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What’s one experience—big or small—that’s had a lasting impact on how you see the world?

Soandso

Soandso

ᛋᛏᚨᚾᛞ ᛋᚢᚱᛖ
For me? Being raised in an isolated and heavily Baptist/Fundamentalist/Evangelical area while also having a Southern Baptist education and then later learning that everything I was taught about the world was very one sided and dishonest. That taught me a lot about world views and information control and also taught me about conditioning and just how hard it is to try and work against that conditioning while still staying grounded

All that said, in the end the journey has been uplifting and positive imo, and I've learned a lot. It's been a work in progress that will last a lifetime
 
Soandso

Soandso

ᛋᛏᚨᚾᛞ ᛋᚢᚱᛖ
Debater Slayer said:
• Joining RF and participating here.

• Being conscripted and subsequently meeting various sorts of people in the military.

• Being introduced to meditation and mindfulness practices when I went to a meditation and yoga group run by a Buddhist several years ago.
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Actually the RF thing has been true for me too; especially early on for me. There's what people tell you about the beliefs of others, and then there's what people say for themselves for what they actually think and believe
 
Secret Chief

Secret Chief

Veteran Member
JustGeorge said:
Yeah, I wear some pretty fantastic things sometimes. People definitely care less now than they did back then.

It just opened my eyes, though. At that point, all restrictions, not just regarding clothing, but everything, was off. I could be more genuine with my taste, goals, opinions.

I could eat ice cream for breakfast, and stay up all night. I could buy an inexpensive car so I had more money for cat food. I could have a roommate.
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I've just discovered Vinted so now I've got exactly the right tutu to go with my glitter doc martens. Yay.
 
Daemon Sophic

Daemon Sophic

Avatar in flux
The Sum of Awe said:
Thinking about the future often makes me anxious, that's the only reason why I asked.
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Ah. Yes, I suppose that happens for many people.
But for me, looking ahead is like playing chess a couple of moves ahead, or checking the weather for tomorrow. It gives you options, makes you better prepared, and no fewer nasty surprises. ;)
 
Mock Turtle

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
What’s one experience — big or small — that’s had a lasting impact on how you see the world?

Probably finding out (can't remember how), during the last year of primary school, that there were so many different religious beliefs (often incompatible, but finding that out came later), and not being so inclined, I dipped out of getting any particular religious education - apart from the default one at school which mostly went in one ear and out the other whilst I yawned. Nothing has changed, and I still think that there are far more interesting things to learn about than religious beliefs. o_O
 
The Sum of Awe

The Sum of Awe

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
Staff member
Premium Member
Mock Turtle said:
What’s one experience — big or small — that’s had a lasting impact on how you see the world?

Probably finding out (can't remember how), during the last year of primary school, that there were so many different religious beliefs (often incompatible, but finding that out came later), and not being so inclined, I dipped out of getting any particular religious education - apart from the default one at school which mostly went in one ear and out the other whilst I yawned. Nothing has changed, and I still think that there are far more interesting things to learn about than religious beliefs. o_O
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I also learned about different religions at a young age. There was a Jehovahs Witness kid in my class. He couldn’t partake in anything related to holidays and it stuck out to me. One day I was riding on the bus looking up at the sky, and he was in the seat ahead of me, and it made me think about that he saw the sky/the world in a different way than I and my family did (Lutheran). It’s part of what sent me on a whole conundrum that lasted over two decades and still ongoing of thinking about spirituality.
 
Mock Turtle

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
The Sum of Awe said:
I also learned about different religions at a young age. There was a Jehovahs Witness kid in my class. He couldn’t partake in anything related to holidays and it stuck out to me. One day I was riding on the bus looking up at the sky, and he was in the seat ahead of me, and it made me think about that he saw the sky/the world in a different way than I and my family did (Lutheran). It’s part of what sent me on a whole conundrum that lasted over two decades and still ongoing of thinking about spirituality.
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My mother tried to get me to go to the local Methodist church, a mere few minutes away, for Sunday School when aged about eight, but after one or two times I was rather more keen to be out playing with all the other kids (she either didn't know or just accepted I wasn't so inclined). And although there was no obvious religiosity within the home - no praying at mealtimes, for example - my mother must have had some serious beliefs given that she used to read the JW bulletin (Watchtower?). She did spend a year in a convent in her youth - resulting from abuse by her father.

But my mother was an exemplary example to follow, so perhaps that was all I needed. Being more inclined towards science, it didn't take me long to figure out that the probability of any particular religious belief being true, no matter how many believed such, was less than all of them likely not being true. Given all the various commonalities, histories of them, and the conflicts they have caused and still do cause.
 
PureX

PureX

Veteran Member
The moment in early addiction recovery when I realized that my dark, dour, pessimistic view of the world was just a part of the addiction. That it was not the truth of the world. And with that realization, I could change it. I could CHOOSE to see and appreciate the many good things in the world, and in life, and in me, and be joyful. Honestly and truly joyful for the first time in ... ever.

I realized that I was in control of my own attitude toward the world around me. And that I always would be.
 
Jedster

Jedster

Flying through space
JustGeorge said:
Its really pretty stupid, but clothing styles changing.

I was in middle school when Jncos started going out of style. They started being replaced with flare legged jeans(for girls).

I really liked Jncos.

I really did not like those flares. They reminded me of Clydesdale horses. I did not want to look like a horse.

I bought a pair or two. They were not comfortable, either. I wore them awhile, because I felt I had to. Its what normal girls do.

And then one day it just occurred to me. "I don't have to wear this". And I didn't. And I was happy.

And then I started thinking about all the other things I didn't have to do. The things I didn't need permission to do.

Such a simple thought changed my whole life.
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Reminded me of this clip from The Time Machine(1960)

 
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