Hey everyone!

I'm looking for readers with an interest in self-improvement, particularly in overcoming social anxiety. :) I'm a writer working on a self-help book titled "Essential Strategies for Social Anxiety: CBT Techniques to Conquer Self Doubt, Eliminate Fear and Build Bulletproof Confidence."
Scope:
I'm currently seeking enthusiastic readers to provide honest feedback on my manuscript before it's published. This is NOT a paid gig, nor will you need to pay anything, but as a thank you for your time and insights, you'll receive a FREE digital copy of the book once it's launched!
Requirements:

• Be an avid reader with a genuine interest in self-help and/or social anxiety topics.
• Be willing to read the manuscript and provide honest feedback on your thoughts, impressions, and overall reading experience.
• No pressure to write lengthy feedback – your general impressions are more than enough!

What you get:

• A FREE digital copy of the book upon publication.
• The satisfaction of knowing you're helping a fellow author refine their work and potentially reach others struggling with social anxiety.

Sounds interesting? Great! To ensure a good fit for everyone, I've put together a quick and easy sign-up form. This will help me understand your reading preferences and gauge your interest in the specific topic of social anxiety.
Sign-up form here: https://forms.gle/cf92VDMUrdpKJqaT6

Thanks for your time, and happy reading!

P.S. Feel free to share this post with anyone you think might be interested! The more honest feedback, the better!

Hey everyone!

I'm looking for readers with an interest in self-improvement, particularly in overcoming social anxiety. :) I'm a writer working on a self-help book titled "Essential Strategies for Social Anxiety: CBT Techniques to Conquer Self Doubt, Eliminate Fear and Build Bulletproof Confidence."
Scope:
I'm currently seeking enthusiastic readers to provide honest feedback on my manuscript before it's published. This is NOT a paid gig, nor will you need to pay anything, but as a thank you for your time and insights, you'll receive a FREE digital copy of the book once it's launched!
Requirements:

• Be an avid reader with a genuine interest in self-help and/or social anxiety topics.
• Be willing to read the manuscript and provide honest feedback on your thoughts, impressions, and overall reading experience.
• No pressure to write lengthy feedback – your general impressions are more than enough!

What you get:

• A FREE digital copy of the book upon publication.
• The satisfaction of knowing you're helping a fellow author refine their work and potentially reach others struggling with social anxiety.

Sounds interesting? Great! To ensure a good fit for everyone, I've put together a quick and easy sign-up form. This will help me understand your reading preferences and gauge your interest in the specific topic of social anxiety.
Sign-up form here: https://forms.gle/cf92VDMUrdpKJqaT6

Thanks for your time, and happy reading!

P.S. Feel free to share this post with anyone you think might be interested! The more honest feedback, the better!

This was a while back but it's still nagging at me. I 22F went to a Gl, I had one quick appt and was told I needed an upper endoscopy (so non emergent.) told him I had more questions but he said I'd get a chance the day of. I get there and am rushed through paperwork because they were "running behind." I told them I still had questions but they said I could ask once we're in the OR since the GI would be there. Get to the OR and my Gl ignored me when I spoke to him, 0 acknowledgment, then they pushed the anesthesia with no warning. I assume it was propofol because it burned and I asked what it was, no answer, just "try and relax." At that point I was done and told them to stop, they didn't, 1 freaked out a bit and tried sitting up, was pushed back down, I asked them to stop multiple times. I was on drugs (whatever they pushed) which is why I think they may have been justified in continuing the procedure but I was alert and oriented to time place self and situation however they didn't ask. They also took samples for biopsy without ever explaining that to me and there was a needle on my bed when I was leaving. Overall the place was a shit show but were they in the right to continue the procedure?
med issues: gi, kidney problems, heart problems, the whole nine yards but it feels a bit excessive to include with this post height and weight: 5’3 150 smoker lots of meds, same as the first one, not too relevant duration and location of complaint, everywhere i guess lol

He was listening to some subliminals, they are big playlists and each one for a certain part of the body, I remember spending the entire weekend listening to random audio from one playlist and along with all other random playlists (I mean without any similarity, like listening to one for the toenail, and another for the color of the iris 😭) I was in a hurry because in a way I became obsessed with results, I wanted everything for myself at once.
Not that you can't have everything at once, you are the God of your reality and you create it, but in my specific case, I feel like my brain melted due to so much confusion, I didn't sleep for a few days because I felt like my brain was super accelerated as if it were really a machine. This ended up generating anxiety and other problems, which undeniably hindered my results.
I felt like there was no point, until I took some time off from subliminals, to rest my mind and reflect a little. Why was I so desperate to the point of overloading myself listening to audios to change every atom in my body? Is it because it has to do with my beliefs or past? I discovered that, I had limiting beliefs like "you will never be like her" (a girl in my school) Because in the past, someone had told me that I wasn't capable, and because I wanted to prove to myself that this person was wrong, I started to take it out on myself by listening to several audios at the same time to change absolutely EVERYTHING.
But why am I saying this? So maybe, just maybe, you should ask yourself “am I not too obsessed with this?” Or "Why do I feel the need to have this?" Because unconsciously, you may have gone through a traumatic event in the past and are DESPERATELY wanting to get the results from it, as if you wouldn't live without it.
I realized this over time, my somewhat traumatic past led me to desperately want to change my entire body at once, which is stressful. If you feel this way I recommend that you first listen to audios to form a good self-concept and a kinder image of yourself. Have more compassion for yourself, Even if your "results are not complete" (YOUR WISHES HAVE ALREADY COME TRUE) and you are not yet perfect in your vision or in the vision of others.
Get to know yourself and allow yourself to ask "do I want this for myself, or for someone else?" And if it is genuinely because you want to change and because you really want that change, you can be sure that your results are coming!!!!! 🎀

Hey everyone!
I'm looking for readers with an interest in self-improvement, particularly in overcoming social anxiety. :) I'm a writer working on a self-help book titled "Essential Strategies for Social Anxiety: CBT Techniques to Conquer Self Doubt, Eliminate Fear and Build Bulletproof Confidence."
Scope:
I'm currently seeking enthusiastic readers to provide honest feedback on my manuscript before it's published. This is NOT a paid gig, nor will you need to pay anything, but as a thank you for your time and insights, you'll receive a FREE digital copy of the book once it's launched!
Requirements:

• Be an avid reader with a genuine interest in self-help and/or social anxiety topics.
• Be willing to read the manuscript and provide honest feedback on your thoughts, impressions, and overall reading experience.
• No pressure to write lengthy feedback – your general impressions are more than enough!

What you get:

• A FREE digital copy of the book upon publication.
• The satisfaction of knowing you're helping a fellow author refine their work and potentially reach others struggling with social anxiety.

Sounds interesting? Great! To ensure a good fit for everyone, I've put together a quick and easy sign-up form. This will help me understand your reading preferences and gauge your interest in the specific topic of social anxiety.
Sign-up form here: https://forms.gle/cf92VDMUrdpKJqaT6
Thanks for your time, and happy reading!
P.S. Feel free to share this post with anyone you think might be interested! The more honest feedback, the better!

Hey everyone!
I'm looking for readers with an interest in self-improvement, particularly in overcoming social anxiety. :) I'm a writer working on a self-help book titled "Essential Strategies for Social Anxiety: CBT Techniques to Conquer Self Doubt, Eliminate Fear and Build Bulletproof Confidence."
Scope:
I'm currently seeking enthusiastic readers to provide honest feedback on my manuscript before it's published. This is NOT a paid gig, nor will you need to pay anything, but as a thank you for your time and insights, you'll receive a FREE digital copy of the book once it's launched!
Requirements:

• Be an avid reader with a genuine interest in self-help and/or social anxiety topics.
• Be willing to read the manuscript and provide honest feedback on your thoughts, impressions, and overall reading experience.
• No pressure to write lengthy feedback – your general impressions are more than enough!

What you get:

• A FREE digital copy of the book upon publication.
• The satisfaction of knowing you're helping a fellow author refine their work and potentially reach others struggling with social anxiety.

Sounds interesting? Great! To ensure a good fit for everyone, I've put together a quick and easy sign-up form. This will help me understand your reading preferences and gauge your interest in the specific topic of social anxiety.
Sign-up form here: https://forms.gle/cf92VDMUrdpKJqaT6
Thanks for your time, and happy reading!
P.S. Feel free to share this post with anyone you think might be interested! The more honest feedback, the better!

After seeing such great results on others, I'm seriously considering proceeding with a 6000-8000 hair transplant at Gro (Australia) or Dr Laorwong (Thailand). Topical fin/min has improved things over a year, and when my hair is washed and dry it sits up and looks passable, I guess - but I want the fuller hair back on top. I'm tired of the hats, tired of feeling self-conscious, desperate for my confidence back.
However, the biggest block for me is post-op recovery. I worry about shaving my head, having visible damage from the procedure for a month (?), and how long it will take for my head not to look weird.
I also don't really want people knowing I've had a transplant if I can avoid it. I'll be happier admitting it once healed and looking normal, but would much rather not have to deal with it before that. I'm considering disappearing to Thailand for 2 weeks (3 or 4 even?) just to avoid seeing people as I heal. Perhaps that's affordable given Laorwong's pricing.
I'd love advice form those who have had similar concerns and gone ahead with it anyway. Is shaving the head necessary for the procedure? How long did it take for your scalp to heal and look relatively normal? How did you go about your lives in that first week or month? Is it really not possible to cover the head during this time? What tips or strategies did you guys use? Thanks so much!

