Hello there my dear imaginary readers. It's been a while since I last decided to write something in this god-forsaken land, situated in who knows where for who knows what reason.
Anyway, this time I decided to avoid writing a nice big juicy piece of... text.
Instead! I decided to keep it short and just keep to the idea that was born in my head recently.
Or perhaps it was more or less right there long ago, only in the form of a seed, which grew into something more just recently. Who knows.
I was reading this interesting story (with pictures. I love pictures), where an individual was falsely charged with murder, even though he was innocent.
He was set up by a powerful family and in such a way that the evidence pointed its' rotten finger at him..
And even though he continued to deny the charges, everyone simply stated that he was crazy and deluded.
That he was so lost in attempts to justify his past actions that he started to believe in his very innocence and the truthfulness of his "make believe" stories.
Now the idea is quite interesting. but for now lets ignore the fact that we know he is innocent. (which...is kinda hard to do? Oh well)
Now, he was called crazy, deluded, twisted even, by everyone around him. Specifically influential individuals such as high ranking officers, judges and such. Except one guy. But he is quite irrelevant in this case.
But who was insane in this particular situation? I mean really, is it truly the one individual who stubbornly believed in his own innocence that was insane, or everyone else?
What if everyone else were so caught up in their own false belief that they were absolutely right. In their own, judgement and the facts at hand that they themselves were, for that duration, driven insane by it, to the point of completely looking down on that one individual, morally murdering him in their imagination or by their own spoken words.
Deluding themselves, believing in the words of those with authority(power does corrupt). Believing in what others state and avoiding to put their own mind to the test.
What if it's not the usual statement that the majority is right? What if...it's the opposite?
The majority were going insane (well not completely, maybe the word is slightly too powerful) and not the minority? (that one individual)
Who knows. But it is in my nature to question everything and it is exactly what I am doing here. Not only that but I am also giving a message to you my dear imaginary readers. At what point do we get caught in our own illusion of knowledge? At what point do we start believing in our own "truths" so much, that we no longer question the validity of it nor do we bother with other "truths"? It is a fine line, which should never be crossed, even though it almost always is.
Always question. Always doubt.
(fudge, it still turned out to be a wall of text)
Life as a Pig for Slaughter
Or as a Worker Ant, if you prefer a more reader-friendly metaphore. (is it?)
Wednesday 14 August 2013
Monday 13 August 2012
Strength in numbers
Primitive...we
are so freaking primitive. We boast all the time of being superior to all life
on this planet, of achieving thousands of amazing feats…..of being civilized
and reaching a new level of intellectuality …of being sophisticated……..but are
we truly?
Not long
ago I had a discussion with a person. Now the topic does not matter, but what
does matter was that the person I discussed with was supported by multiple
people and I was not. Well let’s not dwell on the things like “did they support
him just because he was their friend?” or “did they support him to get on his
good side?”, “maybe they didn’t want to be ostracized from the group?” etc.
What puzzled me was ….does the fact that multiple people agree with a theory
automatically make that theory correct? Because it sure as hell looked like it.
The supported person eventually got so self-confident that he didn’t even waste
his time thinking on arguments to what I say that would actually be based on
facts. Actually...it didn’t even look like he listened to me much in the first
place, so absorbed in the mass support he was getting, eventually shouting
lines that in a shortened form would mean “see? I am right and you are wrong!”
That fun
debate which ended in my regrettable and crushing defeat got me thinking for a
while. And I finally noticed something. It somehow reminded me of a simple
example….a large pack of hyenas ganging up on a single wolf. That’s right. It
reminded me of strength in numbers.
Humans
since the very beginning of our time learned that to survive they need to stick
together, to be in packs like those hyenas I mentioned previously. And that one
of the most primitive and basic instincts actually remained to this day and on
it we build upon, eventually calling ourselves sophisticated and superior to
all. Does evolving the shell of that primitive instinct make us superior in
some way? Civilized? Not primitive? NO is what I say to that. It’s like building
a new house on an old foundation. The house might look modern and pretty, but
the foundation is still the same old unstable one.
Not only
that but it got me thinking some more, about our society. About how we do
things…strength in numbers. Heck…we really do literally use this phrase in our
living, don’t we? Votes are carried out for the benefit of the majority.
