So, about your signature…...

originally posted by: tetra50

originally posted by: Psynic
As of yesterday or today, I'm not seeing anyone's avatar.

I thought this thread may have been about this new development.

Anyone know what's going on?

I think in your account, there is a choice somewhere to scrap avatars while on the site. Sounds like maybe you've somehow inadvertently made this "choice," somehow. I'd go into your account settings, and see if this is what is happening, and correct it.

Hope it's just a simple glitch like that….

I often change my avatar and signature, according to my mood. If I'm in a foul mood, my avatar will be a morose like character with a signature to reflect it. Right now I'm in a good mood, so I have a goofy avatar, with a semi funny political signature.

Mine is from one of my favorite authors. Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. I chose it from his countless quotes as it pretty much sums me up in a single sentence.

I would feel naked without my sig, & as soon as I'm allowed to have a link in my dig, this thread is going there!

originally posted by: nerbot
Just old school stuff here. No bull, no more said than needed, and hanging on in while this place changes focus daily.

Exactly, nerbot. I'm hanging on, too, and this thread was my answer and attempt to hang on, as well, while the fluxing …..well, fluxes. lol. Take care.

originally posted by: Anyafaj

originally posted by: tetra50

originally posted by: Psynic
As of yesterday or today, I'm not seeing anyone's avatar.

I thought this thread may have been about this new development.

Anyone know what's going on?

I think in your account, there is a choice somewhere to scrap avatars while on the site. Sounds like maybe you've somehow inadvertently made this "choice," somehow. I'd go into your account settings, and see if this is what is happening, and correct it.

Hope it's just a simple glitch like that….

I often change my avatar and signature, according to my mood. If I'm in a foul mood, my avatar will be a morose like character with a signature to reflect it. Right now I'm in a good mood, so I have a goofy avatar, with a semi funny political signature.

Your avatar, mood, location and especially your sig are pricelessly entertaining. This is expression at its best, imho, and thank you for that. This is part of what this thread is about…..members individual expression, entertaining us all while expressing your personality. Thanks so much for responding and giving me a great laugh….
tetra
ETA: And I'll join you as Sophia Loren in that other parallel, Audrey…lol

originally posted by: PorteurDeMort
Mine is from one of my favorite authors. Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. I chose it from his countless quotes as it pretty much sums me up in a single sentence.

And yours is a great, as well:

hate to advocate drugs alcohol violence or insanity to anyone but they have always worked for me. - Hunter S. Thompson

Sometimes it works for me, and sometimes it gets me in trouble. But again, this is signature stuff at its best.
Thank you for responding….

originally posted by: Eunuchorn
I would feel naked without my sig, & as soon as I'm allowed to have a link in my dig, this thread is going there!

Well hey there, Eunuchorn.
You, too, have a great sig, and thanks for putting it hereabouts:

We Are Bilderborg.
You Will Be Assimilated.

LOL. I wonder if new members joining us read this stuff and look forward to their "assimilation"….

a reply to: tetra50

Great thread idea. I've also found many members' signatures and et cetra very interesting, yet it remains an "elephant in the room" so to speak, as to avoid de-railing the thread.

As for my sig, it's a quote from one of the most influential books I've ever had the pleasure to read, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert M. Pirsig, published in 1974. He has only published two works. I believe it was an interview I read with Bob Dylan which led me to this gem, which I can't recommend highly enough to anyone (especially those interested in philosophy.)

To over-simplify the many areas covered in the book, it seeks a melding of the "Romantic" mindset (aesthetic, here-and-now, hope for the best) with the "Classical" (rational, analytical, seeking understanding of sub-systems) mindset in a Zen-like balance, similar to the Middle Path of Buddhist teachings. A reconciliation between the false-dichotomy of the Arts and the Scientific Method.

