"Everything is perspective"- says the subjectivist. The subjectivist is right; any given action can be made right (and what I mean by "right" is what this post is meant to explain) under the correct circumstances. Without such circumstances no one is right, no one is wrong, and nothing can be judged. Arguments can't be had, law has no place, progress- made through arguments and settlements, concluding in how to proceed- would exist in no singular direction, and collaboration would cease to exist except between the few who happen to agree- that is until they find differences in why they agree.
So everything requires a foundation; a preface of ideals, goals, theories, and some innate recognition of what seems right to us. That is my goal in writing this post: to give the foundation of my thinking. I realized it is essential for anyone reading my thoughts- who also wants to understand them as thoroughly as one can without having the same exact thought themselves- to know this: my sort of backdrop that provides setting for and guides my thoughts. Anything that has been read or will be read in the future of mine could be misunderstood or easily (or perhaps not so easily, as I use logic to guide my thoughts. But then, logic to serve what end goal?) debated on the basis of relevance and maybe even meaning. Even more importantly, to know the motivation behind a person's thoughts makes you able to extend the thoughts to application, or maybe carry it out to make more sense of it than what is simply given, and this is vital to understanding.
I'll also give something of a disclaimer, because my foundation is different than many (I won't say it's completely unique; there's too many people in this world for me to assume anything is completely unique). My will is strong, and my confidence in it is unbreakable. This isn't to say I can't be convinced otherwise, but I am saying I have thought it through thoroughly, and will need an equally thorough argument to convince me otherwise; such an argument would also first have to fully understand the mindset I present before debating. My basis is based on a vision of a better world than the one in which we currently live; one where people are stronger in will and in beliefs (and I do mean beliefs- with justification and reasoning-, not ignorance), and are more aware of a larger picture than themselves, the moment, or even the current situations.
In one word, all of my thoughts stem from a world that is selfless. But it's more than that. When I decide if something is right or wrong, I don't ignore myself and then act. Quite the opposite: I consider not one thing, but everything I can. I step away from the situation mentally; I broaden the scope, and I think about what will be the best for the greater good. Even this explanation begs for more though. By greater good, I mean the defense of the greatest amount of good people living the way they see fit while bad or evil people are gotten rid of. I mean a state of things in which the most passions can be pursed, and the least amount of people are harmed. Still we have "good" in the explanation. A good person, then, is one who aims to be a virtuous person, and who also aims to defend this greater good. So I consider "right" that action that will help us- as a race, as human beings, as a collective group of people- push on towards our potential in the best way. I choose the word selfless, because often there is more at stake than one's own involvement. More often than not, even in everyday tasks, one's own sacrifice (whatever it may be- an hour, some amount of money, or something more extreme) is inconsiderable compared to the good that could be done, and so I don't consider my sacrifice, because there are better outcomes that will be brought about.
The foundation of my thoughts is based on an ideal society. One in which any given person is willing to sacrifice themselves to help another person who is a good person against anything bad. One in which people are strong enough to take responsibility for situations they did not mean to be in, but are in never the less. One in which people realize and understand their part, role, and potential impact in terms of both time and as part of a massive race of beings. And that is meant for both large and small roles and impacts; to know that you are one- and yes, your life is invaluable; you have family, you have friends; you have goals; you love; yet to also understand that this is true of everyone. In understanding this, understanding that sacrificing one for many is valuable to the greater good. But to also know that daring to stand by the greater good can create an impact that would seem unbelievable to come from just one. What is "right" is defined as what the people in this society would do; more often than not, they would sacrifice their resources or selves for the greatest good.
And so all of my thoughts sprout from this idea; from wanting to create such a society where everyone defends the good from the bad at any cost; where right is doing what is best for the greater good in the larger scope of things; where we are willing to take action, think logically, set aside biases and try to actively help innocent, good people. This is my foundation because perhaps if this were the case, if everyone did this, then perhaps the greater good may be stronger than it is in the world now.
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Friday, October 3, 2014
A Poison Apple
Logic, when used correctly and when used in its intensive purposes- for coming to rational conclusions- is one of the most amazing ways to think about the world. It allows for us to make confident conclusions and gives us safety in our actions. But logic takes a great deal of thinking to make sure it's correct. There are literal terms for the way logicians think, but I want to apply this in a common way, so everyone can see better what I mean; instead of premises, I want to say factors- every element that plays into a situation that you have to consider before you can make a conclusion, or decision.
To use logic correctly, you have to think about every factor, and perhaps even every factor of the factor, such as WHO is involved, and then what about that WHO might be motivating them, or how that WHO has acted before in similar situations, or how well you know that WHO. And thought logic has a lot of thinking to go with it, a lot of these parts can be done quickly. More often than not, it's safe to trust your own grasp of the situation, your own understanding of a person, and your own subconscious sorting of these factors. That being said, you should only trust them if it follows logically to do so.
