2011.02.09 19:00 - Reality of Bias Perceptions

The Guardian for this meeting was stevenaia Michinaga. The comments are by stevenaia Michinaga.

stevenaia Michinaga: hi arch, Aphrodite
stevenaia Michinaga: nice to see you
Archmage Atlantis: Hello Stevenaia, Aphrodite
stevenaia Michinaga: sorry, attempting to type with cat on my hand
Archmage Atlantis: I seems to be a night of proper names
Archmage Atlantis: And I understand the cat on the hand thing
Archmage Atlantis: Nimbus does that tome
stevenaia Michinaga: a very nice Marilyn look Aphrodite
stevenaia Michinaga: hello Paradise
Paradise Tennant: hiya stevenaia, arch , aph :)
Paradise Tennant: you look lovely tonight aph :)
Aphrodite Macbain: I have decided to find out whether blondes have more fun!
Archmage Atlantis: Archmage, pls.....fells like a formal night
stevenaia Michinaga: I found that to be true
Paradise Tennant: lol they do ! it looks great :)
Aphrodite Macbain: Thank you. I never wear pink so this is new for me
stevenaia Michinaga: but I always have fun
Aphrodite Macbain: heading towards valentines day.
Aphrodite Macbain: I was told by a friend that n order to fid a mate you wear pink and go where the men are
Aphrodite Macbain: find
Paradise Tennant: smiles writes that down :)
stevenaia Michinaga: you think men are that easy?
Paradise Tennant: lol
Aphrodite Macbain: :-) It worked for my friend
stevenaia Michinaga: they are, but do YOU think so
Paradise Tennant: and colour driven
Archmage Atlantis: women are easy also
Aphrodite Macbain: easy wouldn't be the word I would use
Aphrodite Macbain: I would say "difficult"
stevenaia Michinaga: in so many ways
Paradise Tennant: you know given we are approaching valentine's maybe romance as a way of being would be a fun topic
Archmage Atlantis: yep, difficult to men
Aphrodite Macbain winks at steve and arch
Aphrodite Macbain: and eos
Paradise Tennant: hiya eos :)
stevenaia Michinaga: giggles
Eos Amaterasu: wink ~~
Archmage Atlantis: but a baby trumps everything
stevenaia Michinaga: hi Eos, Druth
Aphrodite Macbain: nod nod
stevenaia Michinaga: Hi Kit
druth Vlodovic: hi all
Paradise Tennant: hiya druth kit gtsy :)
stevenaia Michinaga: getting crowded tonight
stevenaia Michinaga: Hi o000o
Aphrodite Macbain: hiya kit, druth. where's the rabbit?
druth Vlodovic: sleeping :)
Archmage Atlantis: Down the hole, Aph
Aphrodite Macbain: Hiya OooO
Archmage Atlantis: Where Alice found e
stevenaia Michinaga: how can a virtual rabbit sleep?
Aphrodite Macbain: or 0OO0
druth Vlodovic: dreaming of electric sheep
stevenaia Michinaga: Hi Corvi, hugs
Paradise Tennant: hiya corvi .. O
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Hi everyone!
Aphrodite Macbain: hello Corvi
Archmage Atlantis: ty for getting the reference druth
Eos Amaterasu: hi corvi
Corvuscorva Nightfire: I'm still rubbing my eyes to rezz
stevenaia Michinaga: haven;t seen a turn out like this on a Wednesday night in a long time
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Eos!
Eos Amaterasu: heh heh
Corvuscorva Nightfire: nice to see you all
stevenaia Michinaga: looks for topic in my pocket.... oops, no pocket
Aphrodite Macbain: what do you have round your neck Kit?
Kit Ciaco: just a little flexi scarf
Archmage Atlantis: It's by your junk......oh wait
Kit Ciaco: got a sore throat....
Archmage Atlantis: not junk in avatars
Aphrodite Macbain: maybe it's up your sleave Steve
Archmage Atlantis: We have to face up to our evolution
Aphrodite Macbain: oops no sleaves
Aphrodite Macbain: how DO you spell that word?
Aphrodite Macbain: sleves
Aphrodite Macbain: nope
Archmage Atlantis: sleves
druth Vlodovic: sleeves
stevenaia Michinaga: steves :)
Paradise Tennant: sleeves :)
Aphrodite Macbain: yes a double ee Thanks
Archmage Atlantis: right, druth got it correct
Aphrodite Macbain: now it looks better. Thanks
stevenaia Michinaga: bell approaches....
Archmage Atlantis: oOOOo, Sam was here a moment ago
stevenaia Michinaga: he;s b the marker
Aphrodite Macbain: yes. she must have crashed
stevenaia Michinaga: by
stevenaia Michinaga: she
Kit Ciaco: sorry - I've got a person who wants to meet with me - talk again soon!

