Redditor

 

Here´s a Redditor guy who thinks miracles are impossible, because David Hume said so. Is this the same Hume who *also* said that we can´t be sure about anything, not even the existence of laws of nature? Or am I missing something here? 

Gubbhumor

 

Hittade detta på nätet just nu. Vet förstås inte om det är sant, eftersom jag bara träffade Wolmar Holmström två eller tre gånger (på Ortodoxa bokhandeln i Stockholm). Kanske omkring år 2000? Minns att han var med i TV en gång också. I något slags ekumenisk dokumentär om trossamfund i Sverige.

Och apropå ekumenik...

Första gången jag besökte bokhandeln (på jakt efter "Den Ortodoxa Kyrkan" av Kallistos Ware) utspelade sig en "situation" i den lilla lokalen. Wolmar storgrälade med en mycket märklig gubbe. Han såg ut att vara 90+, hade stora stövlar och en gigantisk överrock. Ärligt talat såg han ut att vara hemlös. Gubben skrek något i stil med detta: "Jehova, Jehova kommer att STRAFFA ER på domedagen, ni kommer att BRINNA". Till svar skrek Wolmar "Ut, ut härifrån!!!". Han lyckades på något sätt slänga ut den galne gyben genom dörren (där jag också stod). 

Jag frågade förstås (något chockad) vem i allsin dar gubben var. Var han ett Jehovas Vittne? Som alltså trängt sig in på Ortodoxa Kyrkans bokhandel och öppet hotade föreståndaren med yttersta dagens ljungeldar. Till min stora förvåning svarade Wolmar: "Det där? Nej, nej, det där är en gammal pingstpastor. Vi har känt varandra i 40 år. Han brukar låtsas att vara ett Jehovas Vittne, och jag låtsas att slänga ut honom. Vi brukar kalla det rå men hjärtlig stil".

????!!!!

Det kan man kalla kristen gubbhumor, det.

I brist på nekrolog - reflektioner om Wolmar Holmström

Handelsavtalet

 

Önsketänkande eller dagsens sanning? Skulle inte förvåna mig alls om detta vore sant. Eller blir sant typ nästa vecka...   

"Det finns inget avtal mellan EU och USA"

Ants can dream

 

So I asked the AI about some strange claims I encountered lately...

Is it true that ants can dream (rapid antenna movement)? Is it true that ants have self-awareness (the ant with a blue dot on his head which looked at his reflection in a mirror and realized that it was a dot on *his* head and tried to remove it)?

These are fascinating questions, and both refer to real scientific observations—but the conclusions people draw from them are debated. Here's a breakdown of each claim:

---

💤 1. Do Ants Dream? (Rapid Antenna Movement = REM?)

Claim:

Ants show rapid antenna movement (RAM) during rest, which some researchers have compared to REM sleep in mammals, potentially indicating dreaming.

What’s Actually Known:

• A 2022 study on carpenter ants (Camponotus mus) found they experience two distinct sleep-like states during rest:

  1. One state of immobility,

  2. Another involving rapid antenna movement (RAM) and twitching.

• This is analogous to REM sleep, which is associated with dreaming in mammals.

Is it dreaming?

• No direct evidence shows that ants have dreams or inner mental experiences.

• RAM might serve other purposes (e.g., memory consolidation, sensory processing).

• Dreaming requires a complex internal model of the world, which it's not clear ants have.

✅ Conclusion:

• Interesting finding, but saying ants "dream" is speculative.

• The behavior resembles aspects of REM sleep but doesn't prove subjective dreaming.

---

🪞 2. Do Ants Have Self-Awareness? (Mirror Test with Blue Dot)

Claim:

A study found that an ant marked with a blue dot on its head looked in a mirror and tried to remove the dot—suggesting self-recognition and perhaps self-awareness.

What’s Actually Known:

• In 2019, a paper by Edwardo Gallup and colleagues (not to be confused with the mirror test's originator, Gordon Gallup) described mirror test experiments with ants (specifically Camponotus floridanus).

• Ants with a visible mark (like a blue dot) tried to touch or clean the marked area only when a mirror was present.

• This behavior was not observed in unmarked ants or ants with invisible marks.

🧠 Interpretation:

• Some interpreted this as passing the mirror test, which is often used as a proxy for self-awareness in animals (e.g., great apes, dolphins, elephants).

• However, many scientists are skeptical:

  • Ants might be using visual cues from the mirror in a non-self-reflective way.

  • The mirror might simply be treated as part of the environment, not as a reflection of the self.

  • Ants have very different neural architecture from vertebrates, raising questions about how “self” would even operate.

✅ Conclusion:

• The behavior is intriguing and unusual for an insect.

