Why has the recent US presidential election created so much polarization on the Avalon Forum?

[zen deik]

Power and control.... Driven by fear and the seven deadly character defects we ban together for a better chance at getting what we want or think we need...

[Chester]

Thanks for the responses so far. One thing that stuck out to me was that most of the responses appear to discuss the actions and reactions of folks outside of the Avalon Forum. My question was meant to focus solely upon the members here on the Avalon Forum... a group of people I had come to know as folks who in many cases have risen above the rest with regards to their understandings of our world (and reality at all its levels and potentialities) and by so doing had raised their level of being and raised their level of interaction with other members... again, for the most part.

Yet what I observed on this forum was a breakdown of what I will call The Project Avalon Standard and in some cases quite extreme and in some cases led to behaviors that resulted in bannings (where the mod staff had little or no choice), retirements (in some cases - members who had been excellent contributing members)... and I observed previously good relationships between individual members no longer so or rapidly deteriorating into no longer being so.

I am I probably contributed to this as well. In being completely transparent, I will admit I became a much different member - a member that wrote doizens of posts that I then cancelled before submitting when I considered the reaction I might get from folks here I do not in any way wish to alienate.

I made one post early on where I laid out my case for who I supported (which was really a case against the other). I soon saw the polarity and did my best not to stir the pot though there were times I would read a post and thanked it knowing even my thanks would anger others (and thus I thanked less than 10% of the posts I wanted to thank) or where I got some information I felt was important for others to have the chance to read and/or experience (if video) and I posted it (later to see that some folks were inflamed)... but wow, what I saw here really made me wonder... made me wonder how much I have actually grown (from the perspective of others as much as my own)... made me wonder how much any of us members here have grown (perhaps the ones who remained mostly or completely silent may be examples of the human being led by light) and it made me wonder if the bottom line of it all is that when it comes down to something which any Earth born and raised human being also sees as hugely important, something that may threaten their survival... something that might threaten their deepest ideology which has become so embedded within them that the ideology essentially defines them... that when this something becomes this powerful, this consuming that even the very most "evolved" human being which may find themselves in this position can end up acting in ways that most of us view as the darker side of the human being.

Again, save for those who essentially remained silent maybe? Or maybe not?

What a dilemma - perhaps this dynamic of voicing versus silence is something that has no right or wrong. Perhaps this is just a condition I must accept as part of the big picture when a being such as I manifest in a shared reality among all but infinite others who have done the same within the same shared reality.

[greybeard]

Its almost back to business as usual on the forum Sam--or am I just being positive?
Ch

[TargeT]

Posted by Sam Hunter (here)
Yet what I observed on this forum was a breakdown of what I will call The Project Avalon Standard and in some cases quite extreme and in some cases led to behaviors that resulted in bannings (where the mod staff had little or no choice), retirements (in some cases - members who had been excellent contributing members)... and I observed previously good relationships between individual members no longer so or rapidly deteriorating into no longer being so.

But really, it's what... a handful of members?

I can think of less than a dozen that have I would consider "caught up" by this political drama (I include myself in it, as I've been staunchly "conservative" despite my best efforts to be neutral..).

Ok tangent time.

An interesting thing I've noted post-emotional engagement is the pervasiveness of regret. When people become super emotional they often take actions they later regret or consider "out of character".

Now I'm fairly certain I'm as human as the rest of you, and I assume that what I experience during strong emotional moments (political discussion certainly counts) is the same as the rest of you. This,,,,urge; i guess I'd call it, to do things I would normally not do.. Reply to a post when it's not needed, off topic, or just to "get a word in".

I've been sort of meaning to formulate this into a more cohesive idea, but I think, in times of high emotion, in times of intoxication (for me it's a HIGH level of intoxication) (BOTH are drugs BTW.. Both involve chemical's present in the brain that are not there in high amounts during the course of a normal day).

I've not gone further with the idea than that, but if you tie it into "loosh" harvesting, Extra Dimensional entities etc... well, maybe there's something there?


Either way, I don't blame the person when they have these moments of what I think of as "outside influence".. It does seem that the more you indulge in these moments (and they ARE indulged in... you CAN ignore the urge, it's difficult but doable) the more likely you are to continue to do so... & not see anything wrong with it (other than some weird latent guilt and regret... but that will come out in another emotional outburst, so win win for the "influencer").

Is that too esoteric of an answer? (it almost is, for me).


Or maybe it's something else.. I do keep coming back to this idea, must be something to it.

