Alex_G
Enlightner of the Senses
When participating here on RF Im able to use the fact that its essentially other people asking the question to free me up to think far more critically about the potential answer than if I had simply posed the question to myself. I think its one of the main reasons that keeps bringing me back here.
I think somehow when you ask yourself a philosophical or spiritual question you unavoidably have a vested interest simply by asking. Theres some burden that you bear by asking the question, an unavoidable element of pride that likely hinders full critical assessment. As if your ego is subtly shielding itself by softening your critique of your own question.
When its someone anonymous on RF asking it, somehow this burden is lifted and delegated to them, and you experience a freedom and clarity in responding to the question. I notice it when Ive recently thought about a question in my own head, then a few days later seen it posted on RF, and seen the difference in how Im able to respond simply because i wasnt the question asker.
Further to this, because RF is online and essentially anonymous you're also freed from social forces that can strongly interfere with how you respond to someone face to face. What you gain from other people being the question asker in real life is often traded in for leniency and a compromised critique coerced by the social forces of face to face contact. RF as a medium seems perfect for allowing other to ask, yet also frees you almost entirely from social pressures that usually come with social contact.
One downside of this however is that escalation can occur due to lack of empathy through not being able to see/hear people, such as seen in road rage.
I wonder if anyone else has felt something similar to this going on with them?
I think somehow when you ask yourself a philosophical or spiritual question you unavoidably have a vested interest simply by asking. Theres some burden that you bear by asking the question, an unavoidable element of pride that likely hinders full critical assessment. As if your ego is subtly shielding itself by softening your critique of your own question.
When its someone anonymous on RF asking it, somehow this burden is lifted and delegated to them, and you experience a freedom and clarity in responding to the question. I notice it when Ive recently thought about a question in my own head, then a few days later seen it posted on RF, and seen the difference in how Im able to respond simply because i wasnt the question asker.
Further to this, because RF is online and essentially anonymous you're also freed from social forces that can strongly interfere with how you respond to someone face to face. What you gain from other people being the question asker in real life is often traded in for leniency and a compromised critique coerced by the social forces of face to face contact. RF as a medium seems perfect for allowing other to ask, yet also frees you almost entirely from social pressures that usually come with social contact.
One downside of this however is that escalation can occur due to lack of empathy through not being able to see/hear people, such as seen in road rage.
I wonder if anyone else has felt something similar to this going on with them?