--BELL--

Archmage Atlantis: First topic
Archmage Atlantis: what does it mean to be she or he in sl?
Aphrodite Macbain: bell
Archmage Atlantis: dinng
Aphrodite Macbain: It means what we each choose it to mean
stevenaia Michinaga: more of a typo than a choice of designation, My typing is handi CATed tonight
Aphrodite Macbain: hmmm handicated..
Aphrodite Macbain: you have a ate walking across the keys
Aphrodite Macbain: cate
druth Vlodovic: an exploration of and coming to peace with our preconceptions
stevenaia Michinaga: cat head on my wrist and paw on my thumb
Archmage Atlantis: Ahh, handicapped ppl don't know what sex they are?
Eos Amaterasu: different scripts....
Aphrodite Macbain: and throwing those preconceptions away druth?
stevenaia Michinaga: not with 13 ponds on cat on their arm
Aphrodite Macbain: heheh
druth Vlodovic: or finding ourselves through them
Paradise Tennant: smiles at fubu :)
Corvuscorva Nightfire: what I like about slipping through gender in sl
Aphrodite Macbain: constantly re-examining them?
Corvuscorva Nightfire: is that in rl we have such definite opinions about it's meaning
Archmage Atlantis: Fat or Bengal, Steve.......Our bengals weigh close to 9 lbs.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: and here...we get to look at how we and others approach us based on gender assumptions
Aphrodite Macbain: I realized I have strong preconceptions hat a beautiful body looks like
Archmage Atlantis: All muscle
Corvuscorva Nightfire: nods.
Aphrodite Macbain: thin, tall,
druth Vlodovic: and less thought of things as well, big = brutal and dumb
Aphrodite Macbain: blond + dumb and vulnerable
Paradise Tennant: well esthetic sense is cultural .. but there is usually an underlying symmetry .. balance..
Aphrodite Macbain: =
druth Vlodovic: to carry each to it's extreme we can see the absurdity
Archmage Atlantis: I declare the retreat has started
Paradise Tennant: smiles at arch
druth Vlodovic: what are we retreating from?
Aphrodite Macbain: yes, it is culturally determined. one culture likes twomenn with pointy lack teeth
Aphrodite Macbain: women
Aphrodite Macbain: another culture loves very big fat women
Aphrodite Macbain: (sign of prosperity)
Eos Amaterasu: We heard a blues song to that effect while in New Orleans
druth Vlodovic: in rl we don't get to choose, or if we do it is with great effort
Corvuscorva Nightfire: fat bottom blues?
Eos Amaterasu: similar, yes, corvi
Aphrodite Macbain: Paradise - I think here must be some universals
Corvuscorva Nightfire: nods..smiles.
Aphrodite Macbain: like balance and health
Aphrodite Macbain: something that you'd like to carry on your genes or manage your country
druth Vlodovic: we look like people imagine us in heaven, all young, healthy, fit
Aphrodite Macbain: apparently according tall white men get to be the tope corporate executives
Eos Amaterasu: that's part of the story of Amaterasu I've been exploring: she saw an image of beauty in a mirror, and then realized it was herself, and that she was beautiful
Aphrodite Macbain: Fortune 500 mag.
Eos Amaterasu: and so she came out of her cave, and the sun shone
druth Vlodovic: people who are treated well develop good self-esteem, and that helps them to achieve
Aphrodite Macbain: was that a good thing Eos?
Eos Amaterasu: it certainly was: being the sun goddess, when she was stuck in the cave all the crops failed, and people were miserable
Aphrodite Macbain: so it is referring to self confidence. You have to love yourself before e you can love and help others
Aphrodite Macbain: sticky l=keys sorry
druth Vlodovic: well, not true, but it helps
Eos Amaterasu: and when you just relax in yourself, that just shines out, and makes others feel at ease
Aphrodite Macbain: not true druth?
Corvuscorva Nightfire: You know one nice thing about sl, is that we're all beautiful,sort of like a school uniform.
Eos Amaterasu: :-)
Corvuscorva Nightfire: so that it really has less significance
Aphrodite Macbain: different schools though
Aphrodite Macbain: wb samuo
Corvuscorva Nightfire: mmmhmmm!
druth Vlodovic: you can love, and help, without liking yourself in the least, it makes it difficult to reap the personal rewards though
Paradise Tennant: wb O
Aphrodite Macbain: I wonder whether it can maintained tho druth
druth Vlodovic: people can live a long time without dying
Eos Amaterasu: it takes some confidence to bypass yourself in favor of the other, to feel from them
Aphrodite Macbain: but can continue to do good if they hate themselves
Paradise Tennant: with experience you care less what others think .. so the same pressure to self critical is not fuelled
Eos Amaterasu: "Im bad" can be as arrogant as "I'm good"
Aphrodite Macbain: I guess the best state to be in would be selfless
druth Vlodovic: the saying is intended to make the selfless more at ease with self-help