[Ewan]

Posted by Sam Hunter (here)
Thanks for the responses so far. One thing that stuck out to me was that most of the responses appear to discuss the actions and reactions of folks outside of the Avalon Forum. My question was meant to focus solely upon the members here on the Avalon Forum... a group of people I had come to know as folks who in many cases have risen above the rest with regards to their understandings of our world (and reality at all its levels and potentialities) and by so doing had raised their level of being and raised their level of interaction with other members... again, for the most part.

Yet what I observed on this forum was a breakdown of what I will call The Project Avalon Standard and in some cases quite extreme and in some cases led to behaviors that resulted in bannings (where the mod staff had little or no choice), retirements (in some cases - members who had been excellent contributing members)... and I observed previously good relationships between individual members no longer so or rapidly deteriorating into no longer being so.

I am I probably contributed to this as well. In being completely transparent, I will admit I became a much different member - a member that wrote doizens of posts that I then cancelled before submitting when I considered the reaction I might get from folks here I do not in any way wish to alienate.

I made one post early on where I laid out my case for who I supported (which was really a case against the other). I soon saw the polarity and did my best not to stir the pot though there were times I would read a post and thanked it knowing even my thanks would anger others (and thus I thanked less than 10% of the posts I wanted to thank) or where I got some information I felt was important for others to have the chance to read and/or experience (if video) and I posted it (later to see that some folks were inflamed)... but wow, what I saw here really made me wonder... made me wonder how much I have actually grown (from the perspective of others as much as my own)... made me wonder how much any of us members here have grown (perhaps the ones who remained mostly or completely silent may be examples of the human being led by light) and it made me wonder if the bottom line of it all is that when it comes down to something which any Earth born and raised human being also sees as hugely important, something that may threaten their survival... something that might threaten their deepest ideology which has become so embedded within them that the ideology essentially defines them... that when this something becomes this powerful, this consuming that even the very most "evolved" human being which may find themselves in this position can end up acting in ways that most of us view as the darker side of the human being.

Again, save for those who essentially remained silent maybe? Or maybe not?

What a dilemma - perhaps this dynamic of voicing versus silence is something that has no right or wrong. Perhaps this is just a condition I must accept as part of the big picture when a being such as I manifest in a shared reality among all but infinite others who have done the same within the same shared reality.

I often thank a post I don't agree with for it gives me a counterpoint to examine at my leisure.

Mostly I don't respond when I sense someone's view appears entrenched, and to offer a counterpoint at that juncture would be futile - if all it did was promote a negative reaction.

I could sometimes choose to be confrontational, but on a text basis only it is unlikely to be seen as helpful. Cowardice could be another reason to remain silent.

At the end of the day I find myself thanking less and less in case it is misconstrued. :D

I do believe there is a very real danger of falling into a trap of confirmation bias, which would be another reason to thank the posts that unsettle you - for it gives you an opportunity to decide that person is nuts and you were right all along. :D :D

[Rocky_Shorz]

Well the strange thing is no one liked either choice, the arguments weren't protecting a favorite, it was a pound on the other because mine has to be better than that arguments...

So, with no real like of either, why did it become so passionate to create such fury?

Both sides are so terrified of the other, was it a life or death primal instinct coming out?

[TargeT]

Posted by Rocky_Shorz (here)
So, with no real like of either, why did it become so passionate to create such fury?

Because even when you think your brother is a worthless asshole, you'll defend him against "outsiders" right?

It's because "we" see OUR SELVES as a part of the same thing which ever side we support is.. We make it personal and see attacks on the party or candidate as attacks on ourselves (probably this is mostly unconcious, but that's what it is from my observation). This goes back to tribalism and survival tactics.

Posted by Rocky_Shorz (here)
Both sides are so terrified of the other, was it a life or death primal instinct coming out?

That's exactly it.... When a strongly held belief (and political beliefs certainly qualify) is challanged, humans respond in a fight/flight/freeze response..a Primal reptilian brain survival response.. Adrenaline spikes, short term memory loss occurs... it's insane!

Time for me to reference my favorite video again (the first 10 min of this video eloquently explains this situation)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=dbh5l0b2-0o

Pretty sure I've posted that video on this forum at least 20 times by now.. haha

[Ewan]

Posted by TargeT (here)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=dbh5l0b2-0o

Pretty sure I've posted that video on this forum at least 20 times by now.. haha

At least three that I remember but it is well worth it. It should be on every curriculum, imagine the difference if every student spent the first 5 - 10 minutes on that rather than saluting a coloured flag or chanting 'god is great'.

[shaberon]

Sam, I thought this was an interesting question, but that's exactly what I was wondering: how would you get a direct answer unless it was from those banned/retired members?

I ignored the election so I really didn't pay attention to most of the posts about it. So I missed the fireworks. People usually aren't very good at rhetoric or persuasion are they?

