Reasons to be cheerful...

[xelasnave]

Standing back and looking at folk I notice a propensity to focus upon the negative, which given the propaganda that is constantly creating fear and distress from many sources, I can understand somewhat.

However it really is helpful to take the time to appreciate the wonderful world and indeed the wonderful times we live in...my friend in the city is often on the phone wringing his hands about this or that and clearly he is a victim of the negative sensationalism that curses our media.

I settle him down by telling him to go outside and look around and tell me what he can see that is a problem. After a while he realises that he really should stop watching the news and know that if anything important happens someone like me will ring and let him know.

So please take some time to appreciate what we have and that the zombies are not outside nor is it likely they will be any time soon.

We seem to live in the best country on the planet in times second to none in the entire history of humanity but few appreciate our wonderful position.

So if you would like to contribute to creating a better world please take the time to present here some aspect of our existence that you find particularly wonderful...

alex

[The_bluester (Paul)]

It is nice to see a thread that echos my thoughts. I have largely given up on media over the last couple of years due to carping negativity.

For something that I personally find pretty wonderful (And leaving astro pursuits out of it as that would be a bit obvious and trite) I live on 40 acres a reasonable distance out of a smallish town (Though growing) and the last few years have seen an influx of birdlife. It is really nice to be able to sit here and see the wagtails giving curry to Kookaburras (And occasionally see their little cousin, the Sacred Kingfisher, though we usually hear it for days before we spot it) while the little grass parrots poke around on the ground and the Crimson Rosellas and Rainbow Lorrikeets do the same in the trees, and the Cockatoos discuss with the mountain ducks the topic of who gets to have that hole in the tree this year. Then there are the Wattle Birds flitting from tree to tree and the Grey Shrike Thrush deafening me in my shed (How can such a little bird make such a big sound) Then there are the black cockatoos that come through occasionally, or the Boobook owls we see now and again.

We even get a little Dabchick that comes through and drives the dogs mad as they run around the dam trying to get close to it, every time they get nearish, it flips underwater and pops up on the far side of the dam again. Hours of exercise for the dogs.

The only birds I miss is because we had a bushfire go across the place nearly ten years ago and I have not seen a Blue Wren since, we keep suitable little low dense prickly shrubs around the place and I am hopeful they will show up again sooner or later.

[pmrid (Peter)]

When we lived on a 200 acre farm with great dark skies, there were many delights. Foremost among them was the birdlife. My wife and I kept a track of our sightings and by the time we sold up and left, we had reached 34 species. Some were out of season wanderers and some we only ever saw once but each one was a gift we treasured.

[xelasnave]

Thank you gentlemen.

I do like the birds...happily I have little blue wrens that nearly come into the van.
I put out bread crumbs which they seem to like.

My joy is I have two bandicouts (Digger and Goldie) who call by each night for a hand out ..one night I fell asleep before giving them a treat and they have come inside and helped themselves to a loaf of bread I had packed to take on a trip to Ballina and took out two slices.

So it does not take much to be cheerful other than focusing on reality.

alex

[Dennis]

It appears that we have a "negativity bias" which is understood to be related to survival.

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2001-09004-002

"Abstract
Hypothesizes that there is a general bias, based on both innate predispositions and experience, in animals and humans, to give greater weight to negative. This is manifested in 4 ways: (a) negative potency (negative entities are stronger than the equivalent positive entities), (b) steeper negative gradients (the negativity of negative events grows more rapidly with approach to them in space or time than does the positivity of positive events, (c) negativity dominance (combinations of negative and positive entities yield evaluations that are more negative than the algebraic sum of individual subjective valences would predict), and (d) negative differentiation."

So, if we see a piece of rope and mistake it for a snake, we give it a wide berth.

If we see a snake and mistake it for a piece of rope, it might bite us.

Therefore, erring on the side of caution might mean that we get to live another day.

Dennis

EDIT:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/a...-negative-bias

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by Dennis

It appears that we have a "negativity bias" which is understood to be related to survival.

