Orion Empire and Free Will

[Aion]

This whole conversation cracks me up a little bit. (In a light-hearted way, of course.) Pigeon-holing either "positive" or "negative" paths seems to me to be little more than the projection of desires onto a dualistic belief system, which ironically is the thing I think we're trying to look beyond.

STS and STO will be whatever people want them to be in order to justify their own choice of activity, and the truth is going to be thrown from one side to the next til we're all blue.
There isn't some third-party "path" with its own self-identity, the "positive" and "negative" paths are not "things in themselves" but just a morally philosophical way of discussing the element of choice in reality. "The Path" doesn't have polarity, it is one, and it can lead through many environments.

There are "positive" adepts who completely detach themselves from other-selves, and "negative" adepts who are highly social and 'friendly', and vice versa.

The same does not always beget the same either I think. A highly "positive" environment does not assure positivity for all, nor does the opposite assure negativity. There is always the freedom of will and the response to catalyst. Even Ra had their share of negative outgrowths and schisms.

From what I understand, both positive and negative paths strive towards individuation, I think it's a projection from religion to think either would move towards conformity. There is perhaps more 'consideration' on the 'positive' side, but there is certainly just as much unique individuality on both sides from what I've experienced. In my opinion, those tending towards conformity are likely still somewhere in the sinkhole.

Nobody is denying most of what you said, except for the last bit, which is a fair point actually.

Nonetheless, my point about most people and circles who orient their philosophies in either direction tend to be full of s*** and generally poor examples how to go about either path. While you CAN just chalk up any and all criticisms up to self projection of you want, it would probably be a better idea to consider the point being made. To each their own however.

I did not say anything of criticisms at all, I said pigeon-holing by which I simply mean viewing them with too much strictness in terms of "proper form".

That is to say, I am wary of saying "STS is like xyz", or "STO is like xyz", because I do not think these concepts are applicable. There are only entities which have tendencies or choices of behaviour which can be analyzed with the dualistic philosophy of "STO and STS", but these are mental constructs of analysis. That does not mean invalid, as some have a tendency of thinking whenever you reference things being of the mind that it is a suggestion of unreality, but the contents and experience of the mind is very real for those experiencing it. Simply, I differentiate between the tools of analysis and the reality of action. I am not yet convinced that there is some great tableau somewhere keeping a tally of everyone's polarity, as amusing as the thought is.

I think the perspectives you offer are perfectly valid, and not ones I am unfamiliar with either, but I only ever offer that there is still yet diversity in these things to be discovered and enjoyed.

Also, to be clear, I think everything everyone says pretty much is a self-projection to some degree, myself included, so there's nothing personal in that statement. It's just how the personality works I think, but as you say, call a spade a spade.