r/Dudeism

Chill blessings my dudes,

If you’re like me, maybe perhaps you came from an institutionalized religion that may have had some deep psychological impact on you. Thinking about it some people like to throw out different verses and things like that to prove a point that their position is the one that’s most correct. This is my dude’s, it’s all just interpretation.

Consider this some people like surfing some people like snowboarding some people like skateboarding. Each thing involves you and a connection to an object. This thing is not every person is gonna have that same connection. So we don’t force people to get up on a board we don’t force people to go chase waves, and we don’t force people to go pound some fresh gnar. Instead, I think we recognize that each person is doing their own thing to try and chill and take it easy.

Now, if there was a certain dude, you remember from an institutionalized religion named Jesus and you still really like him I got some good news for you, you can still have him as one of your dudes, because no institution has legal rights over the representation of that dude. And Jesus being the cool dude that he was gave two important things that is to love God (whoever or whatever that may be to you, no judgment from me), and to love your neighbor.

If I were to put it into perspective. I think Jesus would say, “ love the highest dude (again however way you wanna take that whether you view as yourself as a benevolent being as nothing or everything it don’t matter), and love your fellow dudes as yourself, just take it easy and everything else to fall in line.”

So did that, question might be who’s your dude? Well there are some people that do some un-dude things, but they’re still part of humanity so we could consider them dudes and we should consider them dudes cause it would be really uncool of us to treat them how they were already treating other people because my dudes that just ain’t cool. So let’s just love each other dudes.

Strikes and gutters,
BJ

Salutations and how d’yer do, fellow brother and sister Seamis.

Earlier today I read a text by another upstanding member of the reddit community regarding how one can help feel better about the multi billionaire class. It was interesting reading, really helped keep the mind limber.

In essence, the point was that time was the ultimate currency, not ze money, Lebowski. And, that like all the rest of us, they too will go to the eternal bowling alley.

The text made me remember the latin expression ‘Memento mori’. It translates, as far as this dude’s been informed, as ‘Remember that you must die’.** **Now, this might make for some somber thoughts among some fellers, but I recommend you consider the expression.

Yes, it does remind us of our own mortality in a usually grim way - something most people try not to think too much about. However, its use in ancient Greece had a different take on the darn thing. It was used as a way to enjoy life. In essence, to remember one’s own mortality also means to cherish the time before it.

Now, this limbered up the mind of this Dude. Because as me and my special lady friend struggle with the lack of sleep from a small daughter with milk allergy, I tend to feel weary and not stop to observe the tumbleweed. However, it reminded me that while this is exhausting, life is happening and I should be present in it. After all, time cannot be gained or bought; it must be spent. It will be spent whether we like it or not.

And so, I leave you to consider this expression and how it may help you pull together all the strands in old Duder’s head. Life’s got a lot of ins and outs, a lot of what have you’s. It might be well to consider it.

Memento mori.

Chill blessings my dudes,

I have found myself in an interesting spiritual predicament, I am now an ordained dudeist priest. How did I get here you may ask? It actually came to me. For sometime in my life, I dealt with a lot of difficulties, understanding the way we make meaning as individuals and as being interconnected. Growing up I was exposed to a wide array of religions and ideas, some I don’t wanna say were consensual while others I did buy into.

Nonetheless over the years, and even after my undergraduate studies in Christian studies with a minor in philosophy, I find myself asking deeper questions rather than feeling certain of my beliefs. And it wasn’t until I seen the dude did something clicking me. See the issue I had with Christianity and other organized religions is the sticking point of certainty and needing to adhere to the strict rules and regulations in order to be committed, and within compliance of said religious institution, I found myself asking the question why? Simple enough, as some of us may recognize the stereotypical child constantly asking why to adult adults and adults not having a very valid answer for their reasons.

That is where I find my solace with Dudeism. It doesn’t matter what you believe in now some may beg the question of my stance in that and to say my guy you just need to chill out you dig. See we all want to find meaning and give understanding to life and religion. Just happens to be one of those things that tries to answer the questions. We really don’t have an answer to, and whether you’re shaking a magic eight ball wanting to get answers or your praying to a deity in hopes that like atm transaction you get what you want or to some extent something along those lines we place a lot of uncertainty into something that we propose to be certain. To be honest, we don’t really have an answer for most things, and the thing is dudes is that we can’t be so discombobulated when other people aren’t living the way we think they should live or how they should live based on our own personal beliefs because of our personal beliefs are contingent on other people following what we say with them we don’t really have certainty. We have compliance.

