hopelesshappiness.com

I believe I may or may not have heard or dreamed some, none, or all of these understated and obliviously inspirational exaggerations in past or future heartfelt schemes devised to obtain some form of support for critically insignificant undertakings pregnant with bureaucracy:

• To take the next step we must make some sense of understanding and then leap the gaps to move ahead
• We are one as we are individual thinkers of one mind composed of many thoughts that will independently gel and create a great wisdom for us all.
• Like the friendly dogs and great philosophers of ancient Greece we can learn much from thinking and barking and wagging tails.
• To cover a wart with black shoe polish and then rub salt in it, only serves to dull the sheen.
• The wheel goes round and round as Life swims against the currency of time; so slow down and take purchase of the moment.
• Like language from another country that is foreign to our eyes and ears, our minds and our hearts must be diligent to sniff out meaning that will not leave the bad taste of a foul tongue.
• Be wary of the big burrito as it is afraid and difficult to digest.
• To prove the existence of goodness one must see the goodness of existence; for without these things Life would be less meaningful.
• I sit under the kitchen light of reason because thunder never booms twice if there's no one under the fallen forest trees crying out for help; and if there is, I am always here to help.
• We can do this! Whether you are with me or not, we can pull together as a team and refuse to not not let this get done. We can do this!
• Gold is only a color; unless it is a metal - then it is both.
• I, (like all of humanity), have weakness to cross and bear, and I, (like no one and everyone), bask in the hot-blooded glory of sunshine on a cool, mossy boulder signifying the gratification of effort well-conceived, a job well-concluded, and its rewards well-concealed.
• To delve the depths of my profundity so I can better interpret, comprehend, and explain to you the ways of the world is a thankless job that you need not thank me for, but one day soon you will appreciate my exalted insights and express your gratitude.
• I may run for office.

1. On Monday of this week, at 12:38am I received an email from my dentist's office requesting I follow a link to electronically confirm an appointment for Wednesday at 3pm. At approximately 10:10am I did so.
2. On Monday of this week, at 3:00pm I received a text from my dentist's office requesting I text back "YES" to confirm an appointment for Wednesday at 3pm. At 3:01pm I complied with this request.
3. On Monday of this week, at 5:42pm I received a phone call from my dentist's office asking that I press '1' to confirm an appointment for Wednesday at 3pm. I was very polite to the robot lady and I pressed '1'.

I am sure that somewhere in the piles of paperwork I am presented (it seems) each time I grace a medical office with my presence, I have granted permission for communication by any (and I now suppose all) of these various transmissive thoroughfares. In the midst of these marvels of modern messaging, I vacillate between annoyance and amusement. In hindsight I am bewildered, and I am curious as to what I may learn from this.

Upon consideration one might think that this house of dentistry is not a trusting lot. But one also has to concede that this distrust may be well placed; after all, what better thing to blow off than a biannual confrontation between my soft tissue and their grinders, picks, and axes. And because of this, perhaps the numerous reminders are meant to play on one's guilt, knowing that "I forgot" won't hold up. Though for those of us who are responsible even in the face of pain and adversity, the overriding message is one of adversarial negativity.

Or perhaps I am over-thinking (and they are under-thinking), in that perhaps it is the ease and simplicity of the process that encourages us all to (at times) choose automation over animation; (animation being defined as 'personal human interaction that enlivens', and automation being defined as 'desensitized human interaction programmed for passive efficiency'). In this context automation (or for that matter, animation) may or may not involve actual human contact.

A closer look...

I believe that automation does have its place, but I do not believe that automation is conducive to sincere human interaction. With this in mind I see the spectrum of automation to run from a simple statement or presentation of fact (at one end) to any rote citation of certainty unsupportable by fact (at the other end). The 'fact' end feels solid and stable. The 'certainty' end feels slippery and treacherous. In the example from my dentist's office the first appointment reminder was a fact that felt like a solid business practice, but as they piled on, their degree of certainty (that this appointment was the most important upcoming event in my trivial and meaningless life) came to feel manipulative. So (to reiterate) the ease with which this automation was implemented encouraged a lack of serious consideration of other options (such as confirming that I have never missed an appointment and adjusting the reminders accordingly), thus leading to a dumbing-down of human interaction, and bringing me to their office with a bad taste in my mouth; (which I am sure was not appreciated).