Many paths of thought are covered, but one of my favorites is the metaphor of analytical thought as a knife: "When analytic thought, the knife, is applied to experience, something is always killed in the process. That is fairly well understood, at least in the arts. Mark Twain's experience comes to mind, in which, after he had mastered the analytic knowledge needed to pilot the Mississippi River, he discovered the river had lost its beauty. Something is always killed. But what is less noticed in the arts - something is always created too. And instead of just dwelling on what is killed it's important also to see what's created and to see the process as a kind of death-birth continuity that is neither good nor bad, but just is."

Here's some snippets of the Wikipedia overview on the book:

The book describes, in first person, a 17-day journey on his motorcycle from Minnesota to Northern California by the author (though he is not identified in the book) and his son Chris. They are joined for the first nine days of the trip by close friends John and Sylvia Sutherland, with whom they part ways in Montana. The trip is punctuated by numerous philosophical discussions, referred to as Chautauquas by the author, on topics including epistemology, ethical emotivism and the philosophy of science.

Many of these discussions are tied together by the story of the narrator's own past self, who is referred to in the third person as Phaedrus (after Plato's dialogue). Phaedrus, a teacher of creative and technical writing at a small college, became engrossed in the question of what defines good writing, and what in general defines good, or "Quality". His philosophical investigations eventually drove him insane, and he was subjected to electroconvulsive therapy which permanently changed his personality.

Towards the end of the book, Phaedrus's personality begins to re-emerge and the narrator is reconciled with his past.

With this, the book details two types of personalities: those who are interested mostly in gestalts (romantic viewpoints, such as Zen, focused on being "In the moment", and not on rational analysis), and those who seek to know the details, understand the inner workings, and master the mechanics (classic viewpoints with application of rational analysis, vis-a-vis motorcycle maintenance) and so on.

The Sutherlands represent an exclusively romantic attitude toward the world. The Narrator initially appears to prefer the classic approach. It later becomes apparent that he understands both viewpoints and is aiming for the middle ground. He understands that technology, and the "dehumanized world" it carries with it, appears ugly and repulsive to a romantic person. He knows that such persons are determined to shoehorn all of life's experience into the romantic view. Pirsig is capable of seeing the beauty of technology and feels good about mechanical work, where the goal is "to achieve an inner peace of mind". The book demonstrates that motorcycle maintenance may be dull and tedious drudgery or an enjoyable and pleasurable pastime; it all depends on attitude.


Ancient Greek philosophy in Athens, romantically depicted by Raphael
Pirsig examines the modern pursuit of "Pure Truths", claiming it derives from the work of early Greek philosophers who were establishing the concept of truth in opposition to the force of "The Good". He argues that although rational thought may find a truth (or The Truth) it may never be fully and universally applicable to each and every individual's experience. Therefore, what is needed is an approach to viewing life that is more varied and inclusive and has a wider range of application. He makes a case that originally the Greeks did not distinguish between "Quality" and "Truth" – they were one and the same – and that the divorce was, in fact, artificial (though needed at the time) and is now a source of much frustration and unhappiness in the world, particularly overall dissatisfaction with modern life.

Pirsig aims towards a perception of the world that embraces both sides, the rational and the romantic. This means encompassing "irrational" sources of wisdom and understanding as well as science, reason and technology. In particular, this must include bursts of creativity and intuition that seemingly come from nowhere and are not (in his view) rationally explicable. Pirsig seeks to demonstrate that rationality and Zen-like "being in the moment" can harmoniously coexist. He suggests such a combination of rationality and romanticism can potentially bring a higher quality of life.

Here's some other favorites from the piece:

"When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called a Religion."

