What is the meaning of life?

Yeah... I used to love that stuff too!!

Back In highschool...

Now I stick to beer...

Oh right... and love

a reply to: Dr1Akula

I understand him but I can't ignore all the people I've seen who were turned off by him. As I said, he is doing his part and I won't ignore that. But most who were turned off won't speak up, they just go the other way so of course we see the good criticism.

Artists are open to criticism for the most part. I'm an artist and I welcome it. But then again I don't do the kind of performance art he does (my arts are drawing, acting, poetry and writing) so the critics are more willing to speak up as I don't turn them off for the most part.

originally posted by: Yeahkeepwatchingme
a reply to: Dr1Akula

I understand him but I can't ignore all the people I've seen who were turned off by him. As I said, he is doing his part and I won't ignore that. But most who were turned off won't speak up, they just go the other way so of course we see the good criticism.

Imo that's the brilliance of his art, from a philosophical point of view he represents the free individual in a world full of robots.
Everything around us is predictable including behaviour , looks, styles, yet he is making the difference, he takes advantage of the routine around us and forces people to notice him.

a reply to: Dr1Akula

And the beauty of art in all forms is that one can see it as whatever they want to. If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is performance art worth? A few thousand? A play could be even more. The viewer is free to see it however they want to, the interpretation is open.

That's why I love art.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

Matthew Silver is absolutely nothing short of inspirational!

His approach is something that reminds all of us of our innermost child like love of life that we have for the most part sadly forgotten!

He is out there everyday, attempting to stir New Yorkers out of the concrete prison mindset. Those who deem him crazy are the ones who have closed their minds off from their true nature. We are not meant to be judgemental we are meant to love and if someone expressing that makes you think they are crazy, you have simply bought the fear of judgement society has condtitioned into you!

a reply to: Dr1Akula

Thank you so much for this video!!

I have never seen this before and it brought out some good hearty laughter I have been needing! Honestly the variety of reactions from people on that subway are what did it in for me!

I admire Matthew's courage, out there breaking the rigid societal standards of a culture that has been blinded by selfish materialism!

a reply to: Yeahkeepwatchingme

Ah yes well people will be turned off by a sunset!

We live in a culture where people have been so beaten down, their inner child with multiple black eyes locked in his room, they are skeptical of everyone and everything, for fear of being judged! If you ever sit and people watch you can simply feel the collective sadness and isolation that permeates our major cities.

We have lost our connection to our innermost nature and due to this connecting with one another is all the more difficult. It is hard for many people to appreciate anything in this culture of quick fix, short attention, me me me me mentality. To have someone come along who in no way shape of form conforms to what you have been conditioned to believe is normal, it only makes sense that you would be turned off.

He does however make people smile, smile in a way they have long forgotten. It is this that is important, no matter if it is 1 person a day or none, once you crack the darkness even slightly, it opens the door for the spirit to come back, bringing with it all the joy and love that is our birthright.

Bad criticism is for those who feel like being critical! It is their world, as it is also Matthew Silver's and I hope he does not stop anytime soon!

a reply to: elementalgrove

I welcome your opinion but people in major cities are people. They have friends, families, they interact with eachother. The stereotypical view of cities isn't always true. So me just stating my opinion based on several personal observations of people's reactions from all walks of life (again not all are isolated sidewalk-shovers lol) along with talking with others who have seen him too is bad criticism for the sake of being critical?

Differing opinions aren't always for the sake of being critical. If we took that approach to differing opinions all the time society would be monotone. I know it is everybody's world, and that means it's everybody's right to offer their opinions on matters no matter how some may feel.

If someone criticizes my work I don't think they're just being critical for no reason....

a reply to: Yeahkeepwatchingme

I also welcome your opinion. So if I understand you correctly you know people in NY who know this guy and have interacted with him personally. Also when you say that you have several personal observations does this imply you have been at one of his street performances?

I apologize for generalizing about the state of minds of people in cities.

I have no problems with people offering differing opinions, I simply do not see the concern of worrying about negative criticism if that is what people wish to offer. You do not know how people will react and naturally some people will be put off by his approach however I do not see this to be a reason at all to not continue doing what he is doing. Perhaps I misunderstood why you were focusing on people being put off, to me it is irrelevant.

the fact that this is staged (he is a performer) makes this all kinda sad for some reason.

a reply to: elementalgrove

It's cool lol. I walked past one of his acts and there was a good sized crowd. The ones who were into it were in the center surrounding him, they were about 5 or 10, the rest was a lot of people spread out. He had plenty of room to do his thing. I remember a teen saying "He's whack." and a young couple filming it just to catch "the ______ ______ here."

A friend has seen him too, a fellow artist said he was very talented and amusing but drove all the customers away at his day job lol. Nah I don't think he should ever stop his work because he's an artist and he's what art is all about. Expression. Even well-known artists like van Gogh have people who think it's too bright, the broad strokes leave the scene disjointed and lacking definition, etc.