I believe that even in this example of a visit to the dentist, human interaction holds much potential for inspiration and progress leading to a complexity and depth in learning and growth otherwise unattainable. One might argue that this brief, everyday transactional exchange is unlikely to produce much complexity and depth anyway, (made even more difficult by the fist in my mouth), but we never had the opportunity to explore because I came in (annoyed and amused) with a preconceived notion that based on their degree of automation, they were uninterested in animation.

So how does one pursue animation in an everyday transactional exchange? Or in the face of bureaucracy? Or cultural custom? Or bias? Or personal agendas? Or (the aforementioned) hard and fast certainty? These are all circumstances that when left to their own devices are more likely to lead to automation. Again, how do I choose and encourage animation?

I am at risk of repeating myself...

As always, one must begin with oneself...

Perhaps we need some rules for automation...

I recently made a rule for myself that before I do an Internet search to answer a question or resolve an argument that is not urgent and immediately applicable, I must wait 10 minutes; (examples of urgent and immediately applicable might include a recipe in the midst of cooking dinner, a homework assignment due in 10 minutes, or the Heimlich Maneuver). What I have found is that in some instances I discover the answer or resolve the argument without automated assistance, thus exercising my mind instead of my fingers. And (in the case of opinionated disagreement) this allows for a consideration of all (or at least some) other options for resolution specific to this circumstance, instead of strict reliance on precedent or resolution based on the current balance of power. In other instances I later remember forgetting a previous question showing the relative unimportance of that specific 'need' for automation, so a new 10 minutes kicks in; and I (of course) don't remember how frequently I have forgotten inconsequential trivia that otherwise would have been an automated waste of effort. And in those instances where I do eventually rely on some automated assistance I put a greater value on the acquired information, because I had to work harder for its acquisition. I believe, based on this week's thought, I will increase the waiting time for this circumstance to 30 minutes; but I also believe that each circumstance should be assessed individually to determine an appropriate wait. And this leads me to Rule #1: Purposely UNDERMINE the ease and simplicity of automation. Doing so, I also believe will increase the likelihood of animation.

I believe in addition to customizing wait times before implementing automation, we should, whenever possible, (Rule #2) CUSTOMIZE the degree of automation to fit each impacted individual. In the example of my dentist's office I have already suggested that they should have considered my track record before sending three reminders (all confirmed) in a period of 17 hours and 4 minutes. In the case of a customer service script or other typically brief, everyday transactional exchange, as one becomes familiar with a Customer, (or a Customer with a Customer Service Specialist), be bold and deviate from the script. I believe there to be one or more examples of automation customization for most any circumstance.

This brings me to Rule #3: SHARE personal stories and vulnerabilities, with a sense of humor. Remember that in context my written thought is a consideration of how to choose and encourage animation over automation in circumstance conducive to the ease and simplicity of automation. I believe admitting to uncertainty and fallibility (i.e. Being Human), and presenting with a sense of humor will lower barriers and encourage enlivening communication that may ultimately lead to productive relationships and progress. Serious certainty is counterproductive to learning and growth.

And this leads to Rule #4: ARGUE against automation, and for animation, to any receptive audience. There are varying ways to present your argument, but first and foremost you must have a receptive audience. A receptive audience is defined as one (individual or group) that acknowledges a choice. If one is focusing on current values and/or on the past (usually in the form of blame), this individual (or group) is less receptive and more likely unwilling to consider choices for the future. This individual (or group) is stuck in hard and fast certainty that is believed applicable regardless of circumstance, and any efforts to promote animation will be staunchly met with automation. In some of these cases it may benefit to argue (if for no other reason than) to practice one's technique; but If this is a group with a vocal spokesperson, or long-standing doctrine, or other constrictive parameters, one may still successfully persuade some individuals within the group.

Once receptivity is identified and/or an argument is launched an effective persuasion technique is by example. Personal human interaction can enliven, regardless of differences in values. If one can show that, and better yet, get another to reciprocate, then progress has been made. Often, due to situational circumstance, this emotional connection may be the only opportunity for persuasion, but in any situation persuasion is likely to be most effective when a sincere bond is formed.

In an argument against automation (to a receptive audience) one might also redefine automation, shifting attention from its ease and simplicity to the fact that it is lazy. One could also test the middle ground to determine another's receptiveness to moderation by redefining the opposing positions as extremes. These two examples are appeals to one's character (i.e. Lazy Extremist vs. Understanding and Diligent), and are used to strengthen the bond and widen the distance from automation, thus closing the gap on animation. But if presented before an emotional connection is made, one's audience may feel as if they are being insulted and/or attacked.