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2001-09004-002

"Abstract
Hypothesizes that there is a general bias, based on both innate predispositions and experience, in animals and humans, to give greater weight to negative. This is manifested in 4 ways: (a) negative potency (negative entities are stronger than the equivalent positive entities), (b) steeper negative gradients (the negativity of negative events grows more rapidly with approach to them in space or time than does the positivity of positive events, (c) negativity dominance (combinations of negative and positive entities yield evaluations that are more negative than the algebraic sum of individual subjective valences would predict), and (d) negative differentiation."

So, if we see a piece of rope and mistake it for a snake, we give it a wide berth.

If we see a snake and mistake it for a piece of rope, it might bite us.

Therefore, erring on the side of caution might mean that we get to live another day.

Dennis

EDIT:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/a...-negative-bias

Thank you Dennis for taking the time to present that most interesting paper and I must say it is clear that negativity seems to be a simple primative response left over from the days where our ancestors were trying to assimilate the invention of rope into their world but in modern times with a predominance of rope and rope like things, computer cables extention leads and the like, confusion between a snake and rope would now suggest that one needs to take a trip to the optometrist and obtain better glasses.

AND so I encourage folk to cast out negativity with the realisation that is a now un necessary indulgence from times past much like a fear of the dark which of course to us is now seen as ludicrous.

alex

[Dennis]

Just to add to the discussion Alex, research also suggests that we may also have a positivity bias.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31037451/

"Numerous studies on episodic future thinking have demonstrated that individuals perceive their future as more positive and idyllic than their past. It has been suggested that this positivity bias might serve a self-enhancement function."

I guess we just need to make more use of our prefrontal cortex (PFC) which intelligently regulates our thoughts, actions and emotions through extensive connections with other brain regions.

This way we can (hopefully) transcend these other biases.

Cheers

Dennis

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by Dennis

Just to add to the discussion Alex, research also suggests that we may also have a positivity bias.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31037451/

"Numerous studies on episodic future thinking have demonstrated that individuals perceive their future as more positive and idyllic than their past. It has been suggested that this positivity bias might serve a self-enhancement function."

I guess we just need to make more use of our prefrontal cortex (PFC) which intelligently regulates our thoughts, actions and emotions through extensive connections with other brain regions.

This way we can (hopefully) transcend these other biases.

Cheers

Dennis

I find the beauty of the internet is you can make a case for most things

I think the most dangerous bias is that of " confirmation bias" which has us seeking support of for our ideas and applying a filter to ignore anything that is not in line with our belief...certainly I have to work hard at times to remain positive.

We all suffer from confirmation bias, some much much more than some and excessive confirmation bias is a common trait we can find with fundamentalists and conspiracy theorists.

I don't believe in anything and repeat such on a regular basis to remind myself that assigning levels of confidence to any proposition helps avoid the confirmation bias inherit with holding a belief.

The grave flaw with forming a belief is that you have taken a position that switches on confirmation bias however if one merely assigns a level of confidence I think ( believe ) you are more open to analysing new information without opinion being clouded by existing belief.

Thank you Dennis for your stimulating input.

alex

[Dennis]

Thank you too Alex, for your thoughtful, reflective and interesting posts that reveal some of the deeper elements of life that often get obscured in the daily hurly-burly of just keeping our heads above water.

Its good to get off the hamster wheel once in a while, to pause and admire the rich tapestry of life flowing by.

have a great day.

Dennis

[N1 (Mirko)]

Astronomy with today's gear, and your posts Alex, just to name a couple.

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by N1

Astronomy with today's gear, and your posts Alex, just to name a couple.

Well thank you very much Mirko that is most generous and kind of you to find joy from my contributions here.

However the absence of additional input in this thread I can only take to mean that folk can't find much to be cheerful about or they are not prepared to share their secrets to happiness.

Merry christmas to all.


alex

[pmrid (Peter)]

Originally Posted by xelasnave

Well thank you very much Mirko that is most generous and kind of you to find joy from my contributions here.

However the absence of additional input in this thread I can only take to mean that folk can't find much to be cheerful about or they are not prepared to share their secrets to happiness.

Merry christmas to all.


alex

Alex, let me offer an explanation. There is such an avalanch of negativity and reproach in daily life these days that the small sparks of joy become dimmed if not extinguished. Around the country people of good heart are being assailed by the voices constantly demanding this and that or insisting that our right to call our country our own is invalid.

