Sounds nice to me. Losing the ego?

That's just your opinion!

Sorry, you must have been expecting that. Feeling, reflex, sense, reaction, awareness, intuition, judgment, action, maybe more to this list, maybe not in this order, eventually opinion, then on to thought, reason, ratiocination, rationality. But it seems to me these not discrete stops as if on some train line, where you leave one stop behind and eventually arrive at the next. Instead, all ingredients in the stew. And to be sure some of them at least corresponding to different parts of the brain and central nervous system. Lots of metaphors possible here.

A neutralizing agent to opinion is love. In it truth grows and falsehood withers. And it seems to go along with love your enemies (which requires knowing them for whom and what they are!) and keep them close, and weather the storm being as needed more grass-like than oaken, or on a scale of flexibility at least somewhere between.

Or heavy anti-depressants. You'll still have opinions, but you won't care or be able to. Maybe care sits at the top, and that is more all-embracing than is sometimes comfortable.

I’m in love with my own opinion, and I don’t want to be. I want a divorce. I want her to leave me alone. — James Riley

Thanks for the opportunity to pull out one of my favorite quotes:

To believe our own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, -- that is genius. Speak your latent conviction, and it shall be the universal sense; for the inmost in due time becomes the outmost,--and our first thought, is rendered back to us by the trumpets of the Last Judgment.

When Emerson says "genius" he doesn't mean Einstein genius, he means our essence, self, who we are.

Yes, it's hard to find people who you disagree with that make good points. It can happen, but it's not easy due to one's bias, reflexive replies to talking points and so on. I guess speaking to someone whom you agree with on say, 50% of the issues, would be more fruitful than speaking with somebody with whom you disagree with on everything. One is more liable to pay attention to other points of disagreement if you know that you already agree on other subject matters.

opinion > ego > serotonin > power > survival

:up: *grunt* ...

I'm not sure what you consider "opinion" to be, but if you're going to hold any kind of view about, or make a judgment regarding, most anything, you're going to have an opinion. You may withhold doing so in certain cases, of course.

I’m in love with my own shadow, and I don’t want to be. I want a divorce. I want her to leave me alone. She follows me where ever I go. She intrudes. People say I’m entitled to my own shadow. So what? What am I going to do with her? — James Riley

Get out of the sun of introspection.

Fact is to Opinion as Pitch is to Timbre

Having said it out loud seems to have helped. While I still have opinion, I am certainly less enamored of it, it's easier to ignore it, and it's been somewhat liberating.

Next step, is "want." While I don't find myself wanting much, I do find that want seems to permeate the essence of life. Every direction I turn, there it is; even the idea of wanting to not want.

So, here I am:

1. I want to love my enemy. So far, no joy. I have made some headway, but there's a long way to go.
2. I want my opinion to leave me the fuck alone. I'm better. I find it is no longer my master.
3. I want to not want. Let's see how I can do with that. LOL!

I HATE THIS!!!

That is a fact. THIS IS TERRIBLE!!! is an opinion. The distinction is mere pedantry in my op- ah fuck it.

I HATE THIS!!!

That is a fact. THIS IS TERRIBLE!!! is an opinion. The distinction is mere pedantry in my op- ah fuck it. — Kenosha Kid

You have your opinions, others will have theirs. That's a fact. Whether people should be allowed to have opinions is a different issue - it begs for facts about opinions. Being what we are, full of opinions, we will opine on this issue as well. That's s a fact. Ergo, the fact is people will have opinions.

Are all these opinions facts?

No, in classical logic (categorical, sentential, predicate logics).

Yes, in paraconsistent logic and dialetheism.

Let it be known, friend. If it’s just, based on solid evidence, and can be expressed in a way that is a joy to read, add it to the noise. It might stand above other opinions.

Whether people should be allowed to have opinions is a different issue. — TheMadFool

What agency would allow or disallow opinions and enforce their ruling?

What agency would allow or disallow opinions and enforce their ruling? — jgill

Hopefully none! I don't advocate regulation on opinions. I quite enjoy the subjective nature of opinions - not always though but on the whole, the benefits outweigh the costs. As I meant, each muscial instrument has something unique to offer when used to play a certain musical piece - that's something worth a thumbs-up! No?

1. I want to love my enemy. So far, no joy. I have made some headway, but there's a long way to go.
2. I want my opinion to leave me the fuck alone. I'm better. I find it is no longer my master.
3. I want to not want. Let's see how I can do with that. LOL! — James Riley

A crash course in Buddhism usually quickly results in a crash.

Get out of the sun of introspection. — jgill

The unexamined life is worth living?

you cannot be free of the desire and need for power in this lifetime on this planet

all living things have it

so how about instead of trying to overcome it you throw out the flawed spirituality that tells you that you should.

My opinion, my wants, my hatred of my enemies, have all had what I perceive to be as an undue and dominant influence on my life, and I tire of it. So, rather than surrender to them, as some (you?) appear to be suggesting, I think I'll look for something other than the either/or, illogical two-valued orientation. I will seek to check, not to obliterate. I'll merely try to reign things in a little bit. That's not a flawed spirituality. However, as in all examples of oppression, release therefrom can result in some natural push-back. My opinion, my wants, my hatred of my enemies may have to stand down and take a back seat for a little bit.

you have two choices in life
1- get more power and reap the rewards of that power
2- be passive and suffer the consequences

there is nothing wrong with power. just remember, one of the best ways to get more power is to make more friends.

you have two choices in life
1- get more power and reap the rewards of that power
2- be passive and suffer the consequences — MikeListeral

I disagree. Whenever someone (including life) gives you two choices, pick the third.

pick the third?

ok while your busy trying to be spiritual and unique real reality is gonna pass you by

maybe your just a wimp who wants to make excuses

maybe your just a wimp who wants to make excuses — MikeListeral

LOL! Yeah, that's it. LOL!

most religion and spirituality demonizes the desire for power

and a bunch of other behaviors which are perfectly normal

good way to screw up your self esteem

good way to screw up your self esteem — MikeListeral

Thank you for teaching me about religion, spirituality and self esteem.

power needs love

and love needs power

one does not have to be reduced to get more of the other

there is nothing wrong with you. or having opinions or seeking power

pushing those down wont help you.

if you want more love dont push power down. just crank love up higher.

never go against anything inside you. dont create a war inside yourself.

I’m in love with my own opinion, and I don’t want to be. I want a divorce. — James Riley

My favorite bumper sticker: "Don't believe everything you think!"

don't believe everything you think

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there is no separate you that chooses to believe or not believe the mind

there is only the mind

and the mind needs outside information before it can change

cause and effect

not magic

which is why most self help doenst work