Homeless Guy = Genius? watch!
youtube.com — Two guys walk upon this man panhandling and it turns into a deep philosophical lecture about the meaning of life and the ultimate truth. Warning: Very Long.
dan2- 1952 diggs
- digg it
- harris2004, on 10/12/2007, -56/+14amazing..
- dan2, on 10/12/2007, -5/+79I wish they asked about his history, I wonder where he went to school if any?
- appetite, on 10/12/2007, -75/+11i only watched 10 minutes, but that was 10 minutes of utter *****.
zzzzzzzz..... - drathosX3, on 10/12/2007, -6/+121... I think the title should've been "Genius Guy = Homeless?"
- simpleid, on 10/12/2007, -48/+21Look, this is simple. The homeless guy goes off on metaphysical ideologies and spiritual concepts, the guys are mocking him and acting like retards.
People who are amazed or taken in by this are simple minded to begin with.
Google, wiki, look up metaphysical stuff.
I'll take physics over any of that. - Aggaman, on 10/12/2007, -11/+31Really?
The nature of causality is one of the chief concerns of modern metaphysical speculation (like if you signed up for a class in metaphysics at college). Seems to me that you have to assume some meaning of the term "cause" to even get started doing science. This is a philosophical issue. - Aggaman, on 10/12/2007, -8/+29Um... why am I being dugg down for telling the truth. What people call "metaphysics" now when it is studied in a formal setting is not what this homeless guy is talking about just as modern scientists don't talk about alchemy. Causality is an important area of modern metaphysics.
Einstein himself thought philosophy was important in his work
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_physics#The_importance_of_philosophy_of_physics - lordmetroid, on 10/12/2007, -4/+12He has a true insight in what Christianity's god could be interpreted as and the sovereignty of the people. Which is rare in this time and age when all people seems to be authoritarians.
Later on his philosophical ideas are of less interest to me... - gypsyjoe, on 10/12/2007, -1/+39The filmmakers show their calibre from the start where they manage to misspell "genius" in the title.
- rudyB, on 10/12/2007, -0/+57I caught some Socrates in there, don't go bashing this guy yet.
"When you accept that you know nothing, you can finally start learning something."
Plus, he has a pretty good vocabulary. - dch111, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5@drathosX3
On a general note, wisdom does not equal success. ("Intelligence" more often does, but that's a different matter.) Success also does not equal a better experience or understanding of life. A homeless man can easily have lived a better life than a rich man when you look at who they are, fundamentally, without the excess material that is meaningless because everyone is ultimately "food for the worms". For the same reason I personally would prefer wisdom over success any day. - omgbanana, on 10/12/2007, -4/+12@dugdig
1. No, the best thing to do is have none withheld and send in checks on a regular basis (unless filling out your W2 is adequate enough). If you pay it all in a lump sum, you're practically paying that interest they would have earned in penalties.
2. The point of mortgages and financing in a personal life is this: Will the money I pay in interest be worth not having to live in a tent for 10, 15, 20 years while I save up for a house? For most people, it is.
As for the last bit, I suppose I've always been a bit more of an idealistic person about that. Check out "Waste" by KMFDM.
Oh yeah, that's right. I referenced a German industrial rock band in a philosophy discussion. Witness me in all my glory. - thatsmyaibo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+63rd street promenade in Santa Monica California has a pretty diverse range of people (many of them are crazy, and many of them homeless). In this area there are a lot of the earthly, hippy types though. I say this with no disrespect. This man is probably very well educated and most likely homeless due to his separation from corporate America and not some sort of drug program. I know some very intelligent people from this area (if you are familiar with the area, spawning from Topanga Canyon) that would rather work minimum wage jobs and surf all day than put their brain to earning a six figure income. Some people have a different ideal of wealth and knowing that this man was recorded in Santa Monica, I feel that he is one of them.
- shreveyboy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2He sounds like bob dylan in those old interviews
- bmdmbphd001, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6I agree that this guy has a very interesting theory , but I got upset over how the people filming him were treating him badly and behaving very immaturely. I think them trying to be funny really downgraded the video, they really weren't funny and were instead very disrespectful to Vivek who was being serious and trying to give them very valuable information.
I found it very very interesting when he included the bible in his example of a spiritual path, meaning that Jesus, john the baptist, god are the same person just in different stages of this spiritual path. Very deep stuff. I was very impressed by his knowledge and vocabulary, and I think he was being very serious, I don't think he was under any influences, or that he is insane. I think he is being very serious about this 'truth' which is infinitely stronger, more powerful, and large than any religious beliefs or sciences occurring today. I'd like to see people dig deeper into this, but not in a amateur trying to be comedic way. - rovertly, on 10/12/2007, -9/+6i found the banter of those two kids most enlightening...
NOT - muikano, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5He was brief you moron. How else can you explain the vedic movement in so simple terms? He was also trying to explain serious stuff to two imbeciles with a camera. He was talking about authority and how we should be responsible for our reactions since we all are capable of attaining godhood.
