Like movies. We react and get emotional and startled and stuff, but that's totally fake and we know it.

And AI. I know it's just a statistical illusion but I'll still have a conversation with it. Sometimes I'll even feel gratitude. So that's nuts.

And then you have stories handed down by important authorities. Science and religion. The guy said it so I treat it as real. Is that good or bad?

Fact is, we as humans do this thing where we treat fantasy as reality. And sometimes that's a good and useful and sometimes it's bad. And sometimes it's good for a while but then there's a AHA moment and then you realize you've been fooled and it was all fake. And sometimes that matters and sometimes it doesn't. I don't know. I'm getting confused here. You tell me.

Like the Romans used to drink from lead cups. Something like that.

---

(it appears that the moderator is removing any replies with which he disagrees. It might be a piefed issue. But all the removed replies are top level and upopular. Stranger coincidences have happened I suppose.)

Meditation is a thing that you do with your attention. When you pay attention or concentrate or get distracted, that's you doing a thing with your attention. And that's obviously important stuff in your life and the world. Meditation takes it further.

We basically have 2 kinds of meditation.

1. Concentration meditation, which is plain ol concentration taken to a higher level.

2. Zen meditation (aka shikantaza), which is another thing to do with your attention, kindof a left turn from concentration and is a bit esoteric.

So there you go.