And this is the problem. With so much time to think, and with giving myself so much time to think, all of these apples have fallen for me to examine and think about. Somewhere along the way-particularly, I think, when someone whose intelligence I had faith in made me question my confidence- I bit a poison apple. I began to overthink. And this, if anything, is the poison of thought.
Questioning the world is not only a great thing for all of us to do, but the world requires that we do it. Self-reflection is one of the greatest ways to gain perspective on a situation or relationship. But the moment we take it too far, the moment we question our questioning, we begin to falter. Questioning ourselves where before we made confident decisions can begin to alter reality and change ourselves for the worse. The moment I began to question why I did something that I was confident about doing is the moment I started to feel wrong about how I was acting, and in fact the results of everything I did began to change.
Questioning every simple thing is the danger of philosophy. If we question something, then question that questioning, and continue on in this way, what sort of reality can we see? Where is our grounding? What basis to we have any more to question at all? Everything begins to warp into an infinite loop, where every thought is dissected so thoroughly, that which made it your thought to begin with is gone. All of the confidence and personality you put into that thought in the first place is gone, replaced with what can only be superficial and timid- lacking in ability from lacking in confidence.
I think it's very easy to recognize the difference between a thought that is naturally and confidently ours from the one that has been overthought and is full of questions and doubt. Unfortunately, it's also true that as soon as we know the difference, we've experienced the latter, and when the mind is trapped in that form of thought it is nearly impossible to get out. In fact, the only way to stop the poison from spreading further is by stopping thought altogether. Because when you recognize your thoughts are foreign and out of place, you get frustrated and try to change it, and you use the same thoughts to try to change it. You question why you have to be stuck there, why you have to think these ways, and get stuck again in the infinite loop.
Poison is classically something that sets in slowly and does its damage over time. The antidote stops the spread and ensures you won't die, but it does not cure you instantly; similarly, recovering from overthinking is not a quick process. Great control must be had, and great confidence even more so. We, who have the ability to think, the ability to conclude, and the power to act, need to be reassured by that ability and power, and let logic do its work. Logic lets us come to final conclusions on which we can be sure. This poison exploits our thoughts and seduces us into thinking farther than is necessary, and it can destroy not only the mind, but our personality as well. It is the hardest line to walk as someone who thinks about this world from every aspect and with every detail. But logic is there to serve as the antidote to this poison apple. Somethings in this world, my friends, are as simple as a straight line of perfect logic with a final conclusion. We can all be sure of that.
To use logic correctly, you have to think about every factor, and perhaps even every factor of the factor, such as WHO is involved, and then what about that WHO might be motivating them, or how that WHO has acted before in similar situations, or how well you know that WHO. And thought logic has a lot of thinking to go with it, a lot of these parts can be done quickly. More often than not, it's safe to trust your own grasp of the situation, your own understanding of a person, and your own subconscious sorting of these factors. That being said, you should only trust them if it follows logically to do so.
And this is the problem. With so much time to think, and with giving myself so much time to think, all of these apples have fallen for me to examine and think about. Somewhere along the way-particularly, I think, when someone whose intelligence I had faith in made me question my confidence- I bit a poison apple. I began to overthink. And this, if anything, is the poison of thought.
Questioning the world is not only a great thing for all of us to do, but the world requires that we do it. Self-reflection is one of the greatest ways to gain perspective on a situation or relationship. But the moment we take it too far, the moment we question our questioning, we begin to falter. Questioning ourselves where before we made confident decisions can begin to alter reality and change ourselves for the worse. The moment I began to question why I did something that I was confident about doing is the moment I started to feel wrong about how I was acting, and in fact the results of everything I did began to change.
Questioning every simple thing is the danger of philosophy. If we question something, then question that questioning, and continue on in this way, what sort of reality can we see? Where is our grounding? What basis to we have any more to question at all? Everything begins to warp into an infinite loop, where every thought is dissected so thoroughly, that which made it your thought to begin with is gone. All of the confidence and personality you put into that thought in the first place is gone, replaced with what can only be superficial and timid- lacking in ability from lacking in confidence.
I think it's very easy to recognize the difference between a thought that is naturally and confidently ours from the one that has been overthought and is full of questions and doubt. Unfortunately, it's also true that as soon as we know the difference, we've experienced the latter, and when the mind is trapped in that form of thought it is nearly impossible to get out. In fact, the only way to stop the poison from spreading further is by stopping thought altogether. Because when you recognize your thoughts are foreign and out of place, you get frustrated and try to change it, and you use the same thoughts to try to change it. You question why you have to be stuck there, why you have to think these ways, and get stuck again in the infinite loop.
Poison is classically something that sets in slowly and does its damage over time. The antidote stops the spread and ensures you won't die, but it does not cure you instantly; similarly, recovering from overthinking is not a quick process. Great control must be had, and great confidence even more so. We, who have the ability to think, the ability to conclude, and the power to act, need to be reassured by that ability and power, and let logic do its work. Logic lets us come to final conclusions on which we can be sure. This poison exploits our thoughts and seduces us into thinking farther than is necessary, and it can destroy not only the mind, but our personality as well. It is the hardest line to walk as someone who thinks about this world from every aspect and with every detail. But logic is there to serve as the antidote to this poison apple. Somethings in this world, my friends, are as simple as a straight line of perfect logic with a final conclusion. We can all be sure of that.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
On What Is
The mind is unquestionably the greatest asset of mankind; what it does for us is amazing. I would also say not only good things are amazing. These two statements are both true, with neither changing the other in any way. And so, the mind can do terrible things to us.
