WHY???

[db05]

A simple question. Discuss and answer away. 

[thalbergmad]

Why did you start this thread?

[pianowolfi]

As a child I had, like every child, a phase where I always asked "why". Why this, why that. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to ask why and not get killed for it like in certain parts of the world! I did it all my life through and nobody can nor will ever stop me, hee hee

However, I notice that there was a phase before the "why" phase. In this phase I was just watching and seeing and I connected my most uninfluenced original feelings with my perceptions. At the moment this phase at about 1 a half-4 years of age seems more important to me. Whatever may happen during this phase, there seems to be a sort of perception in it that never returns later in life, at least not without effort. A perception full of energy and life, a truly authentic perception.

[bernhard]

"Why?" is not a good question.

"Why?" does not represent a true desire for new information.

Rather, it demands that the answerer satisifies our need for a comfortable and well known frame of reference.

A satisfying answer to "why?" will not give you new information or allow you new vistas. Rather it will reduce what could have been an interesting question to something boring you already know.

This is why children are alwayas asking why (and adults not): their frames of reference are still too limited.

Let us exemplify.

You see me with a cast in my leg.

You may ask: "Why do you have a cast on your leg".

I may answer: "because I broke my leg". This may satisfy you. I have reached a frame of reference you are comfortable with, and you will stop questioning.

Then again, maybe that was not the frame of reference you were looking for, so you may probe further:

"Why did you break your leg?"
"I slipped on the ice".

Again, if this fits your frame of reference you will be satisifed and stop asking. Or you can go on:

"why did you slip on the ice"
"Well, the coefficient of attriction in ice (...long physics explanation follows)"

And so on and so forth.

At the end of the day, you will stop asking why when you have reduced something unkonwn (perhaps even a bit frightening) to something known and reassuring. You have made a very mysterious world to become a pathetic little familiar place.

A much better question is "how".

Instead of "Why did you bake a cake" (the trivial answer being the information that it is somebodyīs birthday, and now you have to buy them a present), ask "How did you bake a cake", and you will get a recipe!

If you are after causes, much better alternatives to "why" are:

"What is stopping you?"
"What would happen if?"

Exs. "Why do I have to go to church every Sunday"
Instead ask: "What would happen if I didnīt go to church every Sunday"

"I canīt seem to stop smoking even though I want to". Instead of asking "why?"
ask "What would happen if you stopped smoking?"

The answers, if earnestly sought, may change your life.

Hence I submit that this thread should become:

"A simple question: "How?" Discuss and answer away"

(What? Where? when? Who? are also good - and much better than why).

 

Best wishes,
Bernhard

[thalbergmad]

HE IS BACK

[Bob]

Who?

Oh yeah. 

Huh?


Welcome back Bernhard!

[cherub_rocker1979]

Bernhard!

[db05]

Why did you start this thread?

Good question. I was asked to do a paper to answer the question "Why?" in Sociology class. But that was 3 years ago and I didn't submit any paper. I didn't know what teacher expected, I honestly couldn't see the point. Was there something I missed? Did I just miss the whole point of the course? It bothers me.

HE IS BACK

Who?

Huh?

I have a bernhard-summoning technique.
I'm still trying to manifest him irl. How?

Hence I submit that this thread should become:

"A simple question: "How?" Discuss and answer away"

(What? Where? when? Who? are also good - and much better than why).

 

Best wishes,
Bernhard

What if we go with that?
How do I ask the right questions?
Where is my mind?
When will things start to make sense?
Will they ever make sense?
Who am I, where did I come from, what is my purpose, where am I going?
How can I do something I don't know how to do, when I cannot pinpoint what is stopping me?
What is stopping me?
What is love?
Where do you find love?
Do I love bernhard?
Do I miss bernhard?
What if bernhard said this one thing, and never comes back?
What would the other members do if they find out?
What can I do to understand bernhard?
Who is bernhard?
Is bernhard a figment of my imagination?