Theories are agreed upon when a majority agrees. The proof given is only the
tool needed to bend the majority to your cause, but eventually it all comes
down to the support. In other words…you are not right if you are alone.
Everything
is based on strength in numbers. Everywhere the majority is right. Only
recently did the “ruling and democratic majority” decide to support the “minorities”
in their countries, carrying out this ridiculous hypocrisy and charade, when in
truth the minority was turning into the majority itself. Ridiculous!.
It all
reminds me of 13 year old kids in my neighborhood who suddenly feel strong and
brave when grouped up in at least 10 individuals. Brave enough to attack a
single or two older guys - a strange and primitive feeling that humans get when
they are “united” by a common goal or need. How it magnifies everything else,
how it makes the people involved instantly “degrade” to animalistic actions and
“search for prey”. Like hyenas who only attack weaker prey or stronger but only
with numbers and an obvious advantage.
Indeed ….strength
in numbers. Such a basic instinct we still have in ourselves and yet we still
cling to it so very much, building our whole world on it as well as other instincts.
The whole system….our whole civilization.
Corporations
that are made up out of large numbers of people and produce huge amounts of
money, which equals to power and serves as a substitute for “numbers” attack
weaker and smaller ones, swallowing them up and jumping on others, while rubbing
the shoulder to shoulder with other giants like that and escaping even larger
ones. Debates won by simple support of the masses and the moral obliteration of
the victim, resulting in him being unable to continue the fight to win back the
crowd and support which would prove to him that he was right and the opponent
was not.
Numbers
win. Mass movements prove their point by doing something in large groups. A
large amount of people supporting one thing prove its’ validity when a small
one would not. Indeed. Strength in numbers.
How
primitive we are no matter what we do. No matter how pretty the shell is, we
are still built upon our instincts that we received at the dawn of our race.
Thus we should drop this “superiority” bullshit and realize that we are not. We
are not all powerful, not yet. Since we did not properly evolve from the same
instincts animals have that we shun so much. We are no different, no better.
Maybe even worse, since we deny the truth and avoid it. First we need to accept
the truth and only then will we have the chance to step on towards a “brighter”
future, whatever that might be. Since it can be discussed quite a lot on what
would be “better” in the first place...and from whose perspective would it be
that way? Who knows.
Saturday 12 May 2012
Humans>all
Humans.
Such all-mighty beings we are indeed. We create, we destroy…we maintain. We can
do whatever we want, can’t we? We are a gift to this planet, making it a better
place to live…for us. Saving thousands of animals from extinction, keeping them
safe in zoos’ so that we could look at them and know how they look, writing and
drawing them down in books as to preserve the memory of those animals just in
case.
But we tried right? We care for the “lesser” organisms, the wild and
pathetic animals that should be thankful that we let them exist with us. Even
though we keep them only for their worth: to feed us or to entertain us.
Indeed, all other life is lesser to the awesomeness that is humans. After all…we
are the most complicated organism out there right? And the smartest? Of
course…we even have a sub-consciousness and self-awareness. We are indeed
special and magnificent.
And that is
exactly what all humans are thinking deep down. We put on masks to hide our
true beliefs that we are better than the rest, taking pity on animals and even
releasing laws against their abuse, like their lives are in our hands. And they
are, aren’t they? Since we are humans and we control the Earth with all of its’
inhabitants. We care for animals? We care for nature? BAH! Brainwashing propaganda
that’s what it is.
We only keep them for our entertainment, to have something
to look at and enjoy. Not only that, but we also keep them so that we could
confirm our existence as the most “advanced” species on the planet. (as they
say...if there’s no evil…how can there be good?) We also like to show how much
we care for our surroundings, for the suffering animals and the shrinking
forests and wildlife, lifting our social status that way, while keeping the
mask of a saint on and fooling others, who do the same thing and have the same
truth locked away deep down.
Actually… I
think that people truly believe that they are “good” …To me personally that is
the most twisted thing that can exist. To some my thinking might seem like the
twisted thing. But believing that you are helping animals or nature, by
donating money in keeping it a little longer on this planet, and that you are a
truly kind-hearted and pure person, that doesn’t care how much time he spends
on such things, is the truly twisted thinking.