It seems that the mind is fond of patterns. This- when combined with ego- is a mentally fatal combination. It can kill who we are, purely because it thinks it knows who we are. Through our experiences, through our feedback, through our conversations with friends, we learn what people think of us. And then, through ego, we identify what we like about this and what we dislike; we build an image of ourselves and put into the aura of it all the traits we'd like to be. And then, whether with consciousness or not, we play to those traits. We morph our actions from what gave us those traits to those actions we think will reinforce them. For one, these actions are automatically worthless, for they aren't genuine; the only actions that will continue building our image as it is are the same automatic, genuine, and true actions we've done all along.
But I don't want to talk about that at all, because rooted deeper than that is the true issue, the fatal poison: we build an image of ourselves based on others' image of us, and thus turn our lives into a role that we try to fit. But by definition, a role is an act; it is not true. The moment we take in and adjust to the thoughts of others, we destroy ourselves. Our true self fades in the back and watches as the life we lead strays farther and farther. But never does our true self disappear, and this is the important part.
Haven't we all experienced a day, perhaps a period stretching over many days, perhaps months or longer, where we do things that we aren't truthfully committed to? We do it out of carelessness, and we do it with no effort- perhaps because often in this mode we have no effort to give, often we are husks in this mode, but that is a separate topic- and then later, once we are alone and subject only to our own thoughts, we feel like we've betrayed ourselves. Have you not experienced this? What comes with this is a vicious cycle that digs us deeper into our role and distances us further from our true self.
Soon (and it is soon; this happens faster than you may perceive it to, and once you perceive it, it's out of your grasp)- and this is where the weight of this problem takes its form- we are cut off from even the thoughts of our own true self. The only remaining feeling is something nagging at us, something caught in our bodies that makes living feel out of place, something that chokes us on our words, something that puts out our passions. And, when this feeling gets particularly strong, we confront it, because we are left with nothing else to do. And that is where we learn what is, and how it is different from what is not.
When we confront these thoughts, we reach back and make contact with our true selves, the self that knows all and denies nothing; it is one and the same with the truth of our lives. It is when we confront these thoughts that we recognize what we really think, what we really want, how we really feel. It is then that we understand ourselves, and feel comfortable once again in who we are; the shed the costume of our role and we rid ourselves of our script; we embrace life as it is, we understand what is.
For this reason and many others, I strongly believe every person should frequently subject themselves to the confessions of their deepest, most hidden thoughts, and then they should embrace those results. They should live with the new thoughts; they should act on these re-discoveries, and once again merge with their true selves. Because, when we say things such as "I'm going to pretend this isn't real..." are we not already admitting that whatever "this" is is in fact real? By admitting that we are pretending, we are admitting the truth of "this." And then what point is there in pretending? You will only put yourself back into that role, once again banishing and betraying your true self, and any action from there will be based on a facade. And what kind of life is one based on facades?
More than this, what sense does it make to lie to our mind? Anything we possibly know is stored in our minds. To try to deny our minds information that it already has and knows to be true is a contradictory; how does it follow to hide information from something with all information? To consciously deny information that the subconscious knows to be true, and thus what your true self and what your deepest self knows to be true, is to consciously and knowingly make the decision to live a life you do not truly want, and to continue even further from your true goals.
And so it is vitally important that we act on what is. It is key for us to embrace ourselves, because it is universally better for us to be ourselves, and the only way to do that is to not deny any truth, but to take it as truth and respond from there. We may not want it, but this reality is what it is with or without our permission. If there are truths you don't like, then accept that as the truth. It will make your true goal- to rid yourself of that truth- far more possible and much easier. This life, you will find, is a much better life when you and your true self are in constant agreement.
If there is a road to happiness, a path we can walk that gives us a good life, it is founded on what is.
It seems that the mind is fond of patterns. This- when combined with ego- is a mentally fatal combination. It can kill who we are, purely because it thinks it knows who we are. Through our experiences, through our feedback, through our conversations with friends, we learn what people think of us. And then, through ego, we identify what we like about this and what we dislike; we build an image of ourselves and put into the aura of it all the traits we'd like to be. And then, whether with consciousness or not, we play to those traits. We morph our actions from what gave us those traits to those actions we think will reinforce them. For one, these actions are automatically worthless, for they aren't genuine; the only actions that will continue building our image as it is are the same automatic, genuine, and true actions we've done all along.