--BELL--

stevenaia Michinaga: HHDL quote for today ( from facebook)
Aphrodite Macbain: why would the selfless NEED to be at ease with self help druth?
stevenaia Michinaga: Dalai Lama The more you think about your own self, the more self-centred you are, the more trouble even small problems can create in your mind. The stronger your sense of ‘I’, the narrower the scope of your thinking becomes; then even small obstacles become unbearable. On the other hand, if you concern yourself mainly with others, the broader your thinking becomes, and life’s inevitable difficulties disturb you less.
stevenaia Michinaga: seems to fit
Aphrodite Macbain: YES, BUT HE ALSO TALKS ABOUT BEING COMPASSIONATE WITH YOURSELF FIRST
druth Vlodovic: to avoid martyrdom for one
Aphrodite Macbain: sorry
stevenaia Michinaga: (notice, no typos)
druth Vlodovic: and consuming guilt
Aphrodite Macbain: no cat?
druth Vlodovic: (yay steve!)
stevenaia Michinaga: copy/ psaste works wonders
stevenaia Michinaga: oops
Aphrodite Macbain: Hi im42net
Aphrodite Macbain: I am too!
Paradise Tennant: hiya im42net :)
im42net Resident: (not many folks get the name)
stevenaia Michinaga: Hi Im42, have you been here before
stevenaia Michinaga: before? (to our group?)
Aphrodite Macbain: just have to say it outloud.:-)
im42net Resident: no. Saw it listed on a list of "Science sites" in SL.
druth Vlodovic: I feel fortunate to met you :)
Aphrodite Macbain: :-)
Aphrodite Macbain: science... interesting
Corvuscorva Nightfire: nice
Corvuscorva Nightfire: perfectly appropriate in it's way
stevenaia Michinaga: we record our conversations and post them to the group's wiki, is it ok of we include your comments?
stevenaia Michinaga: *if
Eos Amaterasu: http://wiki.playasbeing.org
Aphrodite Macbain: If you click on the box behind druth you can get more info on us
im42net Resident: no thanks. I will move along.
stevenaia Michinaga: I cage you a notecard with some basic information about us
stevenaia Michinaga: gave
druth Vlodovic: and his cat says "hi"
Eos Amaterasu: stevenaia cages unwary visitors :-)
Corvuscorva Nightfire snickers
stevenaia Michinaga: (was it my typing?)
Eos Amaterasu: and feeds them to his cats
druth Vlodovic: ooh, we can get more members the easy way!
Corvuscorva Nightfire: laughs
Corvuscorva Nightfire: force!
Aphrodite Macbain: I think he became self conscious
Aphrodite Macbain: conscious
Corvuscorva Nightfire: I think that's the opposite of the goal?
Aphrodite Macbain: we weren't discussing science
Aphrodite Macbain: which goals Corvi?
stevenaia Michinaga: science doesn;t seem to experiment with reality... until now
druth Vlodovic: it would be hard to find something that isn't science, if you look at it right
Aphrodite Macbain: it always des stve, no?
Paradise Tennant: yes druth !
stevenaia Michinaga: I'm sure they thought the same thing 2000 years ago, just called it something else
Paradise Tennant: life is science or science is a very pale ... tally of the sums of life:)
Eos Amaterasu: life is doing science
Aphrodite Macbain: it was called natural philosophy back in the day
Corvuscorva Nightfire: the goal of being less "self" conscious
oO0Oo Resident: Just caught up on the whole chat log ;) Hello, and nice to be here with others
Aphrodite Macbain: ah of course Corvu - roppin the self
Aphrodite Macbain: dropping
druth Vlodovic: or more conscious of self, and our connection to others
Eos Amaterasu: self traps itselfness in its own mind games
Paradise Tennant: smiles at O :) nice to have you here :)
Aphrodite Macbain: Nice to have you here with us Samuo
Aphrodite Macbain: snap!
Paradise Tennant: smiles
oO0Oo Resident: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: sam - you seem to have changed shape
oO0Oo Resident: oh?
Aphrodite Macbain: maybe yo haven't completely rezzed
druth Vlodovic: g2g
oO0Oo Resident: I am so far zoomed out, I can't see the avie
druth Vlodovic: have fun all
stevenaia Michinaga: bye Druth
oO0Oo Resident: bye druth
Aphrodite Macbain: Bye
Aphrodite Macbain: oh Bye! druth!
Paradise Tennant: smiles good nite druth sweet dreams :)
Aphrodite Macbain thinks she always waves a little too late.
Aphrodite Macbain: by the time the person has left
Corvuscorva Nightfire: it's hard to catch us when we're moving fast
Corvuscorva Nightfire: it's the problem with teleport
Paradise Tennant: smiles the thought is what counts sending someone a good wish
Aphrodite Macbain: sometimes the whoooosh happens after I've landed!
Aphrodite Macbain: maybe break the sound barrier