[go12_3]

Why thoughts and feelings can be so confusing?  I may think one way and feel another way....
 

[furtwaengler]

Following

[weissenberg2]

why is Medtner not as famous as he should be?

[furtwaengler]

why is Medtner not as famous as he should be?

Maybe there is value in being a hidden jewel (of abounding lyricism), and maybe the reason is for you to work and reveal Medtner to your world.

Fulfilling

[perfect_pitch]

WHY???

WHY NOT!!!

[bernhard]

What if we go with that?

I am as curious as you are.

How do I ask the right questions?

First learn to recognise what a right question looks like. Right questions give you useful answers. So observe the answers and you will know when you are asking the right questions. Once you get the hang of it, stop asking wrong questions and make a habit of only asking the right ones.

Where is my mind?

Everywhere.
Nowhere.
Wherever you last left it.
(wrong question, perhaps?)

When will things start to make sense?

Things have no obligation to make sense. They are not paid to do it. So donīt expect them to start doing something they have no obligation to do, nor are getting paid to do too soon. However, it will be far easier if you start making sense of things. Start as soon as you are ready.

Will they ever make sense?

No, never ever.

You however can make sense of them. Better start soon (before you die at any rate).

Who am I, where did I come from, what is my purpose, where am I going?

Indeed, who are you, where did you come from, what is your purpose, where are you going?

(if you donīt know, how is anyone else supposed to know? This however will not stop anyone else from trying to tell you their opinion)

How can I do something I don't know how to do, when I cannot pinpoint what is stopping me?

By learning how to do it, and by pinpointing what is stopping you. Not in theory or thinking, but by experimentation and doing. Trial and error. And above all learn from your mistakes (that is their main usefulness).

What is stopping me?

What would happen if what is stopping you stopped stopping you?

What is love?

A label. A digital model for a complex sensorial experience which in itself is a model for a complex reality in the 6th dimension. By modelling such reality twice (as sensorial experience and a as language) not only we are twice removed from it as we are lured into the dellusion that the word "love" (for that is all it is) represents the same to all. Fall into this delusion at your own peril.

Where do you find love?

Follow the yellow brick road. Or sit quietly doing nothing, and grass will grow by itself.

Do I love bernhard?

Only db05 knows the answer to that. Ask her.

Do I miss bernhard?

As above.

What if bernhard said this one thing, and never comes back?

"What if" questions are even more a waste of time than "why" questions.

What would the other members do if they find out?

All we need to do is to observe carefully.

What can I do to understand bernhard?

Understanding is composed of knowledge and level of being. If you cannot understand bernhard you are lacking either in knowledge or in level of being. Our society is obsessed with knowledge, therefore you are probably lacking in level of being. Acquiring more knowledge is unlikely to help. So, I would go for level of being (= experience).

Who is bernhard?

A piano teacher I once knew.

Is bernhard a figment of my imagination?

Of course. Just like everything else.

Best wishes,
Bernhard

[db05]

I am as curious as you are.

Let's go with that then.

First learn to recognise what a right question looks like. Right questions give you useful answers. So observe the answers and you will know when you are asking the right questions. Once you get the hang of it, stop asking wrong questions and make a habit of only asking the right ones.

Okay, so I should start by asking lots of questions, right? Then learn to recognize which answers are useful...

Everywhere.
Nowhere.
Wherever you last left it.
(wrong question, perhaps?)

I am sure it is somewhere, thank you.

Things have no obligation to make sense. They are not paid to do it. So donīt expect them to start doing something they have no obligation to do, nor are getting paid to do too soon. However, it will be far easier if you start making sense of things. Start as soon as you are ready.

How do you start making sense of things?

Indeed, who are you, where did you come from, what is your purpose, where are you going?

(if you donīt know, how is anyone else supposed to know? This however will not stop anyone else from trying to tell you their opinion)

Doesn't other people's opinion matter? How can I live out my life without being affected by other people's opinions?

