Heh, as I've mentioned previously, I was born and raised in an eastern culture that has a matrix of its own.Colossus said:I am a firm believer that iron sharpens iron, and that mediocrity perpetuates mediocrity. You could not have come to understand things the way you do without "unplugging" from what we call the matrix. Great fighters have great coaches, great scholars have great teachers, and great DJs have great mentors. But one must be willing to learn; to hold his existing beliefs up to full and naked scrutiny.
AFCs are very real, however, and the collective societal mentality that supports the AFC's ideological latticework is also very real. If you arent vigilant you can get fooled back into believing the same things that brought you here. AFC-ism is an insidious disease. Because it's psychological underpinnings are so pervasive in your fellow men, in women, and in culture, you must remain aware. If I could assign a mantra to the DJ, it would be vigilance.
Advising friends is sort of an art. It really comes down to timing, and their willingness to listen.
One of my best friends, Nick, recently got engaged. Nick is an exceptionally intelligent guy, and I feel he made a sound choice with his wife-to-be. I have counseled Nick numerous times over the years in regards to women, mostly because I have more experience than him and he has sought my advice. Nick has only known this girl for a little over a year, so I do have my misgivings about it. I think he made a good choice in her, but I fear he may have made the choice too soon. Time will tell. Nick is not an AFC, but then again he doesnt have tons of experience with women, and he is only 27. I cautioned him several times not to even consider proposing for a while, but the point is you can only teach someone when they are willing to listen. Once someone is in 'love' and they have made up their mind, your words will fall on deaf ears.
Back to the question of the OP---there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it's this: Women ARE NOT the light at the end of the tunnel. Part of the bittersweet experience of leaving the matrix is the realization that a woman can never be the centerpiece of your life---contrary to your blissful, ridiculous AFC dreams.
The AFC in all of us dies a slow death. It doesnt happen overnight, and frankly it can take years depending on how deeply intertwined your mind is with the matrix.
It's tough to unplug from one western matrix. But it's extremely difficult to unplug from two matrices: western and eastern.
I honestly didn't anticipate the fallout due to my unplugging from both of them. The western obviously puts me at odds with friends, colleagues, social networks, etc. The eastern puts me at odds with family, relatives, cousins, etc.
I think I learned my lesson which is to remain, and very well put Colossus, vigilant. You really can't go public with this knowledge and information because people will stop at nothing to break you down and make you one of their own again.
It is just incredibly encouraging to have a place like this where we can share our experiences and dilemmas and get a clear, honest, objective answer without being criticized too much for it. Only other place in real world that I think would come close to something like this is...umm group therapy maybe? Lol.