I have a 12 week old GP. Since I brought him home a few weeks ago his stool has been very soft. It will look formed but very, very soft. I discussed it with our Vet and he said to change his food. That didn’t help so we’ve changed it again and he gets a probiotic 3x daily. His current food is Natural Balance puppy limited ingredient salmon and rice. As of this morning it’s basically liquid/applesauce consistency and he’s very gassy. Anyone else had this issue and if so what food worked? Chicken is what he was originally on. He’s eating, drinking, playing, etc. as usual. I’ve submitted a stool sample just waiting on the results.

The TDR Three Key Takeaways regarding Germany and Medical Cannabis:

1. Germany is gearing up to initiate pilot programs for state-controlled cannabis shops, focusing on scientific purposes in the medical cannabis industry.
2. UK’s private medical cannabis market contrasts with Germany’s approach.
3. Pilot cannabis programs in Germany could model future European laws.

Germany’s progression in the cannabis sector is marked by innovative approaches to cannabis legalization and medical cannabis. The country is gearing up to initiate pilot programs for state-controlled cannabis shops, focusing on scientific purposes to study their impacts on public health and youth. This ambitious move aligns with broader trends in Europe, where countries like the UK are also adjusting their strategies to foster the growth of medical cannabis markets.
Jürgen Neumeyer from the Cannabis Industry Association recently highlighted Germany’s commitment to exploring regulated cannabis markets through scientific projects. “We are hopeful that a practical way will be created to legally sell cannabis products in Germany – at least in some scientific projects,” Neumeyer explained to Spiegel. These shops, which could potentially open later this year, aim to offer more than just consumer products; they are envisioned as hubs for social and scientific engagement.
Meanwhile, across the Channel, the UK’s medical marijuana sector is experiencing unexpected growth. Lawrence Purkiss, a senior analyst at Prohibition Partners, shed light on the unique dynamics of the UK market. “The comparatively high per-patient consumption rates in the UK are at least in part a consequence of the fact that the market is entirely private and self-paid,” he stated. Unlike Germany, where public healthcare systems reimburse at least 50% of medical cannabis costs for numerous patients, the UK market operates without such financial support, thus promoting higher prescription volumes.
Ingrid Wunn, founder of the Hemp Initiative Frankfurt and a cannabis patient herself, emphasized the urgent need for operational cannabis clubs in Germany. “Shops need to open as soon as possible. Although these clubs aim to promote social interaction among members of the cannabis community, they are currently run under stringent policies that make them unavailable,” Wunn commented, highlighting the social benefits of these establishments beyond their commercial implications.
Furthermore, the CEO of Curaleaf Laboratories pointed out significant developments in the UK’s approach to medical cannabis. “The beginning of 2024 has already shown a tremendous level of growth, with a record number of UK private clinics now providing medical cannabis treatment for lower appointment costs than ever before,” he remarked. The introduction of new formulations and dosage forms, such as pastilles and liquid vape cartridges, has broadened the spectrum of treatments available, allowing specialists to tailor more specific and varied treatment regimens for patients.
Projections suggest that by 2028, Germany and the UK could dominate the European medical cannabis market, accounting for 77% of the total market share. This growth is driven by both expanding legal frameworks and an increasing acknowledgment of the therapeutic benefits of cannabis. As both nations continue to refine their policies and commercial strategies, the focus remains on balancing patient needs with scientific and public health priorities.Germany’s approach, emphasizing research through state-controlled shops, could serve as a model for other nations considering cannabis legalization for medical or scientific purposes. As Europe moves towards more detailed cannabis policies, the lessons learned from these pilot programs will undoubtedly influence future legislative and commercial decisions in the region.

The history of the Panjabi folk song "Jugni" is a captivating blend of storytelling, spiritual yearning, and a touch of mystery. Unlike a single song, "Jugni" represents a narrative style deeply embedded in Panjabi folk music for centuries. The word itself translates to "firefly" and is also used to describe a free-spirited woman. This symbolism reflects the multifaceted nature of Jugni performances.
The most widely accepted view suggests Jugni wasn't a specific song but a storytelling method used by Panjabi folk singers. It's likely that the themes explored in Jugni narratives ranged from everyday life experiences to spiritual reflections.
There's a theory suggesting a specific origin point around 1908, with folk singers Bishna and Manda credited for its creation. Both men hailed from the Majha region. According to a local lore, Manda (real name Mohammad) was a Muslim Mirasi from Hasanpur, Amritsar, while Bishna belonged to a Jatt family from the Kasur-Patti region. Their repertoire consisted mainly of traditional folk songs like Mirza and Tappe.
This theory behind Jugni's birth is interesting. It is said that around 1908, to celebrate the 50th year (golden jubilee) of Queen Victoria on the throne, a ceremonial flame traveled across British-ruled India, reaching every major city and district headquarters. Bishna and Manda, known for their stage performances, followed the flame wherever it went.
There's a discrepancy in how the word "Jugni" came about, but generally it's claimed that illiterate Bishna and Manda mispronounced "Jubilee" as "Jugni." Capitalizing on the festivities, Bishna and Manda incorporated the "Jugni" (or Jubilee) flame into their performances. They sang self-composed verses about the flame, accompanying themselves on traditional instruments like the Dhad and King. These catchy verses, referencing specific cities and villages, quickly gained popularity, inspiring others to create their own Jugni verses.
Their original 'Jugni-verse' was presumably: "Jugni jaa varhi Majithe, koi rann na chakki peethe, Putt gabhru mulak vich maare, rovan akhiyan par bulh si seete, Piir mereya oye Jugni ayi aa, ehnan kehrhi jot jagaee aa"
This 'Jugni's poetic style and versification later became a traditional method and started taking much more in it's clasp but the beginning of 'Jugni' always remained in some city or place:
"Jugni jaa varhi Ludhiane, Uhnun pai ge anne kaane, Maarn mukkian mangan daane, Piir mereya oye! Jugni kehndi aa, Jehrhi naam Ali da laindi aa"
As the "Jugni" flame traveled, Bishna and Manda's fame grew. However, the era was marked by public discontent towards British rule, including famines and oppression. This social unrest found its way into their Jugni verses, which often criticized the British Raj.
The popularity of these anti-colonial verses did not go unnoticed by the authorities. Bishna and Manda's performances were banned, forcing them to move their shows away from official festivities. Despite police intervention and crowd dispersal tactics, their revolutionary Jugni performances continued to inspire anti-British sentiment.
Tragically, their defiance ended with their arrest and torture by police in Gujranwala. They were reportedly buried in an unmarked grave, their voices silenced but their Jugni legacy living on in the hearts of the people. Both Bishna and Manda are said to have been around their 50s and unmarried, so it is said they died without heirs.
However, there are inconsistencies about this theory. Firstly, Queen Victoria's golden jubilee, which would be the most relevant jubilee for a celebration in 1908, actually occurred in 1887. Additionally, there's no historical record of a nationwide jubilee with a "Jugni" or "Jubilee" flame traveling across India for her coronation as Queen or Queen-Empress of the British Raj.
This discrepancy casts doubt on the accuracy of the story. It's possible that the details about the jubilee and the creation of Jugni are misremembered or embellished over time. Alternatively, there might have been a localized event around 1908 that involved some form of light or celebration, but it wouldn't have been the grand jubilee described in the story. It is possible that there was local events celebrating an end to the 1857 mutiny against British rule.
An alternative perspective comes from the acclaimed Panjabi folk singer Alam Lohar. He claimed to have coined the term "Jugni" inspired by Sufi poetry, and is credited with popularizing a specific style of Jugni singing. In his renditions, Jugni became a vehicle for expressing spiritual themes, often referencing God with terms like "saeen".
Lohar's own journey with Jugni began during his early performances in the 1930s, pre-dating the partition of Panjab. As a child prodigy, he sang Jugni extensively during this time. Unfortunately, limited recording facilities in British India prevented many of these early performances from being captured.
However, later in his career, Lohar released an LP record titled "Jugni" which became a huge success, achieving gold disc status in 1965. He recorded numerous variations of Jugni throughout his career, and some of these recordings are still available on LP records, black and white TV footage, and even YouTube.
Lohar's influence extends well beyond himself. Singers worldwide, including his son Arif Lohar, have been deeply inspired by his renditions of Jugni.
The passage also offers some interesting background on the word "Jugni" itself. It mentions a theory that Lohar might have been influenced by encountering the term in Sufi writings. Additionally, "Jugni" is noted to be a traditional Muslim prayer tool (Tasbih) and an ornament worn by Panjabi women. However, the connection between these uses of "Jugni" and the musical genre wasn't explicitly explained by Lohar.
Lohar's claim is contested by other Panjabi artists. They argue that Jugni existed well before him. This viewpoint strengthens the idea of Jugni being a long-standing narrative tradition.
Despite the debate on its exact origin, some aspects of Jugni's history are clear. It's an established Panjabi folk narrative style, likely referring to fireflies or a free spirit. Alam Lohar undeniably popularized a particular style of Jugni focused on spiritual themes. Renditions of Jugni have been made by many artists including Arif Lohar, Saleem Javed, Asa Singh Mastana, Surinder Kaur, Gurmeet Bawa, Kuldip Manak, Gurdas Mann, Harbhajan Mann, Rabbi Shergill, Malkit Singh, Babbu Mann, Diljit Dosanjh, Bilal Saeed, etc.
In conclusion, Jugni's history is a testament to the enduring power of Panjabi folk traditions. While its exact beginnings might be debated, Jugni's ability to capture the essence of a free spirit and the yearning for the divine continues to resonate with audiences.

