Thread: Fear is your enemy--really?

I saw this quote on FRT's signature and it got me thinking:

"Fear and Guilt are your only enemies. Love and Awareness are your true friends" -www.cwg.org

This is one of those quotes that sounds really good at first blush, but I can't help but question it. In my life, I have been driven a lot by fear. Maybe I'm mentally ill, but fear has been a big motivator. And it has driven me to succeed more than any other motivation.

Fear of failure and being white trash pushed me at university, and got me two scholarships and a Ph.D.
Fear of winding up homeless resulted in me saving about 80% of my income and made it so I could retire at a young age.
Fear of losing my savings resulted in me pursuing a career as a freelance writer, which I very much enjoy.

Now, none of these things are really amazing or impressive, but without fear I wouldn't have got my degrees, wouldn't have saved up my nest egg, and wouldn't have pursued a new career. Fear has driven the most constructive aspects of my life, at least so far.

I can't speak about guilt, but love--well, love makes me lazy. When I love, I want to spend time with someone, care for someone. I guess love would be productive in a 1950's world where my love for my family inspires me to go out and make a good living--but that's a pretty narrow type of love and an even narrower expression of it.

What do you guys think?

Originally Posted by Thinkingofachange

When I love, I want to spend time with someone, care for someone.

Are you in a relationship now and can I share some of myself with you privately?

Originally Posted by Thinkingofachange

it has driven me to succeed

There it is! Was anyone else expecting The Gimp to bring that up?

what? no mention of the book in the library at cambridge?

nothing about the investment smarts? the broad travel and all it's attendant expertise? what about living in bangkok? i'm wondering if i can live there on 60k thb.

And the hint of his being a bisexual swinger.

Or maybe The Peter Principle. You elevate to a level where you discover you're incompetent as a player. And you're stuck there. You won't go higher and you won't go lower. Just going through life rationalizing you're more than you are.

Or the Mr. Potato Head Principle



People just stick things in you and leave you there to rot and small bad.

Originally Posted by jonny danger

small

smell


Anyway, Fear only comes into it when there are spiders under my couch.

Love that's completely different. It is said you can't love anyone else if you can't love yourself. Well I love myself so much that I have no love for others, so the love thing is bollox too.

Guilt is for catholics. My ex was a catholic and she had much to feel guilty about the dirty bitch.

Basically FRT boils down to a guilt ridden spider with no bollix.

Originally Posted by 3leggedkitty

what? no mention of the book in the library at cambridge?

nothing about the investment smarts? the broad travel and all it's attendant expertise? what about living in bangkok? i'm wondering if i can live there on 60k thb.

That really hurt your ego, didn't it?

Originally Posted by jonny danger

You elevate to a level where you discover you're incompetent as a player. And you're stuck there.

JD Pot/Kettle #351

Originally Posted by Thinkingofachange

Fear of winding up homeless resulted in me saving about 80% of my income and made it so I could retire at a young age.

But this places you at odds with most New Yorkers. You have failed to realize that New Yorkers pride themselves at working 60+ hours of week and wearing this sacrifice as a badge of honor. I have a relative who is in his 70's, lives in Tudor City, and is a medical researcher. He prides himself on continuing to work though he is an accomplished academician, doctor, and a rich man. You keep trumpeting your 'retirement' on this forum, but no one is impressed with your sitting in a coffee shop in one of the world's most exciting cities, repeatedly posting drivel from your cv.

You need an attitude adjustment, to see your life as a work in progress as opposed to a fait accompli.

Originally Posted by Guy Mandude

But this places you at odds with most New Yorkers. You have failed to realize that New Yorkers pride themselves at working 60+ hours of week and wearing this sacrifice as a badge of honor.

Good for them, I guess. I don't aspire to work 60+ hours a week, live in Tudor City (which you have an odd obsession with), or lack the freedom I have now to live anywhere on Earth. I hope he enjoys his midtown rental, but I'm quite happy with my life, thanks.