By learning how to do it, and by pinpointing what is stopping you. Not in theory or thinking, but by experimentation and doing. Trial and error. And above all learn from your mistakes (that is their main usefulness).

What would happen if what is stopping you stopped stopping you?

What if I am a walking mistake, and I am trying to do the impossible? My study and practice has led me again and again to this conclusion. How do I change that?

A label. A digital model for a complex sensorial experience which in itself is a model for a complex reality in the 6th dimension. By modelling such reality twice (as sensorial experience and a as language) not only we are twice removed from it as we are lured into the dellusion that the word "love" (for that is all it is) represents the same to all. Fall into this delusion at your own peril.
Follow the yellow brick road. Or sit quietly doing nothing, and grass will grow by itself.

Only db05 knows the answer to that. Ask her.

Do I love bernhard? I do I do I do I do. 
(Looks like I have fallen into a delusion despite the warning.)

Understanding is composed of knowledge and level of being. If you cannot understand bernhard you are lacking either in knowledge or in level of being. Our society is obsessed with knowledge, therefore you are probably lacking in level of being. Acquiring more knowledge is unlikely to help. So, I would go for level of being (= experience).

How do I gain levels of being/ experience? (Aside from simply living.)

Best wishes,
Bernhard

Thank you for the wishes, Sir Bernhard. 

[lostinidlewonder]

Why? Because!

y?  ∵

[bernhard]

How do you start making sense of things?

You have been doing it since you were born. Our brains are engineered to make sense of things, even when there is no sense in them. Consider a clock. It truly sounds tic-tic-tic, but our brains will make us hear tic-tac-tic-tac instead. Our brains are patterning machines and will impose pattern in whatever is available.
Of course you want to make good sense of things. How do you that? Through experience. How do you acquire experience. By making bad sense of things!

So, again, observe and learn from your mistakes.

Doesn't other people's opinion matter?

No, they donīt.

Opinions are like arseholes. Everyone has one.

How can I live out my life without being affected by other people's opinions?

It is surprisingly easy. Just pay no attention to them.

Far more difficult is to live your life without being affected by other peopleīs actions.

Language is a model for sensory experience, just like a map is a model for a
territory. The usefulness of a model is dependent on how well it represents what it is modeling. So we want our maps to be accurate to be of any use. Likewise we want language to be free of semantic mal-formations.

The implicit statement that other peopleīs opinions affect your life is a semantic mal-formation, a good example of bad language modeling. In reality nothing can affect you, only you can choose to be affected.

Hence, Johnny cannot annoy me, since annoyance is an inner state and no one has the power to cause inner states on me. I am the only one with this power. A better linguistic model for the experience would be: Johnny does something and I chose to react by getting annoyed.

Of course, once you phrase it like that you realize you have myriad choices in how you will react. With a bad model you have no choice, you become increasingly limited and you donīt like it a bit. It is a big temptation to blame Johnny. However the true reason for the experience of limitation is not to be found in Johnnyīs opinions (or even actions) but rather in the peculiar way I have used language to model the situation and describe it to myself.

What if I am a walking mistake, and I am trying to do the impossible? My study and practice has led me again and again to this conclusion. How do I change that?

Let me reassure you.

Yes, you are a walking mistake.

Yes, you are trying to do the impossible.

And no, you cannot change that.

This is called the human condition and it holds true for every and each human being.

No one knows anything.

No one can do anything right.

Yes, whatever your aim you will fail miserably.

But…

Even though you will most certainly fail, you will get pretty close to success. Maddeningly so. Therefore pay close attention to the next sentence, for everything hinges on it.

Always establish the highest aim you can possibly think of. Always go after the most impossible dream. Surely you will fail to achieve it, but you will get pretty close to it. (Personally, I like perfection to be my aim)

Choose a mediocre aim, a low dream you may believe is in your power to achieve, and guess what? You will fail miserably. But what you will get is a far inferior result than what you would get if you had aimed high and failed high as well.

