Questions Asking Advice

 

“I am glad that I paid so little attention to good advice; had I abided by it I might have been saved from some of my most valuable mistakes.”

-- Edna St. Vincent Millay

Why do some men and women who are overly opinionated, somewhat problematic, and quick to jump to conclusions assume those qualities are that of an alpha?

I hate to be “somewhat problematic” but, are we only discussing those people who are men or women? Just asking because I tend to be “overly opinionated” and would hate to be blindsided by someone who does not consider themselves a man or a woman. This gender issue is becoming more commonplace and I would hate to catch hell, once again, from the League of the Perpetually Offended, for any of my opinions they misunderstand… yet again.

What’s something you don’t give too much thought to but do think about often?

If I’m thinking about it often, then I’m putting way too much thought into it, especially for a retired person.

How can I be brave and say "no" to the wrong people?

If you mean what you say and say what you mean, then don’t worry if they’re the right or wrong people. Your "personal code of moral ethics" demands you always do the right thing. It defines who you are. Or, you can shy away from honesty and bravery, and this will also define you.

“Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.”

-- Anna Taylor

How do we call someone who’s not happy when others are successful?

Jealous.

There are many smart writers, physicists, and chess players in Russia, but there have never been strong academic philosophers. Why didn't "Russian Kant" appear?

I couldn’t believe this when I read it. I’ve seen many Russian philosophers, though we know them better for their other talents, like authoring novels. Check out this site: List of Russian philosophers - Wikipedia

Why do I find myself unattractive looking while others don't think I do?

So, other people don’t believe you find yourself unattractive? Or are you meaning to say that other people find you attractive?

“As long as man has pride, he will appear unattractive and no one will be attracted to him. He may have a handsome face, his pride makes him unattractive.”

-- Dada Bhagwan

What are the most curious facts about humble people?

Well, they’re humble, so to find catch them talking about themselves would be odd. The fact they’re humble would put a wrench in finding any curious aspects about them.

How should one keep their attitude to their life, is there a quote by which one should live their life?

“Strive to be happy always!” Life is all about making the right choices for ourselves. Two good choices we should all make in life are to keep drama, especially from other people, as far away as possible, and to make the conscious choice to be happy always. The alternatives simply suck.

I'm an 18-year-old guy and think all women are the same. They never showed me any affection in middle school and high school. Should I stay single and stop trying to get a girl to like me?

Yes. You’re probably trying too hard. Focus on being who you are, continuing your education, joining the military, or getting a job. Quality women will see your efforts and start paying attention. My son didn’t even want to start dating until he was out of college, got a good job, and could afford a nice car. There’s an old adage that, if you stop looking you’ll find it. Go with that, and strive to be happy always.

“That's one of the first things that comes out of young people's mouths when they're in love. FOREVER. And that's cool, it's all good - until you get old enough to realize what forever is.”

-- Ice-T

How do you prove facts?

You don’t. You prove suppositions. A fact is already proven, or it wouldn’t be a fact. If facts are thought to be faulty, they become, again, suppositions. In the United States, for instance, we used to rely on journalists to give us the facts. Now, we rely on journalists to give us their opinions which are seldom based on factual information, or on supposition for that matter. It makes watching the “news” a waste of one’s time.

Nobody wants anything to do with me anymore. What is wrong with my looks?

You ask this like you don’t think there is anything wrong with your looks. Maybe it’s something else about you, like attitude toward others, selfishness, and the like. "Looks" might be the least of your worries… and should be. How we look should have no bearing on how we are treated by others. How we treat others, however…

Is silence a rejection?

Not necessarily. It might be a precursor to rejection. Or, it could be some other “silent” message you might want to pay attention to. Silence can be deafening.

“When you give yourself permission to communicate what matters to you in every situation you will have peace despite rejection or disapproval. Putting a voice to your soul helps you to let go of the negative energy of fear and regret.”

-- Shannon L. Alder

All my life I have been cleaning the factory. I’m 30 and no one helps me move on. I am on my phone and don’t trust my dad. What do I do? I am having a hard time with life with courses.

If you want to move on, do so. It is your choice and requires your attention. You’ve been cleaning the factory all your life, so you must be pretty good at it. Maybe it’s time to clean a different factory, like one where you are better appreciated. Or, tell current management that you want to move up and ask what else you can do for them. They might be waiting for you to get a clue.

What do you say about the day you were born?

I was cheated. They should have had a cigar, a tumbler of bourbon, and a good-looking busty nurse, waiting for me to emerge.

How do you explain that you can fall in love with a brand?

You can fall in love with a brand as easily as you can fall out of love with it. I used to love Oreo cookies. The “Double Stuff” was a favorite, but double wasn’t really double if you looked at the filling. Filling on the regular came almost to the edge of the cookie, but the double was inset enough to tell a difference. So, it was thicker but not really double. But, then, Oreo took advantage of their customers, again, by redefining their cookies. “Regular” became the “double” and “double” became “mega” and, I suppose, “thins” became regular, while the “family size” package got smaller. Either way, the customer was getting screwed, as usual. I hate being taken advantage of, and I really hate it when the company thinks the customer is too stupid to work it out. I stopped buying Oreos.

“A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.”

-- Jeff Bezos

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with the United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world-renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as a chaplain at the regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com