Mr Pickles

[Fulgurator]

There's a real danger of people being indoctrinated by certain websites and I believe Q.V. is far from being the only one. Even Hilary Clinton voiced concern over protesters who she said knew hardly anything about either WW2 of the history of the Middle East.
Repeatedly I've warned about how social media can impair the way we think. Part of it operates just like the Moonie or Children Of God cults of the 1970s. One Yale postgraduate shared how he'd been indoctrinated to believe Moon was the Messiah after just one summer camp.
How do they indoctrinate?
On social media many sites encourage "like" to form the basis of judgement. Think about it. Such and such tells me what I want to be the truth, so I award him, or her, a like. David Icke gets millions of likes yet I found many of his followers are hugely anti Semitic, even seriously believing Mick Jagger is a shape-shifting reptilian. "Likes" must never control how we view reality. Emotion over logic is the basis of schizophrenia according to E. Bleuler and Karl Jung. Yet, we are urged to seek these inner circle "likes" and we seek acceptance by following the preferred group reality. Just as with Charles Manson's middle class female circle whom he controlled and brainwashed.
On my part, this isn't just grandstanding. In the 1980s I too had been indoctrinated by a cult, leading to total breakdown. I had only wanted to be part of something so just went along with it. So, based on my own experience and what I see on the internet, I do believe younger people can be manipulated, controlled and led astray.

[Fulgurator]

Well, the bird box to me now looks pretty decent. It's different. As I'm not a joiner or trade carpenter, I thought maybe a box that looks farm-like and rugged could appeal to nature lovers. So, it's just pine pallet strips, screws and nails, with silicon to keep the rain out. The roof is curved but not finished yet. When it's painted, we'll see how it looks. I thought the Athene Noctua or small owl would love this box if I add a 2.7 inch entrance hole (these owls are only 7 inches in height). If not, maybe starlings could nest in if. I love nature and the country so maybe I can get good at making nice shelters for birds.

[Candid]

Sounds good to me. Farm-like and rugged? Perfect.
I like small birds. It sounds as though robins and tits could get in and pigeons wouldn't be able to molest them.
If it looks as though a woman could have made it using a shoe as a hammer, so much the better.

[Candid]

Repeatedly I've warned about how social media can impair the way we think.

No doubt about it. Personal observation shows many young people get accustomed to short takes and can't maintain their concentration through more than 50 words or so. That's when they say they're bored.

On social media many sites encourage "like" to form the basis of judgement. Think about it. Such and such tells me what I want to be the truth, so I award him, or her, a like.

Another reason for awarding likes is insecurity, IOW wanting to be liked, to draw attention.

David Icke gets millions of likes...

I wonder how much of his stuff they've actually read, listened to or watched!

... seriously believing Mick Jagger is a shape-shifting reptilian...

My husband told me, in our early days together, that the Queen was. If he still thinks that way he knows better than to say it to me. He's his own man. I wouldn't dream of invading his head.

Emotion over logic is the basis of schizophrenia according to E. Bleuler and Karl Jung.

That makes sense, although I think there are probably other factors. Women are said to be more emotional than men, generally speaking. I wonder which sex includes a higher ratio of schizophreniics.

In the 1980s I too had been indoctrinated by a cult, leading to total breakdown.

I'm sorry to hear it, but I understand the desire to fit in someone with aspergers would experience. My husband probably felt the same way when he was younger; now he's gone in the other direction and appear to be deliberately offensive. We've both done our time in psychiatric care.

I do believe younger people can be manipulated, controlled and led astray.

How much would self-esteem figure in that, do you think? If we're comfortable with ourselves we're unlikely to be swayed, but most young people are looking for validation and popularity.

[Fulgurator]

Sounds good to me. Farm-like and rugged? Perfect.
I like small birds. It sounds as though robins and tits could get in and pigeons wouldn't be able to molest them.
If it looks as though a woman could have made it using a shoe as a hammer, so much the better.

I need to keep them safe from The Puss who did kill a bird last week - mostly it's small rodents he kills. As we have many rats by the water I could try an owl house mounted up high since they really hunt out rodents. Never seen an owl but always found them fascinating. I might be able to sell these bird houses and make some cash while helping wildlife. My first box looks pretty good though maybe a bit too big - it would suit the little owl species but I've no idea if there are any in my area. When I paint the box it will look look pretty neat. Then to mount it way up high away from my Puss and any people.