My point is that I respect him as an artist, I don't think he should stop at all and the people he's made a difference in shows his talent and passion as an artist. But definitely from personal experience and from others he can be a bit of a handful at times.

a reply to: Yeahkeepwatchingme

I would have been one of those in the center! LOL!

The other responses are things to be expected, not saying it is an accurate gauge, but when I first came upon him, I shared the forever 21 video on the old FB and heard plenty of this dude is whacked out, took to many drugs etc...

It appears that he goes out of his way to be a handful, whether you are ready for it or not! It is awesome to have your perspective on it as someone who has personally experienced it as well as an artist! Also thank you for dealing with my idealization of his act and merit that it has or should IMO!

Love is the answer! I believe it to be something we can all resonate with!

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

the meaning of lie? to learn lessons mostly through pain because we do not learn through love. To knock the dross off ourselves and spiritually grow and develop to a point where we don't learn any more by re-incarnating beack into this plane of existance anymore, then we move up a plane and start all over again. - Tuesday Lobsang Rampa

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

the meaning of lie? to learn lessons mostly through pain because we do not learn through love. To knock the dross off ourselves and spiritually grow and develop to a point where we don't learn any more by re-incarnating beack into this plane of existance anymore, then we move up a plane and start all over again. - Tuesday Lobsang Rampa

Consumption.

We live, consume, die.

It is the purpose of life; and the reason why high-energy intake biological entities which move; have the ability to do so. So that they can gather the energy required to power their 'computer' brain which requires more than just passive (rain, soil, sunlight) input.

It is also the reason why we are sentient and self-aware. No other reason. 'I need' is a required process for knowing when, and how much; we need to fuel the brain. Self-awareness is born of necessity. Everything else is a by-product of this.

Everyone says 'love' and 'family' and things like this.

These are all just conditions of necessity which arise from providing ones-self comfort within the self-aware focus.

They are not purposes, they are not necessary; they are just 'nice'.

The only reason you are here; is to fuel your computer, get harvested yourself; and die.

There is no greater reason than this. We come and go like the dawn and sunsets; the crops of the season. We are no more important or special than a bug on a windshield.

We would like to think so; because we 'think'. But thinking is only so we know when to eat, go to the toilet, and mate. There is nothing more to it really.

For most people their mind is simply a (understandable) 5-dimensional focus point within its relevant perspective system (the body). There are higher dimensional focuses to this; for those who have a 'parent' within another state of existence relevant to their own, or who are a projection of another form of themselves (avatar). Or those who are able to shift within the superposition of their (understood) 5 dimensional existence. The projection (rendering or 'wet send') versions; are of various other existences; most of which also subscribe to the same physical constructs such as ourselves. This world is merely a resynthesis/replication of something which is true. In which we are basically farmed.

This is why certain other entities within other spiritual/cosmic understandings have the appearance of being able to transcend time/space. It is not that they do; merely that they are working within the 'server construct' if you like; of this world. And there are different levels and degrees of them (as well as species).

But to answer your question in the purest sense? Nothing. The point of this particular world? No point. It's a test; a prison; a farm. Nothing more.

If you are lucky enough to meet a true 'love' (though i believe this emotion is fake, and only created for our comfort within this world) and have a good life; you are lucky. For most others it will be #.

Also worth noting; that those at the top running this world; the 'powers that be'. Many of them are VERY conscious, and awake to what this world is. That is why they drink from golden cups; while the rest of us struggle. To them this world is a private club; or an amusement park. They are basically parasites. Taking the great percentage of what was meant for all of us; and giving it only to themselves and those that have their favour.

originally posted by: IShotMyLastMuse
the fact that this is staged (he is a performer) makes this all kinda sad for some reason.

Sometimes a deception in someones eyes can change a life is such a positive manner that it makes the darkness of a lie into a white lie.


Does that make sense, Ah who cares It makes sense to me and gives me strength just like much of this guys performance does,

This has been posted before on ATS I believe or I must have been in another reality on another ATS



Oh and the meaning tooooo Liiiiifffeeee

is just one word



Experience.


I love you guys, the diversity ATS brings, the anger and passion shown + the love and understanding here is quite amazing at times.

originally posted by: IShotMyLastMuse
the fact that this is staged (he is a performer) makes this all kinda sad for some reason.

Every motivational speaker, preacher, teacher is a performer. I don't find it sad at all. I think he means what he says, he's just choosing to deliver his message in a unique and captivating way.

I definitely agree with his message...

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Subgenius has the best "preachers". Charismatic, fun, thought-provoking. They could get you to drink the koolaid and dance till you drop.

I just love him and I hope to see him next year when I visit NYC.

Now that would be a street performer I would stop and watch for a long time.
Awesome message,
great way of getting it all out into the public.

He is something that would very hard to ignore.

s&f

I've never heard of him before, but now that I have, I will watch for more