There's a lot of nuggets in what he's saying. There's also that whole thing about how capitalism creates a lot of the present evils. How we believe in science but don't believe in godhood. If a man can split the atom, who knows what he can do 50 years down the line. How there's some sort of fear and disbelief attached to it. He sensed it from his interviewers. When he was talking about personal nirvana, the other two started cracking jokes cuz they were nervous and wanted to belittle the conversation.
Did you even watch the video? - kuzotz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3This just shows that anyone can lose everything within aq heartbeat, and become homeless. So kids be thankful that you have a warm house, and a roof under your head. IF the heat doesn't work be glad you have a roof on your head, and a meal to eat. Be glad to have a bed even if you must share it with six other people.. For no one is immune to being homeless.
- lukas88, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1He sounds like dictionary that has been put through a blender.
Take someone who believes what they are saying is true and says it with conviction, and another person who at least seems to be eating up every word (like the camera man), and you will have a bunch of mindless sheep who also believe there is value in those words. It doesn't matter what the words are.
- halosniper7, on 10/12/2007, -18/+4wow
- siszam, on 10/12/2007, -10/+131Everyone is only one illness or disaster from ruin and homelessness. Of course there are smart homeless people. I wish the elitist pigs would see this and change.
- SeanFL, on 10/12/2007, -7/+64I have spent time with homeless and am amazed at how many of them are truly brilliant people. Most of those are people who had something snap. You can tell there's huge intellect there...just something clouding it. There was one woman that had incredible knowledge of the medical field as well as law...she must have been a doctor and or lawyer earlier in life.
God instructs us to take care of the poor and homeless. Food is best...they often misuse money for drugs and alcohol. Unfortunately most people want to look the other way. - gypsyjoe, on 10/12/2007, -27/+11Why did God make them homeless in the first place?
- zttrx, on 10/12/2007, -19/+5"Food is best..."
No, a HOME is best. - Kickm3, on 10/12/2007, -10/+40"Why did God make them homeless in the first place?"
You ask him. I'm not in very good terms with him at the moment. - SillyRabbits, on 10/12/2007, -3/+15Many homeless are simply mentally ill people (and there are probably just as many intelligent mentally ill people as unintelligent). For a long time these people were institutionalized and cared for. However, in the 70's and 80's there was a big public outcry about public institutions (due so some unfortunate cases where abuse did occur) and most were shut down. The mentally ill didn't go away they were just turned out onto the streets. It's a shame that people didn't think about the consequences of the knee-jerk reaction. It would be nice if people didn't have to be institutionalized, but it's much better to be in a place where you get the proper attention, help, and care than to to be left wandering the streets...
- IneffibleMind, on 10/12/2007, -3/+24Very true, I am only 23 but I had something of a breakdown about a year ago. Turns out that I am bipolar (manic-depressive) and have been since about 8. If my folks had not stepped in I would have been in a long term mental facility (loony bin) and probably discharged now with no insurance and nowhere to turn.
as it is I was able to recover in a few months thanks to some good Drs and the right medications, go back to school and working my 30 hour a week net admin university job and am now living with my girlfriend in a freakin' sweet house. Life is good but it almost wasn't. - carbonetc, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I know someone who knows a homeless guy like this. He went homeless by choice. Decided to go back to our systemless, gridless, nomadic roots I guess.
- Negligence, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9"Why did God make them homeless in the first place?"
I believe many people would be terribly corrupted with money, so they live their life without and learn to live without the corruption that money usually brings. - nofxjunkee, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1@carbonetc:
If by going back to the roots he stood on the street and pan-handled then that's not going back to any roots at all. That's just an urban scavenger. ... damn, well I guess that is going back to the real roots eh. Africa 100,000 years ago roots. - ParadoxControl, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4"No, a HOME is best."
Hes still going to die in the home if the doesn't have food idiot. - rlbigfish, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@nofxjunkee
If you listen to him at one point one of the camera douches asks him a very similar question to what you stated. His response is "this is just for basic human needs, ya know?" (Paraphrasing). He's aware that he still has to use the system even if he uses it to the bare minimum to survive, so long as he lives in the country.
- SeanFL, on 10/12/2007, -7/+64I have spent time with homeless and am amazed at how many of them are truly brilliant people. Most of those are people who had something snap. You can tell there's huge intellect there...just something clouding it. There was one woman that had incredible knowledge of the medical field as well as law...she must have been a doctor and or lawyer earlier in life.
- rismay, on 10/12/2007, -23/+17the funny thing is that this guy is quoting Greek philosophers. maybe he read them, or there is something primitive in the old philosophers that great thinkers can all deduce. something like instincts. you know how elephants know where to go and die?
- jackhole, on 10/12/2007, -17/+5No, I don't, because *they* don't.
