hopelesshappiness.com

Continuing the line of thought from last week's post Tracking Happiness - I still maintain that the reality of experience and the pursuit of 'Higher Good' should be within sight of each other and interdependent, yet distinct, allowing for synergy and concurrent progress along parallel tracks. If an experience or an 'Ideal' merges and becomes an obstacle to the other, then one of them should be made 'more' (or 'less') important in order that one will fall safely behind, thus avoiding a dangerous and damaging collision.

Alternatively, (last week) I suggested widening the road or constructing a new parallel track for one of them to safely merge into. I'm not yet sure how to go about that, so I'll start with some initial (single-track) thoughts exploring apathy vs. acceptance as that may help. I think I may at times get the two confused; or perhaps there is some overlap; or perhaps I am just too stubborn (or stupid) to understand.

"Accept the things you cannot change." I have heard this my whole life and though it appears to be sound advice, what I hear is "stop caring - don't fight - give up." I have difficulty accepting difficulties no matter how difficult. The sentiment 'to accept things I cannot change' is typically followed by the encouragement to acquire 'the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.' In it's earliest incarnations some research says that 'the courage to change' was written/quoted before 'acceptance' which (to me) is more agreeable, for obvious reasons. We must first try change, and if unsuccessful, then (I believe) we should try, try again instead of moving right to acceptance. I have seldom (if ever) reached the 'acceptance' phase and as for that final phase, I will never Know enough to claim Wisdom.

So with this perspective (attitude?), I will never accept anything as is. Change is reality and reality is change, and though at times I may step back and re-evaluate I refuse to accept the status quo or stasis. I am realistic enough to know my piddling protestations may not have much impact and my search for Truth and Wisdom will always fall short, but I also know that there is some impact (especially with persistence) and I will continue to close the gap (though often only infinitesimally) on Truth and Wisdom; regardless, I am compelled.

Yet I can hear the masses clamoring in favor of acceptance. So what am I missing? I'll dig deeper ...

I have looked at this from several different angles, and I still may be missing something, but for me acceptance still means I stop caring so much by making something less important, or it means I have given up, making something inconsequential or lifeless. I am not saying I haven't done these things (I have) but every time I do stop caring so much or give something up, it seems a little piece of me dies along with it. Dramatic? ... Maybe. Childish? ... Perhaps. But I tend to agree with the 18th century philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau who believed that civilization (and I would add maturity as a result) teaches us to pretend to think and feel all sorts of things we do not think and feel, and pretend not to think and feel all sorts of things we do think and feel. Acceptance inhibits uninhibited truthfulness.

So (at least for me) acceptance does nothing towards new construction, but simply makes one reality or Ideal artificially subordinate to another ... Which I guess creates an artificial reality lacking the depth provided by multiple parallel tracks synergistically connected and making concurrent progress.

So here I am - stuck in traffic. In my case a reality is blocking my pursuit of a 'Higher Good'. (And though this seem to be typical for me, in various circumstances I suppose it could be a bottleneck of any combination of empirical and/or transcendental aspirations.) So what happens if I ever-so-slightly increase my speed until I am nudging reality with a bit of uninhibited truthfulness. If the force of the uninhibited truthfulness is too great I could cause a crash with no survivors. But if I alternate between a little space, riding reality's bumper, and gentle nudges, perhaps reality will be encouraged to gradually slide over, naturally creating a wider track and (once we are side-by-side) ultimately two parallel tracks. (I realize this sounds a bit 'Sybil-ish' as it is my Ideal and my reality, but it does effectively and affably portray the internal and external perspectives of both transcendental and empirical experience.)

In theory this sounds good - Uninhibited truthfulness in moderate doses, to safely construct parallel tracks. In practice - we'll see ...

It doesn't feel though, like that's enough ...

Thinking about the situation, I realize that I cannot lose sight of the mutual respect necessary for any progress to be made. I have to ground my pursuit of an Ideal in the context of the current reality and the current perspective of history to help me understand (and respect) potential obstacles. (Some philosophical thought has suggested that history changes each day based on today's changing historical perspective and interpretation. I agree.)

Thoughts about mutual respect between the transcendental and the empirical lead to thoughts about inner peace, or at the very least, an inner calm - Perhaps this (inner calm) is also an acceptable definition of acceptance - biding one's time in a difficult situation, faithfully recognizing and acting on every opportunity, and thoughtfully creating opportunities, to perpetuate positive change. So maybe in this sense I could temporarily live with acceptance while waiting for and creating construction opportunities.