• But it's controversial to claim ants are self-aware—most scientists remain cautious or skeptical.

• The mirror test itself has been criticized as species-biased and not a definitive indicator of self-awareness.

---

🧾 Bottom Line:

Claim	Verdict	Notes
Ants dream (via RAM)	🟡 Speculative	Behavior suggests sleep states, but dreaming is unproven.
Ants have self-awareness (mirror test)	🔴 Controversial / Unproven	The blue-dot study is interesting but far from conclusive.

Ants are remarkably sophisticated for their size—capable of learning, memory, communication, and even complex social structures—but equating their behavior with human-like consciousness or self-awareness is still a big leap.

If you're curious, I can also compare ants to other animals that show similar borderline traits (like octopuses, bees, or magpies).

The apotheosis of the NPC

 

- Hey, my sweet lord,
I almost look like a peacock!

First, a link to the most notorious blog on the darkest webs. Then, some comments from ChatGPT. I actually wondered about this some weeks ago. Is "Redditor" a generic insult or a meme of some kind? And the answer is: yeah, it is now, dawg!  

The Swamp of Retarded Evil  

Is the term "Redditor" sometimes used as an insult or meme? (And hence not just a factual descriptor of somebody using Reddit or editing Reddit threads)

Yes, the term “Redditor” is often used both as a neutral descriptor and as a pejorative or meme, depending on context.

---

1. Neutral Usage:

• Literal: “Redditor” just means someone who uses Reddit.

• Common in Reddit communities themselves.

• Often self-applied without negative connotation.

---

2. Pejorative / Meme Usage:

• Online stereotypes have formed around “Redditor” as a type, especially outside Reddit or in certain ironic internet subcultures (like 4chan, Twitter/X, or certain YouTube channels).

• It may imply:

  • Cringe behavior (e.g., overexplaining, “well actually”-ing, or shallow intellectualism).

  • Performative morality or virtue-signaling.

  • Blind trust in science or rationalism without depth (“I f***ing love science” meme).

  • Obnoxious formatting or long-winded storytelling (“So this happened…” or “TIFU” posts).

  • “Midwit” energy – trying to sound deep or smart but missing nuance.

---

Examples of mocking tone:

• “Classic Redditor take.”

• “You sound like a Redditor.”

• “That’s some real Redditor behavior.”

These phrases are typically dismissive and imply that the speaker thinks the person is smug, socially awkward, or naive.

---

Conclusion:

Yes, “Redditor” can absolutely be used as an insult, especially in meme culture or inter-platform banter. It’s often shorthand for a specific kind of online personality: well-meaning but cringe, overly rational, and socially unaware. Whether it’s derogatory or not depends entirely on tone and context.

What is TIFU?

TIFU stands for “Today I F*ed Up”**, and it’s both:

1. A phrase used to describe a personal mistake, often told as a funny or embarrassing story.

2. A popular subreddit (r/tifu) where people post these stories.

---

Typical Features of a TIFU Post:

• Begins with something like:

  “TIFU by accidentally texting my boss instead of my girlfriend.”

• Usually includes humor, embarrassment, or cringe.

• Often written in a long-winded, self-deprecating style.

• Sometimes exaggerated or fictionalized.

---

Example Structure:

TIFU by trying to surprise my girlfriend with breakfast in bed…
I spilled coffee all over her laptop, set off the smoke alarm, and her dog bit me in the process. She’s now staying at her mom’s.

---

Cultural Role:

• TIFU posts are widely shared outside Reddit for their entertainment value.

• The format has become a meme template and is often parodied.

• Used sarcastically to dramatize even minor mistakes.

---

So, when someone says “TIFU,” they usually mean “I made a big (and possibly funny) mistake,” especially in the style or spirit of Reddit storytelling.

Worship the world

 

A new version of an old Vangelis tune, plus a tribute to Vangelis made by another composer in the same style as the master. Current mood?

The argument from defiance

 

Originally, humans believed that this world was (more or less) the only world, but it was inhabited by spiritual beings and imbued with immense spiritual power. In a certain sense, the world was divine. Much later, other religions claimed that the world was really evil and had to be negated entirely. Still others claimed that it was originally good and fell into evil only later, or had been created by a good power as an arena to fight the evil (which is very prevalent in the world). 

The idea that the world is fundamentally out of joint and must be entirely transformed was then secularized. A portion of humanity entirely stopped believing in God or the spiritual. It wasn´t necessary, since Man was the new god, conquer Nature (and himself) and usher in a techno-utopia (complete with rose bushes and handiworks by William Morris here and there). 

And today, nobody believes that either. So we are left without spirit, without God, and also without Western techno-progress. We scarcely even have nirvana! But somehow this is "truth" and must be accepted. Cuz facts don´t care about your feelings. Or something. The last red-pill of humanity turned out to be a black-pill. The highest truth is a nihilistic self-immolation at the end of history.