First some info
Hey all, first to clarify a few things. This is an advertisement for 4 players needed for a long-term, homebrew campaign starting at level 6. If you are looking for a purely RAW dnd setting with RAW mechanics and gameplay, this likely isn't something for you. And that's okay. This campaign will be taking place weekly on Monday evenings, AUSTRALIA TIME. If you apply for this campaign, I am going to assume that you will be able to consistently make this schedule. Please familiarise yourself with this as if you are in the USA, it will be early hrs of the morning for you most likely (approximately 2-3am start for those on the East Coast).
I am an experienced GM and I expect a certain commitment from my players. This being a mutual understanding that the more passion we put into the games, the more fun and fulfilment that we will get from them. As a DM, my style is a roleplay and exploration focused game. With the potential for long stretches of combat sessions when narratively appropriate. I run a number of homebrew rules that I believe fit my style of game better. This campaign is in a unique position of exploration over all else. You will need to build characters who have a sense of self as well as a desire to explore. While it is NOT essential or required, taking notes is encouraged given I do like the old lore dump from time to time.
Lastly for the info. Please do not feel intimidated if you are a new player to dnd, wanting your first game. Maybe you are someone who has played Baldur's Gate III and want a shot at the TTRPG version. All are welcome. Please do not apply though if you are under the age of 18, nothing personal, however its not the vibe or themes I'm going for. This campaign will use Discord and Roll20. I'm happy to teach roll20 use, its fairly straight forward to those who haven't used it.
Campaign Premise
Now that stuff is out of the way! Lets have a chat about the kind of story you will be signing your Monday's away to for the indefinite future.
For longer than even Elvish recorded history, around the equator of the world, have been a set of impassable leylines. For millennia, ships, airships and any who attempt the treacherous crossing of this equatorial barrier into the South has never been heard from again. All forms of divination and teleportation magic has proved futile at providing witness to the other side of the great divider. Until 5 years ago. 5 years prior to the event of the campaign, the 3 largest nations to the North developed a device called "The Arcane Anomaly Pacifier," (TAAP). Which is a ring of three large towers that every 6 months, can stabilise the leylines in a small enough area over the ocean to provide safe passage for a fleet of ships. The first of these crossings was named "The Exodus."
Since then, 9 other crossings have been made into the new lands. You, the party find yourselves on the 10th crossing. Leaving from whatever life you had before, into new prospects of employment. Were you running? Hiding maybe? Or even someone down on their luck in search of new horizons! You have accepted the job of Expedition Security for an eccentric Gnomish scientist named "Odana Gerrul." She believes that there is more to this southern wasteland than meets the eye.
Rumours of an artifact with the power to control the flow of magic run rampant within the new colonies as ruins of who came before are starting to be uncovered. Will your party be the ones to unlock the secrets of the new world? Or will the mystery swallow you up whole?
How to apply
Thankyou newfound friend for sifting through my word vomit. Now if you feel like this game may still be for you, here's how you can go about letting me know! Please fill out the following google form as accurately as you can. (Extra consideration will be put into those applicants who go into a bit more detail) I'll contact you further if I believe that you would be a good fit for the group. Any questions, please comment below.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfC3mYtky9b9_RknQzS9Y4g0rLkDGmzrjhtF9zXfucUdpwccw/viewform?usp=sf_link
I look forward to hearing from you.

I work in corporate government and struggle with RSD, it’s gotten to the point where I overthink almost all conversations when I get home, and paranoia creeps in so I withdraw from relationships in the work place because I think everyone hates me, or is secretly against me and is forming a dislike of me. It’s the worst, I’m generally bubbly, I do all my work with excellence, am well groomed and no one knows I have ADHD, I feel I don’t need to disclose as I’m high functioning and high performing. I have good professional boundaries, don’t have personal friendships at work as I don’t really trust people and fear that rejection if people know me too closely, but overall, I get comments about being joyful and funny as if it’s a good thing . I believe I’m well received- but the RSD and “paranoia” for lack of a better word, is so intense. It almost feels like I’m too happy, or my joy and high performance irritates others. That’s the main pattern of thinking that starts the intense self rejection. Is there a book to read to get over this RSD, im currently listening to the subtle art of not giving a f*** and it gives me a slight insight and confidence to not care but not enough to heal it - Im really in need of tips, in terms of mental “off ramps” and an action plan to get over this.
Please help 🥹

What is a Mental Box?
Imagine that you are inside of a large cardboard box. How would you describe your experience of being inside that box?
Most people would accurately say that they feel trapped and their movements are limited or restricted. In this case, they are physically limited since the box exists physically. So what does it mean to be ‘trapped’ in a mental box?
It's essentially the same thing, but the mental box only exists in your mind. Instead of limiting your physical movements, it limits your thoughts, and by extension, your possibilities.
To illustrate this point, let's say one day you caught a frog and put it into a tank to keep. At first the frog would just jump out of the tank, and you would have to catch it and put it back in.
So then you put a lid on the tank.
For the next few days, the frog keeps trying to jump out, but every time, it keeps bumping its head on the lid. Eventually it just gives up on jumping out because it doesn’t like the pain of bumping its head. Then you remove the lid after a week. The frog still doesn’t try to jump out. Even if it jumps, it never jumps to the height of where it would bump its head.
So now the frog is in a mental box that it created based on its interpretation of current circumstances (if I jump this high, it will hurt). Even though the physical barrier is gone, the mental barrier (box) took its place, and the frog doesn’t even try to jump out anymore. The possibility of escape is gone.
Of course, given enough time, the frog will likely try to jump back out. Regardless, this illustrates my point of how learning/mental associations create mental boxes.
The way that humans form mental boxes is more or less the same, just with the added complexity of thought: a set of circumstance(s), an interpretation of those circumstances (in the form of a belief), and then a self-imposed mental box formed from that belief, which ultimately limits possibilities.
An example to illustrate this is a person who tries something, fails (several times), makes an interpretation based on their failures (I suck at X, or X is not for me), and gives up on that thing.
So simply put, a mental box is any limiting belief that you have about yourself or the world.
Limiting beliefs can exist in many ways, but the key thing they all have in common, is that they limit possibilities in the real world. Here are various examples of limiting beliefs, and the possibility they limit.

• ‘I suck at math’. Limits the possibility of anything math related as a career.
• ‘Nothing ever goes my way’. Limits the possibility of things working out in their favor.
• ‘I’m unlovable’. Limits the possibility of them being in and finding love.
• ‘That person is weird’. Limits the possibility of friendship or connection with that person.
• ‘I need a good career to be happy’. Limits the possibility of happiness if they are not progressing towards a good career (ya’ll see where I’m going with this?)

Of course, mental boxes aren’t only negative in nature. Even a positive belief such as ‘I’m really smart’ can be a mental box. In this case, it limits the possibility of someone trying (and failing) at learning new things that makes them feel dumb initially.
Even something as nuanced and ‘inherently true’ such as ‘humans can’t fly’ is a limiting belief. And the reason is obvious: if humans are believed to only be capable of being on the ground, planes and air travel wouldn’t exist.
The fact of the matter is, nothing in this universe is impossible. Sure, you can argue that it’s improbable, but thinking that something is impossible or can’t be done just limits human ingenuity. Think about all the things that are possible now that were ‘impossible’ fifty or a hundred years ago. If those inventors fell into a mental box of ‘those things can’t happen’ no way we would have the technology and the quality/convenience of life we have now.
So we can clearly see that mental boxes are bad, since they can affect our personal lives, or even human evolution. But how do they actually work, and how does that make them so destructive?
That’s what we’ll explore in the next page.

This is long so I’d grab a cuppa…
I’ve just been to my psychiatrist appointment and explained to them for the 4th appointment in a row that concerta isn’t working for me. I started on 18 then 36 now 54 and like every other dose it works for like a week or two and then it’s as if I haven’t taken it at all. She said that she thinks I may have something else other than adhd or I might have something else as well as adhd. Has anyone else been told this? And did you have anything else?
I’m pretty self aware and love a good research when the hyper focus kicks in and as you’ll all know we don’t get a late diagnosis without doing crazy amounts of research to confirm that is actually what we have. I don’t think I have BPD and I don’t experience moods that go from high to low so I don’t think it’s bipolar either. I think I 100% have PMDD but can’t get an appointment with my doctor to do anything about it (NHS).
I feel like since being diagnosed I struggle with things a lot more than I used to. Is this because I’ve lost my ability to mask? I don’t know. I’m a lot calmer on my meds and my moods are stable with a lot less angeoverstimulation but the executive dysfunction is killing me.
My day consists of getting up, taking my meds (54mg) at 7am and then I get my daughter up, ready and drop her off at school. At 9am I come home and just sit either scrolling on my phone or watching tv. Come 11:30 I’m ready for a nap. I have a nap til about 12:30 sometimes 1 and then I start getting ready to go and get my daughter from school at 3. Come 3-4 I have no energy at all. Making dinner and getting ready for the next day can feel like I’m climbing a mountain. Once my daughters dinner is made I mentally and physically check out. I usually end up ordering a takeaway or filling myself up on rubbish because I don’t have it in me to cook another meal. Then I binge.
This is impacting my mental health like crazy and I think I may have depression for the first time in my life. Due to the lack of activity and my binge eating I am gaining lots of weight and that’s making me feel worse yet I am stuck in this constant loop. On the weekends when my daughter is at her dads, if I don’t have work I can literally spend every waking minute in bed. Only leaving it to go to the toilet. I wasn’t like this until I was diagnosed. But it was also lockdown during my diagnosis process so I don’t know if I formed lazy habits during lockdown and that’s why it’s worse and I’m blaming my diagnosis. Who knows.
I’d like to add that concerta is the only medication that I have tried. Is it normal for Drs to seek other diagnosis because concerta didn’t work. I always thought they’d try other things before diagnosing me with something else. Has anyone else found concerta didn’t work and then found out they actually have something other than adhd, if so what was it you had? What could it be?