Read up on your false analogy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant's_graveyard - Aggaman, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8That's funny.
Perhaps he is a Cynic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_of_Sinope - CatalystGhost, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7@jackhole
You might wanna actually read up on it... because rismay was right. Elephants DO wander away from the herd, because they want a place to die. - jackhole, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Catalyst, you're crazy. I know because your reading comprehension sucks. Please revisit the article and note the words "popular myth" and "half true." Also note that the article is in the category "Legends."
Rising above the level of the article's grammar to a more conceptual level, do you think that elephants go to the water hole becasue they want to die, or because they're trying to live?
Sweet jiminy christmas.
- jackhole, on 10/12/2007, -17/+5No, I don't, because *they* don't.
- chosenone-, on 10/12/2007, -5/+62Those guys stumbled upon a gem, perhaps truly tried to harness it but ended up lowering its grade. Vivek is the man, these guys were clowns. Nonetheless, I shall cherish this video - thanks a lot for it :)
- Gus1, on 10/12/2007, -4/+47Very true and what's with the magnifying glass?
- simpleid, on 10/12/2007, -35/+16is everyone on digg going to fall for this *****?
do you have any clue how many people know and understand all this metaphysical crap, post a link to a site about it and you digg it down, but a guy now homeless spews it out and digg it up
but in the end it's the same *****.
let's be a little more realistic. - storm8956, on 10/12/2007, -0/+29Yeah, I was very disappointed by those guys as well. They seemed too dumbfounded that a homeless man was speaking like that to even realize what the man was saying. Just like, "Wow! We have found a prophet homeless man on street saying crazy *****." Notice how they become so amazed with what he says (only because of the man's language) then ask him why he is contradicting himself without realizing that he is not. But Vivek never got offended by their behavior, and I appreciated that.
- NoHandle, on 10/12/2007, -0/+14Many cultures or religions have the belief that one cannot understand the world until they view it from all points. In Hinduism, the men of the family sometimes leave the home to become beggars and hopefully achieve enlightenment. Many rich Christians (yes, I did say Christians...) gave their wealth away and lived the life of a beggar in hopes of better understanding their religion and trying to make the world a better place.
- sammysnake, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1@NoHandle
No Reference? No Fact, Not true.
Well it's fine to state your opinion on something but if you are going to claim something to be true, cite a source. I don't believe for a second that any Christians would be as selfless to give away their possessions. All of them from which I have encountered are hypocrites. - crazybugger, on 10/31/2007, -0/+2@sammysnake
I do not know about Christianity.
But i know about hinduism,
FOUR STAGES OF HINDU LIFE
Brahmacharya Ashrama
This stage begins when a child enters school at an early age and continues until he or she has finished all schooling . The goal is to acquire knowedge, build character and learn to shoulder resonsibilities.
Grhastha Ashrama
This stage begins at marriage. In this ashrama an individual pays three debts (service of God, serving sages and saints and to ancestors), and enjoys good and noble things in life in accordace with Artha-Kama-Moksha.
Vanaprastha Ashrama
After the responsibilities of Grahastha ashrama are complete (when one’s children have reached adulthood) one enters this ashrama. This is known as ascetic or hermit stage of life. In this stage one gradually withdraws from active life and begins devoting more time to study of scriptures, contemplation and meditation.
Sannyasa Ashrama
This ashrama is the final stage of life in which an individual mentally renounces all worldly ties, spends all of his or her time in meditation and contemplation and ponders over the mystries of life. In ancient times one wouldpart company with one’s family and become a mendicant
Here is your reference: http://www.hindunet.org/quickintro/hindudharma/hindu_four_stages.htm
- johnburk, on 10/12/2007, -5/+49This guy is wise. I wish someone interviewed him that understood his potential.
- praisethelard, on 06/06/2008, -11/+61Man...this guy totally blew my mind.
Anyways...I'm gonna grab some McDonald's and watch some Comedy Central.- phenolholic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2we are gods because we're good men, and we know EVERYTHING because we started first with knowing ourselves.
where is this from? where is he quoting this from?
- phenolholic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2we are gods because we're good men, and we know EVERYTHING because we started first with knowing ourselves.
- rismay, on 10/12/2007, -5/+57yo, i just realized, the dudes behind him and videotaping him are mocking him. they don't understand/believe anything that he is saying. that's screwed up.
- Graphixaddict, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9wrong, if you read the paragraph by the guy who made the movie...
" I respect and love Vivek, back when I was 19 - we were making a comedy public access show so I felt it necessary to make it funny. I really love this video and have spoken to the man and given him about $50 since making the video, it has been seen by hundreds of people. Hope you can decipher the intelligence from the stupidity - and for the records, I still think it's kind of funny." - verb0ten, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3naw, they were just ripped
- Graphixaddict, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9wrong, if you read the paragraph by the guy who made the movie...