But I don't want to talk about that at all, because rooted deeper than that is the true issue, the fatal poison: we build an image of ourselves based on others' image of us, and thus turn our lives into a role that we try to fit. But by definition, a role is an act; it is not true. The moment we take in and adjust to the thoughts of others, we destroy ourselves. Our true self fades in the back and watches as the life we lead strays farther and farther. But never does our true self disappear, and this is the important part.
Haven't we all experienced a day, perhaps a period stretching over many days, perhaps months or longer, where we do things that we aren't truthfully committed to? We do it out of carelessness, and we do it with no effort- perhaps because often in this mode we have no effort to give, often we are husks in this mode, but that is a separate topic- and then later, once we are alone and subject only to our own thoughts, we feel like we've betrayed ourselves. Have you not experienced this? What comes with this is a vicious cycle that digs us deeper into our role and distances us further from our true self.
Soon (and it is soon; this happens faster than you may perceive it to, and once you perceive it, it's out of your grasp)- and this is where the weight of this problem takes its form- we are cut off from even the thoughts of our own true self. The only remaining feeling is something nagging at us, something caught in our bodies that makes living feel out of place, something that chokes us on our words, something that puts out our passions. And, when this feeling gets particularly strong, we confront it, because we are left with nothing else to do. And that is where we learn what is, and how it is different from what is not.
When we confront these thoughts, we reach back and make contact with our true selves, the self that knows all and denies nothing; it is one and the same with the truth of our lives. It is when we confront these thoughts that we recognize what we really think, what we really want, how we really feel. It is then that we understand ourselves, and feel comfortable once again in who we are; the shed the costume of our role and we rid ourselves of our script; we embrace life as it is, we understand what is.
For this reason and many others, I strongly believe every person should frequently subject themselves to the confessions of their deepest, most hidden thoughts, and then they should embrace those results. They should live with the new thoughts; they should act on these re-discoveries, and once again merge with their true selves. Because, when we say things such as "I'm going to pretend this isn't real..." are we not already admitting that whatever "this" is is in fact real? By admitting that we are pretending, we are admitting the truth of "this." And then what point is there in pretending? You will only put yourself back into that role, once again banishing and betraying your true self, and any action from there will be based on a facade. And what kind of life is one based on facades?
More than this, what sense does it make to lie to our mind? Anything we possibly know is stored in our minds. To try to deny our minds information that it already has and knows to be true is a contradictory; how does it follow to hide information from something with all information? To consciously deny information that the subconscious knows to be true, and thus what your true self and what your deepest self knows to be true, is to consciously and knowingly make the decision to live a life you do not truly want, and to continue even further from your true goals.
And so it is vitally important that we act on what is. It is key for us to embrace ourselves, because it is universally better for us to be ourselves, and the only way to do that is to not deny any truth, but to take it as truth and respond from there. We may not want it, but this reality is what it is with or without our permission. If there are truths you don't like, then accept that as the truth. It will make your true goal- to rid yourself of that truth- far more possible and much easier. This life, you will find, is a much better life when you and your true self are in constant agreement.
If there is a road to happiness, a path we can walk that gives us a good life, it is founded on what is.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
The Perks of Being Human
Being human is the most complex, confusing thing there is, isn't it? It should be, it encompasses everything else we do; by being human we're allowed to experience those other complex and confusing things.
Being human, it also seems, is a massive contradiction.
In video games, by principle, if I have the choice to make my character something other than human, I do. I'm human in real life, so if I wanted to do something as a human, I'd do it myself. I also never choose humans because often when compared to other species, fictional though they are, humans do not stand up to the others. Humans, more often than not, and what indeed makes them the "human" race, has one characteristic the other races never do: the not only ability, but likelihood of failing in the face of the final task.
Humans are weak.They give in, they collapse, they fail. It's a classic story in most novels. They have "the human flaw," where they fail to do what is needed because, very purely,of their emotions. Be it love, hate, depression, or, perhaps the most powerful, the feeling of nothing at all, humans are constantly driven from the correct decision by what they feel and these things that overcome their strength to make the right decision.
And I mean this beyond the realm of video games, fantasy worlds, or even in our imaginations. General life choices are made wrong because of a loved one, or out of spite, or because they're too hurt to do otherwise, or because they're too hurt to do anything at all. Relationships, jobs, love, passions, they all push us to do what we want rather than what may be the best for our well-being. Emotions and passion destroy us and hold us back from reaching our potential.
Isn't it odd, then, that emotions and passion are also what makes being human so beautifully amazing?
Isn't there some satisfaction, even if it's buried far under the pain, in feeling pain? Isn't that feeling- painful as it is- so pure and so true that it almost adds to the pain to feel so truthfully? And at the same time, isn't that a wonderful feeling? Isn't amazing to be able to feel that kind of pain? Isn't it more difficult to escape self-pity and leave painful memories behind because they bring such raw emotion to you, and isn't the aura that raw emotion wraps you in almost comforting?