If you now direct your practice and study according to this new guideline, your study and practice will convince you of the correctness of this new conclusion.

Do I love bernhard? I do I do I do I do.   
(Looks like I have fallen into a delusion despite the warning.)

Lucky him!

How do I gain levels of being/ experience? (Aside from simply living.)

Mostly by voluntary suffering. If you are hungry and have no food, this is involuntary suffering, since there is nothing you can do about it but go hungry. If you decide to fast for two weeks even though there is plenty of food in the fridge, this is voluntary suffering. The friction between “yes let us eat, I am starving” and “no, I am fasting for two weeks” will generate large amounts of inner heat with which you will be able to forge a new level of being. Observe your inner state as you go through this struggle. Of course fasting is just an example. Piano practice can also be used for this purpose. Once you get the hang of voluntary suffering, you can use any suffering life throws at you (and there is always plenty available) and embrace it voluntarily, and in this way use it to further your level of being. But this is difficult. You will need a high level of being to accomplish it.

Also, consider that everything in the universe is neutral. It is we who either like or dislike it and label it good or evil according to our personal likes and dislikes. So, choose the thing you most dislike. This is what you should do next. Once you start liking it, go to the next thing you dislike doing. Until there is nothing left that you dislike. (you will probably die before accomplishing this task).

Likes and dislikes will then become a matter of choice. This in itself is one of the indications of a high level of being.

Thank you for the wishes, Sir Bernhard.   

You are most welcome, Lady db05.

Best wishes,
Bernhard

[arensky]

why is Medtner not as famous as he should be?

Perhaps his melodies are too cryptic and obtuse for the general musical public to follow. They seem to prefer more "obvious" (?) melodic writing, such as Tchaikovsky's and Rachmaninov's. And yet, they adore Mahler. He's never seemed easy to listen to to me, although well worth the effort.

Perhaps his harmonic language is is too dense, complex and quickly shifting for the same general audience.

Perhaps he was born at a bad time to be Medtner. Born at the same time as Stravinsky and Bartok, his more subtle and traditional approach to musical innovation was overshadowed by their thunder, and the modernist critics and authorities who began to hold sway around the 1930's dismissed him as a reactionary fossil, and the professional musicians agreed, eager to be modern and hip and get good reviews.

Perhaps he was ahead of his time, and his time is coming!  It sure seems that way, his music is performed with ever increasing frequency. 

[communist]

his music is performed with ever increasing frequency. 

as it should be

[thalbergmad]

Opinions are like arseholes. Everyone has one.

True, but some people talk so much crap that they don't use it much.

Thal

[concerto_love]

Why can I play piano better?
Why am I really addicted to chatting with Cai?
Why am I jealous with her?
Why can't I passed target in the last piano exam?

[go12_3]

Why do I fall in love?
Why do I try so hard to please everyone?
Why can't I relax and enjoy life?
Why is there saddness when there is so much joy to embrace?

[db05]

Why can I play piano better?
Why am I really addicted to chatting with Cai?
Why am I jealous with her?
Why can't I passed target in the last piano exam?

You mean:

Why can't I play piano better?
Why am I really addicted to chatting with Cai?
Why am I jealous of her?
Why couldn't I pass the target in the last piano exam?


- Because you're not doing careful practice?
- Because she's your best friend?
- same as above, and she is far more advanced?
- Because you or your teacher set the target too high?

Why do I fall in love?
Why do I try so hard to please everyone?
Why can't I relax and enjoy life?
Why is there sadness when there is so much joy to embrace?

- Because you have a loving heart?
- Because you care about them?
- Because there are so many things that are not relaxing or enjoyable?
- Because there is suffering?

[concerto_love]

thanks for the correction, db... T_T

Why am I so stupid in English?

[db05]

thanks for the correction, db... T_T

Why am I so stupid in English?

You're not. You're good enough, for a kid in a non-English speaking country

[thalbergmad]

Why am I so stupid in English?

If it is any comfort, your English is better than my Indonesian.