Actions like that are taken not
because a person is “good”. There is no such thing in reality, at least not the
“good” as I imagine it. Since I’m quite naïve, when I hear “good” I imagine a
pure feeling or an action, that comes with zero personal gain. But such a thing
cannot exist amongst us humans.
We always
do things as to gain something in return (and sometimes we don’t even have to
think about it…since in the end we still gain something...ALWAYS). But the fact
that people believe otherwise makes me sick to my very depths. Humans are
fooling themselves with the very brainwash they created.
Trusting and keeping
to the moral ideas and standards that are a part of the “honorable and
kind-hearted human” idol image, that was created to immortalize the endless
struggle in trying to reach it, diving deeper and deeper into the fakeness and
fooling ourselves until the ends of time. Truly an amazing feat if you think
from a different angle.
But I have
to admit, that sometimes it’s hard for me to take that attitude of my race. And
perhaps the fact, that I myself have the same attitude? Perhaps it’s in human
nature to hold himself as something above all else? To not give a shit about
his surroundings and use it as a tool for our own survival and well-being?
We consume
the nature, cutting down forests and hunting down animals just to make our
living apartments and our lives more comfortable. We furnish our homes, after
making the necessary items from the trees we cut, we put pelts of the animals
we hunt down on the floor, so that our feet would be comfortable. Or we just
use the trees to keep the fires going at home, so that we wouldn’t get cold?
Life feeds on life indeed. And we are invincible in this league.
And I don‘t
even know which humans are worse…the ones who just consume without a care in
the world (except the care for their own lives and if they’ll have enough money
to continue consuming) or the eco-geeks who try to “save” nature and “fight”
for it? I’d say the second is worse, since the though makes me more sick then
the first choice.
Some kind of complete hypocrites and fakes, who carry
themselves as someone even above humans, who think that they are doing the
right thing, “protecting” the nature, as if they are something with such power
and knowledge as to be so much far above the rest of the world, including the
very nature they try to protect. Nature does not need protecting, it needs
respect. And a fearful distance to be kept from, as to let it prosper on its’
own, because that’s what it DOES.
Those pathetic and fake “nature protectors”
are even worse than the simple consumers in my opinion and their epitome if
self-fooling is something that almost scares me.
And another
thing – I keep hearing the complaints of my fellow race, for the “wrongs” that
nature has done to us. The cunamies, earthquakes and other catastrophes carries
out by nature are truly an evil and unjust thing. I mean how does nature dare
to harm and destroy the lives of us simple, hardworking humans, who have done
nothing wrong? Bah.
The very earth that we so thoroughly take for ourselves and
take care as our own property doesn’t even belong to us in the first place. The
earth belongs….to Earth itself, and not humans. And we should feel lucky that
the ground we stand upon doesn’t open up and swallow us all (even though things
like that happen from time to time). And we dare complain after what we’ve been
doing on Earth? The things we’ve done? Every single human being (including
me) is to blame, and getting to the
point….we can’t complain for the catastrophes that happen, by the hand of
nature because it’s exactly what we deserve.
We truly
like to show our superiority and power, even making animals as our pets.
Experimenting with them, creating new types just for the fun of it(and not only
that). Trying to create something superior or prettier to look at. Even testing
medicine on them and using them as lab rats (….and even literally…the saying
“lab rats” didn’t appear out of nowhere obviously).
I mean…animals are lesser
beings then us, so why not use them as experiment objects, while trying to
create medicine for humans. I mean…there’s nothing wrong with abusing some
inferior creature. But it’s obviously wrong to do the same thing to a human.
After all…humans have feelings. ………………….
The very
pets symbolize our superiority. Cuddling them, playing with them. Enjoying the
fact that these pets we created cannot survive without us. I couldn’t say that
they belong in nature anymore. So twisted and corrupted these pets we have
tamed are that I doubt they could survive in nature if released. Since nature
would correct the wrong done and perhaps only a very small percent of these
“pets” would manage to adapt back into nature, from which they were once taken
from as a sacrifice, to keep the rest safe...in a way.
Truly…horrible.