That’s the thing I like about Dudism, just chill the F out man cause all that apologetic mental gymnastics it takes in order to have certainty of a belief system in order to feel right in in order to direct other individuals, rights and behaviors based on your belief system, that just ain’t it dude. Anyways, the thing is dude’s life’s short instead of focusing on certainty and making sure that people stay in compliance with your belief system or if you’re not into that kind of thing just be mellow, smoke some herb if you got it enjoy a nice drink responsibly if you can or if you’re like me and riding the sobriety train enjoy a nice glass of chocolate milk and just go cruise on your longboard, ya dig.

Yours Dudely,
BJ

Hello fellow Dudists,

I just wanted to share one thing : it is fucking hot where I am right now, it’s just a few minutes shy of 4pm and I am sitting outside in the shade, enjoying my third cool beer and just lit up my BBQ.

I just wanted to let you know that, no matter what people are telling you, it is completely fine to take it easy. Enjoy your time, enjoy life and catch you again.

Hey Dudes!

No matter where he is, The Dude seems to be pretty content. Sure, he’s bothered when his rug is micturated upon, or when his buddy pulls a piece out on the lanes, but by and large The Dude abides. He’s comfortable in spacious mansions, Venice Beach bungalows, swanky swingers’ pads, and (to an extent) funeral homes.

I got to thinking about The Dude’s sangfroid while reading The Discourses of Epictetus a few days ago because I happened upon this quote that I’ve been keeping at hand. It’s about how to better perceive our situation. Here it is:

>When you are alone, you should call this tranquility and freedom and when you are with many you shouldn’t call this a crowd, or trouble or uneasiness but festival and company and contentedly accept it.

In other words: if you’re alone, act as though you’re totally free; if you’re among others, act as though you’re at a festival.

Far out.

I dig this quote because it’s all about reframing our circumstances to appreciate the benefits. There’s an old joke that the definition of a dog is “a creature always on the wrong side of a door”. When it’s out, a dog wants to come in. When it’s in, a dog wants to go out.

People are like that too. How often have I been by myself and thought “Gosh it’s lonely here. I wish I was hanging out with people” only to go out and yearn for the comfort of my own company.

The Dude, however, gets Epictetus’ sentiment intuitively. He doesn’t seem to want for anything when he’s skipping home from Ralph’s to spend an evening alone, and he doesn’t ever seem to be searching for the exits when he’s consorting with known pornographers and their ilk.

Further, the reframing of a crowd as a festival is particularly helpful in abiding. When we’re at a party, we’re more likely to cut people slack. Folks speak a little louder, stand a little closer, and jostle each other. Even if there’s a beverage here, man.

And what do we do? We’re cool with it. We don't become doormats, but we understand that it’s part of the cost of socializing and we can lighten up about it. No one wants to be the guy with the cleft asshole who takes every careless act at a party personally. It’s not about us, Dude. And that’s cool, that's cool.

So I’ll be applying this Dudely, Stoic framework to my days and see where it leads me.

See you at the festival, Dudes!

I hope yer all abiding as best as you can,

Rev. Ross

Hey Dudes!

This summer my Special Lady Friend and the Little Lebowskis are traveling to India to visit her side of the family, and for various reasons (work, property maintenance, what have you) I’m on my own until August. 

It’s the longest time I’ve been without them so far. And while I definitely appreciate the freedom, I’m also confronting just how many hours there are for a Dude to fill. 

So I’ve looked to The Dude for some inspiration. See, I’m not motivated by having goals. Once completed, goals seem to create more goals. There’s always another summit to climb, another way to achieve. And that can be exhausting. 

Instead, I’m inspired by how The Dude describes his days to Maude. At first blush, they appear aimless. But I think that’s missing the point; namely, that there is no point to The Dude’s activities. He bowls to bowl. He drives to drive. And whatever insights he relives through his acid flashbacks arrive without much planning on his part. 

Maybe The Dude cares about the league tournament. But if he does, he doesn’t express as much. 

The Dude’s activities are atelic, which is Greek for goal-less or end-less. Without some ultimate end. 

Truly, some of life’s most enjoyable activities are atelic. We dance to dance, not to arrive somewhere, as Alan Watts pointed out. 

There’s another word for these activities: they’re rituals. Sure, rituals might exist to serve some higher end, but ultimately they gain their meaning through the doing. 

So until the family returns, I’m filling my days purposely without purpose: reading, playing guitar, going on long walks around the farm, and meditating. And, of course, checking in with my friends and family. 

I might not fill my days like some achievers. But I’ll certainly end my days feeling fulfilled. 

How about you, Dudes? What are some atelic activities you enjoy?

I hope yer all abiding as well as you can,

Rev. Ross

I nominat him as a dude Some might know him as Baloo. From The Jungle Book