Effective argument and persuasion must be layered - from an emotional connection, to an appeal to character, and finally to an introduction of logic and reason. Logic is not logical and reason is not reasonable when another is serious about their certainty.

Automation - ('desensitized human interaction programmed for passive efficiency') - reflects certainty.

Animation - ('personal human interaction that enlivens') - percolates with uncertainty.

We should:

1. Purposely undermine the ease and simplicity of automation;
2. Customize the degree of automation to fit each impacted individual;
3. Share personal stories and vulnerabilities, with a sense of humor; and
4. Argue against automation, and for animation, to any receptive audience.

In six months I am going to connect with my Dentist.

In a letter dated October 31, 1819 Thomas Jefferson wrote the following:

"Happiness the aim of life.
Virtue the foundation of happiness.
Utility the test of virtue...
...Active, consists in agreeable motion; it is not happiness, but the means to produce it."

Mr. Jefferson wrote this letter as a statement of personal philosophy, and I see this quoted portion as a workable outline and progression succinctly consistent with my thoughts on Happiness.

I see Active as rational skepticism in search of personal authenticity and (undiscoverable) universal truths.

I see Utility as productive functional exertion that strives toward personal purpose, and is applicable to some tangible one or some tangible thing.

I see Virtue as balanced understanding that allows an active application of utility that in turn expands personal and universal wisdom.

I see Happiness as pursuit - unceasing, boundless, demanding, and edifying.

I see Quiescence as idle acceptance of this moment's (real or delusional) status quo.

I see Waste as minimal exertion expended solely to avoid discord, conflict, and/or the necessity of a personal opinion.

I see Vice as gross misunderstanding of personal purpose that stifles utility and constricts personal and universal wisdom.

I see Ignorance as hard and fast certainty - unquestioning, unafraid, condescending, and comfortable.

 

First one must choose to be active or not...

...then

...As defined above:

Quiescence leads to Waste which is the champion of Vice which can create circumstance conducive to Ignorance.

...and...

To be Active leads to Utility which is the standard-bearer for Virtue which can urge one toward Happiness.

Choose.

Certainty applies to this moment.

Uncertainty applies to the next moment.

Uncertainty implies that change is inevitable and what applies to this moment may not apply to the next moment... or the next... or the next...

This moment is fleeting.

Last week I said "Certainty is dishonest." Perhaps it is more accurate to say certainty is fleeting because certainty can be honest in the moment - but only in the moment. To maintain a rigid, unchanging certainty from one moment to the next, without seeking new knowledge and without questioning the status quo, is to be dull, dry, dishonest, delusional, and dangerous.

Some mistake certainty for confidence and uncertainty for weakness. I believe it is this confusion that initially encourages one to justify a manipulation of the moment. Once justified, there are many reasons and ways for one to manipulate a moment. Some do so to remain oblivious. Some want to perpetuate myth masquerading as fact. Some are holding on to a particular moment, stretching it to its limit, in order to preserve (their own and/or other's) sanity. Some do it for practical purposes. Some do it for pleasure or comfort. Some do it because they are afraid. Some finagle and finesse knowingly with an intentional agenda. And others are simply shaping a moment to their liking, unaware of consequential fallout. Thanks to these maneuverings the scope of a moment can appear to change. There are some that may equate a moment with a lifetime. Others may see a moment as a phase or stage of one's Life. Still others may believe a moment to encompass a specific time frame (such as a year, or a month, or a week, or a day), or varying frames of time as determined by the duration of a project or the attainment of a goal; and this stretching of a moment into manageable chunks is (as said) practical and understandable - to a point. It is not reasonable though to utilize multiple measures of a moment in an effort to legitimize an inflexible (or lazy) conviction. To compartmentalize a specific concept, idea, belief, mindset, creed, doctrine, ideology, and/or circumstance and apply a 'suitable to one's purpose' measure of the moment, is to be lazy, inflexible, dull, dry, dishonest, delusional, and dangerous.

Granted, it is difficult to renew each and every moment, each and every moment, and this difficulty justifies some workable accommodation; but regardless, the reality we must know is that a moment is gone in less time than it has taken to place the period at the end of this sentence.

