Linear thinking is a common human strategy of applying a logical set of time-honoured principles in a certain way so as to get results we expect should meet our criteria for success.
Step A should precede step B before Step C in order to Achieve Goal Z etc. etc.
This strategy works. It has worked more or less effectively for many thousands of years of human endeavour.
I'm not so sure it will work very efficiently in the future though.
You see, the burgeoning amounts of data and information we human beings are being exposed to on a daily basis now far exceeds our evolutionary ability to keep up with it! We just have not adapted sufficiently and quickly enough to maintain the scope and detail of dealing with this information. Our choices are limited to our current evolved capacity to deal with information as we have done for hundreds - perhaps millions - of years!
Human beings are smart! There is no doubt about that! I think even Einstein, if he were alive today, would be blown away by what wee children are able to do with the tools created as a result of his theories :) We adapt very, very quickly to all manner of situations and circumstances! It's the killer app of the Human Being! Adaptability!
But the test is coming now as to how adaptable we can remain to the incredible pace of technology and scientific discovery.
I envisage two things happening which may or may not occur...but nevermind.. conjecture can be fun... so bear with me... :)
1) Human beings will shut down their circle of intimate contacts - both personal and material - to a very private and consolidated few in the real world. We will literally peel away as much of the extraneous contact we must have on a day to day basis, with the world at large, in order to protect ourselves from sheer sensory overload. Privacy will be an even greater issue for many RL activities.
2) Human beings will open up their circle of intimate contacts - both personal and material - to a somewhat private but imaginary and vast virtual landscape in the cyber world. We will literally change many of our habits and behaviours as we make contact on a day to day basis with the cyber world at large, in order to assert our individual identities and also find Tribes of like-minded identities with which we can freely engage.
The issues of Privacy online are quite different from those in RL. The interface of the computer screen affords a natural level of privacy in and of itself. This is why self-disclosure is so high on the internet, as there is no other way for people to get to know each other except through the process of textual (and sometimes voIP/webcam) conversation.
so okay.. what does this have to do with linear thinking!
The way we UNDERSTAND and DEAL with these new types of dichotomies within relationship will require fundamental changes in our thinking.
Moral ethics will need to be handled very very differently from the norms we have accepted for generations. A different kind of thinking is required beyond that of linear and strategic assumptions about events and motives.
The world we live in is both shrinking and growing but in dynamically different ways to how life has always passed us by. Quite simply we live in such a dynamic age of change, what we once held dear will now be sorely challenged in terms of moral code and ethical behaviours.
We CAN adapt and we will but there could well be quite a lot more polarity in opinions about everything! Be prepared for life (and people) to get VERY unpredictable! :)
So... where does this leave us?
We need to forgo our notions of separateness for one thing. Even though I just said there might be more polarity in things...which suggests the notion of separation of opinion and idea...what I am meaing is that we will need to learn to accept those polarised opinions as being no different from our own or anyone elses!
"Excuse me?" I hear you say! :)
We need to adapt to a mindset of singularity even when everything seems to be separate. It is not...not anymore! We've always seen two faces to the coin, I'm saying that now its time to just see the coin and not the faces at all!
Instead of just being adaptable we now need to be also efficiently ACCEPTING of much much more than we ever thought possible. We need to be more inclusive and less beligerant about viewpoints, opinions, linear thinking, beliefs and attitudes. We will need to think in terms of life as a circle rather than a line.
There will still need to be boundaries etc. There are some wrongs that will remain wrongs so far as I can tell... rape, murder, abuse etc. Protecting ourselves from these extreme forms of behaviour is still fundamental to our survival on this planet. Still... we won't be able to be as "picky" about people as we have been in the past.
We'll need to be more global in our approach to problems and less stiffly objective in expectations and procedures.
Basically we need to dream awake like the ancient tribal societies of the past used to do. We need a new type of awareness of our world like never before. Otherwise the old patterns of thinking linearly and precisely will just not help us adapt to the enormous changes we are facing as human beings in the generations to come.
