The Dudeism Forum

Yeah,I'm Chinese,man.I have read "Tao Te Ching" many times.There is something very abstract and kind of elusive in it,even for a Chineseman,because that's sort of part of the nature of ancient Chinese words.However,you can still grab what it means and I really dig it.Well,in case you ignore it,Taoism has never been the main stream culture in China ever,but Confucian is.And Confucian is stifling,not in the direct way but in a more sticking way(this is part of the reason why China still does not have democracy even this day).So seeing "The big Lebowski" and you guys there across the ocean is really sort of relieving.You guys are doing great job,just wanna you dudes know it.

Hooray for China indeed :)

Yeah, we're not really fans of Confuscious around here, like you say, too stiff and stifling, the opposite of the Tao we like to flow with.

Welcome to the forums!  Glad to another person who's not from the UK, US, Canada or Italy floating about, really boosts our diversity levels :D

Quote from: Rev. Ed C on September 21, 2011, 03:36:02 AM
...Yeah, we're not really fans of Confuscious around here, like you say, too stiff and stifling, the opposite of the Tao we like to flow with...

Speak for yourself there mate. His commentaries on the I-Ching (yijing I believe is the correct pinyin spelling) are most enlightening.

I know what you mean though his writings tend to push towards compliance rather than just going with the flow, so tend to be relied upon by who so ever is running the country because they don't tend to encourage radicalism and revolution.

But good to hear from you, and welcome.

Quote from: meekon5 on September 21, 2011, 05:25:47 AM
Speak for yourself there mate. His commentaries on the I-Ching (yijing I believe is the correct pinyin spelling) are most enlightening.

I thought as a chaos-worshipper you'd be against the conformity and order of confuscious... although I could be misremembering what he stands for.  This bares more research on my part! :)

ps, although I did use a confuscious reference in one of my articles, I now recall, for I'm feeling the pangs of hipporacy set it there :P

Quote from: Rev. Ed C on September 21, 2011, 06:01:45 AM
...I thought as a chaos-worshipper you'd be against the conformity and order of confuscious... although I could be misremembering what he stands for.  This bares more research on my part! :)

Bureaucracy at it's most extreme becomes chaos (eg see The Twelve Tasks of Asterix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtEkUmYecnk)).

Quote from: The Principia Discordia

"And under Eris Confusion became established, and was hence called Bureaucracy; while over Bureaucracy Eris became established, and was hence called Discordia."

That's why I like Confucius.

i've been studying a bit of Confucius lately. some of his ideas are very undude. but probably the majority are actually pretty dude. i think too much attention has been paid to his rigid, ceremonial, family-values side and not enough to his humble, self-effacing, creative side. benjamin hoff really tore him a new one in "the tao of pooh" but it always (to me) smacked of a sort of antagonism rather than chuang-tzu's approach which was more to take the piss of the stuffier parts of confucianism without throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

i'd highly recommend this audio series (also orderable as a transcript from the publisher):

http://www.amazon.com/Religions-Axial-Age-Approach-Teaching/dp/159803281X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316619323&sr=8-1

the entire series is essentially proof that dudeism is at the core of (almost) all major religions.

come to think of it i think i recommended that to you (ed and meekon and everyone else in attendance) already at the idler event in london. did i not?

i really want to go to memphis and hang out with the author. he strikes me as a perfect dude apologist. and a much smarter feller than myself.

Quote from: forumdude on September 21, 2011, 11:39:27 AM
come to think of it i think i recommended that to you (ed and meekon and everyone else in attendance) already at the idler event in london. did i not?

Looks like we forgot to do our homework Ed.

Very cool to have you here Lei, let your friends know there are compeers around the globe.

Peace Dude.

Quote from: forumdude on September 21, 2011, 11:36:24 AM

the entire series is essentially proof that dudeism is at the core of (almost) all major religions.

Cool concept, forumdude; will have to re-read up on some various religions looking for the dude in each in a more focused manner. Would make a good subject of extended study.

Quote from: Lei on September 21, 2011, 02:35:34 AM
Yeah,I'm Chinese,man.I have read "Tao Te Ching" many times.There is something very abstract and kind of elusive in it,even for a Chineseman,because that's sort of part of the nature of ancient Chinese words.However,you can still grab what it means and I really dig it.Well,in case you ignore it,Taoism has never been the main stream culture in China ever,but Confucian is.And Confucian is stifling,not in the direct way but in a more sticking way(this is part of the reason why China still does not have democracy even this day).So seeing "The big Lebowski" and you guys there across the ocean is really sort of relieving.You guys are doing great job,just wanna you dudes know it.

