We're all into ourselves...

At least a little bit.

You might have heard of the Myers-Briggs personality type indicator. It is mostly based on Carl Jung's (dream guy/psychoanalyst) findings. You can take the test http://www.mypersonality.info/ there.

Once you have done so, or you already know what personality type you are, I have scanned some papers provided by my psych teacher for some more information.

http://www.box.net/shared/fxneej5jry
http://www.box.net/shared/ppge9xvobj
^These PDFs briefly break down what each thing means, and what they prefer.

http://www.box.net/shared/qya07qxkza
^"Mutual Usefulness of the Opposites"
Basically, what the opposite personality type seeks from you and what you seek from there.

http://www.box.net/shared/4al2otfia0
^Management/Leadership types

This test is in no way supposed to limit you in any way. I am an INTP, and do not only behave in the way that characterizes an INTP. In fact, I have used these results to further develop my extroverted side.

Jungian Psychology: A Closer Look at Dreams

After reading this article, I have completely indulged myself in Carl Jung. The images below are thumbnailed, so go ahead and click on it for full sized view. I promise it's an exceptional article, or else I would have not felt compelled to share it with you.

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Books, books, books.

A Course in Miracles
by Helen Schucman

Unfortunately I started this book with a distaste for Christianity and was put off by the mentioning of God. It has some interesting lessons and I do plan on rereading this book in the future with a more open mind.

I can harbor respect for this book, but it just was not what I had in mind. It's recommendable but only to those who will not stick to their presupposition of what Christianity is.

The Scarlet Letter
by Nathaniel Hawthorne

I read The Scarlet Letter in my junior American Literature class in high school. While many of the other students disliked the book for its complex sentences and advanced syntax and Puritan diction, I found myself very fond of this Nathaniel Hawthorne novel.

Hester Prynne is the super woman of Puritan Boston. She is the epitome of what most Calvinist women lacked: courage, freethought, independence, and deep reevaluation of morals and values.

A lot of the other students also found themselves overwhelmed by the amount of symbolism, themes, and motifs in the novel. Personally, I think that is what really shapes the story and makes this Hawthorne's "magnum opus." The copious amount of symbolism is what makes this book unique.

Overall, it is a great book and I am glad I was introduced to it. I highly recommend it. Themes it explores are society vs nature, human condition, and self vs society.

The Catcher in the Rye
by J.D. Salinger

A very well written book that is either underestimated or over appreciated for the wrong reasons. We follow the "plot" by the first person narration of Holden Caulfield, who goes through extreme existentialism with a hint of misanthropy, often mistaken for teenage angst (or are they mutual?), and ends up in an asylum.

It is not one of my top books, but it is definitely a book I really like. I find myself being able to relate in some aspects to Holden from past ideologies and experiences. The main problem that Holden comes across is his fixation on preserving innocence. That is where we no longer relate. He tries to be that "catcher in rye" and we don't exactly find out if his perception on that changes by the end of book. (Correct me if I am wrong.)

I find it almost ironic that schools ban this book because of the explicit language. They are trying to bubble-wrap their students and preserve their innocence, just like Holden tries to do so with his sister. If only Holden knew the amount of kids he is corrupting...

I AM NOT A SEX OBJECT

I'm tired of seeing advertisements everywhere objectifying women as sex objects. No, if you buy Axe cologne women won't swarm all over you lavishing your scent. And you eating that double cheeseburger from Carl's Jr. will definitely not get you a one night stand with a super model. Why am I seeing almost naked women in the cover of Sports Illustrated? What does her exposing everything but her nipples have to do with sports?

There is an unnecessary pressure being built on females from a young age to fit 'the image'. Girls are beginning to feel inadequate and "unsexy" at a younger age now than before
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Yep, you guessed it. Wearing D&G won't get you hot, steamy sex. That leads me to my next question: What are they trying to sell? Are they trying to sell sex? the image of women? or... their clothing?
Because now you totally want to buy one their subs.

I'm not saying males don't get pressure from our current culture either. With such things as Viagra, men are expected to last longer in bed. Don't you think your grandparents should stop having sex already?

The book I recommend for better understanding of the female development and how they are being "girl poisoned" read Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher. For better understanding of boys and the emotional straitjackets they are being forced into read Real Boys by William Pollack.

Home

NP: Mice Parade - Satchelaise

"We tried to make our conversation seem like more than an interview."

Do be do be do

"I'm okay with being unimpressive; I sleep better." -Garden State A week ago I finished reading Deadeye Dick by Vonnegut. The main character is what he dubs himself, a "neuter" - one who is neutral with the world, is neither homosexual or heterosexual, is not impressive (and is okay with it). In the book, they usually excel at a certain trait or subject but are mediocre at the rest. Usually outcasts, misfits, weirdos, creeps etc.

"To be is to do" - Socrates
"To do is to be" - Jean-Paul Sartre
"Do be do be do" - Frank Sinatra

So anyway, I wonder how many people consider themselves a neuter. After finishing the book I wondered if I'd fall under the term. I came to the conclusion that I am antisocial and do not mind being unimpressive. However, I don't think the sexual definition applies to me and I don't excel in anything in particular.

So taking the definition of a neuter into a broader sense and stretching it to someone who is antisocial, how many of you consider yourselves antisocial?

I have problems some times communicating with strangers. I find myself at times easily intimidated because of either age, knowledge in whatever, trivial things, etc. At times though I feel an energetic connection with a complete stranger and just talk to them.

Most of the time, though, I just don't feel compelled to talk to anyone. I'm not hostile towards anyone either. I'm sort of apathetic towards individual people that just don't strike me appealing.

I'm not sure what my original point in the post was supposed to be, or if there was one... So I'll just end it with recommending Deadeye Dick. Oh, and the Socrates, Sartre, and Sinatra thing is in the book. You'll understand it when you read it. (o:

Small excerpt of "Player Piano" by Vonnegut

It's not what the novel revolves around. It is only a piece that is short enough for me to share and that I really like. I also have not posted in a while. (not like anyone cares much - I've been busy with school.)

"Anyway," said the girl, "my husband's book was rejected by the Council."
"Badly written," said Halyard primly. "The standards are high." [...]
"And," the girl continued, "it had an antimachine theme." [...]
"He didn't care. He had to write it, so he wrote it."
"Why doesn't he write about clipper ships, or something like that? This book about the old days on the Erie Canal-the man who wrote that is cleaning up. Big demand for that barechested stuff." [he said]
She shrugged helplessly. "Because he never got mad at the clipper ships or the Erie Canal, I guess."
"He sounds very maladjusted," said Halyard distastefully. "If you ask me, my dear, he needs the help of a competent psychiatrist. They do wonderful things in psychiatry these days. Take perfectly hopeless cases, and turn them into grade A citizens. Doesn't he believe in psychiatry?"
"Yes, indeed. He watched his brother find peace of mind through psychiatry. That's why he won't have anything to do with it."
"I don't follow. Isn't his brother happy?"
"Utterly and always happy. And my husband says somebody's just got to be maladjusted; that somebody's got to be uncomfortable enough to wonder where people are, where they're going, and why they're going there. That was the trouble with his book. It raised those questions, and was rejected. [...]"