[Fulgurator]

The cat follows me everywhere to the amazement of people. He sleeps next to me usually. I figured the connection is my brain is very non social and inward as is the case with cats, though cats are extremely solitary. He still struggles to understand sharing space so just plonks himself on the bed at the edge rather than making space. He's gotten more homely though and does seem to have bonded to me. He seems to sense I'm not the same as people who hang out in groups.

[Fulgurator]

"How much would self-esteem figure in that, do you think? If we're comfortable with ourselves we're unlikely to be swayed, but most young people are looking for validation and popularity."

I think what we see is an impulse to create a negative reality and you now see this in society.
At the moment people are afraid and angry because life is unpredictable but the logical part of the mind needs some explanation, even a schematic. So, it helps to blame and to hate some target. In the Middle Ages it was witches. In Nazi Germany it was Jews who provided a target to blame. In the Caucasus it's gays and, to a lesser extent, Jehovas Witnesses in Russia. More recently we had hysteria over Covid with "the unvaccinated" being resented, victimised and threatened. Now, as you know, the old "blame the Jews" mentality from pre war Germany has come back to roost. Those who are insecure and angry need someone to blame because hate can't not have an object. Be it women, gays, black people or even benefit spongers, society generates paranoia when it's a sick, declining society.
Clear logic tells us people do not secretly meet to "plan" our destruction - collapse the twin towers, fake moon landings, poison our wells or hide crashed flying saucers. If the latter was true, why do "all" these crashed UFOs happen to always crash in the USA?/ Why not Bangladesh or Mongolia? Why not accuse Kazakhstan of "covering up" crashed saucers?

[Candid]

Other mammals are as individual as people are. My mother-in-law's present cat sleeps on her bed during the day but gets shut out at night. M-I-L is never without a cat. She gets them from the Cats Protection people and had a bad run for a while because several were on their last legs when she took them in. She's been luckier with the most recent one which is just as well, because M-I-L has been in and out of hospital ever since she had several of the so-called "vaccines".

I'm definitely more of a dog person myself but can't have one where I'm living. Will never forget our back-and-forth about our dogs on the old forum! But even then I'm limited to non-shedding dogs, can't stand the smell of doggy-dogs in my home, much less on my hands! My two both needed regular clipping. Also they were both white.

[Fulgurator]

Other mammals are as individual as people are. My mother-in-law's present cat sleeps on her bed during the day but gets shut out at night. M-I-L is never without a cat. She gets them from the Cats Protection people and had a bad run for a while because several were on their last legs when she took them in. She's been luckier with the most recent one which is just as well, because M-I-L has been in and out of hospital ever since she had several of the so-called "vaccines".

I'm definitely more of a dog person myself but can't have one where I'm living. Will never forget our back-and-forth about our dogs on the old forum! But even then I'm limited to non-shedding dogs, can't stand the smell of doggy-dogs in my home, much less on my hands! My two both needed regular clipping. Also they were both white.

Dogs are a pack animal although mine came to bond more with me than other dogs, though he loved to play and run with some dogs. I was so traumatised when he died at 13, I felt somehow to have another dog was hurtful to his memory. I can't explain this but I do know when he died I felt deep burning in my chest and very severe. I was very upset for weeks as we were so closely bonded. It's funny how it all worked out because he hated cats and saw cats as perfect to chase. So, when a cat came my way, I didn't feel a cat was in any way a rival to my dog and wouldn't have caused jealousy. I just imagine my dog would be looking at the cat, eager to chase him. So, the cat was welcomed and gradually we bonded closer and closer. Then, I found my cat is similar in some ways to my dog, especially how he likes me to watch his mealtimes and make a fuss. In a way, it's as if my dog is still with me via the cat because it's the same dynamic. There are differences of course. The puss sometimes distances himself and stays outside on hot days though he seems to come indoors more now than last summer. So, to my surprise, I found the cat came to heal the loss I'd experienced and I never feel awkward seeing as a cat isn't like replacing my dog.

[Fulgurator]

Last night myself and the puss were lying on the large bed and I was watching "Passengers" on DVD. This is the film about the plane crash and a female psychologist who has to give group therapy to the survivors of the crash. She falls in love with one man who survived. Yet, they are all of them dead including her but she doesn't know it. Anyway, lately, I've been getting very drowsy when I watch a film so I plain fell into a half sleep. The puss was also snoozing and I missed part of the film and will replay that bit tonight. Lately I sleep like the dead.