It is hard to focus on our small delights when we are being told we have no right to them.

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by pmrid

Alex, let me offer an explanation. There is such an avalanch of negativity and reproach in daily life these days that the small sparks of joy become dimmed if not extinguished. Around the country people of good heart are being assailed by the voices constantly demanding this and that or insisting that our right to call our country our own is invalid.

It is hard to ficus on our small delights when we are bring told we have no tight to them.

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your input.

I would suggest that the issues I think you are referring to , well it doesn't matter for my point as any troublesome matter can be viewed in the way I suggest...all worrysome issues really are not new but what is new is the fact that we now live in a world where there are many more journalists than ever before and in addition countless folk who now have a platform..er many platforms, available via the internet.to talk dribble and find a following..it seems to me any voice can now be heard and any issue can be presented to seem as if it is of huge importance when really it is not .... and activists via social media can orchestrate massive turnouts like never before...but if all they get is 200,000 it is just a very small part of the population....and so think where all this leaves the main stream media..it provides them with a never ending supply of hand wringing stories that clearly they "do to death" and it would seem their journalist standards are just not there these days as they happily give time to what really are minority voices ... and so I say ignore them..I just do not watch the swill that is offered up as news these days...

Rather just look at how CBA shares are doing ...mmm no massive downward movement today and how can that be if the world is going downhill in a hand cart.


Now as to folk trying to take what is ours as you put it..waste of time...spitting in the wind oratory that gets air time why?..

Look ...go to your bank as them to show you your title deed then go read up on just what rights that gives you and then ask realistically how can those rights be taken away..the law..the law...that's what we should be most cheerful about.

There is am old but forgotten saying..." empty vessels make the most noise" which is to have us consider the merit of those folk ranting at the top of their voices.

Anyways don't fall victim to the makers of swill and just refuse to stand near the trough when they dish out the garbage.

As I say to my friend who rings with indigestion from too much swill..just look outside and tell me what you see..go up the street and tell me what you see...all this swill seems actually rather rare in reality.

And then you get these folk complaining that things are not as good as the good old days...what nonsense..the memory they recall is the leave it to beaver fantasy world that only existeded on the set of the movie being produced.

Confront negativity...and then simply ignore it..if it is not in your front yard just ask if you really should waste time thinking about it...

Add by edit...some of these stories one feels driven to offer a logical arguement in opposition to what you may see as an unrealistic proposition...don't bother, don't bite and just think about something worthy of your time.

alex

[pmrid (Peter)]

G'day Alex. I find it hard to shut my eyes and think of England when members of my family for generation after generation have died defending this country only to be told by someone that they died for nothing. It is too much to ignore I'm afraid.

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by pmrid

G'day Alex. I find it hard to shut my eyes and think of England when members of my family for generation after generation have died defending this country only to be told by someone that they died for nothing. It is too much to ignore I'm afraid.

My contention is these folk are simply not worth the effort of any response whatsoever and to let them ruin your day no doubt makes them happy as their intention is to stir you and others up with their thoughtless claims...as a minority being obnoxious is the only way they get air time...but I think the media sinks to a disgusting low by airing such stuff...and really why do you think they do? It does not pass for news does it?

They just don't count, they are after all wrong, you see ... so deny them the response that they set out to obtain...they can blather all they like but they cant change history..can they?

I suspect they have shallow lives and being obnoxious is their effort to attract attention ...deny them all attention as their opinion does not bear listening to.

You look after yourself and stay focused on folk who are important to you and not mere " empty vessels".

alex

[Leo.G (Leo)]

I suffer from chronic pain on a daily basis and have done so for over 50 years, I have to stay positive or I'd have put a bullet through my head years ago (when guns were readily available).
On a side note, birds always make me smile, two legged, feathered and non feathered varieties, my cats always make me laugh and I just received computer RAM I only ordered yesterday afternoon from Gordon (North shore) via Australia post.
I'm baffled how that happened but I'm rather happy about it at the moment, it means I can set up an old desktop to take out to play with some cameras I was recently given by an amazing gentleman (fellow IIS member).


