Welcome to the home of
Greg Kašarik
(AKA
BLACKRAT)President of the Society To Utilize Psychologists In Distress (STUPID).
Contents
Ramblings on Little Red Riding Hood.
A little something that I wrote on Bible Contradictions
What do I do for a crust?
Well, I am a third year student at Monash University in Melbourne. I study (well, sort of), Philosophy and Psychology. These are both really cool subjects, and I love them. Currently, I am also putting together my research project for my fourth year of Psychology Study, which I WILL be commencing in 1998.
I also work part time with the Australian Army's Third Psychology Unit, where I hold the auspicious position of Psych Examiner.
In a short time, I will be looking for work in the field of Training, so if you have anything going, please let me know.
Stay tuned for my resume.
Friends I know, and Clubs I belong to...
My email address is
gskas1@mfs04.cc.monash.edu.auPlease contact me, because I get lonely very easily. Mind you as email happens to other people, I never check it anyway, so don't hold your breath for an answer.
My private address is…
Yeah, like I really want you gate crashing my life!
Unless of course you are cute, female, intelligent and unattached, in which case, I might make and exception. :=)
I am currently involved in heaps of things that take up lots of my time.
Some of these include:
Photography.
This basically includes photographing anything that moves, and most things that don't. I have a "you beaut", Cannon Eos 630, and shoot black and white, because this is the only thing I can develop by myself.
Incidentally, I have noticed that most persons who engage in photography seem to do so because it is a good way to ensure that they will not be on the receiving end of any photo opportunities.
Role Playing.
I am an avid role player, and have been so for about {many} years now. My favorites are the famous Dungeons and Dragons, which is neither evil or satanic, and Traveler, which is set in the Far Future. I am also looking forward to the release of the new TSR sci fi game called "Alternity". Looks like it could be good.
Assorted Arguments. :=}
I enjoy arguing and debating issues, particularly, those associated with religion, spirituality, and to a lesser degree, politics. Although I am not an aggressive person, my high level of assertion really comes to the forefront here, and I can become very fired up, sometimes about a position that I really have only a minor interest in. Adrenaline rush!!
Computer Games. :=(
Unfortunately, I play far too many of these things for my own good. Indeed, it would be accurate to say that I am addicted to the bloody things. This is not a good thing, and I am currently attempting to reduce the impact these have on my life.
Anything else that looks interesting. :=))
I am always running around doing new and varied things. The latest involves a stint on the university radio station. Keep an eye out for "Blackrat and Blonde" at a radio station that is most likely no where near you. Its barely near me! :=)
This is a very good question, and after many years, I still have not come up with any definite picture.
I am not any particular age, and there are very good reasons for this.
1. Defining people by age is just an easy way to stereotype people.
2. If people really want to they can figure out my age anyway, but they have to know me in order to do so, and by then stereotypes do not apply.
3. I am having too much fun as assorted persons have trouble figuring out how old I am, and come out with wildly inaccurate estimates.
Personality wise, I think I have the best one out, considering that I enjoy being me very much indeed, thank you very much. The fact that other people, who have different personalities enjoy being themselves, as well does not indicate that their personalities are any better than mine, but rather is just an amazing testament to the potentially beneficial nature of delusion! :=)
Seriously, though, in the Myer-Briggs type of format, I am a fairly typical
ENFP in many respects, although, be warned, when I argue, or debate, I stray into the ENTP.If you want you can
Take the Test yourself and find out about yourself!!
I am certainly an extrovert, and love being the center of attention, and as a result perform well when speaking in public, or performing in front of large groups. I do not have a neurotic need to be told I am a wonderful person, but do not mind it when it happens.
In addition, I generally display a high level of confidence and have not quite got the hang of conforming. On the negative side, I do not rate too highly in the area of self-discipline, but that is something that I have learned to work around.
Generally, I am highly curious, and fascinated by the world, and what is in it. Some people think I ask to many questions. I think they do not ask enough.
Historically, I was born in the beautiful Victorian town of Daylesford, and lived in Nhill, for a short period, before moving to Melbourne.
Most of my secondary education was completed at Xavier College, but I enjoyed Year 11 so much I did it twice!! At this point I realized that the outside workforce looked so much better.