Showing posts with label What if's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label What if's. Show all posts
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
What if there was no god...
of any kind?
wow!
My mind boggles at that concept!
I honestly can't seem to fully imagine a world where there is no form of Faith of any kind.
Steve Pavlina often suggests adopting a particular belief system for a month or so to "try it on for size" so to speak. Whilst this flexible approach to life is admirable and highly attractive, I find it extremely difficult to do.
My main reason is that I personally cannot see outside of my world view as determined by my own personal faith system. The faith that I have had since I was a child is as much a part of me as my skin. I literally live in my faith like I live in my skin.
So intrinsic to my sense of "self" is my faith system that imagining a "What if I didn't have it?" scenario is like trying to see the dark side of the moon! Mr Pavlina's construct for determining a personal belief system is entirely man-made. It requires a certain amount of skeptical indifference to be able to change beliefs like ones socks! For me, my Faith has been given TO me from beyond myself as a gift! And yes... this is entirely a subjective view despite my belief that my Faith comes from an objective source.
But okay...
What IF I didn't have my faith? What might I have been like as a woman now?
This is pure conjecture of course but here goes...
I would be obsessed about material stuff! I LOVE tech and gizmo's and other such glittery things! My CD collection would probably be quadruple what it is now. I am totally passionate about my music. CD's (even now) are my achilles heel when it comes to retail therapy.
I would probably be constantly poor due to excessive expenditure on gambling too. I have a weakness for gambling and I KNOW I could easily become addicted to it if I indulged in it often enough. Without the boundaries to this kind of thing that my faith gives me... I'd most likely get out of control.
I would be way more inflexible and non-conciliatory in my relationships. I am a "Do unto others" kind of woman. I like being treated kindly, fairly, compassionately and considerately. I currently try to treat other people this way even when its not reciprocated. I actually believe all people deserve that kind of respect regardless of what they present to the world. Without any kind of Faith construct, into which I can place relationships for that bigger picture perspective, I think I would be a whole lot more selfish and determined to have my way no matter the cost. I'd be more ruthless and manipulative, inconsiderate and judgemental perhaps.
Emotionally, I'd be a lot more unstable! And that's saying something! I come across to most people in RL as generally pretty cool, calm and collected! I shall now put the record straight and tell the world that I am a total mushy, romantic, and hyper-sensitive softy with the ability to laugh raucously one minute and then be sobbing on someones shoulder the next (If I know them well enough that is).
Without the gift of Prayer in my life I would have literally NOWHERE to "debrief" my often very intense and strong emotions and that could get really ugly for everyone quite frankly! I have been depressed before and I know the black depths one can go in that fractured night of the soul! But... I always had hope even then. If I had no faith of any kind... where would my hope have been in those dark days? I cannot begin to fathom how it is that people can feel so alone in the world they believe no-one will notice if they take themselves out of it. Even in the depths of unutterable despair and loathing of my lot, I still KNEW that I was LOVED by Someone (whom I call Christ!).
No belief system of any kind huh? Well... I don't think that is actually possible for human beings really! I mean... I'd be the sort of person who would CREATE a faith of some kind if there were none around. I'm actually very mystical and am intensely curious about the spiritual realm. I also have a penchant for wanting to KNOW everything, including what the future might hold.
Its this wanting to KNOW in advance that I think is the basic thrust behind all man-made Faith systems (I do include some versions of christianity in that "man-made" mix too). Human beings KNOW and want to know even more. Through the spiritual depths we've been endowed with, we have been given insight into realms outside of this temporal, physical one we appropriate through our senses every day. But we want more and we will have more if we can. Faith is as intrinsic to human endeavour as eating, breathing, sleeping and sex. Even those who claim to have no faith of "any" kind believe whole-heartedly in the truth of their beliefs! :)
Is God an external force of impossible magnitude? Is God an internal force of unfathomable human spirit and endeavour? Is God real or imagined? Is God really "that" important to human society?