We humans are indeed ugly creatures. Ugly and cruel beyond belief. All we care
about is ourselves, our very core contains only selfishness. But in human
standards that’s not bad is it now? As long as it’s for the well-being of the
human race.
Since our
very nature is so twisted and ugly, I just don’t imagine a way for us to
peacefully co-exist with the planet and its’ inhabitants. There is just no way
for that to happen, without us harming everything around us. After all...life
feeds on life, and humans just feed too much, pulling everything out of
balance. Unless you believe that humans themselves are a part of nature and
that everything is the way it should be. Survival of the fittest and all that.
The only
solution to this planets problem I can think of is….for the human race to
disappear. That’s right. I do not think that we humans have a place here, or
that we have the right to exist at all. We are like a plague. A self-absorbed
and an ego-centric plague (which almost sounds awesome). Thus I believe that we
shouldn’t exist at all….I say it’s not humans>all, but the
opposite…all>humans. Nature should be respected and feared, it keeps its’
own balance.
The
creatures inhabiting it are simple and to the point. They follow their
instincts and co-exist with each other, they do not betray their feelings and
keep to them, expressing them in an obvious way (I’m not talking about the
animals that have been corrupted by human influence to the point where they
express similar things as humans, be it betrayal or anything else).
Those creatures
and their very essence should be held in higher regard, then us humans who have
no way to co-exist with even each other, let alone the rest of the planet. The
ability to think is a horrible ability we have. (So that’s what they meant,
when writing in the bible, that god didn’t want Adam and Even to become
self-aware etc. Good going you two! Way to go and ruin everything)
Then
again…if it’s not humans…then perhaps after a few million years some other race
will emerge and do the same thing we are doing now? Perhaps that’s also a
certain balance and a circle of life and death. Maybe they’ll do the same...or
perhaps they will be the ones’ to find a solution to this emerging and obvious
problem?
Or is my solution not the only option? Perhaps there actually is a way
for us humans to co-exist...with each other…and the planet. Perhaps…after
all...I’m not that smart to think of something like that, since wiping humanity
out is much easier (even though to accomplish that without harming the planet
even more…might be kindda hard. Since human existence has rooted very deeply into the earth, and taking aout
the whole tree together with the roots might damage the earth quite a bit) Perhaps. I am an open-minded person after all.
Thus for now…we humans will continue with our egotistical ways, by torturing
and consuming every living thing around us. But hey…maybe there will come a
time, when a choice will be made and I hope that it will be in the favor of the
planet. Until then….I’ll wait.
Tuesday 17 April 2012
All humans are lonely
Now, today
is one of those days (Monday) …when at night I’m suddenly caught by a major
flow of thoughts and I accidently tumbled on a few more interesting ones. One
of them being about myself (to which I found an answer actually (one that
satisfied me at least) ) and the other one being ….written here right now. The
first one we’ll go around like nothing was mentioned (obviously). Now….we
humans are all alone from birth to death aren’t we? We are truly forever
lonely, indeed we are. What do I mean by that statement?
What I’m
trying to say here is that….universally, we are all lonely. As in, no one will
fully understand us...individuals. Not fully…ever. You can understand a person
in a way. Know his hobbies, his character more or less. His likes and dislikes,
sometimes even more. Sometimes people know each other so well, that they can
predict each others future actions. But even then, we are still not fully
understood.
A full and
complete understanding. Isn’t that what a lot of people are trying to achieve
in reality? All that spiritual mumbo-jumbo is about “being one with the
universe” and shit like that (“shit” in a non-offensive way of course. Just a
figure of speech). We want to be fully and completely understood, to our very
core and essence whatever it may be. Be it the subconscious or the spirit.
Whatever you believe in.
The very
act of sexual intercourse can sometimes (or a lot of times…even most of the
times!) be interpreted like an attempt
to be one with the other. To achieve such a high level closeness, that they
become one and can fully understand each other. (Why do you think people use
such phrases like “enter me!” “Come inside me!” or whatever. Each has a hint of
what I’m trying to say here) (or it could be just plain dirty talk)
Now…our
desperate need to be understood and the attempt to escape loneliness could be
seen in many parts of our life. Actually…it could be seen in life…generally
speaking or in society to be more precise. Why do you think todays’ society
formed in the first place? Why are we people called “social creatures”? The answers are in the first sentence.