Thal

[go12_3]

You mean:

Why can't I play piano better?
Why am I really addicted to chatting with Cai?
Why am I jealous of her?
Why couldn't I pass the target in the last piano exam?


- Because you're not doing careful practice?
- Because she's your best friend?
- same as above, and she is far more advanced?
- Because you or your teacher set the target too high?

- Because you have a loving heart?
- Because you care about them?
- Because there are so many things that are not relaxing or enjoyable?
- Because there is suffering?

    thanks db, for understanding...... go12_3

[concerto_love]

If it is any comfort, your English is better than my Indonesian.

Thal

You're not. You're good enough, for a kid in a non-English speaking country

Sob.. thanks!!! 

[iroveashe]

Two questions I ask myself often, usually with new experiences are "What's the worst thing it could happen?" and when I answer that: "So what?". It helps and makes the worst outcomes look insignificant, as long as the experience is worth it.

[go12_3]

Two questions I ask myself often, usually with new experiences are "What's the worst thing it could happen?" and when I answer that: "So what?". It helps and makes the worst outcomes look insignificant, as long as the experience is worth it.

Well, I hope your experiences are worth it   

[ahinton]

as it should be

Indeed so - although I think it fair to say that Medtner's star has been in the ascendant for quite a few years now, so although he should have received far more attention during his lifetime than was the case, the revival of interest in his work is no longer a particularly new phenomenon. He had a most individual voice and the courage to go his own way, but it should also be remembered that, whatever certain of the more self-serving critics of the inter-war years might have seen fit to say about him, several his peers had regarded him as a real modernist in his youth!

A song composer par excellence and a composer of a vast swathe of solo piano music, three fine sonatas for violin and piano and the same number of piano concertos, Medtner was a real creative force to be reckoned with in the first half of the last century.

Best,

Alistair

[go12_3]

I wonder why is it so important for everyone to be *happy*?
Why does unhappiness suddenly comes in the dark of night while I am alone with
       my thoughts?
And why can't people just be human and be kind and listen to one another?
And I wonder why I get so tired of trying to feel this happiness that everyone
       has to attain at all times?
And why can't I just be gone?

[ahinton]

And why can't I just be gone?

Because you are go...

Best,

Alistair

[furtwaengler]

A song composer par excellence and a composer of a vast swathe of solo piano music, three fine sonatas for violin and piano and the same number of piano concertos, Medtner was a real creative force to be reckoned with in the first half of the last century.

Don't forget the Quintet! Have a listen and let beauty visit you.

[rc]

"Why?" is not a good question.

I submit that why is a good question because it can supply the motivation.

With so many distractions swirling around, and some sort of busy-ness to be dealt with, I often have to remind myself why I must do what I'm doing (or not yet doing).  I find the 'why' to be the direction and the reason for the 'how'.

"Why am I practicing piano again?"
"Oh yes, to create beautiful music"
*RC gets out of his rut and practices properly*

Every so often I forget why I'm going where I'm going, heh.  It's good to check the compass.

[go12_3]

Because you are go...

Best,

Alistair

Meaning, I *AM go* or I *am GO* ?  To attain this somewhat illusive happiness that mankind has to achieve?  My story goes a lot deeper than the surface, and I think at this moment I will focus upon my music now.....     

[ahinton]

Don't forget the Quintet! Have a listen and let beauty visit you.

I knew that you (or someone) would say that. I will not "forget" it, of course, but I have to say that I find it a disappointment, especially since the composer took 45 years to get from start to finish and regarded it as his crowning achievement, which I fear it wasn't (unless I'm missing somthing vital); it's a fine enough piece as far as it goes, but Medtner at his very best it certainly isn't - well, not to me, anyway - indeed, it almost gives me the rather rueful impression that, having gotten sick and tired of being called the "Russian Brahms" over so many years, he'd thought "sod it, if that's what you want, that's what you'll get" (a wholly unworthy and un-Medtner-like thought, naturally)...