The answer to all the above is YES!
He (or She if you are that way inclined) is as he is. Without him, the world is a very different place. With him it's also a very different place. The only diffence between those two positions is indifference.
Perhaps if we had no god, no religion, no spiritual practise of any kind, all we might be left with is mere Indifference.
Thank God it's not like that huh?
wow!
My mind boggles at that concept!
I honestly can't seem to fully imagine a world where there is no form of Faith of any kind.
Steve Pavlina often suggests adopting a particular belief system for a month or so to "try it on for size" so to speak. Whilst this flexible approach to life is admirable and highly attractive, I find it extremely difficult to do.
My main reason is that I personally cannot see outside of my world view as determined by my own personal faith system. The faith that I have had since I was a child is as much a part of me as my skin. I literally live in my faith like I live in my skin.
So intrinsic to my sense of "self" is my faith system that imagining a "What if I didn't have it?" scenario is like trying to see the dark side of the moon! Mr Pavlina's construct for determining a personal belief system is entirely man-made. It requires a certain amount of skeptical indifference to be able to change beliefs like ones socks! For me, my Faith has been given TO me from beyond myself as a gift! And yes... this is entirely a subjective view despite my belief that my Faith comes from an objective source.
But okay...
What IF I didn't have my faith? What might I have been like as a woman now?
This is pure conjecture of course but here goes...
I would be obsessed about material stuff! I LOVE tech and gizmo's and other such glittery things! My CD collection would probably be quadruple what it is now. I am totally passionate about my music. CD's (even now) are my achilles heel when it comes to retail therapy.
I would probably be constantly poor due to excessive expenditure on gambling too. I have a weakness for gambling and I KNOW I could easily become addicted to it if I indulged in it often enough. Without the boundaries to this kind of thing that my faith gives me... I'd most likely get out of control.
I would be way more inflexible and non-conciliatory in my relationships. I am a "Do unto others" kind of woman. I like being treated kindly, fairly, compassionately and considerately. I currently try to treat other people this way even when its not reciprocated. I actually believe all people deserve that kind of respect regardless of what they present to the world. Without any kind of Faith construct, into which I can place relationships for that bigger picture perspective, I think I would be a whole lot more selfish and determined to have my way no matter the cost. I'd be more ruthless and manipulative, inconsiderate and judgemental perhaps.
Emotionally, I'd be a lot more unstable! And that's saying something! I come across to most people in RL as generally pretty cool, calm and collected! I shall now put the record straight and tell the world that I am a total mushy, romantic, and hyper-sensitive softy with the ability to laugh raucously one minute and then be sobbing on someones shoulder the next (If I know them well enough that is).
Without the gift of Prayer in my life I would have literally NOWHERE to "debrief" my often very intense and strong emotions and that could get really ugly for everyone quite frankly! I have been depressed before and I know the black depths one can go in that fractured night of the soul! But... I always had hope even then. If I had no faith of any kind... where would my hope have been in those dark days? I cannot begin to fathom how it is that people can feel so alone in the world they believe no-one will notice if they take themselves out of it. Even in the depths of unutterable despair and loathing of my lot, I still KNEW that I was LOVED by Someone (whom I call Christ!).
No belief system of any kind huh? Well... I don't think that is actually possible for human beings really! I mean... I'd be the sort of person who would CREATE a faith of some kind if there were none around. I'm actually very mystical and am intensely curious about the spiritual realm. I also have a penchant for wanting to KNOW everything, including what the future might hold.