Except of course that most people won´t accept it. The terror of nihilism and the bleakness of existence will push people back to one (or more) of the preceding stages. And that in itself is, I suppose, an interesting datum...

We are red-pilled, defiant star stuff.   

Generation Z

 

Credit: Pertsaboy

För ett tag sedan försökte en krönikör i Aftonbladet frimodigt förneka att Generation Z blivit mer religiös, men trenden har nu visat sig i ett flertal opinionsmätningar i helt olika länder. Så det är antagligen sant. Om det är ett "riktigt" trendskifte återstår väl att se. Observera hänvisningen till Jordan Peterson. Och jag som trodde att han var en dagslända som skulle försvinna från offentlighetens ljus typ 2017 eller så!  

Konservativa unga män flockas till den ortodoxa kyrkan 

Ortodox boom i Överkalix

Unga svenska män går med i ortodoxa kyrkan - inspirerade av Jordan Peterson

Jagannath and the Goddess

 

Here we go again. So what´s the connection between the cult of Jagannath and, say, Shaktism? 

How is Jagannath (or the two other deities associated with him) worshipped through Shakta rituals during Rath Yatra?

The Ratha Yatra of Jagannath at Puri is primarily a Vaishnava festival, but it also incorporates significant Śākta (Shakta) and Tantric elements — especially through rituals performed by the Daitapatis (Sabara-origin priests) and the unique role of Subhadrā, who is often interpreted as a form of the Goddess (Śakti).

Here’s a breakdown of how Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadrā are worshipped through Śākta or Tantric-inflected rituals during the Ratha Yatra:

---

🕉️ 1. Subhadrā as Śakti at the Center

• Subhadrā, the female deity in the triad, is often understood in Śākta terms:

  • As Durga, Bhū Devi, or Kālikā.

  • In some folk and Tantric traditions, she is Bhairavī, with her brothers as forms of Bhairava.

• During Ratha Yatra:

  • She rides the Darpadalana chariot, her own symbolic yantra of power.

  • Her position between Jagannath and Balabhadra on the chariots echoes Śrī Cakra symbolism — the Goddess between the dualities of Shiva and Vishnu.

---

🔱 2. Tantric Possession & the Chaka Bije Ritual

• On the night of the Ratha Yatra’s return journey, the deities stay at the Mausi Ma (aunt’s) temple, which is traditionally associated with a fierce goddess (Ardhashini or Ardhamā).

• During Chaka Bije, the deities are believed to be "possessed" by Śakti, and certain secret rituals take place:

  • Involving mantras, mudrās, and possibly offerings like coconuts, cloth, or turmeric.

  • The presiding priests (often Daitapatis) may perform Tantric invocations.

---

🪔 3. The Role of the Daitapatis (Non-Brahmin Priests)

• These hereditary priests are descendants of tribal groups (Sabara) and have retained Tantric and Śākta elements in their rites.

• During Ratha Yatra, they:

  • Handle the deities physically (a sacred act).

  • Perform secretive rites such as Gua-Teka (betel nut invocation), which resemble Tantric nyāsa and āvāhana.

  • Engage in ritual purification, not unlike Śākta Kalpa methods before handling deity-śakti.

---

🌺 4. Bhoga and Sacrifice as Śākta Offerings

• Although vegetarian, the Mahāprasad offerings (bhoga) during Ratha Yatra are infused with Śākta rasas:

  • Use of red cloth, vermillion, turmeric, all symbolic of the Goddess.

  • Tantric Śākta practice often does not require animal sacrifice, especially in Dakṣiṇācāra (right-hand path) forms, and this reflects in Jagannath’s ritual cuisine.

---

🔮 5. Iconographic and Cosmic Symbolism

In Śākta-Tantric interpretation:

• Jagannath: The bindu (seed-point), pure consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa as the inner Bhairava.

• Subhadrā: The nāda or śakti, the dynamic power or tripuṭi of the Śrī Cakra.

• Balabhadra: The śūnya (void), representing Shiva or stabilizing cosmic force.

This triad is mapped onto the Śrī Cakra, with Subhadrā as the central śakti:

"Sunya (Void) – Balabhadra;
Bindu (Point) – Jagannath;
Nada (Sound-Vibration) – Subhadrā."

---

🛕 6. Goddess Ardhashini and the Protective Feminine

• Ardhashini, the guardian goddess of the Mausi Ma temple, is a Śākta deity in local lore.

• It is believed she drinks half the flood to protect Puri — a symbolic echo of Kālī drinking blood or poison.