Introduction

In this post, we'll be discussing something called "Virtue Ethics." This is a normative theory of ethics that's most associated with Aristotle, though has in recent times experienced a resurgence of sorts from modern philosophers, some of whom have tweaked and modified it, and in doing so have created different branches on this tree of moral theory. We will be comparing these different flavors of Virtue Ethics to that of the New Testament's, pointing out where they're similar, as well as highlighting where the NT differs (and is actually superior) from the heathens' views.
I want to preface all this with a verse and a warning:

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."-Colossians 2:8

The entire Bible, over and over again, warns against syncretism. It's a running theme throughout to condemn the practice, with this verse being one of the more explicit ones to do so.
Mapping the ideas of Pagans (and especially Greek philosophers) onto the Scriptures has always resulted in people severely misinterpreting the Bible, as looking at the Word of God through a Hellenistic lens is and always has been extremely innapropiate to the author's original intent.
Whenever Greek philosophy or ideas are referenced, they're always portrayed in a bad light or otherwise used to make a point. Examples of the latter could be found in the apostle Paul's writings, as he was a fully educated Roman citizen of his day, and so he made use of known Hellenestic philosophy and literature (that he would have been familiar with) by redefining their terms and ideas in a way that would be consistent with the theology of his own religion. The apostle Peter did the same within his own epistles whenever he mentioned "Tartarus," the abyss/prison for certain disobedient angels that rebelled against God, despite the fact that the word has its roots in Greek mythology and not Hebrew religion (though, the belief that there were a group of spiritual beings that rebelled against the highest authority in the heavens was one technically shared between the two ancient cultures; even if the parties involved were vastly different, as well as the contexts of the rebellion itself).
The affect Hellenstic philosophy has had on the way people think (even subconsciously) can still be felt to this day, and can be seen in the confusion modern "Christianity" has brought on through its adoption of Gnostic teachings such as Dualism or the inherently fatalistic views that many unknowingly hold due to the error of Classical Theism.
While yes, I will be commending the heathen (unbeliever) whenever they are right with their ideas as pertaining to this subject, I will also show where they are wrong.
Let's begin.

"What Is Virtue Ethics?"

First, we need to define some terms and point out the differences between this view and others within the larger debate of normative ethics.
There are three major approaches in normative ethics, those being: Consequentalism, Deontology, and Virtue Ethics. The following are definitions of the terms:
Consequentialism – a class of normative, teleological ethical theories that holds that the consequences of one's conduct are the ultimate basis for judgement about the rightness or wrongness of that conduct.
Deontology – theories where an action is considered morally good because of some characteristic of the action itself, not because the product of the action is good. Deontological ethics holds that at least some acts are morally obligatory regardless of their consequences for human welfare.
Virtue Ethics – theories that emphasize the role of character and virtue in moral philosophy rather than either doing one’s duty or acting in order to bring about good consequences. The virtue ethicist would argue that actions themselves, while important, aren't as important as the character behind them. To the virtue ethicist, consequences are also important, but they would say that good consequences ultimately flow from a virtuous character who has made virtuous decisions. Theories of virtue ethics do not aim primarily to identify universal principles that can be applied in any moral situation, instead teaching that the best decisions can vary based on context, and that there are only some actions that would be universally evil, only because those actions could never flow from a virtuous character in the first place (e.g., rape).
Aristotle's idea of ethics is in an important respect different from most people's, especially today. Heirs as we are to Kant’s idea of duty – there is a right thing that one ought to do, as rational beings who respect other persons – and to Mill’s idea of utility – the right thing to do is that which produces the greatest good for the greatest number – most of us see ethics as concerned with actions. "The function of ethics is to help me see what I ought to do in a given situation," the modern says. Aristotle’s approach was different. His ethic is not so much concerned about helping us to see what we ought to do, as about what sort of person we ought to be.
Aristotle was concerned with character, and with the things that go to make up good and bad character; virtues and vices. His sort of ethic does not look at our action to see if it fulfils our duty, or produces a certain outcome, such as the greatest good of the greatest number, and therefore merits approval. Instead, it looks at us; at the character behind the actions, to see whether we merit approval.
Comparing Virtue Ethics with philosophies such as Deontology and Consequentialism, we are able to divide ethical theories into two kinds; act-centered theories and agent-centered theories. Kant’s (Deontological) and Mill’s (Utilitarian) approaches are act-centered, because they concern themselves with our actions, whilst Aristotle’s is agent-centered because it concerns itself with the character of a person, which in his view was ourselves and our own dispositions that prompt our actions.
Both approaches have ardent present-day advocates, and so both are alive and well. Virtue Ethicists are dissatisfied with the answers ‘modern’ act-centered philosophy offers, and look for a more flexible, person-centered approach that takes more account of the subtle varieties of human motivation. Those in this camp see ethics as being about people – moral agents – rather than merely about actions. Of course, your actions matter. But, for Aristotle and his present day advocates alike, they matter as expressions of the kind of person you are. They indicate such qualities as kindness, fairness, compassion, and so on, and it is these qualities and their corresponding vices that it is the business of ethics to approve or disapprove.
All this seems simple and uncontroversial; there are two ways of looking at an action to evaluate it morally. You can take the action in isolation and judge it, or take the agent and judge him or her.
Virtue ethicists argue that act-centered ethics are narrow and bloodless. What is needed is a richer moral vocabulary than just ‘right and wrong’. There are subtle but important differences between actions that are good because they are kind and those that are good because they are generous, and those that are good because they are just. Likewise, there are subtle but important differences between actions that are bad because they are selfish and those that are bad because they are cruel and those that are bad because they are unfair. These, and many other, distinctions are lost when we talk simply about doing one’s duty, or promoting utility. Questions of motive and of character are lost, in these asceptic terms. Modern moral philosophy won’t do: it is cold, technical and insensitive to the many kinds and degrees of value expressed in human actions. Ethics is more than just thought experiments and hypotheticals about what would be the right course of action to take in any given situation we might conjure up from the comfort of our armchair. Ethics is about doing, and about context and character.

The Different Kinds of "Virtue Ethics"

Virtue Ethics has has been developed in two main directions: Eudaimonism, and agent-based theories.
Eudaimonism (Aristotle's view) bases virtues in human flourishing, where flourishing is equated with performing one’s distinctive function well. In the case of humans, Aristotle argued that our distinctive function is reasoning, and so the life “worth living” is one which we reason well. He also believed that only free men in the upper classes of society (i.e., the aristocrats) could excel in virtue and eschew vice, being that such men had greater access to the means in accomplishing this task as they had the wealth and resources to better perform their distinctive function of 'reasoning,' and thus "live well." For the Eudaimonian, inner dispositions are what one ought to focus on in order to cultivate virtuous traits, and thus a virtuous character.
In contrast, an agent-based theory emphasizes that virtues are determined by common-sense intuitions that we as observers judge to be admirable traits in other people. There are a variety of human traits that we find admirable, such as benevolence, kindness, compassion, etc., and we can identify these by looking at the people we admire, our moral exemplars. Agent-based theories also state that the motivations and intentions behind an action are ultimately what determine whether or not said action is actually virtuous. Whereas Eudaimonism understands the moral life in terms of inner dispositions or proclivities to act in certain ways (whether righteous or wicked, just or unjust, kind or cruel, etc.), agent-based theories are more radical in that their evaluation of actions is dependent on ethical judgments about the inner life of the agents who perform those actions, that is, what the motivations and intents are of a person.
[Note: While both Eudaimonism and agent-based theories are both agent-centered, Eudaimonism is not to be confused with an agent-based theory. Both branches concern themselves more with agents rather than acts themselves, but Eudamonism focuses on the self to improve whereas the agent-based theory focuses on others to improve.]

Common Critcisims Toward Secular Forms of Virtue Ethics

Firstly, Eudaimonism provides a self-centered conception of ethics because "human flourishing" (here defined as simply fulfilling our base function as humans, which is "reason" according to this view) is seen as an end in itself and does not sufficiently consider the extent to which our actions affect other people. Morality requires us to consider others for their own sake and not because they may benefit us. There seems to be something wrong with aiming to behave compassionately, kindly, and honestly merely because this will make oneself happier or "reason well."
Secondly, both Eudaimonism and agent-based theories also don't provide guidance on how we should act, as there are no clear principles for guiding action other than “act as a virtuous person would act given the situation.” Who is a virtuous person? Who is the first or universal exemplar?
Lastly, the ability to cultivate the right virtues will be affected by a number of different factors beyond a person’s control due to education, society, friends and family. If moral character is so reliant on luck, what role does this leave for appropriate praise and blame of the person? For the Eudaimonian, one ought to be born into a status of privilege if they wish to excel in being virtuous. For the proponent of an agent-based theory, one ought to be born into a society or family with good role models and preferably be raised by such, else they have no moral exemplars to emulate.