This is the reason for sane madness. When you love so truthfully, so purely, there is no feeling that comes close. Then, when that love fails but doesn't vanish, what else can be done? We can't expect to get so high and fall with the same impact as if we never left the ground. And in that heartbreak, the passion is almost more than when it was love. But there's no outlet, no one to give it to, and no way to express it. We have our minds, but it is overrun with hollow, and at the same time, bursting emotion. And we wallow in it, because it does feel so good to feel. And so our greatest weakness, that which drives us from doing the right thing, also gives us comfort.
But I don't think I need to point out the damage this does to anyone who has experienced this, nor do I need to point out the problems with making bad decisions for this feeling. I would like to point out the true perks of being human, for pain is not the only emotion that comes so purely. We are capable of feeling passion through things that, in their literal form, should be nothing more than patterns or words, yet they are more.
Music, I will say to the death, is the most passionate expression of human being we have. Artists who fuel their own emotions and passion into what they do are capable of copying their emotions and giving them to every person who listens, thus giving listeners raw, pure emotion to experience for themselves. Every instrument, every melody, rhythm, and interaction between instruments and voice is capable of passing through you and exploiting passion within you. And it is so human to understand on this level, through music. This is the same reason fables- then books- now movies- have been so important. We are capable of feeling and investing in characters that- fictional as they are- make us feel human and make us feel the passions of their experiences.
And, so it seems, being human is not necessarily a contradiction; what brings us comfort- passion- does not necessarily have to hurt us. There are things, from others and through our own experiences, in which we can feel passionate and experience raw, pure emotion as only a human can, where it envelopes us completely. So do not look to feel through pain, but know, when it does come, that there is something wonderful about being able to feel such pain at all.
Being human, it also seems, is a massive contradiction.
In video games, by principle, if I have the choice to make my character something other than human, I do. I'm human in real life, so if I wanted to do something as a human, I'd do it myself. I also never choose humans because often when compared to other species, fictional though they are, humans do not stand up to the others. Humans, more often than not, and what indeed makes them the "human" race, has one characteristic the other races never do: the not only ability, but likelihood of failing in the face of the final task.
Humans are weak.They give in, they collapse, they fail. It's a classic story in most novels. They have "the human flaw," where they fail to do what is needed because, very purely,of their emotions. Be it love, hate, depression, or, perhaps the most powerful, the feeling of nothing at all, humans are constantly driven from the correct decision by what they feel and these things that overcome their strength to make the right decision.
And I mean this beyond the realm of video games, fantasy worlds, or even in our imaginations. General life choices are made wrong because of a loved one, or out of spite, or because they're too hurt to do otherwise, or because they're too hurt to do anything at all. Relationships, jobs, love, passions, they all push us to do what we want rather than what may be the best for our well-being. Emotions and passion destroy us and hold us back from reaching our potential.
Isn't it odd, then, that emotions and passion are also what makes being human so beautifully amazing?
Isn't there some satisfaction, even if it's buried far under the pain, in feeling pain? Isn't that feeling- painful as it is- so pure and so true that it almost adds to the pain to feel so truthfully? And at the same time, isn't that a wonderful feeling? Isn't amazing to be able to feel that kind of pain? Isn't it more difficult to escape self-pity and leave painful memories behind because they bring such raw emotion to you, and isn't the aura that raw emotion wraps you in almost comforting?
This is the reason for sane madness. When you love so truthfully, so purely, there is no feeling that comes close. Then, when that love fails but doesn't vanish, what else can be done? We can't expect to get so high and fall with the same impact as if we never left the ground. And in that heartbreak, the passion is almost more than when it was love. But there's no outlet, no one to give it to, and no way to express it. We have our minds, but it is overrun with hollow, and at the same time, bursting emotion. And we wallow in it, because it does feel so good to feel. And so our greatest weakness, that which drives us from doing the right thing, also gives us comfort.
But I don't think I need to point out the damage this does to anyone who has experienced this, nor do I need to point out the problems with making bad decisions for this feeling. I would like to point out the true perks of being human, for pain is not the only emotion that comes so purely. We are capable of feeling passion through things that, in their literal form, should be nothing more than patterns or words, yet they are more.
Music, I will say to the death, is the most passionate expression of human being we have. Artists who fuel their own emotions and passion into what they do are capable of copying their emotions and giving them to every person who listens, thus giving listeners raw, pure emotion to experience for themselves. Every instrument, every melody, rhythm, and interaction between instruments and voice is capable of passing through you and exploiting passion within you. And it is so human to understand on this level, through music. This is the same reason fables- then books- now movies- have been so important. We are capable of feeling and investing in characters that- fictional as they are- make us feel human and make us feel the passions of their experiences.
And, so it seems, being human is not necessarily a contradiction; what brings us comfort- passion- does not necessarily have to hurt us. There are things, from others and through our own experiences, in which we can feel passionate and experience raw, pure emotion as only a human can, where it envelopes us completely. So do not look to feel through pain, but know, when it does come, that there is something wonderful about being able to feel such pain at all.
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Solitaire
Have you ever played Solitaire? Not Spider Solitaire; nothing against it, but I mean the original Solitaire. If not, go play. This blog will be right here when you get back.