This week in a coffee shop I sat near a bible study group as they discussed their certainty in faith. I have said before (most notably here and here) that faith (by definition) is an acknowledgement of and then a leap over unknowns and uncertainty. Faith is not faith without uncertainty. Organized religion strongly encourages (as did the leader of this bible study group) a rigid, unchanging certainty from one moment to the next. This is not merely contradictory and delusional, it is also beguiling and seductive. To be certain of an eternity by stretching a moment into an eternity must be comforting for some. For me, unquestioning quiescence is not a comfort. Yet this bible study group made up of high school students and their 20-something-year-old leader did appear to find comfort in their certainty. And I have trouble finding fault with young people seeking answers. But I would like to see a balance of opposing thought, so that we are not 'only' pushing agendas that proclaim WHAT one is to think, but we are also providing all individuals with an opportunity to learn HOW to think.

One of the first lessons in HOW to think is to know that if only one perspective is presented, there are multiple opposing perspectives disguised or hidden. It is my responsibility to locate, unmask, analyze, and argue. And when opposing perspectives are presented and/or found, if any (or all but one) are arbitrarily dismissed or dismissed due to past thinking or dismissed based on the thinking of another, we have done a disservice to the integrity of this moment and to our self.

I believe the manipulation of moments and delusional certainty to be a characteristic of one who is perceiving their mind as perceiving through reflection, whereas one who perceives their mind as perceiving through the senses is more likely to be adaptable, skeptical, and open to new learning. In other words thoughts attached to sensory experience are more applicable to humanity's progress and survival, and more susceptible to helping one to learn HOW to think; whereas free-floating detached thoughts have more potential to stifle and divide because an individual or group is dictating (or at least advising) WHAT to think. This potential for conflict springs and attacks when one of these detached thoughts is applied and attached to an aspect of our daily existence and/or insinuates itself into our ongoing Life experience, thus corrupting the moment and encouraging delusional certainty.

Simply put, questions answered by belief (i.e. reflective thought) are more controversial and more subject to disagreement than those answered by fact (i.e. sensory experience). Any bias toward belief over fact will lead to divisiveness and (depending on the balance of power) a potential suppression of opposing thought.

I am not suggesting (even if we could) that we eliminate reflective thought. It is not only unavoidable (and enjoyable), but it is also necessary to the learning process which includes finding and asking questions that may ultimately be answered through sensory perception. Experiential thought will ground and balance reflective thought, and reflective thought will drive and elevate experiential thought. Both are necessary, but they must work together in a manner that will inspire progress.

In looking at how these concepts (a moment, certainty, uncertainty, reflective thought, and experiential thought) relate I believe I have a better understanding of why an individual becomes dependent upon belief to a point where sensory experience (i.e. fact) takes a back seat. If we separate a moment into 1) past moments, 2) this moment, and 3) the next moment, and we visualize a volume of certainty, uncertainty, reflective thought, and experiential thought to place within each category of moments, I believe we will see that in theory there is a functional balance in place. But if we manipulate the moments by stretching, redefining, overlooking, or ignoring I believe we will see that in practice reflective certainty predominates. Looking more closely...

PAST MOMENTS:

• In theory, because these are moments we have experienced, and through this experience formulated beliefs, neither experiential thought nor reflective thought have a clear advantage; it is a draw. But because we each recognize the fallibility of human memory and our tendency toward comfort, we are dubious, thus allowing uncertainty to trump certainty.
• In practice certainty trumps uncertainty because I believe we adjust our memories to be consistent with our beliefs; and because of this conformance, reflective thought trumps experiential thought. Additionally, with 'past moments' we are able to lump them all together thus supporting one memory always consistent with belief, and we are easily able to convince ourselves of this (misremembered) interpretation.

THIS MOMENT:

• In theory 'this (fleeting) moment' is the only time we can be certain of certainty because we are actually experiencing it, therefore certainty trumps uncertainty and experiential thought trumps reflective thought.
• In practice we mistake this moment as malleable and stretch our certainty into the next moment, and (for many) the next, and the next, and the next... And when we do this, we have essentially eliminated an actual 'this moment' by allowing past moments to time travel. Therefore certainty trumps uncertainty, and because we are thinking past this moment into a future certainty, reflective thought trumps experiential thought.

THE NEXT MOMENT:

• In theory we cannot be at all certain of the next moment, but we can (and should) examine likelihoods and reflectively assess potential (Exoteric) Goodness and (Inner) Peace, and live this moment accordingly. Uncertainty trumps certainty and reflective thought trumps experiential thought.
• In practice past moments have already time traveled into the next moment, so we already know what will happen. Certainty trumps uncertainty and because there is no future experience, (and even though any reflective thought is from past moments), reflective thought again trumps experiential thought.

Winner In Theory (by a nose) - Reflective Uncertainty.

Winner In Practice (by a knockout) - Reflective Certainty.

