>I'm not a panpsychist.

Apologies then, but you seem quite keen on defending it.

>The mind can be understood far more easily as a separate entity from consciousness.

Elaborate? I'm interested.

>That's a shame, isn't it? Empathy is how you remove differences between each other, not by simply stating a premise. It's not that psychedelics won't show you this, but you are so conditioned to not give any credence esoteric ideas.

I don't see it as a shame. My empathy works pretty well. And you frankly have no idea how 'esoteric' my beliefs are. I'm willing to entertain any idea; when I entertained panpsychism I found it incoherent and unconvincing.

>I find it ridiculously humorous that you just brush away the oneness as being a matter of fact, when in fact a direct experience of this oneness is what changed an astronaut forever.

People change constantly. Astronauts are people too. Why should I find this particularly compelling?

>It isn't just a meaningless statement, it means that all the distinctions that we can draw up amongst humans, animals, or any living being for that matter, are completely subjective.

I wouldn't say all distinctions, but even so I don't see this as any sort of major revelation. Perhaps for an anthropocentrist, which is something I'm very far from.

>Ego isn't bad, it is just unruly and often compels you to do things that are counterproductive to your life. What is recommended is that you grow out of your egoic habits/thought patterns.

I think a little unruliness makes life more interesting. Counterproductivity, chaos, suffering, a bit of destruction - all spices of life. The egoless and the egoed are perfect foils for each other. Alas, I prefer discussions of metaphysics and epistemology to axiology; more potential objectivity to work with. I was just expressing an aside.

>I'm not a panpsychist, so I don't know why you keep referring to it.

Er, this entire comment chain is about panpsychism.

>What seems like hippie nonsense is the same nonsense Buddha spouted. I'm sure he was heck of a hippie.

Probably.

>Stoicism has a metaphysical aspect that sounds almost like the same hippie nonsense that offends you.

I don't know enough about stoicism to comment, but sure, possibly.

>You have no idea how encumbered you are by the weight of your ego. True independence is not being bogged down by the vagaries of your mind. And who ever told you that by giving up your ego, you are giving up your freedom of being an individual?!

Evidently I don't even know what an ego is, but I don't feel any particular weight or encumbrance in my life beyond what's necessary to keep my feet on the ground and provide traction to keep moving forward. Floating isn't really my thing.

>It is called liberation in spirituality for a reason. It is a liberating experience.

I felt liberated enough saying I was no longer convinced of atheism. I don't think I can handle any more liberation.

>it isn't a manic delusion I can assure you.

Sorry but the deluded never believe they're deluded lol. It's part of the definition.

As fun as this is though I'm mostly just here to discuss panpsychism, not the values of unity and ego death and the Buddha etc. I'd be here all day otherwise.