Best,

Alistair

[ahinton]

Meaning, I *AM go* or I *am GO* ?

The latter!

Best,

Alistair

[go12_3]

The latter!

Best,

Alistair

Ah , ha!   

[l. ron hubbard]

Why not?

[perfect_pitch]

Why not?

I already beat you to it....

Here's what I would like to know - WHY name your nickname after one of the dodgiest people on the planet???

[db05]

I submit that why is a good question because it can supply the motivation.

With so many distractions swirling around, and some sort of busy-ness to be dealt with, I often have to remind myself why I must do what I'm doing (or not yet doing).  I find the 'why' to be the direction and the reason for the 'how'.

Good point.

But where do you find the motivation if there is none? (i.e. when you really need it)

[iroveashe]

I submit that why is a good question because it can supply the motivation.

With so many distractions swirling around, and some sort of busy-ness to be dealt with, I often have to remind myself why I must do what I'm doing (or not yet doing).  I find the 'why' to be the direction and the reason for the 'how'.

"Why am I practicing piano again?"
"Oh yes, to create beautiful music"
*RC gets out of his rut and practices properly*

Every so often I forget why I'm going where I'm going, heh.  It's good to check the compass.

I don't think a question is supposed to provide motivation, let alone remind you of your motivation, especially when the answer could have the opposite results, for example:
"Why am I practicing piano again?"
"Because I've done it so much it became a habit."

[m19834]

Our brains are engineered to make sense of things, even when there is no sense in them.

(...)

If you are hungry and have no food, this is involuntary suffering, since there is nothing you can do about it but go hungry.

(...)

Best wishes,
Bernhard

*Offers Bernhard a piece of mind candy*

[m19834]

WHY???

mind candy.  Mind candy is the culprit.

I say, it was Colonel mind candy, in the mind candy library, with the mind candy wrench.

[db05]

mind candy.  Mind candy is the culprit.

I say, it was Colonel mind candy, in the mind candy library, with the mind candy wrench.

Can I have some?
I bid 15 mins of piano practice for a piece of mind candy.

[origin]

Quote
What if I am a walking mistake, and I am trying to do the impossible? My study and practice has led me again and again to this conclusion. How do I change that?

Let me reassure you.

Yes, you are a walking mistake.

Yes, you are trying to do the impossible.

And no, you cannot change that.

This is called the human condition and it holds true for every and each human being.

No one knows anything.

No one can do anything right.

Yes, whatever your aim you will fail miserably.

But…

Even though you will most certainly fail, you will get pretty close to success. Maddeningly so. Therefore pay close attention to the next sentence, for everything hinges on it.

Always establish the highest aim you can possibly think of. Always go after the most impossible dream. Surely you will fail to achieve it, but you will get pretty close to it. (Personally, I like perfection to be my aim)

Choose a mediocre aim, a low dream you may believe is in your power to achieve, and guess what? You will fail miserably. But what you will get is a far inferior result than what you would get if you had aimed high and failed high as well.

If you now direct your practice and study according to this new guideline, your study and practice will convince you of the correctness of this new conclusion.

Hi Bernhard,

I've been pondering over this particular idea that you posited. Surely, you are not generalising in this instance; don't you think this applies to people who have a particular ambition to achievement?

If one was at a certain level - let's say an advanced pianist, it would be possible for that person to aim at mediocrity (or a piece of mediocre quality) since he has surpassed that level already. So he would be able to play a mediocre piece satisfactorily. The question would be 'why'  or 'how' he would go about it in the first place.


Am I missing something? Please enlighten me as I do always read your posts with intrigue, enthusiasm and relish! 

[go12_3]

Why do people *fall in love* and not know why they *fall in love*   

[db05]

Why do people *fall in love* and not know why they *fall in love*   

Well, it IS "falling". If they knew WHY, it would be more like "diving".

[giannalinda]

WHy do I play piano??? WHY do we talk.... WHY do we have hair?  WHY cant we communitcate with dogs?