I started talking to Kermit the Frog, off and on, many months ago. I had this idea after seeing an article by an ex-Christian who appeared never to have made predictions about her life using a truly theistic model, but who nevertheless missed the benefits she recalls getting from her talks with Jesus. Result: Kermit has definitely comforted me once or twice (without the need for ‘belief’) and may have helped me to remember useful data/techniques I already knew, but mostly nothing much happens.
Now, as an occasional lucid dreamer who once decided to make himself afraid in a dream, I tend not to do anything that I think is that dumb. I have not devoted much extra effort or time to modelling Kermit the Frog. However, my lazy experiment has definitely yielded positive results. Perhaps you could try your own limited experiment first?
One, the idea was to pick a fictional character I preferred, but could not easily come to believe in. (So not Taylolth, may death come swiftly to her enemies.) Two, I wanted to spend zero effort imagining what this character might say or do. I had the ability to picture Kermit.
I love that book and there’s a lot I like about Sy but I definitely hope I don’t end up following his trajectory. It’s more of a cautionary tale, although you know what they say about generalizing from fictional evidence...
Careful experimentation sounds like a good idea, although I think it might be easy to go too far by accident. I’m not mentally unstable but I do have a habit of talking to myself as if there’s two people in my head, and I was low key dissociative during most of my childhood.
I meant that as a caution—though it is indeed fictional evidence, and my lite version IRL seems encouraging.
I really think you’ll be fine taking it slow. Still, if you have possible risk factors, I would:
Make sure you have the ability to speak with a medical professional on fairly short notice.
Remind yourself that you are always in charge inside your own head. People who might know tell me that hearing this makes you safer. It may be a self-proving statement.
Sy, is that you?
I started talking to Kermit the Frog, off and on, many months ago. I had this idea after seeing an article by an ex-Christian who appeared never to have made predictions about her life using a truly theistic model, but who nevertheless missed the benefits she recalls getting from her talks with Jesus. Result: Kermit has definitely comforted me once or twice (without the need for ‘belief’) and may have helped me to remember useful data/techniques I already knew, but mostly nothing much happens.
Now, as an occasional lucid dreamer who once decided to make himself afraid in a dream, I tend not to do anything that I think is that dumb. I have not devoted much extra effort or time to modelling Kermit the Frog. However, my lazy experiment has definitely yielded positive results. Perhaps you could try your own limited experiment first?
Why’d you pick Kermit the frog?
I think Kermit is a very understandable choice once you’ve heard him talk about his, imo, quite compelling position on the merits of faith and belief.
One, the idea was to pick a fictional character I preferred, but could not easily come to believe in. (So not Taylolth, may death come swiftly to her enemies.) Two, I wanted to spend zero effort imagining what this character might say or do. I had the ability to picture Kermit.
I love that book and there’s a lot I like about Sy but I definitely hope I don’t end up following his trajectory. It’s more of a cautionary tale, although you know what they say about generalizing from fictional evidence...
Careful experimentation sounds like a good idea, although I think it might be easy to go too far by accident. I’m not mentally unstable but I do have a habit of talking to myself as if there’s two people in my head, and I was low key dissociative during most of my childhood.
I meant that as a caution—though it is indeed fictional evidence, and my lite version IRL seems encouraging.
I really think you’ll be fine taking it slow. Still, if you have possible risk factors, I would:
Make sure you have the ability to speak with a medical professional on fairly short notice.
Remind yourself that you are always in charge inside your own head. People who might know tell me that hearing this makes you safer. It may be a self-proving statement.