Additionally persistence must be mentioned once again as an aspect of the construction project that, along with skeptical scrutiny, will ensure structural stability. Skeptical scrutiny must be applied evenly to all considerations internal and external, while persistence should be applied as needed to fortify irresolute frailties.

Looking back, I have identified five essential components of construction:

1. Uninhibited Truthfulness.
2. Respect.
3. Inner Calm.
4. Persistence.
5. Skeptical Scrutiny.

I have previously stated (consistently in other posts) that I believe the transcendental trumps the empirical. After this week my thoughts may be evolving. Perhaps it is more accurate to say they support one another as they run side-by-side; and it is this 'side-by-side' that (for me) is critical for working towards the ultimate goal of interdependence and shared success between empirical reality and my relentless pursuit of (unattainable) perfections. By utilizing the five components above, with (productive) uninhibited truthfulness as the main building block, respect and inner calm as bonding agents, and persistence and skeptical scrutiny to maintain integrity, I believe we have a chance.

I feel compelled to (once again) visit this James Baldwin quote: "People who shut their eyes to reality simply invite their own destruction, and anyone who insists on remaining in a state of innocence long after that innocence is dead turns himself into a monster."

This week I am referring to me. In a nutshell, I am struggling with conflicting goals - On the one hand I want to pursue unattainable ideals, but on the other hand I also need to recognize/acknowledge the fact/reality that they are unattainable; and then if I decide to continue that pursuit I must find a way to reconcile it (the pursuit) with certain, current realities.

So far, my attempts at reconciliation have amounted to the solace offered by a Kantian division of experience and transcendental reasoning. The difficulty with this thinking is exactly that; mere thoughts do not change the experience. Thoughts may alter the interpretation of an experience, but (I believe) should only do so temporarily to help us through that experience. If an adverse set of circumstances persist for a longer period of time I will possibly reach a point where I feel martyred and/or helpless, which could begin a downward spiral. There are some that can shut their eyes to reality and innocently proclaim that everything is rainbows and lollipops, but due to my strong belief in uninhibited truthfulness to oneself, I cannot ignore pain or adversity. So if I feel any hint of martyrdom/helplessness, and I refuse to play mind games with myself, then it appears that it is time to change my circumstances. But ...

What if we add a parallel track of pursuing a related but separate 'Ideal' that would be impacted (or possibly derailed) by changing the adverse circumstances as described in the paragraph above? How do I choose between improving empirical experience and pursuing a 'Higher Good'?

I suppose if the reality becomes debilitating then the decision is made to change the circumstances, thus potentially sacrificing the pursuit of the interdependent 'Higher Good'. I have explored the possibility of substituting a different 'Higher Good' (for the one sacrificed) that would be more compatible with the new set of circumstances, but that feels like apples and oranges; (but may still feel better than the complete loss of a 'Higher Good'). So is the solution that's left, to find a new way of accomplishing the same 'Higher Good'? With new circumstances, is that even possible? In some cases it may be, but it seems unlikely; (especially in this specific instance). So if it is not possible, I am back to choosing between improving empirical experience and pursuing a 'Higher Good'.

New Thought - Perhaps what I deem the 'Higher Good' is not actually the 'Higher Good'. Perhaps the 'Higher Good' is actually the empirical experience. Obviously this is not a 'new' thought (in the history of philosophical thought) and may make perfect sense to some, but for me it is counter-intuitive. Nonetheless, let me think about it ...

Why are we in this world and entrusted with individual humanity? It is obviously meaningful and important, but should it trump pursuit of unattainable Perfections? Thus far I have maintained that the unknowable should have the upper hand, but in this specific set of circumstances my growing ineffectiveness is beginning to impact effectiveness on other tracks, thus driving me to consider giving up / giving in to empirical considerations. Is this a hint that my experiential humanity is on a par with or perhaps occasionally superior to transcendental reasoning and the pursuit of Perfections? Or ...

Following the analogy of parallel tracks, perhaps this struggle is due to the merging of these two tracks and the sudden road rage inherent in this scenario. If my experience has become an obstacle, my pursuit of a 'Higher Good' is pissed. Road rage is a result of depersonalization, so perhaps the solution here starts with respect. I need to back off and re-evaluate options. I need to give experience its due and concede that (at least for the moment) it is on even footing (the same track) as my higher Ideal. I need to figure a way to either widen the road or construct a new parallel track to avoid road closure and allow for concurrent progress.