See? All set. Now you'll have a better grip on what I'm saying.
I love Solitaire. It's a great game. It's not necessarily easy, but it's not difficult either. It can also be a game you either play absentmindedly (though you'll certainly miss things) or with a lot of focus. It passes time if you're bored, and there's a great feeling of success when you win.
But that's what I love about Solitaire: you rarely win. Of all the times I've played, I've won maybe 60%-70% of the time. Or at least I think I have. That's one value of Solitaire: you don't really lose until you give up looking for more moves. You could potentially play on the computer and just hit "M" until there's no more options, but that's no fun- not for me, anyways. Without doing that, you just look at the cards, and if you can't find anything, you lose. The potential exists that you actually did lose- Solitaire isn't a game you're guaranteed to win; it can be that from the initial deal there actually is no way to win at all. But you don't realize that, and you won't until you give up, or you decide that it's probably a lost game.
And as for how long it takes you to be convinced of that? It's up to you and your personal determination. I've sat with one game of Solitaire for almost a full hour looking at how I could keep going with it (the beginning of the game was smooth and things were falling into place, until they didn't. But I wanted to finish the game). In that case, I was able to re-arrange things enough to find a way to win. I've also sat there for half an hour, or forty-five minutes, and other spans of time looking for a way to beat a game that in the end I conceded to. On the other end of the spectrum, after I've played a few games in a row and can't find a move, I've given up in approximately five seconds. But you decide the length of the game, and when you've lost.
It's these points that made me think about Solitaire in a way that holds lessons for life. When playing with a deck of cards or without the "M" function, you NEVER know if you've ACTUALLY lost a game of Solitaire. You decide when you do- and that's limited by your own perspective completely. I guarantee some of you readers could have come by and taken a game I've given up on farther than I did. And that has value: it teaches you- literally- when to fold and walk away. It tests your determination, but for the sake of time and a potential better game (or opportunity) in the future, also when to move on. Not only that, but I think Solitaire is a good representation of life itself. Nothing is certain in Solitaire- you won't always succeed, you won't know if you could have done better. Nothing is certain in life in these same ways. In life, you won't know if you could've handled a situation better, because you can't go back and try again. You can reflect, things can come up in your mind later, but by then it's already been done. And by no means can that scare us away from playing.
Perhaps the most important thing about Solitaire is precisely that, is that it forces you to decide. Even with the knowledge you might have a 0% chance of winning, or you might fail along the way, if you play the game, you're forced to move on and play on. You're forced to move the cards and play with some confidence in the idea that the moves you are making are the moves that lie on the path leading you to success. Even more permanent, and therefore requiring more self-assurance and commitment: you're forced to decide when you've lost. And that takes a lot from the mind. When you make a mistake, you'll learn from it in your next game, but you have to now deal with the decision you made, and now make more to try to fix what you did wrong.
Although, I suppose you could just not play Solitaire; you could just walk away from the game and throw it away. But what if you just don't play in life?
See? All set. Now you'll have a better grip on what I'm saying.
I love Solitaire. It's a great game. It's not necessarily easy, but it's not difficult either. It can also be a game you either play absentmindedly (though you'll certainly miss things) or with a lot of focus. It passes time if you're bored, and there's a great feeling of success when you win.
But that's what I love about Solitaire: you rarely win. Of all the times I've played, I've won maybe 60%-70% of the time. Or at least I think I have. That's one value of Solitaire: you don't really lose until you give up looking for more moves. You could potentially play on the computer and just hit "M" until there's no more options, but that's no fun- not for me, anyways. Without doing that, you just look at the cards, and if you can't find anything, you lose. The potential exists that you actually did lose- Solitaire isn't a game you're guaranteed to win; it can be that from the initial deal there actually is no way to win at all. But you don't realize that, and you won't until you give up, or you decide that it's probably a lost game.
And as for how long it takes you to be convinced of that? It's up to you and your personal determination. I've sat with one game of Solitaire for almost a full hour looking at how I could keep going with it (the beginning of the game was smooth and things were falling into place, until they didn't. But I wanted to finish the game). In that case, I was able to re-arrange things enough to find a way to win. I've also sat there for half an hour, or forty-five minutes, and other spans of time looking for a way to beat a game that in the end I conceded to. On the other end of the spectrum, after I've played a few games in a row and can't find a move, I've given up in approximately five seconds. But you decide the length of the game, and when you've lost.
It's these points that made me think about Solitaire in a way that holds lessons for life. When playing with a deck of cards or without the "M" function, you NEVER know if you've ACTUALLY lost a game of Solitaire. You decide when you do- and that's limited by your own perspective completely. I guarantee some of you readers could have come by and taken a game I've given up on farther than I did. And that has value: it teaches you- literally- when to fold and walk away. It tests your determination, but for the sake of time and a potential better game (or opportunity) in the future, also when to move on. Not only that, but I think Solitaire is a good representation of life itself. Nothing is certain in Solitaire- you won't always succeed, you won't know if you could have done better. Nothing is certain in life in these same ways. In life, you won't know if you could've handled a situation better, because you can't go back and try again. You can reflect, things can come up in your mind later, but by then it's already been done. And by no means can that scare us away from playing.