The New Testament's Virtue Ethic

The New Testament authors didn’t sit down and do a self-consciously philosophical exercise, for this was not what they were concerned with. They were concerned with giving practical instruction to disciples of the faith, and merely trying to express the ethical implications of their spiritual experience. That being said, we know the apostle Paul was familiar with the writings of Aristotle. We can actually identify places where Paul displays knowledge of Aristotle and incorporates some of the philosopher's ideas into his own epistles. Before we do this, however, it's important we refute common misnomers about what the Bible teaches concerning ethics in general.
You probably have heard many attack the ethics of the New Testament as being primitive and simplistic. "God dictates universal commands to follow: 'do not lie,' do 'not divorce,' 'do not insult.' And the only motivating factor is escaping hellfire and obtaining the reward of eternal pleasure." But in reality, this is a gross misrepresentation of the ethics laid out in the NT. I will argue the NT advocates for a form of virtue ethics, instead of claiming the NT contains a form of deontic ethics, as it is so often assumed.
Elizabeth Anscombe was one of the most influential virtue ethicists of the 20th century. Her work helped to revive virtue ethics in the modern era, however she also criticized the ethics of the Bible for promoting a form of ethics different than what Aristotle promoted:
"...between aristotle and us came Christianity, with its law conception of ethics. For Christianity derived its ethical notions from the Torah. (One might be inclined to think that a law conception of ethics could arise only among people who accepted an allegedly divine positive law..." (Modern Moral Philosophy, vol. 33, no. 124, 1-19)
We've already dealt with the issue of the Torah in another post. The Torah is not laying down moral laws, but describing justice in the form of ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature. But does the New Testament teach a deontic form of ethics? Anscombe might appear justified in her claim, as some "Christian" theologians have explicitly taught the ethics of the NT is deontic.
However, other theologians have argued the ethics of the NT is best characterized as a form of virtue ethics. In a study of the NT, we'll support this notion. As noted earlier, one of the central features of this approach to ethics is that the aim of ethics should be on living a virtuous life. Other forms of ethics focus on directing actions when confronted with a moral dilemma, but for virtue ethics every action is a moral or immoral action because all of our actions contribute or do not contribute to living a virtuous life. In other words, for a virtue ethicist, everything we do will contribute to living a fulfilled life. Now, the NT promotes a similar idea with a slight modification. The NT changes the distinctictive function and purpose for man in Eudaimonism from "reasoning" to loving God and others instead, and thus "living well" is changed from self-centered 'flourshing' (as defined by Aristotle) to glorifying God instead. The apostles taught everything we do contributes to living a life that glorifies God:

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."-1 Corinthians 10:31
"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."-Colossians 3:17

So we see the same idea in Paul, that everything we do can be seen as a moral or immoral action. Everything we do should be seen as contributing to living a life that glorifies god or not. As a believer, the aim is not just doing good actions to avoid punishments, but to see everything we do as glorifying God. On secular virtue ethics, all our actions are either advancing a good life or not: nourishing your body contributes to living a good life. In a Biblical context: taking the time to properly dress contributes to living a good life, and not giving into the sin of sloth. So all our actions can be moral actions in this context, and so likewise for Paul and Jesus, all we do can contribute to living a life that glorifies God.
Since God made our bodies to thrive and enjoy life, we should nourish our bodies so we can thrive as God intended for our bodies to do, thus ultimately glorifying Him. Since we were created to experience and feel enjoyment, laughing and enjoying things throughout life glorifies God as well since we're experiencing emotions that God created to be experienced. Everything we do should be to glorify God, and often all that is is living our lives in the way that they were intended to be lived. Biblical ethics is very much more than merely performing right actions, but living a virtuous life that brings glory to God.
As Jesus said:

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."-Matthew 22:37b

It is also important to focus on what it means to love, which is an important aspect of what it means to be a believer. Paul makes the radical claim that to love is the entirety of the law of God:

"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."-Galatians 5:14

Jesus also taught that to love God and love others were the two greatest commandments (Mark 12:28-31, Matt. 22:34-40). He also extends the commandment to love beyond one's brethren, and to love our enemies (Matt. 5:44). Loving those around us is central to what it means to be a believer (John 13:34; 15:12-17, Rom. 12:10; 13:8, 1 Cor. 13:1-8; 16:14, 2 Cor. 8:8, Eph. 4:2; 5:2, Phili. 1:9, Heb. 10:24, Jam. 2:8, 1 Pet. 1:22, 1 John 2:10; 3:23).
One might suggest this is no different than the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do to you," or a Kantian rule: "I ought never to act except in such a way that I could also will that my maxim should become a universal law." In other words, "to live well is to perform good deeds or actions and nothing more." But an important point about loving someone is it cannot be done through actions alone. For example, one could buy a gift for their spouse to cheer them up. However, one could perform this action merely because they value performing right actions without any love for the person. One could donate to charity because it is the right thing to do, and not because she cares for the people who would benefit. In such scenarios, they can be seen as idolizing moral laws, not necessarily caring about helping others.
But to love someone requires more than merely performing right actions. You cannot love someone and not care about who they are as a person and where they are heading in life. To love is to will the good of the other. Jesus chastised the Pharisees of his day for only performing right actions, but not loving their brethren in their hearts. His criticism follows Matthew chapter 22, where Jesus says the greatest commandments are to love. The implication is the Pharisees perform proper actions, but have the wrong motivations for doing so. James Keenan puts it like this:
"Essential to understanding this command is that we love our neighbors not as objects of our devotion, but rather as subjects; that is, as persons. Thus, we cannot love others only because God wants us to do so, since then we would love them as means or as objects and not as persons. We can only love one another as subjects, just as God loves us." (Jesus and Virtue Ethics: Building Bridges Between New Testament Studies and Moral Theology, pg. 86)
A critic may bring up that verses of the NT are still phrased as commands, and therefore the structure implies duties were the central aspect of Christian ethics. But the importance of duties is not foreign to Virtue Ethics. Instead of being central to the ethical framework, duties flow from a virtuous character. Virtues are active and have certain demands for which a person must fulfill in their active behavior.
According to Aristotle, knowledge of the virtues gives us practical wisdom in how to properly act. Duties flow from the understanding of the demands of virtues. To put it another way, for virtues to manifest in persons, they have certain demands that must be fulfilled. For the believer, the command of love flows from being virtuous and aligning oneself with the character of God. Commitment to the character of Christ, who perfectly carried out the will of the Father, allows us to perform right and proper actions.
The NT also contains lists of virtues the believer ought to emulate, the most famous of these is in Galatians chapter 5:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (vss. 22-23)
Now, the connection with Aristotle cannot be more pronounced. The Greek phrase "against such there is no law" is almost identical to what we find in Aristotle's politics (3.13.1284a). It seems clear Paul is teaching a similar ethical framework to what Aristotle advocated for. Paul is teaching that the believing community ought to be persons who display key virtues, and that their conduct would not need to be regulated by a law. Instead, their character should be the standard others can measure themselves by. Romans chapter 2 is also a place we see references to Aristotle, where Paul notes that when Gentiles do what the law requires, they are "a law unto themselves" (vss. 14-15). In other words, they do not need to be told to act a certain way. They have the proper virtuous character that directs their actions, to do the good the law requires. Paul is advocating in Galatians that believers should think in a similar way.
So in Galatians 5, we have affinity with the teachings of Aristotle, and in other lists of virtues throughout the NT we see a similar idea, which is that Christians were meant to display virtues primarily (Rom. 5:3-5, 1 Cor. 13:1-8, Col. 3:12-17, 1 Tim. 3:2-3; 4:7-8, Jam. 3:17-18, 2 Pet. 1:5-8). From that, good deeds will properly manifest in our actions.
Anscombe made a great point on what the focus of ethics should be:
"It would be a great improvement if, instead of 'morally wrong', one always named a genus such as 'untruthful', 'unchaste', 'unjust'. We should no longer ask whether doing something was 'wrong', passing directly from some description of an action to this notion; we should ask whether, e.g., it was unjust; and the answer would sometimes be clear at once." (Modern Moral Philosophy, vol. 33, no. 124, 1-19)
Interestingly enough, Paul lays out a similar idea in explaining Christian ethics:

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."-Philippians 4:8-9

In other words, the central aspect on living a Christian life was on what is virtuous, not on what is lawfully right or wrong. Right actions flow from whatever is honorable, true, and pure. Correlating with this is how Paul responds to the Corinthians who claimed that "all was lawful." Paul reminded them the emphasis is not on what is lawful, but on what is good for building a virtuous character:

"All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not."-1 Corinthians 10:23

One's main focus ought to be on what is good, not on laws that dictate behavior.
One of the key aspects of Virtue Ethics is the idea we ought to learn from virtuous teachers and imitate them. A virtuous character is obtained by imitating what a virtuous person does. This parallels a key aspect of Christian ethics. Imitating Christ was (and still is) crucial to living a virtuous life:

"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:"-1 Peter 2:21

Paul says in Romans 8:29 that Christians were predestined "to be conformed to the image of his Son." Jesus often taught his followers to do as he does (Matt. 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 6:40; 9:23, John 13:15, 34). Paul says in 1st Corinthians 11: Be ye followers [i.e., imitators] of me, even as I also am of Christ" (vs. 1). Hebrews 13:7 says to imitate the faith of the patriarchs. 1st Thessalonians 2:14 says to imitate each other. And jesus taught to imitate the good Samaritan from his parable (Luke 10:37). Imitating virtuous teachers was key for Christian ethics.
Aristotle tended to compare acquiring virtues with that of learning a practical skill, like playing an instrument or learning how to become a builder. Such practical skills are best picked up when trained by a master of that particular skill, because a teacher can always provide more insight through lessons they learn from experience. For example, an expert salesman can provide examples from his experience of what works with specific customers that a sales textbook could never provide. Many professions today require on-the-job training or experience before even hiring an applicant. The reason is: experience is key to learning a profession. Merely acquiring knowledge from a textbook or an instruction manual is often insufficient to master a skill, so why would mastering the skill of virtue be any different?
In the NT, a believer is to see the world through the eyes of Christ and to love as he loved. One cannot learn how to be a virtuous person without knowing what that life would look like. A key component of Christian theology is that the Messiah perfectly represented the Father and His will on earth, to show us how to properly live as God intended for man. This central tenet of the NT aligns well with agent-based theories of Virtue Ethics, and modifies it so that the person of Jesus Christ is the universal exemplar that one is meant to emulate. We are called to imitate him through our actions, thoughts, and desires, and to conform ourselves to the way he lived. As Paul said:

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."-Galatians 2:20

If learning from Christ is key, we should briefly take a look at the Sermon on the Mount, which is said to be one of Jesus' most important series of teachings. Daniel Harrington notes:
"The sermon begins with nine 'beatitudes' (see 5:3–12) in which Jesus declares as 'happy' or 'blessed' those who practice certain virtues, and promises them an eternal reward and the fullness of God's kingdom." (Jesus and Virtue Ethics: Building Bridges Between New Testament Studies and Moral Theology, pg. 62)
Jesus laid out what a life for those that follow him look like in detail. One ought to be merciful, pure in heart, a peacemaker, thirst for righteousness, etcetera (Matt. 5:2-10). The Sermon does not merely include what right actions are, but includes sections on proper desires. Not only is it wrong to murder, but it is wrong to desire to murder or wish ill on someone (Matt. 5:22). Avoiding adultery is good, but one also should not covet after another man's woman in their heart (Matt. 5:28). In other words, merely avoiding immoral actions is not enough. One must also not desire vices. A believer is called to desire what is good.
The Sermon is not necessarily laying down universal moral commands. For example, Matthew 5:9 says, "Blessed are the peacemakers," but this doesn't imply absolute Pacifism, as it would contradict passages in the Old Testament where it explicitly says there is a time for war (Ecc. 3:8). The point of the Sermon is to teach what a virtuous life ought to look like. A follower of Christ ought to use reason to know what is proper to do in various circumstances. For example, in Matthew chapter 6, Jesus offers guidance on how one ought to pray by presenting the Lord's prayer (vss. 9-15). This is a model of how to pray. It's not a command for followers to always pray in this exact way.
In reality, the Sermon on the Mount mixes in exhortations, parables, hyperbole, declarations, commands, etc. It is best understood as displaying what a virtuous life ought to look like. It's not a law code. Building on this, it's important to understand a proper action is context sensitive. Under Virtue Ethics, one should not necessarily apply a universal maxim to every situation. Sometimes the proper action will depend on what is at stake, who is involved, what is the background, etc. Aristotle advocated against the idea there were fixed universal laws that dictate actions, and instead he argued the right action would depend on the circumstances one finds themselves in. Although the ethics of the NT may be a bit more strict, it still places an emphasis on being sensitive to the context of situations.
In 1st Corinthians chapter 8, Paul lays out instructions on how to deal with meat that has been sacrificed to Pagan idols. Instead of stating an absolute prohibition against meat sacrificed to idols, Paul instructed Christians to use reason to come to the proper ethical decision based on context. In other words, the right action is not determined only by a law. Instead, the Christian had to make the proper decision based on the context: if eating caused another to stumble, then you ought to abstain; if not, then there's no harm done. The value of the action depends on the context.
A Deontologist might reply that there's still a universal law given here: that one should always abstain if it's going to cause another to stumble. This objection can be addressed by asking: how are we to know if eating the meat will cause another believer to stumble? To answer such a question, one must be sensitive to the context, which in this case would be knowledge of the fellow believer and your relation to him. It is the context that determines the right action, not a universal law. Moreover, Paul states that the primary goal for the believer should be to love (1 Cor. 13). The first consideration is once again not the rightness of action, but having love for one another. From this, knowledge of the proper action will follow.
Paul often explains that living a proper life as a believer will take work and practice. He reminded Timothy to attend readings, practice what these things mean, and keep a close watch on himself (1 Tim. 4:13-14). Elsewhere, he directs that all believers must work on their faith (Phili. 2:12). Beyond this, he also noted that not all Christians would have the same gifts, and to accept that this was normal (1 Cor. 12). For some, certain things may be a hindrance, whereas for others it is acceptable (Rom. 14:2-4). What matters is that we love and build one another up (1 Thess. 5:11). Right actions flow from love and knowledge of virtue. Rules are not the primary motives that dictate our actions; rules are secondary in this regard.
An interesting case can be studied with regards to divorce in the Gospels. Jesus preaches against divorce (Mark 10:7-9) and it is often interpreted to mean "divorce is always wrong, regardless of circumstances." However, it should be noted the prohibition on divorce is not a universal law. The context can affect whether or not a divorce is permissible. Jesus says that one can divorce over sexual immorality. Paul also has a situation where divorce is permissible, namely if one spouse is an unbeliever and wishes to leave (1 Cor. 7:15). The implication one can derive is divorce is not ideal, but there are circumstances where it may be the proper action to take. Given the other features of Christian Virtue Ethics we already covered, the proper action to take will depend on the circumstances and what the virtuous agent thinks is the most loving thing to do. A universal prohibition on divorce is not a Christian ethic. Instead, one ought to discern the proper action from circumstances. However, it's clear in most cases divorce would not be the virtuous thing to do.
Building on this, it's important to note that within NT ethics, certain acts are always wrong. For example, idolatry and sexual immorality are always wrong (1 Cor. 10:14, Col. 3:15, 1 Pet. 4:13). There are no possible scenarios where it would be okay to rape, because such an act would never flow from a virtuous character. But this concept is not foreign to theories of Virtue Ethics. Aristotle noted that for some actions, no qualifications could make them virtuous. Actions such as rape or murder are always wrong, because they would never flow from a virtuous character. So it's not as if a Virtue Ethicist cannot claim that some actions are always wrong. They simply are qualified as being unable to flow from virtue, whereas actions like lying or waging war could be considered virtuous for the right reason.
Now, despite Christian Virtue Ethics having many similarities with Eudaimonism (Aristotelian ethics), there are also numerous differences beyond what we've already noted. One of the deficiencies of how Aristotle lays out his ethical theory is that it is essentially an all-boys club. Aristotle writes mainly to aristocratic men, excluding women and slaves. In his view, women were inferior to men and slaves lacked the necessary rational faculty. But the Christians rejected this mentality, as the teachings of Christ and the apostles were available to all (Matt. 28:19). Paul said, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28). Peter wrote that all Christians were part of the priesthood of Christ (1 Pet. 2:5). Jesus had women followers (Luke 8:2-3), and they were entrusted with delivering revelation (Mark 15:40–16:8). What we find throughout the NT is a radical change to how women were viewed in the ancient world. Paul is also likely building on Aristotle's household structure and refining it. David deSilva says the household codes of the NT are "...following the pairs laid out as early as Aristotle to such a degree as to suggest that these were standard topics in ethical instruction" (Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity, pg. 231). But Paul adds an important preface: submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (Eph. 5:20-21). DeSilva says:
"...husbands, we cannot then ignore the distinctively Christian addition they bring to this arrangement; husbands are to be subject to their wives as well." (Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity, pg. 233)
Thus Paul doesn't break down the traditional perspective on the structure of the family, but he does add the idea that we all must submit to each other in reverence, love, unity, and cooperation because all are equal before God. There is no explicit mention in the NT calling for the abolishment of slavery, but it should be noted that Paul taught that slaves should be seen as equals. In the letter to Philemon, Paul is clear that his slave is no longer "as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved" (vs. 16). Thus, within Christian ethics class distinctions were supposed to evaporate. All were brothers and sisters of one family.
An important aspect of Christian ethics is that it wasn't a standalone ethical theory. It's embedded in the larger Christian worldview. The ethical framework is dependent on Christian doctrines. For Aristotle, his ethical theory is for men who were raised well. This is why these specific men desire to be virtuous and perform right actions. As for why the believer does good and desires to be virtuous, it's not because one was raised well, but because they have been activated by the power of God's Spirit (John 3:6, 1 Cor. 12:13). For believers, the reason as to why we desire to be good and virtuous is because the Spirit of God has regenerated us. He loves us so we can love others (1 John 4:19). One is meant to look to the life of Christ and what he has done by dying on the cross, to know that we are loved and forgiven. This in turn is meant to activate a good life, having seen what we have gained and been forgiven of. He calls and activates us to do similar to those around us. This is a more open system for people of all groups and classes. One only has to call upon the name of the Lord to be included. It does not require a specific gender or to be raised a certain way.
The goal of Aristotelian ethics is to achieve 'eudaimonia.' However, within the Bible the goal is as the Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it: "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever." Since the central aspect of Biblical Eschatology is that humans will continue on forever in resurrected bodies, the aim of ethics is more than living a good life presently. Living a good life now is important, but it was only one aspect in the Christian worldview. Humans are meant to live beyond this life, so the aim is also about building virtuous souls that will continue on. The importance of this is more crucial than it may seem at first. Paul said that we must all appear before judgment, so that "every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Cor. 15:10).
Being a virtuous person requires integrity, because one will still have to answer to God after death. If one can commit an evil act and no one finds out, then from the outside perspective he or she may still appear virtuous. Culturally speaking, the ancient world was very different from our own. All wrongdoings centered around public honor and shame. One did good to receive public honor, and one did not do what was bad to receive public shame. Right and wrong were connected to one's public honor and shame in the ancient Greco-Roman world. Thus good and evil were public ideas, not personal ideas. Ethical demands were grounded in the community in one's public appearance
The Biblical idea of an omniscient God who cared about our ethical status laid a foundation for integrity and personal guilt to emerge. Now one ought to do good because he is beholden to God, not just the community. Believers are to remain focused on God's approval and on the actions that lead them, regardless of the world's response. This lays down fertile ground for integrity to emerge. So the Biblical worldview has another important element built in that encourages ethical behavior, regardless of the honor it brings. One ought to do good because of a commitment to God not, because it might bring honor to one's name publicly.