As I am wont to do, I have painted a defined, conceptual picture, but is it theoretical BS (mind games) or are there practical applications? I'm not sure I know (or will know for a few days or weeks) the answer to this question as it applies to this situation, but these thoughts have helped me to see that for maximum effectiveness these tracks should be separate and distinct. I have been laboring under the false conception that they were distinct and separate, and perhaps I needed to join them. But no - That is the problem - like Siamese twins I need to separate them and hope they both survive.

So carrying these thoughts a bit further, I am proposing change that if not executed perfectly could kill, maim, or permanently scar a 'Higher Good' and/or a current reality. Obviously both of these tracks are important to me or I wouldn't struggle so. In my mind the transcendental will always trump the empirical, therefore it seems the least invasive change would be to make the conflicting reality less important; or the 'Higher Good' more important. I believe this could be actual change and not just interpretation or mind games. It makes sense to start there. And if I am successful, it makes some sense that it may end there as well. I will see ...

Following up last week's post, below is a brief summary of every political speech ever made:

"I am an authority on all things authoritative, with Truth and Wisdom gained from (and credentials bestowed upon me by) those who at one time were wiser and held more authority, but have since passed the baton for me to carry into a bright future for us all, provided you listen carefully, take notes, do not interrupt, and follow my instructions, which will in turn allow you to be a part of the team and feel important regardless of the fact that you are but a small cog in my wheels of progress that turn with ever-increasing consequence, taking us into a still brighter future that will ultimately outshine all (but me), as every organization must have a leader with vision to plan and direct his/her troop's movements with the greater good in mind, thus (at times) forced to sacrifice less useful constituents in order to control the ultimate outcome which if each of you do your part will be an even brighter future than you can imagine, as this has nothing to do with imagination but rather is dependent upon your execution of my well-thought-out devisings and manipulations of circumstances that are beyond your control but within my capable grasp, and which once grasped will remain in my dominion until discarded to make room for a more useful concept, idea, theory, or notion which I will utilize in order to hasten the wheels of progress and carry us to an even still bigger brighter future, which is not beyond my grasp as long as I remain your wise and benevolent leader, which fact is a foregone conclusion as we all know that I know what is best for you, and I will share that Wisdom and Truth (at least that which you are able to understand) magnanimously and with gratitude for your devotion and continued contribution (no matter how small) to the cause, enabling me to disclose certain indubitable solutions to botherations heretofore created by faux leadership heretofore granted powers by faux minions of which have been scattered and disposed providing (with appropriate indoctrination of course) an opportunity for the swelling of the rank and file (which includes you of course) supporting my illustrious ascendancy to this position of power and control which I so rightfully deserve because I have only your best interests in mind and due to my unselfish largesse, as illustrated by this nothing short of brilliant brilliance that I have bequeathed in the form of my leadership to this world (my people), I furthermore hereby additionally insist upon continuing to serve you by insisting that you listen carefully, take notes, do not interrupt, and follow my instructions, which will enable you to better serve me which is the same as serving mankind, as I know what is best for you and all mankind, and though it seems we've previously covered this territory it does not hurt to ensure your undying (metaphorically speaking for some of you) allegiance is heartfelt, and as determined as the looks on the faces of that approaching gang of ruffians masquerading as independent thinkers, and armed with knowledge, and oblivious to the wiles and machinations of my rhetoric, which has never before been subjected to this level of abuse and vitriol which I have heard is highly caustic and severe in effect, and now my rhetoric is starting to melt and run down the sides of my campaign, and my rhetoric is melting, and my rhetoric is melting, and my rhetoric is melting, but now I can see you, (my flock), rushing to my aid as you should in order to continue in the footsteps of your beloved leader, and your loyalty and faithfulness, not to mention your rage directed at these insurgents, will throw aside the hysteria emanating from this ungrateful few, and we can continue towards the betterment of the uneducated and unwashed masses of materialistic, media-zombie, narcissists that constitute the majority of my adoring public, and from which you are a part of, because only the wisest (of fools) would overthrow an uprising such as the one just quelled, and it tugs at my heartstrings (as I tug at your marionette strings) to see the zeal and fealty I have instilled by giving each one of you a purpose (no matter how small) in order for you to get as close as you'll ever get to Truth, Wisdom, and Happiness as personified in me, and manifested through my dedication to my cause, which of course is your cause as well because as you know, I know what is best for you, and you are not to be trusted, and this way you do not have to think for yourselves which makes it that much easier to indoctrinate your children as well who will have been trained to have even less initiative than you and can and will then serve me (and my children, if or when that time ever comes) even more ably than you have served me and will continue to serve me through the end of your days, not feeling the weight of your chains as they are nearly indiscernible due to the excessive weight of freedom that I have so generously lifted from your shoulders in order to simulate said freedom, now disguised as ease of movement, that is being helped along by the strings I am pulling, thus giving you the impression that you are an independent thinker, which you need not be, because as you know, I know what is best for you, which in turn saddens me (momentarily, but now I am over it), but if you don't dwell on it, it should not sadden you that pleasure and comfort are your only concerns in this life, and it should cheer you that thanks to my Truth and Wisdom you can attain Happiness vicariously through me and lead a simple Life of following my lead, and I'm sorry we don't have time for questions (which I would deftly deflect anyway), and that is all I have to say; for now."