We run from
loneliness by interacting with other individuals, forming bonds, communities
and social relationships, constantly looking for someone to fully understand us
and even if we don’t, most of us settle with the closest thing possible. That’s
the “second half” myth. Or perhaps the truth. Who knows…there are too many
opinions and experiences to say.
(Please do
have in mind that this is only one of the reasons why we create such a thing as
“society” etc. As there isn’t just one reason behind all of it)
Villages,
towns, cities ...countries and the world as we know it formed because we need
each other, even though in reality we’re probably even better without each
other. Because then we could live without realizing that the thing we need
most… can’t be fully reached. If there would be no society, perhaps we would
live alone in some cave up in the mountains and live until we die with the
thought that “perhaps” or even “I could have found that, which I crave so
much”. But now…we die after finding out that it’s impossible to achieve or
thinking that we failed. The feeling of helplessness and hopelessness is truly
dreadful.
Well ok,
those two options are a little too narrow, because not a lot of people die
thinking like that ( probably). Since there are a few other options’ that make
living in society worthwhile. The first one is when we live and die without
realizing that we can’t reach that, which we desperately try to. As in…for all
of our life we search - break up relationships and make new ones, divorce and
marry again. Always on the move, always in search. And the second one is that
we live with the illusion that we indeed have reached that complete mutual
understanding (sorry if I just destroyed that…welcome to the club of the
previously mentioned option). Now both of them sound quite harsh, but hey….as
someone quite smart once said “ignorance is bliss”. And so it is sometimes. Or
at least…in this situation.
Now to wrap
everything up, I’d like to use a very used up phrase, which has been run down
by millions and will be by another one (person...not million). And that phrase
is “We live together, die alone”. Now there are a LOT of interpretations of
this phrase, some of them non-official, a few or even a single one agreed upon
by most. But let’s try to interpret it again.
Now, I read
it and what do I see? What do I understand? If being straightforward, I’d say
that it’s all wrong, and it should sound like this “We live alone and die
alone”. Because that reflects reality a lot better, from my perspective at
least. Since we never live “together”. We are always lonely, forever until the
end, even though we try to change that.
But. When I
look at the phrase again, I start to see it from a different angle and adapt it
to everything I wrote right here. We indeed live together, or try to at least.
We live together with each other, sharing a common thing in every single
individual – loneliness. And we all try to escape from it, using each other to
cover up the holes. Every single person guided by their own selfishness, to try
and help himself and in turn, help the other. An equal exchange if you ask me.
It might come from an instinct that people are not that fond off, but it gives
results sometimes.
Too bad,
but eventually we die without reaching our promised land, as lonely as we were
born we leave this world and go to a better place I guess. Whatever it may or
may not be. Now religion helps here a little bit. That’s why the idea of going
to heaven after death is so alluring to most. The meaning behind the word “heaven”
is very wide indeed and there are a lot of interpretations, opinions about it.
The general idea is that you will be happy there. And thus a lot of us are
probably lured to it, since they hope to escape that inborn loneliness once on
the other side. And that is why we try to grab that last visible thread at the
end of our lives, hoping to get that, which we didn’t have through-out the
journey we call living.
But since
I’m feeling quite generous today…
Everyone,
together with everyone we die alone. Together with everyone we live alone.
See where
I’m trying to go with that? That perhaps, we are never really lonely. By
sharing a common goal and living, while desperately clinging to any possibility
visible in our sights, just to fill up that large hole in ourselves, we actually
live “together”. As in we are not lonely as long, as we’re not the only ones’
being lonely. As they say…two minuses make a plus. And so in this case…more or
less. Just a thought.
I’ll end it
with this and as a finishing touch add the phrase that gives so many
perspectives, and so many thoughts. Good night or good morning. ( or have a
pleasant day…)
We live together, die alone.
Friday 25 November 2011
We are all different. Or are we?