Implications for Preterists

Paul believed that the Second Coming would happen in his generation, and prescribed certain things in the NT on the basis of that belief. An example of an exhortation that would no longer apppy to us today would be 1st Corinthians 7:24-29, where Paul argues that the times him and his fellow Christians were in called for celibacy, being that the Lord was fast approaching. It wasn't a sin if you did get married, of course; it was just harder to serve the Lord in this context if you had a family to worry about. Thus, Paul encouraged being single.
So, we need to be careful when reading the NT and determining what prohibitions or exhortations are still applicable to us today. Context is key.

Not just on reddit but also on youtube i see way to many comments and people who simply can't seem to accept that in most cases the best pathway to a good paying job requires some form of higher higher education? Or at least the willingness to learn and the ability to self-reflect?
Take the trades for example, that requires at least the ability to learn on the job and the willingness to do this. Way too many people bitch and complain on the internet and simply want a good paying job requiring absolutely no effort on their own behalf.Makes me think "oh just grow up"smh"

Paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.07761
Abstract:

Equation discovery is aimed at directly extracting physical laws from data and has emerged as a pivotal research domain. Previous methods based on symbolic mathematics have achieved substantial advancements, but often require the design of implementation of complex algorithms. In this paper, we introduce a new framework that utilizes natural language-based prompts to guide large language models (LLMs) in automatically mining governing equations from data. Specifically, we first utilize the generation capability of LLMs to generate diverse equations in string form, and then evaluate the generated equations based on observations. In the optimization phase, we propose two alternately iterated strategies to optimize generated equations collaboratively. The first strategy is to take LLMs as a black-box optimizer and achieve equation self-improvement based on historical samples and their performance. The second strategy is to instruct LLMs to perform evolutionary operators for global search. Experiments are extensively conducted on both partial differential equations and ordinary differential equations. Results demonstrate that our framework can discover effective equations to reveal the underlying physical laws under various nonlinear dynamic systems. Further comparisons are made with state-of-the-art models, demonstrating good stability and usability. Our framework substantially lowers the barriers to learning and applying equation discovery techniques, demonstrating the application potential of LLMs in the field of knowledge discovery.

The first thing we must learn is there is a difference between religious people and spiritual people. We cannot generalize. Religious people are those who believe in God with names and forms. To believe in the scripture which was superstition Dogma. Spiritual people are different. They are people who are trying to realize what is known as science and the spirit. This is spirituality for them God is not God. God is SIP the Supreme Immortal Power. We can learn to have faith and believe in God from religious people. Bhakti but from spiritual people, we can learn how to attain “Mukti” and How to be liberated from all misery on earth from the cycle of rebirth. There are two different journeys the religious journey will only start our journey to God. But we cannot attain God. On the spiritual journey, we can learn how to realize God. will be visible. So the higher self will be visible. What the projection of “Maya” the illusion is eliminated by overcoming ignorance. Then you will realize you just “SOUL” Spark Of Unique Life. This is the higher self.