--BELL--

Aphrodite Macbain: Apparently we will be getting something installed in the pavilion that shows how our fund raising i going - like a thermometer butless cheesy
Aphrodite Macbain: but less cheesy
Aphrodite Macbain: sorry
stevenaia Michinaga: hourglass :)
Corvuscorva Nightfire: oof, I must fly
stevenaia Michinaga: bye Corvi
Paradise Tennant: good nite Corvi :) sweet dreams
Corvuscorva Nightfire: bye all
Eos Amaterasu: ditto, must flea
Corvuscorva Nightfire: thank you!
Aphrodite Macbain: yes, I like the hourglass idea. It can be "turned over" each quarter.
Eos Amaterasu: good night, sweet folks!
oO0Oo Resident: :) Corvuscorva
Aphrodite Macbain: nite Corvu
stevenaia Michinaga: night Eos
Paradise Tennant: nite eos
stevenaia Michinaga: Eos has been shopping
oO0Oo Resident: Goodnight Eos
Paradise Tennant: yes very fetching :)
Aphrodite Macbain: Bye
Aphrodite Macbain: nite Eos, Bye!
Aphrodite Macbain: what did he buy? the wings?
stevenaia Michinaga: clothes
Paradise Tennant: and a new gender and skin :) no ?
stevenaia Michinaga: everyday she is wearing something new
Aphrodite Macbain: Oh I guess I didn't take a closer look!
stevenaia Michinaga: yes
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Aphrodite Macbain: you have a lovely gray number there stve
Aphrodite Macbain: there
stevenaia Michinaga: I get that a lot lately... still not changing clothes stevenaia?
Aphrodite Macbain: really?
stevenaia Michinaga: the pressure
stevenaia Michinaga: yes
Aphrodite Macbain: must be hard to keep up
stevenaia Michinaga: not so much from this group, but other people
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, a burden I never expected
stevenaia Michinaga: it;s a lot of work being a beautiful person
Paradise Tennant: smiles ahh well just ignore them and do what you like :)
stevenaia Michinaga: sigh
oO0Oo Resident looks at Steve
Aphrodite Macbain: tell them to get a life and stop having unrealistic expectations!!!
Paradise Tennant: smiles a most workable plan
Aphrodite Macbain: unrealistic
stevenaia Michinaga: but it was (almost) never a problem with my last avatar
Aphrodite Macbain: who was tat?
Aphrodite Macbain: that
stevenaia Michinaga: me
Aphrodite Macbain: heheh
stevenaia Michinaga: same name, different "look"
Aphrodite Macbain: It's Paradise's faut. She gave you all those lovely dresses
stevenaia Michinaga: smiles
Aphrodite Macbain: raised expectations
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Aphrodite Macbain: from your fans
stevenaia Michinaga: gifts
Paradise Tennant: nice to have fans
Aphrodite Macbain: nice to have gifts and fans
stevenaia Michinaga: what;s not to like
Aphrodite Macbain: I spend far too much time fussing with my appearance in SL
stevenaia Michinaga: seems that that was what the Dali Lama was saying.... be a fan and give gifts
Aphrodite Macbain: I'm no nearly as bad in RL
Paradise Tennant: yes like that plan too
stevenaia Michinaga: perhaps not clothes but we have so many other things to five
Aphrodite Macbain: yes. be a fan of yourself as well as of others
stevenaia Michinaga: that mean so much more
stevenaia Michinaga: always the first place to start Aphrodite
Paradise Tennant: yes really important to respect and your cherish yourself ..the basis for the umph to go out in the world and do for others
Aphrodite Macbain: caring for all sentient beings
Aphrodite Macbain: is easier then
Aphrodite Macbain: easier
Aphrodite Macbain: a solid base
Paradise Tennant: yes give you strength a certain consistency
oO0Oo Resident notes para's consistency