[Chester]

Actually, the last several answers were very helpful for me personally. It has made me look at the possibility that I am having a hard time letting it all go... far harder than most of the rest of the folks here at Project Avalon.



...but trying my best to be honest.

[RunningDeer]

Posted by TargeT (here)
Pretty sure I've posted that video on this forum at least 20 times by now..

Posted by Ewan (here)
At least three that I remember but it is well worth it. It should be on every curriculum, imagine the difference if every student spent the first 5 - 10 minutes on that rather than saluting a coloured flag or chanting 'god is great'.

There's a thread here, and will add it here as well.

Athene's Theory of Everything is a 50 minute video with the main point being self-aware. Included is an outline with time links for those that prefer to digest in sections.

Here's the transcript of the video - Athene’s Theory of Everything.pdf - (some parts are incomplete)

Opening statement:

The following documentary presents new developments in neuroscience and a solution to the many current unsolved problems in physics. While it keeps clear of metaphysical correlations and is solely focused on scientifically verifiable data, it also has philosophical repercussions pertaining to life, death and the origin of the universe.

Due to its many layers and density in presentation, it may require multiple viewings to fully comprehend its implications, even though considerable efforts has been made to simplify the complex scientific concepts that are discussed.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=dbh5l0b2-0o

Chapter One: God is in the neurons - 1:23

• Part 1: Social Neuroscience - 2:55
  
• Part 2: Mirror Neurons & Consciousness - 5:23
  
• Part 3: God Is in the Neurons - 10:30
  
• Part 4: I am Athene - 12:57

Chapter Two: The Grand Scheme of Things - 21:06

• Introduction - 21:26
  
• Intro continued - Einstein’s Theory of Relativity - 22:56
  
• Intro continued - Quantum Physics - 24:22

Chapter Two (continued)

• Part 1: De Broglie’s Equations - 25:50
  
• Part 2: Antimatter & Unperturbed Time - 29:04
  
• Part 3: Theory of Everything - 32:47

a) Quanta & Continuity - 33:33
b) Quantum Superposition - 38:22
c) Time - 40:32
d) Neurological Implications - 43:59
e) A Limited Interpretation - 45:38

Epilogue - 46:46

[TargeT]

Posted by Ewan (here)

At least three that I remember but it is well worth it.

I'm up to about 30 watches all the way through, it's far to dense to take away much from just 1 viewing.

[DeDukshyn]

Well, I have sort of seen this thread before but somehow didn't really "see" it ... now I did, then came to say how I didn't really notice too much division - the odd debate here or there, occasional argument, but I didn't really see it.

Didn't really see this thread either ... saw it but didn't really see the "avalon forum" part ... We all have selective vision - "selective input" in which our subconscious places within our consciousness, that which is like minded (either with, or in opposition of - no matter, it just has to be there) in some way to that which we occupy our minds with. Ever bought a new vehicle, then suddenly saw that vehicle in that colour everywhere, but never noticed them before? A perfect example.

Not sure if this is even at all on topic, but suppose we apply this principle to everything we perceive ... isn't everything really about or own views and perspectives then? Not anyone else's? It's a tough reminder.

I might be off topic, not sure - just got back from christmas party

[shaberon]

Posted by Sam Hunter (here)
It has made me look at the possibility that I am having a hard time letting it all go...

Yeah, that's one of those things that's easy to toss around as a piece of advice, but actually living through it is usually a more difficult thing. When I signed on here, I also joined another forum and within the first few posts, someone was making crass remarks to me personally, so it wasn't hard to drop that one. Once you put years into something--and, whatever happened, Avalon does have a better standard than 90% of the net--it's a different story.

I tend to like it here but "in real life" I usually have to let go of...everything that is right in front of me. It's very disturbing, but the real crucifixion/resurrection is simply going to kill the "me" that gets disturbed by it. I can feel the energy of whatever lives through that kind of death, but honestly, can I "become" it just by being aware of these things? Not really.

I won my state karate sparring one time in the following fashion: I scored with a non-contact face jab 1/2 point and the referee said stop. I stopped. After that, the opponent hit me with a non-karate boxing hook punch right in the nose--he lost 1/2 point because he had been told to stop. The fight was stopped for medical reasons and I have a gold medal for it. My nose bled for the rest of the tournament. I had to drive my self home with one hand for two hours, my nose constantly bled while I was wearing out paper towels. After I got home, it bled for about two hours. After the six hour nose bleed, I wound up with two black eyes. That punch was no joke. I don't recommend anyone trying this in a physical sense, but, mentally, maybe after you dry out that nose bleed you'll find a gold medal in your hands.