Oh what horrors! Heck, don‘t you just hate those Americans
and their stupidity? Damn those rednecks and their big cars and guns. Don‘t you
just hate those Russians? Damn communist scum. The Germans are ok, German
quality all the way. And those Chinese !! Oh my god, somebody send them some
condoms! Same goes for India damn it. Let them wage war with each other and
lower their populations. Oh, and don‘t you just hate gays? How dare they walk
around in public and marry each other? Bastards. Lesbians are ok as long as
they let us watch. Oh and those black people! God, I hate their rap and that damn
mugging. I‘m tired of being mugged by some random black dude each week ,even
though It only happened once and all the rest were done by white guys. My
country is the best. Oh and I like chicken.
What‘s written above is an example of the common thinking
amongst the worlds population. The horrors of divided thinking indeed! Sometimes I just don‘t get it. Why
does everyone think that we are so different? Like there‘s a difference between
a white guy punching you in the face…or a black guy. I think not! What you
would care about at that very moment is how fit( or about the pain you’re about
to feel) the person punching you is, not what skin color, sex or sexual orientation
he has.
And that‘s
where the differences kick in. We are different only on the level of thinking
and the realization of it – be it our
beliefs, the things we like, the things we hate etc. But ONLY on that level. We
are all human – we are selfish, egocentrical, we need to take a shit, we need
to breathe...we need to eat and drink, we all adapt, we all have the same instincts.
The different skin color? I‘d say it‘s the same thing as different clothes or
different hobbies. Well obviously the different skin color came to be in
another way.
My theory
is that when the humans migrated through-out the world and settled at different
sides of the globe, after thousands of years they adapted to the climate of the
region to such an extent that even the skin color changed on a genetical level(
there is some biological mumbo-jumbo involved in all that, but I’m no
scientists damn it!). Not only that, but there were other minor changes. (like
narrow eyes for instance).
And does that make us different? If the whole world
would have the same climate, we would be the same even in that. Same goes for
sexual orientation. It does not make a difference. Not tolerating gays is the
same as not tolerating people with beliefs, that do not sit well with you personally. And having different beliefs is a very normal thing to us humans and does not make us different – same goes for sexual orientation. It’s a normal thing...to have one that is (even
not having one …is the same as having one…in a way).
But at the
same time…we ARE different aren’t we? I mean it could be because of the settling
in different parts of the world at the early days of our race. Since we humans
have this interesting ability…the ability to choose. And even when having the
same conditions, the same situation - multiple human beings may choose
different choices. I guess that’s how such completely different cultures came
to be. ( Asian cultures...and European for example. A huge difference and most
of the common things in them came to be from our interaction with each other).
Another idea would be that our surroundings influence us to such an extent that
different environments dictate our choice to a scary degree. Maybe that also
had a hand in this different culture, language business. Perhaps.
Now where
am I going with this? What I was trying to reach was our divided thinking (
which I mentioned at the very beginning). We divide ourselves so thoroughly –
into races, cultures, countries, minority groups. Even on an individual level –
we seek different hair styles, different outfitting, cars, social act …everything!
Now the difference on the individual level is impossible to deny, but I’d say
that the need to be different is what makes us so similar. Not only the ability
to choose, but also the work we put in trying to stand out of the rest.
And we
try to stand out of our crowd so much, that it’s just scary sometimes (well
there are exceptions, some of us want to do the opposite – blend in). Decades
and decades of such divided thinking, the need to be different plus the
brainwashing that tells us it’s good to stand out and climb higher up the
stairs of society… all that made this bullshit a norm, something that has to be
the way it is.
That in
turn gave birth to nationalism. Indeed! The idealization of your own “culture”,
your own “country” as something better than the rest, something – different (again
with that word! ). How fucked up is that? I mean, are the countries themselves THAT different? Well it's true that they put in different mass-brainwash mechanisms and perhaps are trying to reach different results. But they all propagate love for their country. And all countries pollute the environment and don't give a shit about nature enough in the same way. All countries suck the life out of their surroundings, since all humans do that. And since a country consists of a number of individuals( humans that is), thus that fact remains - even the countries are the same.
Well maybe it’s just me. Now that we
fell prey to such extreme thinking - that "my" country is the best, the most unique. That "My" culture is the most superior, then there is no way back I guess. Only a total
change of mass brainwashing around the globe ...and a few decades of it.
Perhaps. Because the only way to stop this kind of thinking is for one of those
countries to take over the world it seems. At least that’s what a lot of people
think.