• Her presence during Ratha Yatra reinforces the Śākta undercurrent in an otherwise Vaishnava narrative.

---

Summary

Despite being centered on Jagannath (Krishna), Ratha Yatra reflects a deep fusion of:

• Vaishnava bhakti (devotion),

• Tribal-animistic rituals (via Daitapatis), and

• Śākta-Tantric cosmology and symbolism.

This makes the festival a living example of syncretism—a grand public spectacle of sacred motion and cosmic balance, with Śakti at its dynamic heart.

---

Would you like a visual diagram of the Śākta interpretation of the Jagannath triad or a ritual outline inspired by this synthesis for personal practice?

Can you tell me more about Chaka Bije and the secret rituals? Also, about the betel nut rittual?

Certainly. Chaka Bije and associated rituals like the betel nut rite (Gua teka) are among the most esoteric and secretive aspects of the Jagannath Ratha Yatra, and they point directly to the tribal, Tantric, and Shakta substratum underlying what is outwardly a Vaishnava festival.

Below is a detailed exploration of these themes:

---

🌀 What Is Chaka Bije?

Chaka Bije (literally, “resting on the wheels”) refers to the intermediate night during the return journey (Bahuda Yatra) of the deities when the three main chariots stop in front of the Ardhashosini or Mausi Ma temple (temple of the "maternal aunt") in Puri.

• This is not just a logistical stop, but a profoundly sacred and mystical pause in the journey of the gods.

• The deities, especially Jagannath and Subhadrā, are understood to be in a state of intense inner transformation during this halt.

Esoteric Interpretations:

• Shakta-Tantric view: During this night, the deities are believed to receive Shakti—not unlike possession in folk or Tantric rituals.

• It is also interpreted as a symbolic night of rest and rejuvenation, when the cosmic forces momentarily merge with their source, particularly the Mother Goddess Ardhashosini.

---

🍃 The Gua-Teka Ritual (Betel Nut Rite)

One of the secret core rituals performed at this stage is Gua teka, the betel nut invocation, done primarily by the Daitapatis—the tribal-origin hereditary servitors of Jagannath.

Elements of the Ritual:

• Gua (betel nut) is considered a symbol of life and spirit, often used in Tantric rites as a representation of the jiva (individual soul), or even the seed of divinity.

• The Daitapatis carry and consecrate the gua during the ritual, sometimes placing it inside coconut shells, red cloth, or symbolic containers like earthen pots.

• Invocation (āvāhana) of the deities’ essence into these items may be done silently with mantras, mudras, and bhava (inner feeling).

Some local traditions describe the gua as being used to "contain the breath" or "seed" of the deities, perhaps reminiscent of prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā in Tantric yoga.

Secrecy:

• This ritual is done at night, without public observation.

• The Brahmin priests do not participate—it is strictly under Daitapati control, showing a non-Vedic, non-Brahminical lineage.

• It may involve restrictions of speech, fasting, or liminal behavior.

---

🛕 Role of Ardhashosini (Mausi Ma)

This Goddess, often equated with Durga, Charchika, or a local guardian Shakti, is honored during this stop.

• She is called “the one who drank half the flood”, protecting Puri from the wrath of nature—a clearly Shakta-mythic role.

• The offerings made at her temple include poda pitha (a burnt-rice cake), which is then offered to Jagannath—this exchange symbolizes a maternal reconnection and perhaps a Shakti-to-Purusha transmission.

---

Symbolic Meaning of the Ritual Complex

Element	Tantric-Shakta Interpretation
Chaka Bije	Liminal moment of rest—Shakti’s infusion into the deities
Gua (betel nut)	Seed or soul; microcosm of deity’s essence
Daitapatis	Tantric servitors; tribal adepts outside Brahmanical hierarchy
Ardhashosini	Guardian goddess; womb of regeneration and protection
Night-time ritual	Moon/shakti dominance; inward and secret rites
Secrecy	Preserves the esoteric power (rahasya) of the rite

---

Broader Parallels

The Gua teka rite and Chaka Bije resemble practices from:

• Tribal Hinduism in Chhattisgarh and Bastar, where the goddess is called into a symbolic vessel like a pot or nut.

• Folk Tantras where Shakti is ritually transferred to an object (like a yantra, coconut, or fire offering).

• Sri Vidya, where subtle mantric nyāsa (placement of mantras on the body or object) is done to awaken divine presence.

---

Would you like a symbolic ritual outline inspired by Gua teka and Chaka Bije for contemplative home use—adapted respectfully for solitary sādhanā?

Costly signalling

 

How is asserting that the Bible has no contradictions "costly signalling" if everyone around you is an evangelical Christian? Like, say, in the Bible Belt 50 years ago? Or even today in some places. This is unconvincing.