“Programs of a political nature are important end products of social quality that can be effective only if the underlying structure of social values is right. The social values are right only if the individual values are right. The place to improve the world is first in one's heart and head and hands, and then work outward from there. ”

“(What makes his world so hard to see clearly is not its strangeness but its usualness).Familiarity can blind you too.”

a reply to: tetra50

Hiya thread-maker

Way back in the dope and dismal past, ATS members were designing backgrounds (or something like that) for the home screen. Well one turned up on an old drive and it seems like a good thread to post it in. What you see there are the avatars of whoever was a regular at the time. Quite a few are still posting away...(right click - view image. It's a biggie)



Siggy-wise, I don't think I've ever had one unless you include site links or you tube tracks. Some are great and put the member in a cool light. Now and then there are those that are way too serious imo. Around 2009-10, there were some stinkers in the siggy fields...quotes by French Existentialists or lines of OT scripture. Fine if you like that sort of thing and not if you imagine saying it out loud to someone's face.

originally posted by: PorteurDeMort
Mine is from one of my favorite authors. Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. I chose it from his countless quotes as it pretty much sums me up in a single sentence.

My personal fav from the Good Doctor:

"'Crazy' is a term of art; 'Insane' is a term of law. Remember that, and you will save yourself a lot of trouble."

My signature tells you everything you need to know about me

stupidity knows no limits with me

a reply to: douglas5

Hey douglas5: Thanks so much for your input. Pretty funny. I read your posts regularly, tho, and don't agree that you're all that stupid. Some girls do that "act," too. If it works for you in life, far be it from me to criticize,
. Thanks for the humor you've provided, douglas, to add to the spirit intended for the thread!
tetra

a reply to: tetra50



Thank you tetra50 it was when i saw this thread that i decided that it high time i made a signature that reflected the man behind the mask

a reply to: CloudsTasteMetallic

Great additions and information, Clouds! I loved that book. It's been many years since I read it, but after reading what you've supplied, here, I'm inspired to read it again--so, thanks for that reminder, too. The learning to live in the moment can be a great cognitive approach to dealing with depression, and seeking the middle ground balance of those philosophies is well worth the effort. The quotes you plucked out of there are great.

This thread may also provide and inspire folks both to read the book and look here for possible sigs for their profiles.
Thanks for adding some great stuff to the thread.
tetra

a reply to: Kandinsky

Hey Kandinsky: I am absolutely thrilled with the posts this thread is getting, and yours is such a wonderful addition, as well. Thank you so much….that's a great illustration to add here. That background is wonderful….wish they'd use something like that again for background. But I'm not complaining. I'm just happy to have my privileges returned…lol.

As for sigs, with additions like Clouds, this thread may turn out to be a gold mine when people are looking for sigs to use. And it's great so many moderators have joined in hereabouts for positive interaction on my thread….lol

Be well and take care.
tetra

a reply to: KnightLight
Information is just data... where as knowledge, or gnosis is a deep understanding or enlightenment.

a reply to: Insidedaheart

Hey Insideaheart:

Thought your signature deserves repeating:

Such an intriguing world no wonder sleep evades me.....
In this world if we don\t stand up for what we believe in..
We will fall for anything......

Thank you for responding. Great sig and reply.
tetra

a reply to: tetra50
Thank you kindly

I always thought my signature was self explanatory.
On a place like ATS, where you read and hear about almost everything you can think of,
and participate in topics that are wild and crazy sometimes,
you need to keep your feet on the ground when your head goes in the clouds,
no matter who says what.
You gotta be true to yourself first and foremost.

A person needs to use their own reasoning and common sense before accepting something no matter who said it and all to often I see people blindly accepting.

Not sure if my thoughts are properly being expressed,
maybe I need more coffee...lol

*sip*

a reply to: Darkblade71

Hey Darkblade71:
Your signature is pretty self explanatory, and I think bears repeating:

\"Believe nothing no matter where you read it or who said it no matter if I have said it unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.\"-Buddha -563BC-483BC

Wonderful.

The point of the thread is to highlight and discuss, if anyone wants to, their signatures. It's just another way of personalizing and asserting our identities on the site. The thread is just a way to do that further, if anyone wishes to.

Thanks for your participation and the signature.
tetra