Freedom of speech means nothing without freedom of thought.
Our right to our own opinions is an illusion, because if you think about it (if you can still think), most people waste countless hours reading magazines, books, wikipedia, looking for someone else's words that they can absorb. Someone else's opinions that they can synthesize with, so that they can share those same old rinse and repeat statements that are essentially meaningless. The conspiracies and secrets lose all their intrigue when infectiously spread through a community, a civilization, that hasn't been trained for comprehension. Though given that they are informed, are they truly aware? Aware of the implications and repercussions? It's not an original thought to them. Due to the way it's being presented our history lacks meaning, lacks inspiration. When history and lifelong lessons are nothing more than common knowledge that nobody abides by they become accessories. A psycho-social fashion statement pre-washed so that we can walk into an office and demand respect because of a knowledge gained without understanding. I'm not offering a solution, frankly because of the way we've been trained to learn I'm not even offering you awareness. I'm offering you someone else's words that you can repeat to your colleagues and associates to increase your social status. Sickening.
A large part of it is self-awareness, and a willingness to always consider the source of information before placing a value on it.
ReplyDeleteWe are constructs of our experience, and what we've been exposed to - but we're also conscious - and that allows perspective, which is unique. In the same way that you and I can have a discussion and agree on the same conclusion...
e.g:
ME: "X is a bad idea - here's why X is a bad idea. Does that sound reasonable to you?"
YOU: "Yes, I see that doing X is unlikely to end well."
ME: "But you're still going to do X, aren't you?"
YOU: "Yes I am."
...so we have the same information, we agree on it, but we come to separate conclusions about what it means because of our unique perspectives - which I can only view as a good thing.
Even though X is still a bad idea.
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Also, I'm reminded of Tommy Lee Jones' words as he discusses the reality of alien life on Earth with Will Smith in the beginning of Men In Black (paraphrased):
Will Smith: "Why not just tell people? People are smart."
Tommy Lee Jones: "The person is smart. People are animals."
When you back away and look at humanity as a swarm of life - sure, we're monstrous - but again, what's important is perspective.