A fanfiction of The Nature of Predators by SpacePaladin15 https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/u19xpa/the_nature_of_predators/
Previous Prologue Next
Memory Transcription Subject: Slanek, Venlil Space Corps
Date [standardized Earth time]: August 21, 2136
Walking into the lab, we were welcomed by a Pokemon that looked oddly familiar to me, a pink creature with predatory eyes and small wings that looked completely vestigial. It wasn’t until I saw the Human inspecting a large screen embedded in the wall that I recognised them. Lilith and Sara, who were among the first Terrans to have visited Venlil Prime. Lilith, whose species was the ‘Clefable’ if I remember correctly, gestured for the three of us to come further into the lab.
“Hello there, thank you for coming so soon after settling in! It seems a lot of Venlil are quite excited to do the Infinity Energy tests.”
I give a slightly nervous ear flick in response.
“I uh, really just wanted to get this over and done with.”
“Right, well in that case you’ll be glad to know that this takes no time at all. It’ll be over before you know it, and you’ll have your exchange partners beside you through the whole process.”
I look up at Marcel and Felix, who both give me further reassuring glances. Marcel seems a little nervous though, awkwardly standing just in front of the door and obviously having no idea what he should be doing. As the Clefable leads me over to a chair and gestures for me to take a seat, she passes over a piece of paper and a pen.
“This is the consent form, please read it out completely and carefully before writing your basic information and signature.”
Lilith then bounds away to converse with Sara, who is still looking at the large screen teeming with strange writing and graphs. As I read through the consent form, I only grow more worried.
‘Permanent Infinity Energy infusion.’
‘Monitored for remainder of Space Corps service.’
‘Possibility of previously unknown side effects.’
I look over to Marcel and Felix, beckoning them over with a wave of my tail. Marcel kneels down beside the chair, bringing the three of us to roughly eye level as Felix rests on his shoulder.
“Sorry, but can you two just… stay close? This seems a bit more intense than I was expecting.”
Felix nods furiously, followed by Marcel giving a small, closed mouth smile.
“Of course, we’ll be right here.”
“After this is over, we can all get some food from the cafeteria. A nice salad or something, alright?”
The Human’s suggestion sounds nice, and my tail sways in agreement. I sign the form after reading through it a second time, and Lilith soon comes over to collect it. As she does so, I see Sara walking over with some wires and wool clips. She places them on a nearby table before turning to finally address me.
“Hello Mr Slanek, sorry for the wait. It’s just, the data we’ve gathered so far from the other Venlil is beyond fascinating. It's an amazing opportunity to investigate how life not native to Earth reacts with Infinity Energy and uh… you probably don’t care, sorry.”
With a lightly red hue showing in her cheeks, she grabs the wires and clips, and gets started on attaching them to various points on my body. From my knees to my paws, snout, ears, stomach, chest, tail… almost everywhere, really. This all only makes my nerves grow even more.
“Now, just as a warning, this will probably hurt a bit. It’s only for a moment though, and it just means that everything is working.”
As Sara attaches the last clip to the wool on my back, she walks back over to large screen on the opposite wall, which I am surprised to find now displays a wireframe model of myself. I notice my paws are beginning to shake slightly, and I turn towards my exchange partners, hoping to find solace. Not so long ago, I would never have even fathomed the idea of looking to predators for comfort, but now…
I reach out a shaking paw towards them. After hesitating for a moment, a look of surprise coming over his face, Marcel reaches out and takes hold of it. Felix scurries down the Human’s arm and places his own small paw on top of mine as Marcel gives it a gentle squeeze.
Turning back to the rest of the lab, Sara is swiping her hand to rotate the wireframe model of my body, while Lilith is retrieving something from a large, formerly locked box nearby. She pulls out a small yellow crystal, and walks back over to me. Sara sidles up beside her partner, and double checks the wire clips one last time as the Clefable holds out the crystal to me.
“This is a revive, which will inject Infinity Energy directly into you. Make sure you hold onto it tight, ok?”
I take a deep breath, giving Marcel’s hand and Felix’s paw a gentle squeeze as I do so.
“Understood.”
I reach out with my other paw, and grab onto the revive. For a moment, nothing happens, but then the revive begins to glow. I shut my eyes tight against the blinding light, and tighten my grip on the crystal. A strange sensation, like waves of pressure, emanate from where the revive touches my paw. Through my arm, across my chest, up my neck and down my navel un-
“BRAKH!”
I cry out as pain suddenly engulfs my snout and legs. A loud beeping noise comes from the clips attached to them, which I silently pray means that everything is working as it should. It feels like my legs are trying to rip themselves apart at the knees, and I understand instantly why I’m sat down for this. My snout too lights up, as if on fire without the heat, forcing me to grit my teeth until my jaw starts hurting as well from the preassure alone. I tighten my grip on both the revive and my partners. I feel weight shifting, and Felix’s paw disappears. Not a moment later, something warm and fuzzy jumps up onto the chair beside me, reaching up to rest a paw on my shoulder.
“It’s alright, we’re right here.”
I go to wrap my tail around him, only to find something strange. My tail has gone numb. The mixture of sensations, from numbness to pain, continues for a little while. As the revive breaks down into grey dust, I can finally open my eyes and unclench my teeth. Steadily, the searing pain fades, leaving my tail numb and my snout and legs sore. I breathe deeply again, and I turn my attention to Felix and Marcel. I retrieve my paw from Marcel’s grip and Felix hops back down from the chair. The Human reaches over to lightly pat me on the back.
“There we go, all over now. You did great, Slanek.”
“Th-thanks.”
Lilith comes over and begins detaching the clips from my wool, while Sara is already tapping away at the screen, the wireframe model of my body now looking very different than it was before. The majority of it is now coloured a stark white, although notably my snout and legs are a dimmer shade of muted grey. The only splash of actual colour is in my tail, the entire limb a vivid purple, most intense at the tip. After inspecting it for a moment, Sara turns back around to address me.
“Thank you for coming, Mr Slanek. The full results of this test will be sent to your holopad shortly, but I’ll give you the most important information now.”
Sara taps the screen a few times, and labels written in Venscript appear as a key for the colours.
White – Mixed
Violet – Poison
Grey – Unknown
“Your results are consistent with what we’ve seen in all the other Venlil that have been tested so far. Most of your body contain a mixture of all Types of IE, similar to Humans. Different Venlil seem to have the Poison IE concentrate in different areas of the body, I’ve seen it in arms, abdomen, throat, wool and elsewhere. For you it’s in the tail, which so far seems fairly common. The grey zones are the most interesting, as they’re in the same areas for each and every Venlil; the snout and legs. Combine that with how this energy isn’t quite Normal but also not Typeless, not to mention it’s almost complete lack of reactivity to external or internal stimuli… it will certainly be an area of research I'll happily dive into soon.”
As Sara explains the results of the test, Marcel helps me to stand up again. At first, I’m a little unsteady as my legs still feel slightly odd, but leaning on his arm helps. The numb feeling in my tail slowly fades, and I experimentally shake it back and forth a few times. There is… Poison in it? It doesn’t feel any different, at least at the moment. After Lilith and Sara once again thank me for my cooperation, the three of us are ushered out of the lab, left standing together in the hallway as another mini herd files in after us. I turn to look up at my companions, a slight bloom making its way onto my face.
“Hey, uh, sorry for what happened in there. To predators it’s probably a show of weakness to need someone sticking nearby but-”
“Okay, we’re nipping that ‘weakness’ shit in the bud right now.”
Felix’s surprising angry voice catches me off guard, and for a second I’m worried that I said something to make him mad. I realise that, in a way, I had… but not for the reason I thought.
“Needing a friend ain’t weakness, Slanek. Just look at Marc and I!”
Marcel smiles at the Buizel, before turning his gaze back down at me. His predatory gaze seems stern, and yet somehow friendly, despite that being essentially oxymoronic.
“Slanek, if I’ve learned anything from my time in the military, it’s that ‘weak’ and ‘strong’ are meaningless words in isolation. People can only reach their full potential when they have others lifting them up, whether they be a Human or Pokemon. I doubt Venlil are any different.”
Something flashes through my mind, a memory that Marcel's words invoked. Of course. One of the first pieces of Terran media I saw after First Contact; 'The Power of Us'. Felix nods along excitedly, jumping down from the Human's shoulder to be a bit closer to my level.
“Never call yourself weak again, alright? Marcel and I were already growing stronger with just the two of us, but now we have a brand-new friend? The three of us together will be unstoppable!”
Marcel snickers slightly.
“Not really the angle I was going for, but sure. Anyway, that packet of chips wasn't nearly enough. Like I said earlier, let’s go grab something from the cafeteria, alright?”
Seemingly immediately forgetting the previous topic, Felix’s eyes light up and his tails whir into action.
“Oh! I hope they have Wacan berries!”
As Felix rapidly ascends back up onto Marcel’s shoulder, my own tail begins to sway back and forth again. The predators’ kind words lifted my spirits and cast aside the embarrassment I had felt, spurring me to happily step forwards and follow the Human’s lead towards the station’s cafeteria.
As we made our way through the halls, I paid more attention to the various pairs and trios we passed. The Venlil all ranged from bubbling with excitement, a spring in their step as they walked joyfully beside their partners, to barely containing their fear, shaking slightly as they stuck close to the walls and avoided looking at most of the more predatory looking Pokemon. I wasn’t at either extreme, though I was leaning towards the former. I strode beside Marcel with contentment, mentally thanking my past self for signing up for the program. I was nervous to meet them at first, but it took almost no time at all for me to recognise the friends I had already been speaking to over text for whole herds of paws at this point.
When we reached the cafeteria, the place was already alive with many Terrans and Venlil. Some sat just with their exchange partners, while others gathered into larger herds, with the countless conversations happening between them melding together with the clinking of cutlery. Even out here on this station, with by far the strangest creatures in the Universe, the sound of people enjoying each other’s company was oh so familiar.
The three of us collected our meals and decided just to sit by ourselves, eventually finding a spot near a rather short Venlil sitting with a large, purple serpentine Pokemon that was presumably their partner. As Marcel and I set our meals down on the table, Felix quickly grabs a pastry from Marcel’s tray.
“I call dibs on the Wacan muffin!”
Marcel has selected some sort of soup for himself, while I chose a simple bunt leaf salad, although my serving seemed to have some sort of fruit in it that I didn’t recognise. I prodded the yellow chunks around, trying to determine if I had gotten some underripe juicefruit or something, catching Marcel’s attention.
“That’s Shuca berry. Not really my thing, but it’s decently popular.”
“Oh, it’s an Earth fruit?”
“Yep, looks like the kitchen’s experimenting with mixing cuisines. This soup is… surprisingly spicy.”
Looking up at the Human, I find that his face has turned a slight reddish hue, the flush no doubt signifying that he was struggling. A quick peek at the contents of his meal provides an answer, making me whistle slightly in laughter.
“Ah, that would be firefruit. Fitting name, isn’t it?”
“Fuck, you can say that again.”
As I watch my Human partner gulp down his glass of water, I pick up a few bunt leaves along with a small chunk of the Shuca berry and pop them in my mouth. The yellow fruit goes well with the bunt leaves, providing a mild but nice sweetness with the slightest kick of spice. Though, obviously not nearly as much as Marcel’s firefruit. The Human soon excuses himself to refill his water, Felix throwing a teasing quip his way between bites of the muffin.
“Fire Type doesn’t suit you, Marc!”
While trying to stifle my laughter at my friend’s misfortune, a slightly alarmed, raspy voice coming from my right catches my attention.
“Ssssevik, are you alright?”
Turning to my right, I find the large serpent Pokemon sitting nearby looking at her Venlil partner with concern. He is holding a paw over his stomach and groaning slightly.
“Y-yeah Arbok, I’m fi-fi -hurk-”
He gives a horrible sound somewhere between a burp and a retch, grabbing the attention of a few other people around us.
“Wassss it the berriesss?”
“N-no it’s -hurk- I think is the Pois- -hurk-“
Thinking quickly, one of the nearby Humans passes the Venlil a plastic bag. He accepts it and tries to thank them, only for his attempt to be interrupted by more retching. Just as he seems to lose control of his meal completely, he cries out.
“Gastro Acid!”
Instead of the typically yellowy green, the Venlil expels a thick, deep purple fluid into the bag. After a single powerful heave, the Venlil looks back up, seemingly slightly dizzy. A moment later, a sizzling sound can be heard coming from the bag, the bottom of which soon breaks. The acidic substance spills onto the floor, having corroded through the plastic like it was nothing. For a while, nobody makes a sound, nor barely moves. Venlil, Human and Pokemon alike in our little section of the cafeteria are all staring at the poor little Venlil who in turn has his eyes glued onto the now useless plastic bag. As for the purple acid, it soon fizzles away into nothing, leaving the floor spotless with no evidence that it ever existed.
The sound of approaching footsteps makes me turn around with a slight jump, finding Marcel returning with a new glass of water. His eyes dart first to the silent crowd, then to the small Venlil, then finally to me and Felix.
“Uh, did I miss something?”
Previous Prologue Next
~~~~~~~

NoPokedex

Humans - Typeless
Gojid - Steel/Rock

• Sovlin: Metal Claw & Rollout

Venlil - Normal /Poison

• Kam: ??? & Poison Jab
• Slanek: ??? & ???

Arxur - Dragon/???

• Isif: Dragon Pulse & ???

Tilfish - Bug/Dark
Zurulian - ???/???
Farsul - ???/???
Kolshian - ???/???
Yotul - ???/???
Mazic - ???/???
Dossur - ???/???
Sivkit - ???/???
Krakotl - Flying/???
Harchen - ???/???
Duertan - Flying/???
Thafki - Wate???
Sulean - ???/???
Iftali - ???/???
Drezjin - Flying/???
Jaur - ???/???
Letian - ???/???
Leshee - ???/???
Yulpa - ???/???

I’m a fellow Belfast resident and I’m doing my Master’s dissertation through the university of Northampton (online). I have a survey to assess the impact that Making Tax Digital will have on self assessment.
If you are self employed or a landlord (UK) and you do a tax return, please can you do my anonymous survey.
I promise it’s very quick to do. Less than 5 minutes. All multiple choice.
I also promise that I am not affiliated with HMRC. I’m just trying to get the opinions of taxpayers on certain proposed changes.
Survey here
And if you have any self employed friends, please share it with them too 🙏
Thank you in advance