- davymac, on 10/12/2007, -4/+43ya theres this douchebag in the background getting on my nerves.. but this guy is badass
- paulbobrookins, on 10/12/2007, -1/+24Anyone have the transcripts? This guy talks really frickin fast... He's like the Micro Machines guy of philosophy.
- leighsah, on 10/12/2007, -2/+111I had a boyfriend who was the most innately intelligent man I've ever met. He wasn't book smart, but give him anything from a car to a piece of furniture to some old tube equipment and he would take it apart and rebuild it with improvements. He took great photographs, was a master woodworker, taught himself CADD, He started to hear voices when he was in his early 30's and by 38 he was on the street.
He would use alcohol to rid himself of the voices. It was easier for him to think of himself as an alcoholic than as someone who was mentally ill. I don't know what happened to him, but I always say a little prayer for him. This video reminds me of him. I hope he's OK and not being beaten or mocked or victimized by any of the awful things that can happen to the homeless.- BladeMelbourne, on 10/12/2007, -2/+50Intelligence is rarely recognised in a timely manner or by those that make decisions. The gift of intelligence may also come with issues that society may frown upon.
That said, everyone makes mistakes, and at the moment, alcohol is mine.
Someone wise once said "the only real mistake is the one from which nothing is learnt." Easier to say than to live by.
Kudos to your prayers for an old friend. There aren't enough compassionate people in this world.
- BladeMelbourne, on 10/12/2007, -2/+50Intelligence is rarely recognised in a timely manner or by those that make decisions. The gift of intelligence may also come with issues that society may frown upon.
- AdrianRice, on 10/12/2007, -7/+16Do we have any philosophy graduates in the audience who can clarify if this just guff, completely derivative or unique substance?
- pandaro, on 10/12/2007, -21/+15a philosophy graduate on digg would have more credibility to you? apparently you don't get it either.
- JEmerson, on 10/12/2007, -3/+11"a philosophy graduate on digg would have more credibility to you?"
I really don't mean this as insult to anything, but digg has been the number one factor in making me actually value thumbs up from universities. I've seen stories here where legions would give, with absolute certainty, information that has been proven incorrect time and time again. There's learning that comes from study, and learning that comes from hard earned experience. But then there's learning that's just a shell over ignorance. And, the latter can be a perfect imitation of the first two, whereas a formal education at least promises some degree of the first instead of the hollow shell of the third. - JEmerson, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10Though, on the other hand, right or wrong I'd rather hang out with the wise than the most educated "High fives!!!!" dudes.
- Aggaman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+23Me.
This sort of stuff is not what is done in contemporary philosophy departments. Modern philosophers study things like the causal theory of reference and other boring things like that. If you want to learn about the meaning of life, you could take courses in the history of philosophy, particularly Greek philosophy, when philosophers still thought they could come up with an answer to that question. In my own view, Aristotle came closest.
I watched a bit of it. He's an interesting guy. He's certainly better than the self-help "philosophy" books that you can buy at Borders. - 2tec, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1For an overview of academic philosophy, try "Zen & The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance". It was written by a person some believe to be on the leading edge of modern philosophy. It's a chronicle of his breakthrough, breakdown and subsequent reintegration.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_and_the_Art_of_Motorcycle_Maintenance - triblinator, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Zen and the Art of Motercycle Maintanance is my favorite book that i have read thus far.
- mrteacup, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I'm no philosophy graduate, but this guy's philosophy is basically a Hindu philosophy called Advaita Vedanta, maybe with some existentialism thrown in the mix. Vedanta is a legitimate philosophy in the sense that its coherent and not just some insane ramblings of a guy on a street corner, but its very different from Western philosophy in the tradition of Plato and Aristotle, so on first contact, most Westerners react with "OMG my mind is blown" or "This is just *****." That said, I think its interpretation in the West, sometimes called neo-Advaita (or more vaguely, "New Age") has some serious problems: its often simplistic, sometimes lacks integrity and ethics and can lead to nihilism. See here for more:
http://www.wie.org/j34/stacey-intro.asp
But many other Eastern philosophies like Buddhism, Taoism, Sufism take some of the same basic ideas and come to different conclusions, and taken as a whole, I think they are worthwhile ideas.
- raabco, on 10/12/2007, -25/+15I want to meet this guy's dealer.
- JEmerson, on 10/12/2007, -21/+4I liked the "I dream he go ta' rehab!" woman.
- kcmedic, on 10/12/2007, -3/+46He's not the one on drugs. The guys with the camera are the ones trippin' balls.
- rhettnyedotorg, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2i bet he had a great summer of 1969, a great one.
- fishbert, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"He's not the one on drugs. The guys with the camera are the ones trippin' balls."
-------
Yeah, the one who should be on his meds meets the kids who ended up eating them.
- minorthreat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+28hes a believer of Socrates.. I know that I know not.
- crash331, on 10/12/2007, -0/+44The camerman is a prick. I always seem to work with about 3 of those types.
