[General] It's exceedingly stupid to argue with...(24 words)

[Silverobama]

Hi.

Recently I've been reading a book written by Byron Katie. I've been greatly inspired by the things in the book and I felt much better after reading it. The book is about, say, if one suffers, it's not the person or thing that makes him or her suffer but one's thoughts. I wrote something as a summary of reading the book:

It's exceedingly stupid to argue with your thoughts and with reality. You're the one who decides to be happy or not and that's it. (I might say this to someone who complains to me in the future.)

Paraphrase of my sentence (in order that you don't understand): It's very stupid to argue with one's bad thoughts and to argue with the reality. You're the only person who can make yourself happy if you want to and that's all.

Please help me with the italic sentences.

 

[tedmc]

Thoughts and reality cannot argue.

 

[teechar]

The book [STRIKE]is about, say, if one suffers,[/STRIKE] argues/claims/states that it's not [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] some person or thing that makes [STRIKE]him or her[/STRIKE] an individual suffer but [STRIKE]one's[/STRIKE] it's the individual's own thoughts. I wrote something as a summary of [STRIKE]reading[/STRIKE] the book:

It's exceedingly stupid to argue with your thoughts and with reality. You're the one who decides to be happy or not and that's it. (I might say this to someone who complains to me in the future.)

Here's a paraphrase of my sentence (in [STRIKE]order[/STRIKE] case that you don't understand it): It's very stupid to argue with one's bad thoughts and to argue with the reality of one's situation. You're the only person who can make yourself happy if you want to and that's all.

Please help me with the italic sentences.

I don't think anyone would gladly accept being described as "exceedingly stupid". Also, consider using "and that's all there's to it" instead of "and that's it" which is more terse and abrupt.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

. . . It's exceedingly stupid to argue with your thoughts and with reality. You're the one who decides to be happy or not and that's it. . . .

This is muddled. The first sentence doesn't quite make sense, and the second doesn't really follow from the first.

It's also a cruel thing to say to someone.

My advice: Go back and rethink what you're trying to say and how you want to say it.

 

[Silverobama]

I appreciate your help, CB and teechar.

I don't think I have time to argue with you, ted, whether reality argues or not. What I wanted to say is that if we try to argue with reality, we are destined to fail. What will happen always happens.

For CB and teechar. I actually tried to use the words I read in some related articles (about the book) to sum up my thoughts. No offense and I don't mean to offend anyone. Now, let me give it a new try.

It's useless and a sheer waste of time to argue with your thoughts and the reality. You're the one who decides to be happy or not and that's all there's to it.

Please enlighten me! I think when one tells me he's suffering and when I recommend him the book, I can say the above sentence.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

. . . For CB and teechar. I actually tried to use the words I read in some related articles (about the book) to sum up my thoughts. No offense and I don't mean to offend anyone.

Does your book really tell you to call people stupid? I doubt it!

Now, let me give it a new try.

It's useless and a sheer waste of time to argue with your thoughts and [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] reality.

I still don't like "argue with your thoughts." I understand feeling conflicted or confused, but that's different. You can find a clearer way to say what you mean.

You're the one who decides to be happy or not, and that's all there's to it.

Please enlighten me! I think when one tells me he's suffering and [STRIKE]when[/STRIKE] I recommend [STRIKE]him[/STRIKE] the book to him, I can say the above sentences.

You're getting there.

 

[tedmc]

I don't think I have time to argue with you, ted, whether reality argues or not. What I wanted to say is that if we try to argue with reality, we are destined to fail. What will happen always happens.

You just said it - you argue with people, you don't argue with thoughts and reality. You can argue about thoughts and reality though.

 

[Silverobama]

Does your book really tell you to call people stupid? I doubt it!

No, the book doesn't tell me to call people stupid. I didn't mean it. You might notice that I used the structure "It's stupid/It's useless to..." and I wanted to say that the act is meaningless and not worth doing. The act is to let the bad emotions get the better of you or something like that.

 

[teechar]

This is muddled. The first sentence doesn't quite make sense, and the second doesn't really follow from the first.
It's also a cruel thing to say to someone.
My advice: Go back and rethink what you're trying to say and how you want to say it.

I couldn't agree more with that, especially the last part.

 

[probus]

Silver: reality does not take the definite article unless there is some other modifier. For example, you can say:

the reality of the situation, or

the reality on the ground.

Without further modifiers, reality is just reality, not the reality.

 

[Silverobama]

Thanks a lot, everyone. I am sometimes stubborn but I also listen to what you, my teachers here, say to me. I'll stop writing new sentences because I think such a topic or subject is not easy to be understood or written. I'll read some articles related to this book and try to use what they say.

Again, I appreciate your help, kindness and patience. I hope to learn from you in the future.

 

[tedmc]

... such a topic or subject is not [STRIKE]easy to be[/STRIKE] easily understood or written (expressed).

The original is not natural.

 

[teechar]

I'll stop writing new sentences [STRIKE]because I think such a[/STRIKE] about this topic, [STRIKE]or subject[/STRIKE] which is not easy to [STRIKE]be understood[/STRIKE] understand or [STRIKE]written.[/STRIKE] write about.

.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Which topic?

I enjoy your questions.

 

[Silverobama]

Which topic?

I enjoy your questions.

The one in the OP.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

The one in the OP.

Got it! Yes, that's a good idea. Your writing is usually very clear. Review the comments, start over, and see what you can come up with.