Its this wanting to KNOW in advance that I think is the basic thrust behind all man-made Faith systems (I do include some versions of christianity in that "man-made" mix too). Human beings KNOW and want to know even more. Through the spiritual depths we've been endowed with, we have been given insight into realms outside of this temporal, physical one we appropriate through our senses every day. But we want more and we will have more if we can. Faith is as intrinsic to human endeavour as eating, breathing, sleeping and sex. Even those who claim to have no faith of "any" kind believe whole-heartedly in the truth of their beliefs! :)
Is God an external force of impossible magnitude? Is God an internal force of unfathomable human spirit and endeavour? Is God real or imagined? Is God really "that" important to human society?
The answer to all the above is YES!
He (or She if you are that way inclined) is as he is. Without him, the world is a very different place. With him it's also a very different place. The only diffence between those two positions is indifference.
Perhaps if we had no god, no religion, no spiritual practise of any kind, all we might be left with is mere Indifference.
Thank God it's not like that huh?
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
What if I had the money...?
I've often dreamed of winning the lottery.
It's never happened of course because I rarely buy a ticket! hahaha
I dream (and often pray) for the opportunity to become philanthropic.
I want to WIN so I can give it away. I have friends and family who are desperately in need of some sort of financial boost and I'd love to be able to help them out in some way without making them feel like they owed me something in return.
Oh yes! I would love to be able to give altruistically without any second thought as to the return favours.
I rarely expect to have my gift giving reciprocated. I give when I feel like to whom I feel like giving. To me, the honour and the pleasure is in choosing a gift for someone, that resonates with some of our shared history and our combined temperaments. I love taking the time to choose a gift carefully for loved ones and I don't necessarily like having to stick to traditional seasons for gift-giving either, though I will recognise these occasions more often than not.
I just like to give gifts to my people to show them how much they mean to me. It's as simple as that really.
What I don't like is people taking my generosity for granted and expecting it to come to them as a matter of course. Gift giving stops when I sense that someone is beginning to take advantage of me like that.
And if I still "have" to give gifts for forms sake then the 'gift' isn't really heart-felt or searched out with care. I admit that I become very pragmatic about gift-giving when its expected of me.
When my friends and family accept that I give when I have the heart and the love to give - then they will understand that the gift isn't so much about the gift itself but that they are dear enough to me that I care for them in this way.
In a way... I have won a lottery!
Not a financial one but a Love Lottery! :) I have a lot of love in my life both from me and to me and that has to count for more than all the millions the universe could throw at me huh? :)
But yeah! I'd still like to throw some free cash at them all the same ;)
It's never happened of course because I rarely buy a ticket! hahaha
I dream (and often pray) for the opportunity to become philanthropic.
I want to WIN so I can give it away. I have friends and family who are desperately in need of some sort of financial boost and I'd love to be able to help them out in some way without making them feel like they owed me something in return.
Oh yes! I would love to be able to give altruistically without any second thought as to the return favours.
I rarely expect to have my gift giving reciprocated. I give when I feel like to whom I feel like giving. To me, the honour and the pleasure is in choosing a gift for someone, that resonates with some of our shared history and our combined temperaments. I love taking the time to choose a gift carefully for loved ones and I don't necessarily like having to stick to traditional seasons for gift-giving either, though I will recognise these occasions more often than not.
I just like to give gifts to my people to show them how much they mean to me. It's as simple as that really.
What I don't like is people taking my generosity for granted and expecting it to come to them as a matter of course. Gift giving stops when I sense that someone is beginning to take advantage of me like that.
And if I still "have" to give gifts for forms sake then the 'gift' isn't really heart-felt or searched out with care. I admit that I become very pragmatic about gift-giving when its expected of me.
When my friends and family accept that I give when I have the heart and the love to give - then they will understand that the gift isn't so much about the gift itself but that they are dear enough to me that I care for them in this way.
In a way... I have won a lottery!
Not a financial one but a Love Lottery! :) I have a lot of love in my life both from me and to me and that has to count for more than all the millions the universe could throw at me huh? :)
But yeah! I'd still like to throw some free cash at them all the same ;)
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
What if.... No 1
What if I didn't have a sense of humour?