- Hale, on 10/12/2007, -4/+26Seriously. I stopped watching after about 2 minutes because the cameraman was so retarded.
- MackPrime, on 10/12/2007, -5/+67there is a good chance that he is homeless by choice, after listening to his speech.
- dregin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+62As the interview progressed it became harder and harder to concentrate on what the man was saying because of the completely amateurish and patronizing approach the people recording it took. The interviewer continuously tried to put words in Vivek's mouth. Trying to steer the interview towards anti-government would be one example. I mean clearly, if the man had wanted to say what these fools were trying to squeeze out of him in parts of the interview, he would have said it. I was particularly impressed with the natural flow in his arguments. I couldn't find one place in which he had to hmmmmmmmmm or haaaaawwwwwwwww as most people in this kind of debate would.
Outstanding, save for the fools trying to make themselves look intelligent by interrupting the man and pretending that they're anywhere near his level of understanding of the world.
[/long winded, early morning brain fart :-)]- bariswheel, on 10/31/2007, -10/+1They weren't that bad.
- crash999, on 10/31/2007, -0/+8Yes they were.
- JEmerson, on 10/12/2007, -10/+1Panhandlers can be really amazing. I used to live near a reservation, and native beggars were everywhere. They were always the absolute best to stand around and ***** with. I'd always ask if I could trade for stories, life, childhood stories, whatever. I'm positive huge amounts of what they said was ***** whitey, But it was always fun. A lot of it sounded like Vivek's laying down.
/Making a God out of youtube. - badlyspawnedboy, on 10/12/2007, -7/+34vivek is no prophet.
the effect comes from the contrast between an articulate homeless man and the superficial, oppertunist and apaulling stupidity of the suburban 'yeah-im-like-whatever?' interviewers- Aliarse, on 10/12/2007, -4/+43Surburban "Yeah-im-like-whatever" interviewers = Couple of Myspace retards.
If they would have just stfu up and listened,instead of mocking the fella (and failing, badly.), they might have actually learned something interesting, instead of mocking him and continuing being worried about who's currently at the top of the mtv-2 charts.. - simpleid, on 10/12/2007, -13/+7you are the only other sane person around here. thank you. people are actually falling for this *****.
knowing about spirituality does not make you a genius - crazybugger, on 10/31/2007, -0/+3@badlyspawnedboy
vivek never claimed he is a prophet. :x0
- Aliarse, on 10/12/2007, -4/+43Surburban "Yeah-im-like-whatever" interviewers = Couple of Myspace retards.
- tehkain, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16Sounds like someone who read up on a bit of Buddhism.
- JEmerson, on 10/31/2007, -3/+20Sounded like a pretty good mix of everything, but with Christian gnostic and hindu concepts as the main base.
- Cause_of_death, on 10/31/2007, -0/+17It is philosophically closer to Vedanta Hinduism, however he describes his ideas in the context of Christianity by referencing the Bible at one point. I'm sure he considers such labels meaningless anyway...
Interestingly 'vivek' is Sanskrit and means 'wise' or 'wisdom'. There was a well known hindu saint named 'Vivekananda' - wise-joy (not quite sure how to interpret that meaning... 'takes joy in wisdom' perhaps).
- freff, on 10/12/2007, -4/+29This man is very Zen. And very cool, to boot.
"Land of the Free, and I'm already free...but you have never had a thought for yourself..."
That's what's up. Viva Vivek.- pandaro, on 10/31/2007, -12/+1oops. replied to wrong message, sorry.
- simpleid, on 10/12/2007, -14/+3fools
- Matt-lars, on 10/31/2007, -9/+16Thank you for putting this on Digg. Thank you.
- fivestarsoul, on 10/12/2007, -12/+7Thanks a lot for posting this.
- dumbtech, on 10/12/2007, -10/+2This sounds a lot like Buddhism.
- Axon77, on 10/31/2007, -2/+11Much of what he was saying was originally said by Socrates.
- Ikean, on 10/12/2007, -33/+17Warning, caps (necessary)...
IM IN SHOCK AT THE IDIOCY OF THE DIGG CROWD
I expected so much more. I was going to write (first having looked at the YouTube comments and expecting the POLAR OPPOSITE on digg), that it's hilarious how idiotic the YouTube group is, certainly one of the (maybe youngest?) but least intelligent yet highly popularized groups on the internet. It blows my mind how many of them believe this is an amazing, in-depth, intelligent, meaningful concept. This is mind-less ranting, drivel. Could you ADD heads really listen to ANYONE babble off random words that loosely tie into some shoddy mutt of a philosophical idea and be amazed by it? Must be. It's scary.