And in a way they are right I guess, since now that everyone heightens
their country above others, no one will back down and there will be no
compromises. No common language, no nothing. Oh well. Maybe I should also join
my country in its national thinking and be one of the crazy fans at the
national games or be an active citizen to a scary extent? Maybe. Or maybe not!
Damn I’m stubborn.
Indeed...are we different or are we the same? I vote for the
second.
And god! If you really read ALL that then you seriously need
to find something better to do. Go read a book or something ( oh wait..who
reads books these days?), it'll be more worth while. Writing out of concern
obviously.
Tuesday 22 November 2011
The Illusion of Knowing!
Ah, it’s been a while since I sat down comfortably in front of my laptop and vomited out a work, for my own personal satisfaction.
Now I’ve been reading the shit I drop into this blog and noticed something strange. It seems that I magically missed a topic very dear to me. A topic that I come across day in and day out in my life...and that is the Illusion of knowing! Indeed. A fantastic and a tiring thing, always hitting you in the most painful of spots.
Let’s imagine a situation. You’re talking to your friends and you say something. But you say it in a way that it is easy to misinterpret. Now, you mean something entirely different, but your friends are laughing their ass off, after understanding it in a different way. And even after you wait for them to calm down and try to fix the misunderstanding – they just don’t listen to you. They choose their interpretation and stick to it, thinking that they know better than YOU what was said. YOU, the one who said that “something”. You, who knew the real meaning of the words that came out of your mouth. Yes...that is indeed very annoying sometimes.
But such a situation is just one of the simplest examples of the “ Illusion of knowing”. Such a thing goes deep, and can reach the deepest parts of our life. Now first of all I would like to point out the moral of that little story with zero specifics – Only you and you alone know what you were really trying to say and no one else will find out that if you do not wish it. Simple.
But we humans think of ourselves just way too good. We think that we are able to correctly interpret everything that our fellow man and woman do, that we can find the real answer behind those actions. Oh, the arrogance of humans. But what do we really know? Do we know anything at all? Can you trust what you read in the paper? Can you trust what you read in history books? Can you trust anything? How do you know that something is in the way you are told it is and no other?
You don’t.
We only know what is taught to us, and what is taught to us is not necessarily true. Well in a way, a lot of things can be partly true. There are a lot of partial truths. Be it in physics, math or other sciences. But even there - the knowledge we have could be only a piece of the whole apple. Indeed, knowledge is limitless in a way and we will always find something new, we will always move forward on that way. But then there is another question. Are we moving in the correct direction? Ah, now that’s a confusing question. How do you know that you chose the correct path? Was there a correct path to begin with? We don’t know. Now that’s something we should indeed know very well – that we know nothing at all.
And that’s how it really is. We live our lives in society, confident in the way of the humans, but never stop to think about the possibility that everything around us is fragile. Like glass that breaks easily.
Does god exist? We don’t know. What were the exact things that happened in the past, that none living human can remember of? We don’t know. Are there any universal truths? We don’t know. And no matter how much we heighten the achievements of man, we still live without real and solid knowledge of the truths that the universe is made off. Only the truths that are given to us are the real ones. That it is a crime to hurt another man, that we have to serve our society, that history is like it is written in the books, that we are informed of everything as it really is. And yet…we still do not know anything for a fact. Even the moral truths we are taught, that you must respect others like you respect yourself, equality, politeness, proper ethics – all that could be as much of a lie as it is true. It all depends on what we are taught from the beginning of our lives and what we see around us. Given enough time killing each other and stealing could be as normal as not doing such things is to us now. Indeed - the “Illusion of knowing”. Such a scary thing it is. Indeed.
Sunday 18 September 2011
Cry havoc! Let loose the selfishness of MAN!
Ah..humans. Aren’t we just great? Aren’t we just too kind? Well of course there are all kinds of people. But there are enough of us, that are like..soo kind! Aren’t we? Millions of people give out charity, help out the homeless, start working in social services, so that they could fulfill their need to help the weak and poor. Oh and don’t forget religious people. A lot of religions, mainly Christianity ( I’m not gonna go deeper into other religions since I don’t have enough info on them) propagate kindness. The “help those in need” thinking. Indeed...there is so much good in the world and so many good people. We truly care about each other, especially about our loved ones and those close to us. Why do you think we have funerals? Why do we bury the bodies to the ground...why do we weep so much for our lost ones? Indeed. We are kind. Or ARE WE?