Well....
This is me without a sense of humour.
"My life totally sucks! I hate working full-time and I want to be free of the stupid shop and get a real life writing and being on my beloved internet 18 out of 24 hours a day"
See?
Not so much fun am I?
Without a sense of humour the day to day hum-drum of existence totally sucks! Depression, ingratitude, pride, arrogance and a deeply held belief that the whole world OWES me something for nothing is the direct result of not having a healthy sense of humour.
I believe that a sense of humour is deeply rooted in humility. It's not all about "me". Humility is about not believing oneself to be better or worse than anyone else. It's about accepting the curve-balls thrown at me by life as just another part of the rules of the game and not getting too het up about how the game is played.
Life isn't meant to be taken that seriously or God would not have created laughter, irony, satire or slapstick. The ability to laugh in the face of sucky daily living is a sign of maturity rather than an abnegation of "duty". You can still do your duty with a smile on your face after all.
Everything has a season of course - there is a time for grief and sadness - but I do think that deep joy is definitely evidenced by the outward expression of humour and laughter. There is peace in the heart when you know you're important to God and equally as important as everyone else.
I'll keep my sense of humour thanks. :)
Well....
This is me without a sense of humour.
"My life totally sucks! I hate working full-time and I want to be free of the stupid shop and get a real life writing and being on my beloved internet 18 out of 24 hours a day"
See?
Not so much fun am I?
Without a sense of humour the day to day hum-drum of existence totally sucks! Depression, ingratitude, pride, arrogance and a deeply held belief that the whole world OWES me something for nothing is the direct result of not having a healthy sense of humour.
I believe that a sense of humour is deeply rooted in humility. It's not all about "me". Humility is about not believing oneself to be better or worse than anyone else. It's about accepting the curve-balls thrown at me by life as just another part of the rules of the game and not getting too het up about how the game is played.
Life isn't meant to be taken that seriously or God would not have created laughter, irony, satire or slapstick. The ability to laugh in the face of sucky daily living is a sign of maturity rather than an abnegation of "duty". You can still do your duty with a smile on your face after all.
Everything has a season of course - there is a time for grief and sadness - but I do think that deep joy is definitely evidenced by the outward expression of humour and laughter. There is peace in the heart when you know you're important to God and equally as important as everyone else.
I'll keep my sense of humour thanks. :)
Embracing my What if's
I've decided to embrace rather than fight with the "What if's? inside my head.
I'm a "What if...?" kind of girl. I am always prognosticating about the possibilities, good or bad that may or may not lie in the immediate future.
The curiosity in me is boundless. I need to KNOW stuff. I like knowing stuff.
The future is unknowable of course. That's kind of frustrating. I like being able to know what is going to happen. So.. I play the endless "What if...?" Game inside my head, tossing around scenes from a potential future - usually bad! *blush*
Thing is that I am always surprised at how GOOD things turn out, probably because I've imagined all the worst case scenario's, so anything better than those is a bonus! hahaha
I thought perhaps I should play around with my "What if...?" questions here in this blog. Musing on things in print seems to make the stupid more obvious and the really cool even more so.
The 'What if?' posts should come thick and fast... I hope :)
I'm a "What if...?" kind of girl. I am always prognosticating about the possibilities, good or bad that may or may not lie in the immediate future.
The curiosity in me is boundless. I need to KNOW stuff. I like knowing stuff.
The future is unknowable of course. That's kind of frustrating. I like being able to know what is going to happen. So.. I play the endless "What if...?" Game inside my head, tossing around scenes from a potential future - usually bad! *blush*
Thing is that I am always surprised at how GOOD things turn out, probably because I've imagined all the worst case scenario's, so anything better than those is a bonus! hahaha
I thought perhaps I should play around with my "What if...?" questions here in this blog. Musing on things in print seems to make the stupid more obvious and the really cool even more so.
The 'What if?' posts should come thick and fast... I hope :)
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