Aphrodite Macbain: I am now saying absolutely nothing new and only repeating received knowledge. How do I avoid this
Aphrodite Macbain: How do I think for myself and have new ideas?
stevenaia Michinaga: it;s important to mention what resonates with each of us
Aphrodite Macbain: Most of hat wesay is repetition
stevenaia Michinaga: but it can be transformative to others
Aphrodite Macbain: sorry. had to get that off my chest
stevenaia Michinaga: your hat off your chest?
stevenaia Michinaga: (joke)
Paradise Tennant: good point aph ..very little new in the world at large mostly new to us
Aphrodite Macbain: having an original thought - like a hat on my chet
--BELL--
Aphrodite Macbain: But Ifind I parrot what I've read so often
Paradise Tennant: communicating information is not really parroting ..it is sharing :)
Paradise Tennant: smiles at aph
stevenaia Michinaga: you can never know what un-original comment become profound to someone else as it may have been originally to you
Aphrodite Macbain: rather than saying something authentically mine - maybe that's what comes with being blonde
Paradise Tennant: lol
Paradise Tennant: we should do a session where we put all our stereotypes down ...
Aphrodite Macbain: I think we might be most convincing if we speak from our heart as well as sour mind
Paradise Tennant: that is always such a challenge we see and think in little boxes
Paradise Tennant: lol err boxes
stevenaia Michinaga: I find I simple agree with much of what I read, so I suspect when I repeat it, it is colored by my own experience
oO0Oo Resident: confirmation bias?
stevenaia Michinaga: which came first?
Aphrodite Macbain: yes. that would be interesting. and I'd like to have a session discussing whether we can ever be truly original g i
Aphrodite Macbain: original. confirmation bias??
Paradise Tennant: sigh .yawns thank you aph .. thank you steve ..thank you O :) for the company ..the conversation the shared ideas :)
Aphrodite Macbain: and thank you Paradise
Paradise Tennant: must trundle off ..i have an early morning meeting :)
Aphrodite Macbain: I must go and make dinner, my tummy's rumbling
stevenaia Michinaga: night paradise, sweet dreams
stevenaia Michinaga: enjoy Aphrodite
oO0Oo Resident: ty paradise sleep well
Paradise Tennant: sweet dreams all :)
Aphrodite Macbain: Bye
Aphrodite Macbain: Bye! lovely people
oO0Oo Resident: ty Aph :)
stevenaia Michinaga: smiles
oO0Oo Resident: you wear it well Staevenaia
stevenaia Michinaga: my pumps?
oO0Oo Resident: your smile
oO0Oo Resident: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: thanks, seems to be forever attached
oO0Oo Resident: doesn't appear stuck or false to me
stevenaia Michinaga: was called a something from RL that comes through
stevenaia Michinaga: opps. let me rephrase, that was a run-on edit
stevenaia Michinaga: something from RL that comes through
stevenaia Michinaga: but was called happy Cynic in RL... seems it is a rare thing
oO0Oo Resident: I have to admit, I do not know quite what you are saying there
stevenaia Michinaga: I have know cynics who are curmudgeonly cynical
stevenaia Michinaga: which seems to be typical, I seem to have a different expression of cynicism... at least that's the impression that was directed towards me
stevenaia Michinaga: (in RL)
oO0Oo Resident: happy (hopeful/wishful) cynic?
stevenaia Michinaga: less to be cynical about in SL, for me
stevenaia Michinaga: perhaps cynic with twisted humor
oO0Oo Resident: for the log, Confirmation Bias: http://is.gd/ViW4ev