Welcome to our nice quiet beach community dude. Smoke em if you got em. 8)

Welcome Lei, great to have a Chinese Dude well versed in that kind of Eastern Things, in the parlance of our times. Far out!

Good to have you in our nice beach community, have a beer and enjoy yourself.  8)

Quote from: meekon5 on September 21, 2011, 11:47:59 AM

Quote from: forumdude on September 21, 2011, 11:39:27 AM
come to think of it i think i recommended that to you (ed and meekon and everyone else in attendance) already at the idler event in london. did i not?

Looks like we forgot to do our homework Ed.

If I'd have ever done homework in my life, I think my brain might have imploded (that and my exam results might have been better).  I guess I'm just not that instituionalised :P

I shall indeed add that book to my to read list.  I'll get that far down the list by... damn, my PC's calender doesn't go as far as the next ice age ;D

Quote from: meekon5 on September 21, 2011, 09:24:17 AM
Bureaucracy at it's most extreme becomes chaos (eg see The Twelve Tasks of Asterix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtEkUmYecnk)).

Ah, but of course, how could I forget my most favoured example of chaos in the office!  I grew up on this film, and still have my original VHS from the early 80s, cherished so very highly.  I'm not sure the human brain is meant to cope with such rigid conformity.  Hence the tendancy to blow gaskets on a regular basis in the office.  I find a Dilbert a day keeps the serious doom and gloom at bay :)

Quote from: Rev. Ed C on September 22, 2011, 04:03:22 AM
...I find a Dilbert a day keeps the serious doom and gloom at bay :)

We have a Dilbert calender.  I've been saving all the best bits of Wally this year :)

This is one of my faves from back in May:

(http://dilbert.com/dyn/str_strip/000000000/00000000/0000000/000000/60000/3000/300/63347/63347.strip.gif)

Your warm welcome is cool,dudes.

A dogma is always twisted when put into practice.If you stress on the importance of labour,exploitation will occur.If you advocate the pinciple of honor,agression will arise.If you sing praise of moral rules,hypocricy and silence will prevail.Why all this?Because everyone desires power and has fear.
Therefore,I think learning to stay cool or, in other words, dudeism is the most effective way to move toward a peaceful and happy future.

Wait a minute.This reminds me of the Jedi.
They said "don't centre on your anxieties","be mindful of the living Force" ,and "one of the ways the Jedi learn to know the Force is to use the lightsaber as an instrument of meditation".Sounds dude to me,except that they are powerful.

Anyway,the dude abides.Peace.

Interesting thoughts Rev., good points. Given that Jedi Knights are derived clearly from Eastern cultures, the Force is equal to Qi which is equal to Ki, etc., you probably know this better than me, and given that Dudeism is derived from Taoism at some points the two religions or philosophies met. Only that instead of the lightsaber we use the bowling ball and we don't go around dressed like that. Given that, for some of us, Yoda is one of the Great Dudes in Hystory everything has a sense.

Interesting points of view, keep posting them dude.  8)

Yes I believe Jedi is directly robbed from Zen and Bushido, with a heavey fudge by Lucas.

Far out Dude, you're certainly right.

Lucas has said as much, the Jedi is some sort of Eastern thing.

You mean, like, compeers? Are there female Jedi Knights? How do they go dressed around? :D

Quote from: revgms on September 25, 2011, 01:38:54 PM
Lucas has said as much, the Jedi is some sort of Eastern thing.

He leaned a lot on Joseph Campbell's teachings... he lived there (at the ranch) for a while if memory serves. Worthy of research.

Quote from: Hominid on September 26, 2011, 01:38:32 AM

Quote from: revgms on September 25, 2011, 01:38:54 PM
Lucas has said as much, the Jedi is some sort of Eastern thing.

He leaned a lot on Joseph Campbell's teachings... he lived there (at the ranch) for a while if memory serves. Worthy of research.

I believe the entire thing was an attempt to use the "Hero with a thousand faces" premise to create the story.

Shame he wasn't that imaginative with it.

(not a big Star Wars fan myself)