'Politics' may seem an odd choice of topic for a site that professes 'A Philosophy of Happiness and Hope'. At first glance, it does not seem likely that power and control in 'any' arena could possibly narrow the gap on Truth, Wisdom, or Happiness. There are those (perhaps many) who would maintain that as a result of the fight for and the use of power and control, the gap is widened. I would make the case (based on previous thoughts in previous posts) that to know balance, one must know extremes; and politics serves as a wonderful object lesson in extremes. Therefore, I believe a case can also be made for the necessity of politics, not only based on practicalities (someone has to make the rules), but also supported by our very human need to occasionally embrace malevolence. It is less objectionable / more acceptable to excoriate power as represented by those in control than it is to reveal this need for resentment/rancor/malice/hate inappropriately towards undeserving innocents. This sounds harsh - many would disagree that there is a need - but there is truth here - everyone needs a bad guy - we can't love everyone all the time.

If we define 'Politics' very broadly as 'the ability or inability to obtain any position of power or control' then it serves a purpose by allowing us to appease a guilty pleasure. We can soothe the savagery from a couple of different directions:

1. We can channel this inner villain by being one of those who seek the power and control and play the game. Admit it ... We all do this on some scale at some point or points in our life, and we know it is ugly, and (on some level) we enjoy it.
2. If we are unsuccessful players, or if we open our eyes and close the gap on Wisdom, enabling us to see the error of playing politcs, then we can justifiably call forth our esoteric enmity to slay the dragon that is not us. Again, we all do this and it is not only acceptable, but practically required; especially in an election year.

So what about the maxim (as preached in previous posts) to DO NO HARM? How can one safely avoid harming others and still feed the beast? I think our justification is that it's monster vs. monster. We feel that we are not truly harming another human being but rather attempting to subdue evil or (especially if we're playing the game) advance (our definition of) good. It is a thin line, but as long as it remains a war of words most of us feel there is NO HARM DONE. And at this stage I believe that is mostly true. But as the winner advances and begins making (and enforcing) rules and regulations and if the Beast is then overfed to a point where the Beast is hungry all the time, human control becomes an illusion and monstrous power becomes the reality. And at this stage Doing Harm masquerades as Advancing Good.

DO NO HARM. It is a difficult maxim when one in a position of power and control thinks they know best. It is a dodgy (at best) proposition even when one who merely aspires to a position of power and control thinks they know best. So perhaps the key to managing politics is for one to realize that they may not know best. Yet in a (so-called) democracy it would be difficult to win an election (or get a promotion) if your campaign slogan was "I don't know what to do" - even if the second part proclaimed, "but with your help I'll do my damnedest to figure it out." Most people would only hear the first part, yet if we all voted for these enlightened individuals, we would experience something much closer to a democracy.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to completely avoid politics. We are either politically active (aspiring to or utilizing power and control), or we are subjected to politics, or (oftentimes) we are both participating and subjected in multiple roles. Even within the context or confines of a hermetic lifestyle there is likely an inner struggle for power and control between the spiritual, rational, emotional, and sensory aspects of one's humanity. And this is perhaps the truest form of politics; and one from which we can learn a lot.