After working in an assortment of sales positions for a while, I joined the Australian Army, and drove Leopard Tanks for a while. Driving tanks is one of the best things there is. It is like having a 42-ton rally car, which just goes anywhere. In truth, I miss it.
However, although the money is good, the long term prospects for a meaningful and constructive life for myself were not to be found in the Army. So I left to return to school and do my Year 12, so that I could gain entrance into University, and pursue my ambition of becoming a Psychologist.
Since then, I have been studying both full and part time, with an assortment of jobs that include Used Car sales, and a stint managing the "Mind Games" shop in Box Hill.
This then is about the best explanation of who I am, or perhaps, just about whom I think I am…
(Under Construction Just like me!!)
These are many and varied, but generally include:
I am a natural Philosopher, something I did not realize, until I returned to the education system and started to do Philosophy as a University Subject. When driving tanks in the Australian Army, my Troop Leader used to tell me I was a Philosopher. I used to tell him to go to hell (not in so many words, however :=)
This interest in the meaning of life can be generally encapsulated under several headings, these being:
Religion and Spirituality.
I am not the member of any religious denomination, and do not regard myself as being a religious person. Instead, I refer to myself as being a spiritual person. Religion to me implies bureaucracy, and adherence to someone else's dogma. I see no reason why I should believe something, just because someone else tells me it is so. I grew up a Catholic, but discarded this in favour of general "Christianity", during my teens. Later, I discarded the Christianity, and embarked upon my own search for meaning, independent of my roots. I doubt I will return.
My Concept of God.
My own concept of God is based on two things. The first is aesthetic, in that I believe that it is appropriate that a God does exist, and the nature of that God is one that I find can respect, and relate to on an intellectual and emotional level. The second area of input into my beliefs of God is the phenomena known as the Near Death Experience (NDE). NDEs are a fascinating phenomenon, giving in my opinion a reliable account as to the nature of the events that immediately follow death. My extensive reading in the subject has given me to think that the experience as reported by those who have had them, are not only genuine, but genuinely supernatural in nature. The nature of God, as glimpsed by those who have had NDEs dovetails quite nicely with my intuitions as to his nature, and so, I believe that God is actually quite a nice person, whom anyone would be pleased to have as a friend.
I do not mean this in the Christian Fundamentalist sense. God, as portrayed in the Bible is more like a selfish, bad tempered and unpredictable child, then an omniscient, wholly good, omnipotent being. Frankly, I do not think that God cares whether or not we believe in him, and is even less likely to send us to hell for eternity for not believing in him. To do so, would seem to be like Santa visiting kids who stopped believing in him with an AK-47 and a bad attitude. Th important things for God lie I believe in how we relate both to ourselves and to those around us.
Rules for the Road.
NDEs and my own intuitions imply that there are only two real guidelines for living in the world, these being:
1. Bear genuine friendship for both yourself and those around you.
2. Seek out and respect knowledge and learning, as long as it complies with the first guideline.
Those who like to have things in black and white are not going to like these because they are in a real way both vague and subjective. But then again, life is like that; nothing is black and white, as there is always more information to be found that could change our perception the situation.
Self-Realization.
In line with my theories regarding the nature of the world, it is my view that we are in this world to learn how to become the best and most loving people that we can, not only towards other persons, but more particularly towards ourselves. It is only by developing respect for ourselves, that I believe that we can truly meet our potential in regards to others.
In light of this, it becomes important that each person attempts to grow, spiritually and intellectually, learning the skills that are needed to achieve the above goals. This process, called Self-Realization, is in my mind the fundamental task that we have to perform as persons living in this world.
Although I do not regard myself as an expert in this field, I believe that there are several sources that one can examine in order to gain some insight. Amongst these I include several recent books that fall into the field of "New Age", or "Pop" Psychology. They are generally Humanistic, and optimistic in outlook, and although, I find many things in these books that I do not agree with, they are still a valuable source of ideas and food for thought.
Some of the authors that I have found particularly good include:
M. Scott Peck: " A Road Less Traveled"
Susan Jeffers: "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway."
Martin E. P. Seligman: "Learned Optimism."
There are others, but these ones make a good start.
This section is not completed, but I have included a piece attempting to come to terms with the issue of Euthanasia, in relation to NDEs
Last Revised: A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away…