This sounds closest to ranting solidified around concept formulated by past drug-highs. On top of that the filmers are the same pretentious "bros" that, on occasion, attempt to get "deep" between drunken keg events and talk about how much they love MC Escher. What's worse, they play a role in this "interview" between mockery and agreement with the peddler. Between the magnifying glass, fake crying, NAKED GURLS BRO, the high-fives (although a little funny how so many people return the high-five), and attempting to re-hash the crock-pot theory they're wasting their time listening to (as we ALL are here) it is ('it' being, what they repeat in seriousness) a vain attempt at finding abstraction through really cliche concepts such as time being a man-made construct and God in each of us.
.- simpleid, on 10/31/2007, -15/+12I feel the same way, no joke. The average IQ around DIGG must actually be no different than the average for the rest of our society.
Is that an interesting thing to note? I'm not sure. - BladeMelbourne, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5Or maybe the average IQ of a Digger (not an AU/NZ solider, someone who visits this site) is the same as the average person?
The people I work, socialise and associate with are more intelligent than average (just because we have more in common or more to talk about).
It's a hard thing to accept that those less intelligent (or even homeless) have value to contribute to society. I struggle with this... as do most people. And *****, most of them smell really bad! - JEmerson, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9You're making way too many assumptions there. I would hope that the mention of bodily transcendence would automatically throw it out the door as something that too many people are really taking as possible fact.
What is interesting, is that he's coming from such an amazingly different worldview than most of us, that he's articulate despite a preconception most people have about the homeless, and that there's a really warped dichotomy in play between the two social groups represented. It's a different aspect of the world than most of us are exposed to, and I'll glady say that I like to see that.
If nothing else, the interaction between them reminded me to treat people with kindness, or at least try. Same with giving respect as the default to anyone I meet. I don't care how looked down upon something is if it reminds me for even a day to be nicer to people. - freff, on 10/12/2007, -3/+29@Ikean
Some of the stuff that this homeless guy was saying was very deep and philosophical. You would recognize quite a bit of what he was rambling on about if you read up on Western philosophy, Buddhism, and transcendentalism. In other words, open yourself up to new ideas. Just because he's an old, crusty, homeless guy now doesn't lessen the intent of some of his words.
Nothing he really said was in any way new, but what was interesting was the source, and the way that he was able to throw together an impromptu, ad libbed, 40 minute philosophical rant the way he did. You're making a mistake in thinking that just because he goes off on weird tangents, that he isn't speaking about actual life-altering beliefs that many others before him have pondered.
In fact, without knowing a thing about this guy, I'll say that I'd probably have quite a bit of respect for him if I met him. It's obvious that he has a life philosophy that he truly believes in, and that he's chosen to live his life according to these beliefs. And that has led him down a road in life that I surely don't have the courage to travel. - JEmerson, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12"The people I work, socialise and associate with are more intelligent than average (just because we have more in common or more to talk about)."
You're be hard pressed to find any social group that didn't describe themselves exactly the same way. One of the big problems with intelligence is that everyone thinks they know what it is, with the big irony that the sole exception seems to be those who've actually studied the topic in an academic setting. - zttrx, on 10/31/2007, -0/+22"You know how stupid the average person is? Well half are dumber than THAT"
--George Carlin - uranium, on 10/12/2007, -5/+13@Ikean
IM IN SHOCK AT THE IDIOCY OF YOUR COMMENTS
"This sounds closest to ranting solidified around concept formulated by past drug-highs."
First, I agree the interviewers were being extremely immature. Even though Vivek repeated things over and over I don't think they understood what he was saying.
I think what Vivek was talking about is the awakening of the Kundalini, the energy that is present in each one of us which can make us realize the concept of God within. But his own understand of this spiritual path (or the flash of light as he described it) is so limited that he was not able to explain it clearly.
Some clarification from my understanding:
There are 7 chakras in human body. The kundalini energy sits at the base of the spine and when awaken moves as a form of light through the chakras until it reaches the top chakra. At that point you gain higher consciousness (or the realization of the concept of God within). Vivek said that he only saw the flash of light - this could means that his chakras are not aligned properly to allow the flow of the Kundalini through the spine (as almost everyone) and is just a beginner on this spiritual path.
Here's some information about Kundalini:
http://www.crystalinks.com/kundalini.html
Also as Vivek said there are many people who have reached far in the spiritual path. One of many is Gopi Krishna. Here a link to an interview with him:
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=d094a80583d668b9b7c5acc2b1482660.826312
I don't ask anyone to believe this stuff but calling it "concept formulated by past drug-highs" is an insult to this knowledge that has existed for at least several hundred years. It is believed that Jesus also reached this higher consciousness.
Thanks for reading. - Cosiant, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0Ikean
Since when, intelligence, was a measurable quantity. - succubuskiller, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Everyone has their own opinions but because you think it is dumb means that everyone must believe the same. There is not a yes/no position to agree on here you take what you want from it. Were you expecting MENSA level comments to please your "intellectual" appetite?
Oh, and I didn't see any "NAK3D gURLz in DAH VideOZ " so stop getting my hopes up. - MedHead, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I thought the whole "10% of the human brain being used" theory was proven incorrect some time ago.