Perhaps the most important thing about Solitaire is precisely that, is that it forces you to decide. Even with the knowledge you might have a 0% chance of winning, or you might fail along the way, if you play the game, you're forced to move on and play on. You're forced to move the cards and play with some confidence in the idea that the moves you are making are the moves that lie on the path leading you to success. Even more permanent, and therefore requiring more self-assurance and commitment: you're forced to decide when you've lost. And that takes a lot from the mind. When you make a mistake, you'll learn from it in your next game, but you have to now deal with the decision you made, and now make more to try to fix what you did wrong.
Although, I suppose you could just not play Solitaire; you could just walk away from the game and throw it away. But what if you just don't play in life?
Friday, August 22, 2014
The Two Meanings of Life
If you've rushed to this post as an explanation of higher powers or what true purpose is or what yours might be, I'm sorry; that's not what I'm going to talk about.
What I am going to talk about is the two meanings of life. They each come up in literature and movies and stories; entire characters and story-archs are based around one or the other. A line could be drawn in the sand and they would very clearly stand on opposite sides, and each one of us can find ourselves on one side or the other. It is my belief that all of us- so long as we are human- belong only on one side.
One meaning of life is simply that: life. To have a pulse; to breathe; to function as a human body is supposed to; to have a conscious; to not be dead. This meaning is very easy to understand. Are you reading this? Then you have life; you are alive. Have you woken up this morning? Then you are alive. No one who does not have life will ever even know I'm writing this, let alone ever read these words.
Now this life is essential; without it, we can have nothing else. We need it. However, this meaning of life is very, very minimalist. It shows up most often as a plot twist in a way to save a life. One is supposed to die, another loves that someone. They find a way (through magic, a wish, an act of god, etc.) to save their life (usually after making a sacrifice). In these stories, the one who was supposed to die does in fact live on. The point of these stories always lies with the other character, the one that made the sacrifice, that wanted to save the life. These characters witness their loved one come back to life, but the life they have is the first meaning of life. They breathe, they function, they live. They are not dead. The character then tried to undo everything, it can't be done, the story goes on.
The point comes from why they try to undo it: because the person who was saved is missing something; they aren't the same, and that something is what they wanted to save. That something is the second meaning of life.
The second meaning of life is nothing simple at all. When I speak about this life, I say the word differently. It feels different on my tongue, and it rings differently through my head. This life is what makes living in the first manner worth anything. This meaning of life is to truthfully live; to experience; to feel; to be passionate; to love; to care. This meaning of life is what gives someone's eyes a spark. This meaning of life is what excites people to their core; it's what makes each and every life its own story.
This meaning of life is the side we should stand with, because without it, we're husks. We breathe, we function, we live. Until we die. Because we all will, like it or not. So while we have life, I beg of you, I beg of every single person, to live. To experience. To love. To care. To be passionate. Stand on this side of the line, and truthfully live.
As for what the meaning of life is? If you ask me, I say you make your own meaning. And as long as you pursue that meaning while living- the second definition, that is- you can't be wrong.
What I am going to talk about is the two meanings of life. They each come up in literature and movies and stories; entire characters and story-archs are based around one or the other. A line could be drawn in the sand and they would very clearly stand on opposite sides, and each one of us can find ourselves on one side or the other. It is my belief that all of us- so long as we are human- belong only on one side.
One meaning of life is simply that: life. To have a pulse; to breathe; to function as a human body is supposed to; to have a conscious; to not be dead. This meaning is very easy to understand. Are you reading this? Then you have life; you are alive. Have you woken up this morning? Then you are alive. No one who does not have life will ever even know I'm writing this, let alone ever read these words.
Now this life is essential; without it, we can have nothing else. We need it. However, this meaning of life is very, very minimalist. It shows up most often as a plot twist in a way to save a life. One is supposed to die, another loves that someone. They find a way (through magic, a wish, an act of god, etc.) to save their life (usually after making a sacrifice). In these stories, the one who was supposed to die does in fact live on. The point of these stories always lies with the other character, the one that made the sacrifice, that wanted to save the life. These characters witness their loved one come back to life, but the life they have is the first meaning of life. They breathe, they function, they live. They are not dead. The character then tried to undo everything, it can't be done, the story goes on.
The point comes from why they try to undo it: because the person who was saved is missing something; they aren't the same, and that something is what they wanted to save. That something is the second meaning of life.
The second meaning of life is nothing simple at all. When I speak about this life, I say the word differently. It feels different on my tongue, and it rings differently through my head. This life is what makes living in the first manner worth anything. This meaning of life is to truthfully live; to experience; to feel; to be passionate; to love; to care. This meaning of life is what gives someone's eyes a spark. This meaning of life is what excites people to their core; it's what makes each and every life its own story.