As for the doom and gloom, I refuse to watch the NEWS!
There's always been wars, every week another starts somewhere else, people die (sad, always sad) but it happens and I believe has done so since time began. Usually through greed, you have something someone else wants (oil perhaps) and they have might on their side.

I have more pressing matters in my own life.


I do make a point of always finding something to smile/laugh about every day; My quick wit and making others laugh has been a great source of lifting my mood over the years, the worse I feel the funnier I am. I don't know if it can be explained psychologically (psychotically maybe?) but I am sick in the head, certified, I get chronic migraines daily which have been well documented by every major neurological clinic in Sydney.

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by Leo.G

I suffer from chronic pain on a daily basis and have done so for over 50 years, I have to stay positive or I'd have put a bullet through my head years ago (when guns were readily available).
On a side note, birds always make me smile, two legged, feathered and non feathered varieties, my cats always make me laugh and I just received computer RAM I only ordered yesterday afternoon from Gordon (North shore) via Australia post.
I'm baffled how that happened but I'm rather happy about it at the moment, it means I can set up an old desktop to take out to play with some cameras I was recently given by an amazing gentleman (fellow IIS member).


As for the doom and gloom, I refuse to watch the NEWS!
There's always been wars, every week another starts somewhere else, people die (sad, always sad) but it happens and I believe has done so since time began. Usually through greed, you have something someone else wants (oil perhaps) and they have might on their side.

I have more pressing matters in my own life.


I do make a point of always finding something to smile/laugh about every day; My quick wit and making others laugh has been a great source of lifting my mood over the years, the worse I feel the funnier I am. I don't know if it can be explained psychologically (psychotically maybe?) but I am sick in the head, certified, I get chronic migraines daily which have been well documented by every major neurological clinic in Sydney.

Good on you Leo.

It is a great kindness to make folk laugh and to spread happiness rather than gloom.

I greatly hope that your suffering eases somewhat or at least you keep your resolve to keep going notwithstanding the difficulties that pain forces upon one.

You look after yourself.

alex

[Renato1 (Renato)]

I get cheerful when I watch video podcasts from overseas about what possible future possible financial catastrophes could mean to everyday people. The prognosis isn't very good.

So, why am I cheerful?
The reason is that they often suggest the best answer is to move to Australia.
Cheers,
Renato

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by Renato1

I get cheerful when I watch video podcasts from overseas about what possible future possible financial catastrophes could mean to everyday people. The prognosis isn't very good.

So, why am I cheerful?
The reason is that they often suggest the best answer is to move to Australia.
Cheers,
Renato

Good Morning Renato I hope you and yours are doing well.

I find cheer that these folk who report upon finance are so good at finance they must become journalists ....it seems a key part of the occupation of journalism is to wrap all stories in fear and a negative outlook to appeal to the hand wringers that make up their followers...and even with a minimal grasp on economics anyone can not arrive at any other conclusion than Australia really is the best place ...on all counts...a country where the Government will pay you not to work in order to subscribe to the Optimum Un Employement policy as the major tool for fiscal management ( inflation minimisation).

I recall from the distant past, from various years and over many years, the boom of doom from the various financial journalists that the real estate bubble was about to burst....I also recall a friend who believed one such prediction and sold his beautiful little town house at Fairfield ( Sydney suburb) following the suggestion from one of these experts on doom to sell up and buy much cheaper after the real estate crash had done its worst...he sold up at $37,750-00 no doubt just before the bubble was set to burst and rented a house and waited for the crash...and waited and has been paying rent ever since.

AND of course things can go bad, history tells us that, but a cheerful outlook would seem the best way to manage any adversity.

When I was in hospital ( the various times) I treated it as a holiday...a nice room with and ensuite, ladies who bought me morning and afternoon tea, indeed all my meals delivered by lovely people, and the food was wonderful mainly because I did not have to cook it...and each day a team of lovely doctors would call making me feel like I was the only patient they cared for...I did not whinge about getting out or the food was bad and felt sad for those who could not manage the experience as a mini adventure...

Anyways the main thing that makes me cheerful each day is that I am here to enjoy it and if I do not wake up one day that I will not know that the morning never came for me.

alex

[Constant (David)]

I’m just so happy we don’t hear anymore Covid nonsense