- simpleid, on 10/31/2007, -15/+12I feel the same way, no joke. The average IQ around DIGG must actually be no different than the average for the rest of our society.
- diggadong, on 10/12/2007, -30/+16He's not a genius, He's just a mentally ill guy who has read a couple of books..
- pauleric, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10And that, sir, is the most incisive comment here. Too bad such comments get buried (along with the trolls). I suspect few here have had much contact with homeless people.
- freff, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10I personally dug him down because there is nothing that proves that this guy is mentally ill. Just because he chooses to live his life according to his own set of rules and has a different philosophy than the rest of us, does not automatically make him insane.
- praisethelard, on 06/06/2008, -0/+3Assent, and you are sane;
Demur,—you ’re straightway dangerous,
And handled with a chain.
- nobody1357, on 10/12/2007, -9/+0http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=TedJesusChristGod
sorry. delete these.. - nobody1357, on 10/12/2007, -8/+0www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=TedJesusChristGod
- alexthemonster, on 10/31/2007, -0/+18Continuing the observations on the douchebags who made the video: aside from acting like ***** to Vivek, they're obviously more of the same wannabe nitwits who've figured out how to turn on a camcorder, and want to live out some fantasy of being the next Stephen Colbert. They ask a lot of ***** questions to try and "nail" the guy, but wind up looking like the jerks they are.
And it doesn't help that the video itself looks like crap. Would it be so hard for the schmoes on YouTube to invest 20 bucks in slightly better video editing software than Windows Moviemaker? One where you can at least stick on legible titles? Not that it matters, being that they couldn't even manage to spell "genius" correctly. - 256byteram, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8EX-LEPER: Thank you, sir. Thanks-- Half a denary for me bloody life story?
BRIAN: There's no pleasing some people.
EX-LEPER: That's just what Jesus said, sir. - tuxidomasx, on 10/12/2007, -7/+30he's a wise old dude
a little long-winded.
but if you put me in a room with him and told me he was a world famous psychology professor, i wouldn't be able to tell the difference.- Ikean, on 10/12/2007, -28/+4You're an idiot
- diggadong, on 10/12/2007, -7/+19"but if you put me in a room with him and told me he was a world famous psychology professor, i wouldn't be able to tell the difference."
That says more about your intelligence than it does about his. - karch, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2Psychology is mostly a *****-science anyway.
Vivek's speaking abilities more than make him an equal to any psychology prof I've ever listened to or heard of.
- clintcarlson, on 10/12/2007, -1/+13Two things: 1) I totally agree with Dregin, it's too bad some idiot college students were the ones that recorded this. The right interviewer could have really produced a work of art. These guys are *****. 2) Yes he said a lot of interesting things but none of it is original. It's all buddhism. Plain and simple. Been around for ever. Ineffible message. Every once in awhile someone phrases it in a different way. Vivek puts in in a very attractive way. Great video. Lots of fun.
- CobraKai, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I agree they were acting tardish, BUT, if you read the comments for the video, he does offer an explanation and some sort of remorse.
- proficient, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8This can be interpreted many ways.
- freff, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Ain't that the truth.
- anomalya, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11"when i want something i want it perfectly, i want it now, and i want it forever" - Vivek
- diggadong, on 10/12/2007, -18/+5He should "want" himself a ***** bath then.
- verb0ten, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2diggadong: I shoudn't digg you down since you don't exist, but I couldn't resist =]
- digguh, on 10/31/2007, -1/+18"we were making a comedy public access show so I felt it necessary to make it funny"
That was the wrong time to make their "comedy public access show"
It embarrasses me that that were mocking him.- pauleric, on 10/12/2007, -9/+5It should embarrass the interviewer that he was mocking a mentally ill homeless guy, but it doesn't embarrass me.
- papavb, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9i wish you could digg-down comments on youtube.
nevertheless, Vivek is well studied no matter what you think about him, and slamming him is proof of your own prejudice "yeah-im-like-whatever" type of effect.
and f$%^ the people "interviewing" him. - trubbleshute, on 10/12/2007, -2/+15Socrates was homeless, a few people called him a philosopher.
"If you realize you don't know anything--then you start to become smart. I don't know anything about anything, I don't know that I don't know--that is where you start--so you don't have any prejudices... I'm just a beginner" --Vivek
"I know the most because I know that I don't know anything" --Socrates - CanSnowboard, on 10/31/2007, -0/+14It sounds like the guy has a decent theory, he just ended up repeating himself fifty times trying to get his point across to those morons.
- jpkones, on 10/31/2007, -1/+17Wow - I can't believe they have the balls and bad taste to keep this video up. They are so patronizing and degrading that it borders on abuse.
They were aiming for the Boratesque, but it's totally transparent, unfunny, and hurtful.
The fact that it's in the face of a wise and troubled guy just makes it that much worse.