This meaning of life is the side we should stand with, because without it, we're husks. We breathe, we function, we live. Until we die. Because we all will, like it or not. So while we have life, I beg of you, I beg of every single person, to live. To experience. To love. To care. To be passionate. Stand on this side of the line, and truthfully live.
As for what the meaning of life is? If you ask me, I say you make your own meaning. And as long as you pursue that meaning while living- the second definition, that is- you can't be wrong.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
On Planting an Apple Tree
A friend once told me they believed I could rant about anything given a topic, even an apple. Proving how well she knew me, my mind immediately began racing, thinking about the different types, flavors, contrasts, and why some people might like certain apples over other apples- a certain type given by their parents all the time; if it came from a tree that was special to them; if it was all they had for food growing up, etc.
This is the way my mind works; I see, and I analyze. I think about everything I see and hear in life, even the most mundane of tasks; even what seems to be absolutely pointless- because part of me thinks nothing is pointless when completely thought out; if it does seem pointless, keep thinking.
I can't help my mind working like this, though I wouldn't change it if I could. It does, however, give me a great dissatisfaction with a lot of things that I see around me and things that I see in people. It also creates a great deal of dilemmas I'm unsure of whether I'd have if my mind worked any other way. Thus, my topic: blog posts.
Unsurprisingly, all this thinking has led me to enjoy philosophy immensely. And then, philosophy: what do you do with it? You spread it, if only to try to spread the thinking that comes with it, whether you believe it or not. How do I spread it? Classically, philosophers spoke throughout the town or wrote essays that were later turned into books. Now, people who speak on the street are often ignored, and books can be completely missed. Now, we have social medias. So I do in fact write some thoughts on Twitter and Facebook, though again, that is limited. Finally, an idea that has sat in the back of my mind for a long time, blogs.
For the longest time I questioned whether or not I should actually do a blog. Here is my thought process:
Point: Everything has to adapt and evolve in order to survive, including thought itself, and the way we spread it. Everything is online and through the web now.
Counter-point: However, it's kind of like keeping a diary, isn't it? Isn't that a little, I don't know, immature? (This, I will admit, is a petty reason to argue against doing something, and it lets a very immature reason hold me back. It still came to mind.)
These two argued back and fourth for quite a while, until I actually gave both sides some thought, and realized how foolish the second thought was.
Point: Aren't all books in which philosophers express their ideas and thoughts essentially diaries? Aren't all FB posts and Tweets essentially entries in diaries? Yes. So: to-may-to, to-mah-to. A journal is synonymous with a diary in this case; an essay is synonymous with a diary.
So, finally, I have decided that, to help my mind, and to perhaps spread some thought, I will start a blog. About everything. The smallest parts of everyday operating, life's hardest decisions, life's most confusing elements, games, people... Everything. Let's see if planting this apple seed can grow into a tree and, as it did for Newton, maybe have an apple fall and inspire some ideas, shall we?
This is the way my mind works; I see, and I analyze. I think about everything I see and hear in life, even the most mundane of tasks; even what seems to be absolutely pointless- because part of me thinks nothing is pointless when completely thought out; if it does seem pointless, keep thinking.
I can't help my mind working like this, though I wouldn't change it if I could. It does, however, give me a great dissatisfaction with a lot of things that I see around me and things that I see in people. It also creates a great deal of dilemmas I'm unsure of whether I'd have if my mind worked any other way. Thus, my topic: blog posts.
Unsurprisingly, all this thinking has led me to enjoy philosophy immensely. And then, philosophy: what do you do with it? You spread it, if only to try to spread the thinking that comes with it, whether you believe it or not. How do I spread it? Classically, philosophers spoke throughout the town or wrote essays that were later turned into books. Now, people who speak on the street are often ignored, and books can be completely missed. Now, we have social medias. So I do in fact write some thoughts on Twitter and Facebook, though again, that is limited. Finally, an idea that has sat in the back of my mind for a long time, blogs.
For the longest time I questioned whether or not I should actually do a blog. Here is my thought process:
Point: Everything has to adapt and evolve in order to survive, including thought itself, and the way we spread it. Everything is online and through the web now.
Counter-point: However, it's kind of like keeping a diary, isn't it? Isn't that a little, I don't know, immature? (This, I will admit, is a petty reason to argue against doing something, and it lets a very immature reason hold me back. It still came to mind.)
These two argued back and fourth for quite a while, until I actually gave both sides some thought, and realized how foolish the second thought was.
Point: Aren't all books in which philosophers express their ideas and thoughts essentially diaries? Aren't all FB posts and Tweets essentially entries in diaries? Yes. So: to-may-to, to-mah-to. A journal is synonymous with a diary in this case; an essay is synonymous with a diary.
So, finally, I have decided that, to help my mind, and to perhaps spread some thought, I will start a blog. About everything. The smallest parts of everyday operating, life's hardest decisions, life's most confusing elements, games, people... Everything. Let's see if planting this apple seed can grow into a tree and, as it did for Newton, maybe have an apple fall and inspire some ideas, shall we?
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