No Thoughts

Posted on January 15, 2004
Filed Under Journal, Spirituality, Consciousness |

One of the single biggest obstacles that faces us today, is our understanding of human perspective. Everyday, all around us – we are informed of what that perspective is and / or should be. When we are young, our parents tell us what we should or should not do – that school is important, that not having a job is bad. At school the same happens; we are told about history and science and math, informed that these are important. Further there is an underlying unspoken statement that these lessons are unquestionable.

Everyday these same messages are washed across us, from adverts, to TV, to fashion to peer pressure. Each aspect of our society compelling our belief that unification of our ideals – that following these unspoken rules – leads us to success.

The nature of success – its very definition - is also made blatantly clear to us, luxurious lifestyles, high incomes, strong presence in appearance among our friends. Further; TV, music and movie culture conveys certain character traits that lead to success, relating to methods of speech, body language and dress.

In short our society presents an unending display in a variety of forms of that which we believe is important.

These then, are the traits of what it is to live in the modern age.

The most important factor to take into account from this structure though, isn’t the aspects the structure is made up from, neither is it so important to comprehend the affect each aspect has upon a person. Only when considering society as a whole can the most important affect on human perspective be seen.

When we are young and told that social education is important, this presents to us a two fold assumption – either yes, social education is important, or no it is not important. Either way, the initial statement has created within the mind a perspective that is pivotal on why we should partake of education. We do not question the assumption of the intent that gave rise to the initial statement…instead we focus only on the aspect that the statement has diverted our attention towards.

When we see an advert we may consider the product interesting or uninteresting, either way the advert has placed within our mind that same two-fold assumption. The assumption here is not one that merely diverts the attention away from the intent behind the advert, but rather removes from our mind the context in which we perceive that advert – that is to say, we no longer question our _reaction_ to adverts.

A further analogy can be stated, this time surrounding the concept of fashion. Here a person attempts to make a statement, fit into a group, or stand out from a group or many other such fixated ideas, which all focus on the issue of appearance. That is not to say appearance is or is not important – but rather that the concept of fashion has instilled an assumption within ones mind, which pivots around its own central core ideals. Thus when the mind adopts this assumption it becomes uncritical of its own nature and reaction toward the issue at hand.

The key point here then, is the factor of importance that I mention earlier; western society as a unifying whole, conditions within a person’s awareness a state of mind that does not question outside of the boundaries of any given subject that one partakes of or examines.

For example, I could state here that Arab terrorists are inhuman and act without full consideration or care of their actions. Or I could say; corporate capitalism has created a prosperous and happy world. Maybe another comment would be; all democratic governments hold the interests of their citizens as their highest priority.

To these words, I would get majority agreement from whomever I was discussing the issue.

Conversely I could perhaps say, all third world countries continue to suffer because first world countries benefit from this. Or I could say; competitiveness suits only the interests of a few and not the majority. Another thought; the hostile nature of western governments creates more problems than it solves.

To such statements I would get either derision or shocked reactions. People would demand I show them why I would say such things.

All the above statements are true in their own ways. The reason for people’s reaction of acceptance to the initial statements is born for the same reason as the reaction toward adverts, education systems and news casts. It is a reaction created from assumptions that have been instilled into people constantly day in day out from a young age. In essence people are _used_ to hearing those things about the world…it requires no proof because it has been said and shown so many times that the truth of these matters is supposed to be self-evident.

By the same token the second set of statements are rarely heard; they challenge people’s preconceptions and their belief in their way of life. Such truths are automatically shut away by the imposing nature of a conditional indoctrinated system of thought such as the one here illustrated. The mind will not always face them as possible truths because they fly in the convention of pre-established beliefs which have been created from a modern lifestyle.

Notably they are political statements…this too serves the nature of this system. Our lifestyle day in day out is one centred on politics, finance, material gain and economics. We have become convinced that these aspects form the essential fundamentals of life. But this belief is also one indoctrinated by modern lifestyle.

Contemporary western society is based on bolstering individualism, in the belief that ego-centricity serves a greater good as ultimately individual material gain feeds back into the community. Many now believe that this structure has proven its self worth, via its own deeds across the past century or so; from the pre-industrial revolution to the modern technological age. Indeed, whilst progress has been great and social economy has evolved the effects on the human perspective have been as equally altering.

Our definition of reality is created from these things. They are fed into all five of our senses constantly. Further the interpretation of our senses is done for us; we are told what we are meant to think about war, we are shown what we are meant to think about a career, we hear what we are to believe about economics, politics, religion, crime, money, living conditions, appearance – every single aspect of living. We react with predictable conditioned reaction. These responses to each and every aspect of modern life have been indoctrinated into us by hundred, if not thousands of methods that form the vast tapestry of our contemporary lifestyles.

With this style of thinking in mind a name would have to be applied to this life permeating system of indoctrination. But if I were to provide a label – this understanding would become self fulfilling, a cycle that would turn in on itself. We respond to labels with conditioned fervour.

However, in the further analysis of all this information, it becomes clearly apparent that we suffer a far more insidious affect from this “system”. The more serious affect is disassociation from the ability to effectively comprehend reality. Under this system one of our most precious tools becomes useless – our method of communication…language.

Each word, each label now within us carries a pre-conceived concept or belief. Another person mentions a word, system or ideal to us, and automatically this pre-conceived indoctrinated belief comes to the fore within our minds. This pre-conceived belief – which we ourselves have received not through our own considerations, but rather from methods of extreme conditioning…interrupts the process of communication. This happens in the simplest of manner; we do not hear when discussing many a topic; merely because we assume we “know” something - we no longer listen. Our minds have been shut-down from inner thought and outer communication. Instead we have adopted a totally different system of “thought”.

Our thoughts no longer come from within us, but rather from a source outside of us.

When the mainstream media mentions to us for example that, Islam is a violent religion we can perceive within ourselves that we do not challenge this. Why don’t we?

Conversely if the mainstream media said Christianity is the source of fundamental terrorism, we would no doubt react with challenging anger.

Both responses have been pre-programmed into us.

We must learn to identify and realise this. Not in order to challenge or fight “the system”…nor in order to “change the world”.

Our task is merely personal growth and mutual understanding. Without clearly hearing the unimpeded thoughts of our own mind…we can do nothing but fail at this endeavour; an endeavour which surely must stand along with the highest of aims we have in this life.

Marcus - 2004