I believe Reflective Certainty (as presented) to be an accurate depiction of our present-day vocal majority; and I believe this overall assessment (as presented) to be accurately applicable to our current status quo; and I believe reflective certainty (not balanced by uncertainty and experiential confidence) to be lazy, inflexible, dull, dry, dishonest, delusional, and dangerous.

I also believe that the thinking minority - those who practice a balance of Reflective Uncertainty and Experiential Confidence - is growing not only in numbers, but also in knowledge and comprehension; and I know this bodes well for progress.

Unfortunately, I also still see an overabundance of individuals ranging on a spectrum from fat and happy sheep to the subservient and destitute all created and exploited by the power of reflective certainty.

We must move away from the complex delusion of a misremembered past, an oblivious moment, and a certain future, and we must move toward the more effective simplicity of learning from the past to live in the moment for the future.

This week the first official whack-a-mole poked his head out and said, "Pick Me." This set me to pondering 'Progress' and laying groundwork for an assessment of what will likely be a choice between the more desirable of varied vulnerabilities ranging from quiescence and stagnation to divisiveness and possible danger to continued slow progress to points between and beyond.

If this first candidate is an indication, this election will be typical in that divisiveness will rule the next 590 days. By throwing down the gauntlet (as he has done by simply making his announcement where he did) I am certain that his opponents (on all sides) will feel compelled to take up the gauntlet and throw down one (or more) of their own. And with all of this gauntlet-throwing it will be difficult to form an opinion, and I believe it will leave us vulnerable to (a best-case scenario of) four more years of slower-than-necessary progress. This is not a surprise. Regardless I will work at a determination of which candidate (or candidates) will emerge as a... (is it too much to ask, to say 'sincere'?)... voice of reason, and from there a determination of which voice of reason is most capable of quickly shifting gears from divisiveness to collaborative progress.

The written thought below this paragraph was thought (and written) before the previous paragraphs. It began as an effort to answer a question - "What is the job of the President of the United States?" I now see that this question can (and should) be expanded to include any and all elected officials AND any and all responsible members of humanity; (each individual must define 'responsible' for him or her self).

My job is to strive for Progress.

Progress is ethical agreement to act in a mutually beneficial way that will objectively strengthen the long-term well-being of all of humanity.

Shared Efficiency is necessary to expedite progress.

Shared Efficiency is effort toward

• courtesy
• minimizing harm
• lessening divisiveness
• curbing abuses of power
• expanding and exploring common ground

I believe that we are making some progress... ...
... ... ...slowly

Based on observation, I believe we will continue to improve our collaborative efforts to facilitate progress.

To further expedite progress we must actively acknowledge that we are each individually joined by our uncertainty AND that we are all universally divided by our certainty.

Uncertainty = Humanity = A Sense of Me

Certainty = Cultural Identity = A Sense of Belonging

A manageable degree of cultural identity is unavoidably necessary.

We naturally move from...
Me to Us (Individually Joined)
...to...
Us vs. Them (Universally Divided)

I don't want to be an atheist or a deist or a catholic or a protestant or a jew or a muslim or a hindu or an agnostic - I want to be spiritual.

I don't want to be a fanatic or an extremist or a stoic or a conservative or a liberal or a socialist or a capitalist or an anarchist or a fascist or hard-line or one of the flock - I want to be a thoughtfully active emissary seeking moderation and balance from a common ground.

I don't want to be yellow or brown or black or white or rich or poor or middle class or male or female or old or young or disabled or able-bodied or part of us or part of them - I want to be compassionate and empathetic.

Yet my humanity dictates that I will be of a certain race and nationality and sex, and that I will be subject to some circumstance beyond my control, and that I will suffer some indoctrination as an impressionable mind, and that I will have some opinion that is more sympathetic to one cause over another; thus creating an identification with some labeled groups. I cannot be all things and I cannot avoid all things, but I can mitigate harm through an active awareness of my limitations.

I want to identify with a culture of uncertainty.

Uncertainty is truthful. Uncertainty is natural.

Certainty is dishonest. Certainty is a facade.

Individual Certainty is delusional. Individual Certainty is dangerous.

To make progress we must embrace uncertainty and at the same time, not be overburdened by it.

To not be overburdened by uncertainty we must share efficiencies with all of humanity.

To embrace uncertainty we must broaden our cultural identity to include all of humanity.

If all of humanity were to work toward ethical agreement, the sheer numbers with which we could fuse uncertainty and dilute certainty would strengthen the long-term well-being of all of humanity.

That is Progress...