We are humans. That’s a fact. What’s most important to humans? Well I’d say survival. Preservation etc. But who’s most important to us? Well obviously it’s ourselves. Yes, that’s right! Selfishness is one of our strongest instincts sometimes, which in a way could come from the need to survive. As in…we instinctively look out for ourselves first, and then others. No matter what situation, even if we don’t realize it, firstly we will always think about us and only then comes the rest. Even if that thought about us lasts for a split-second, it’s still there. Now…you could be thinking that where did this bullshit come from, after all that talk about human kindness? Well, I believe that human kindness also comes from selfishness. And a good amount of brainwashing of course (Brainwashing – don’t leave your home without it).
Now why are people kind? Why do they help each other? Why do charities exist and so on? Well it’s definitely not out of pure kindness, no indeed. Well ok, some of those things have nothing to do with selfishness. Charities ? For personal gain. Be it a company or creating a better image of oneself in society. Why do we help each other? Well some do it because of the same reason. To maintain a good image in society, others do out of their beliefs. Let’s say religious people? I’d say they are just brainwashed too much. Either they believe, that they’ll go to heaven after being good or they just believe in what their chosen religion says and choose to follow it’s “rules” and pretend to be good. Now talking about those people who want to go to a good place after death.. I kindda understand them. I mean...who wouldn’t? ( Actually, I personally would like to go to hell. Since I believe that heaven is quite drafty…it’s high up after all. And I prefer warm places. Let’s hope it won’t be TOO warm.)
But obviously, these mentioned types aren’t the only ones that help. Oh no. There is another type, which I usually hate the most. People who help out of “good will” and that gain “nothing” in return. At least they say so. Everyone believes them, no idea why. I mean…everybody is selfish, the least you could do is realize that we are all the same in this matter. Now why do those people help without asking anything in return? Obviously it’s because they need nothing in return. It is as they say. But only half-way, because in reality they DO get something in return. And that is a feeling of self-satisfaction - a feeling of doing a good deed. Believe me, that feeling is some powerful shit and is probably quite addictive. You might think that how can anyone compare a “feeling” to money or anything else? Oh yes I can. Since that feeling is just enough. And they want more of it. They want to feel good, thus they continue to do what they do, lying to others and themselves, not realizing that they are no different. Well never mind, I mean…what do I know?
But seriously. All humans are are horribly similar in the most primitive level. In a level of instinct, but why do we pretend that we are not? Why do we pretend that we don’t realize how fake we and everyone around us are? Ech.
Ok back to the topic at hand. What about losing a loved one, or a family member you ask? Well I’m happy you did because that’s probably the top of our pyramid of selfishness. Indeed it is. Now..I’m guessing that most people have already lost someone...be it a loved one, a family member or whatever? And I’m guessing that everyone was really sad about it, if they cared about the lost person I mean. We cry and weep for the lost one, before the funeral, during it and after it. Ach, how sad it is indeed. But why do we weep?
We weep because WE lost something that was important to us or useful. We do not weep for those who died, we weep for ourselves. God. Be it parents who cry for their lost child or the other way around. It’s always about us first, and then about the lost one. I mean god. Are those who died sad? No, they died, the end. They are “saved” in a way, from this cruel world. They do not exist anymore. It’s all good on their side, but noo, we gotta express how sad we are, yelling that the ones who died are poor etc. when in reality, we cry about ourselves. And each word muttered out loud, is in reality means just a desperate cry that expresses how sad we are for ourselves. We cry not for the one who passed away, but for us, who remain without something they had previously.
So yeah, we are selfish beings. But so what of it? It’s human nature. The only reason we think selfishness is bad, is because of the brainwash we received during our lives from society, all those books explaining how bad it is to be selfish, etc. In reality…it’s completely normal and human. We humans in general are horrible creatures, but can we hate ourselves for being who we are? Nah...why waste time on that? (well I waste it sometimes..).
Thus live your lives, after realizing your faults. Who knows…maybe you’ll manage to fix them? Since these days a popular saying is... “anything is possible”.
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