--BELL--

oO0Oo Resident: humor and cynicism
stevenaia Michinaga: hmm, hard to dispute that you agree with what you agree with
oO0Oo Resident: it's more seeing just what you want to see, I think
stevenaia Michinaga: I find I have a bias to things that are internal that may not have been expressed but I agree with after I hear these
stevenaia Michinaga: aspects of Daoism, for instance, something I first heard here, but resonated with me
oO0Oo Resident: I think it is difficult at times to see our own biases
stevenaia Michinaga: nods
stevenaia Michinaga: what wouldn;t be a bias? if an opinion is generated
oO0Oo Resident: let's see if i can think of an original response... Hmmmm
stevenaia Michinaga: it could be a rhetorical question, if that helps
oO0Oo Resident: First thing that comes to mind is advice by Ani Pema Chodron, but that of course, is not my thought
oO0Oo Resident: fortunately, albeit, not always pleasurable, there is a never ending stream of mirrors to point out my stuck points
oO0Oo Resident: I need to clarify here that the sentence beginning with fortunately, is not a quote of Ani Pema Chodron's
stevenaia Michinaga: nods
oO0Oo Resident: it' not by thinking
oO0Oo Resident: that we are fre of bias
oO0Oo Resident: is my guess
oO0Oo Resident: free*
oO0Oo Resident: which is not original
stevenaia Michinaga: :)
oO0Oo Resident: because it comes still from the piece of advice I remember Ani Pema Chodron giving retreatants
oO0Oo Resident: which was

--BELL--

oO0Oo Resident: "don't believe your thoughts"
stevenaia Michinaga: sounds like a Buddhist's perspective
stevenaia Michinaga: night oO0Oo