Disgraceful. - PrometheuZ, on 10/12/2007, -11/+5I see guys like this on the streets of LA everyday...nothing new here.
- peterpatch, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10Kind of like a rehash of other philosophies, mainly some eastern philosophies where you 'discover' that you are god. Some of the stuff he says is so ambiguous that it fits a wide degree of interpretation, and other times he says stuff that there is no evidence for because its beyond the physical plane or some other such *****.
This guy sounds smart but hasn't been exposed to real criticism and most of the juiciest parts of his theories are unprovable, you cannot prove a negative only a positive. I could always say that spiritual salvation lies in knowing that a place made of pure love will take your invisible spirit and keep it forever but I can't prove it anymore then I can prove there is a tennis ball orbiting Pluto. However you cannot prove that it isn't true. Some people get into the trap that because you can't prove its false then its true. I only believe in things that have evidence, I am skeptical about things without evidence until some evidence comes along proving otherwise.
Check out Alan Watts he is pretty good at explaining the eastern philosophy stuff in a way westerners can understand. - badgey, on 10/12/2007, -10/+9Like a few before me, I, too, am rather disappointed at the people expressing things like "my mind has been blown," and "this man is a genius."
If you are of this opinion and you wish me to blow your mind, I offer you this: Think about how many scores of millions of people think Dr. Phil McGraw is a "genius" or a "brilliant man." In reailty, the advice he offers is largely common sense anyone other than those with too little time or insight to think about such things. He offers vague, generalized advice that's easy to be true or argued to be true.
When we get into the land of the metaphysical, we can largely make up our own definitions of meaning. Unfortunately, so can everyone else. When you're so far into surrealism and constructed reality, there actually is no "truth" and the only insight is what we make of it.
The man in this video basically throws out such a volume of extremely broad, vague, and ambiguous statements (many of which are lifted from stereotypical views of past social movements, such as the 60s "hippie" beliefs) that he's bound to throw out something you'll agree with or interpret / construct to mean something important to you. The underlying statements, for the most part, aren't in and of themselves going to build a rocket ship, make you money in the stock market, or predict anything at all. It's Hobo Chicken Soup for the Soul.
If you think this man is a genius, congratulations -- you're pretty creative and optimistic. It must be fun being you. As for myself, I'll just appreciate that there are such eccentric people in the world. I need not believe or disbelieve anything this man says to appreciate the video. - jpkones, on 10/12/2007, -1/+28I like how the most prevalent comment here is: "What he's saying is nothing new."
The homeless guy isn't claiming to be saying anything new! He'd be the first one to agree with you. If anything, he takes a very humble, Socratic, self-deprecating stance.
Stop saying the same ***** again and again. - ejpusa, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Yep, this kinda of stuff happens to you when you do your time in North India, obviously he has. Two bad the guys interviewing him are so lame.
- mmoct, on 10/12/2007, -6/+4Loved Vivek. He had to "rant" and "repeat" just to be partially heard. And yes, nothing he said was new. True truth is ancient.
- Eltrkbrd, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Vivek - Ken Wilber Fan? LOL!
- Agneze, on 10/12/2007, -6/+0Now its worth 1.6 billion.
- ChristAwfully, on 10/31/2007, -10/+7I empathize with and have respect for men like Vivek, just as much as I pity them. His ilk, so very intelligent and vital, are incapable of accepting the more basic, widely-accepted and favored religions or modes of spirituality. They continuously, relentlessly quest for the ultimate truth, creating an eclectic kind of spiritual scrapbook in their minds as they go. But they're never satisfied, and their frenzied search for that final, ultimate feeling of an unquestionable connection with God or the universe is never satisfied, and while someone such as Vivik, with a fierce soul and an inexhaustible fount of wisdom, may appear to have devised an impressively streamlined philosophy- minus the odd tick here or crack there, -the sad and ultimate fact of the matter is that the jet of theological stew that he relates so rapidly and with a sage-like clarity, is a just a band-aid. At the end of the day, he is not at peace, and not entirely certain of his long-cultivated faith. Not on a fundamental level, deep in his soul. No, at the end of the day, his mind is racing, still looking for more answers, still grasping for another chunk or two to throw onto his mystical bonfire, and still looking for that last key piece of the puzzle that he needs in order establish a connection with God, to at long last attach the Alpha to the Omega and fall to his knees in a hard-won spiritual ecstasy. But most of Vivik's mind is gone, and what remains of it is never at rest, and never satisfied, and never will be. Until death comes, and God pats him on the back for trying so fckng hard.
- akimbo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Interesting! However don't you think that those types of people, are the very one that in their random quest for the truth, open us to something much bigger?
Anyway, here is a cookie for you anyway for expressing your opinion without bagging/insulting the homeless guy! :) (unlike others in here and youtube :( )
- akimbo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Interesting! However don't you think that those types of people, are the very one that in their random quest for the truth, open us to something much bigger?
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