Ben http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/12/01/the-resistant-mind/#comment-56607 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 03:34:43 +0000 http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/12/01/the-resistant-mind/#comment-56607 I like that. Not only is it true, but it gives all of us small folk a reason to keep writing. :) After all, there really aren't <i>that</i> many original thoughts out there -- most of the things I write about, for example, have been said or thought by others. But none has said them quite the way I do -- none has the unique Ben Crowder perspective, because (obviously) I'm the only me out there. And this applies to all of us bloggers and writers. Both our innate characteristics and our life experiences have molded each of us into a completely unique individual, and if we write true to ourselves, then what we have to say <i>will</i> be original, in the only way that matters. Getting to know people through their words (whether written or spoken) is one of life's joys, at least for me. People are so <i>interesting.</i> It's cliché to say, but everyone has a story. Even the apparently boring people. :) (For example, what makes them so boring? Were they always like that? If not, what changed? And what's it like being on the inside of a "boring" mind? What's their passion, even if it's buried so deep down they've forgotten it exists?) I love getting to know people. Mmm. This is a post topic in embryo, I think. :) I like that. Not only is it true, but it gives all of us small folk a reason to keep writing. :) After all, there really aren’t that many original thoughts out there — most of the things I write about, for example, have been said or thought by others. But none has said them quite the way I do — none has the unique Ben Crowder perspective, because (obviously) I’m the only me out there. And this applies to all of us bloggers and writers. Both our innate characteristics and our life experiences have molded each of us into a completely unique individual, and if we write true to ourselves, then what we have to say will be original, in the only way that matters.

Getting to know people through their words (whether written or spoken) is one of life’s joys, at least for me. People are so interesting. It’s cliché to say, but everyone has a story. Even the apparently boring people. :) (For example, what makes them so boring? Were they always like that? If not, what changed? And what’s it like being on the inside of a “boring” mind? What’s their passion, even if it’s buried so deep down they’ve forgotten it exists?) I love getting to know people. Mmm. This is a post topic in embryo, I think. :)

]]> by: M http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/12/01/the-resistant-mind/#comment-56568 Mon, 03 Dec 2007 15:04:51 +0000 http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/12/01/the-resistant-mind/#comment-56568 Isn't a huge part of blogging (or really, writing in general) the action of commenting on somebody else's words? It's the substance of the comments that help you get to know a thing by seeing it from other directions than the original text, or your own perspective. And looking at the perspective someone else comes from helps you get to know them by extension. Isn’t a huge part of blogging (or really, writing in general) the action of commenting on somebody else’s words? It’s the substance of the comments that help you get to know a thing by seeing it from other directions than the original text, or your own perspective. And looking at the perspective someone else comes from helps you get to know them by extension.

]]> by: Ben http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/12/01/the-resistant-mind/#comment-56525 Mon, 03 Dec 2007 05:07:07 +0000 http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/12/01/the-resistant-mind/#comment-56525 M: I have to give the credit to Lewis here, but thanks. :) In fact, you pretty much got at the heart of my experience reading Lewis -- in every book of his, sometimes on almost every page, I have those a-ha! moments where I realize that I've been thinking the same way as Lewis all along, but I'd never recognized it until then. That's one of the most delicious kinds of epiphanies, I think. Lisa: I've been the same way -- it's been more important for me to smooth things over and avoid confrontations than to speak my mind. It's slowly flaking off, and I'm learning how to be stubborn, but it's taking a while. :) (And yes, I think it's possible to disagree without being disagreeable.) M: I have to give the credit to Lewis here, but thanks. :) In fact, you pretty much got at the heart of my experience reading Lewis — in every book of his, sometimes on almost every page, I have those a-ha! moments where I realize that I’ve been thinking the same way as Lewis all along, but I’d never recognized it until then. That’s one of the most delicious kinds of epiphanies, I think.

Lisa: I’ve been the same way — it’s been more important for me to smooth things over and avoid confrontations than to speak my mind. It’s slowly flaking off, and I’m learning how to be stubborn, but it’s taking a while. :) (And yes, I think it’s possible to disagree without being disagreeable.)

]]> by: Lisa http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/12/01/the-resistant-mind/#comment-56501 Mon, 03 Dec 2007 02:23:53 +0000 http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/12/01/the-resistant-mind/#comment-56501 Hey, I like the idea of not being an echo all the time. While I do think marriages should be aimed at unity, there should be sufficient evidence to prove that each is a distinct individual in the relationship, right? This reminds me of a cool conversation I had with a friend a few months ago. She was describing how this one guy she's known for years drives her nuts because he always agrees with whatever she says. She felt like he either didn't have much of an opinion on anything, or he just wasn't willing to voice it. In the following weeks, I started to realize that I'd tending towards being more of the sort of person that agrees with whatever people around me say, even if I secretly disagree deep down inside. (It's the "white/blue" part of my personality I guess.) So, now I've been working on changing that, and I'm discovering that the real trouble is that I was confused between the difference of being an agreeable person vs. being agreeable to the opinions of others. Hum... Hey, I like the idea of not being an echo all the time. While I do think marriages should be aimed at unity, there should be sufficient evidence to prove that each is a distinct individual in the relationship, right?

This reminds me of a cool conversation I had with a friend a few months ago. She was describing how this one guy she’s known for years drives her nuts because he always agrees with whatever she says. She felt like he either didn’t have much of an opinion on anything, or he just wasn’t willing to voice it.

In the following weeks, I started to realize that I’d tending towards being more of the sort of person that agrees with whatever people around me say, even if I secretly disagree deep down inside. (It’s the “white/blue” part of my personality I guess.) So, now I’ve been working on changing that, and I’m discovering that the real trouble is that I was confused between the difference of being an agreeable person vs. being agreeable to the opinions of others. Hum…

]]> by: M http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/12/01/the-resistant-mind/#comment-56481 Sun, 02 Dec 2007 23:00:56 +0000 http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/12/01/the-resistant-mind/#comment-56481 Every time I read about something I've always thought, but never thought out, I smile at the momentary connection between my mind at the words of a writer who's speaking my truth. I'm smiling. Every time I read about something I’ve always thought, but never thought out, I smile at the momentary connection between my mind at the words of a writer who’s speaking my truth.
I’m smiling.

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