Think about it. This inner struggle for power and control is a struggle because we are attempting to better ourselves. It is a struggle because we do not know what is best. The perversion of politics that we often see in government and business is a struggle because EVERYBODY knows what is best.

But it does not have to be that way. By knowing that I could be right and admitting that you could be right (sound familiar?) I have opened an avenue for dialogue. And if I take it a step further and not only ask for your help, but for other's input as well ... And then if I get really crazy and empathetically listen for understanding ... Wow! Think of the possibilities.

Just as my inner struggle strives for balance by examining extremes, so too must our sociocultural struggles. I do not believe we will ever find ourselves short of corpulent invectives from extreme perspectives. And this is how politics will narrow the gap on Truth, Wisdom, and Happiness - by identifying extremes to better pinpoint a centered path. It may not always be 'the' centered path, but by using the extremes to help us focus, it should be something we can live with.

The problem then becomes finding dynamic leaders to take us there. It seems that those who want to be King have already overfed the beast, while those who admit (at least some) ignorance appear underfed, sometimes emaciated, washed-out, and muted when put in the spotlight. Then even if this transition is made, it is not unlikely that the previously desirable humility gorges itself on the surrounding riches it suddenly deserves, and begins the cycle of illusion again.

Perhaps the answer begins with learning. Perhaps with more extensive, specific, in-depth study of extremes as represented by some of history's greatest thinkers, one could grow into a Philosopher-King of one's individual inner world. Perhaps this learning and experience would then encourage discipline and better prepare one for political leadership. Perhaps there should also be fewer spotlights to discourage overfeeding.

As previously stated politics will always provide fringe elements to serve our occasional need for righteous wrath. Additionally we must learn from and focus that indignation, which in turn will help us to narrow the path; first individually and then socioculturally.

Perfect centeredness and balance requires knowing all extremes. Perfection in anything is an unattainable ideal; but we should keep that secret from ourselves. The lesson from politics is to DO NO HARM by striving to know all extremes. And if enough of us stand up and admit "I may not know what is best," then we have inched that much closer to Truth, Wisdom, and Happiness.

What is the difference between a Good Day and a Bad Day? Do emotions always trump reason? How long does it take the average person to rationally work their way back from a garden-variety emotional spike (positive or negative) in their daily routine? How does outward behavior impact inner feelings and thoughts? How does inner behavior (such as spirituality, meditation, mental exercise) impact outward expression of feelings and thoughts? And how much should physical well-being or physical comfort impact one's judgment of a Good Day or a Bad Day?

I will come back to each of these questions individually, but would like to preface that discussion with the following thought: Ideally a Good Day should be measured as a microcosm of a Good Life. At the end of each day I should be able to look back and say, "this day has been a fair reflection of how I want to remember my Life, on the last day of my Life."

1. What is the difference between a Good Day and a Bad Day? - I believe this varies from day to day depending on circumstances, daily goals, and curveballs. I also believe that there is some credence to the claim that if one survives, it is a good day. Most of my days fall somewhere between survival and the 'Ideal Microcosm' described in the previous paragraph. Seldom (if ever) do I have an 'Ideal' day, and though some days may feel like I've barely survived, from a rational perspective, there are (also) very few of these days. It is a subjective call. There is no scorecard, and if there were, there would be considerable disagreement on the rules of scoring; and, the act of keeping score (I believe) would alter one's perspective and definition of good and bad by attempting to objectify subjectivism. I think the difference between a Good Day and a Bad Day should be individually subjective.
2. Do emotions always trump reason? - Yes. Even amongst the staunchest of stoics there is at least a momentary spike associated with an emotion. I don't believe emotions can be entirely eradicated. They can be subdued, hog tied, gagged, hidden, and controlled, but each emotion, when it appears, is (at least in part) new and not simply a formerly imprisoned escapee, therefore it must be acknowledged.
3. How long does it take a person to rationally work their way back from a garden-variety emotional spike (positive or negative) in their daily routine? - I can only answer this for myself as it definitely varies from person to person. For a typical positive spike, it generally takes 46.7 seconds for me to rationally fall back to normal. For a typical negative spike it generally takes 38 minutes and 18 seconds for reason to regain control. That last number is improving by the way, from an all time high of 6 hours 51 minutes 28 seconds in the Summer of '91. And these are typical, garden-variety emotions; you can imagine the impact of strong emotions. (The numbers of course are intended somewhat facetiously, to exaggerate a truthful example.)
4. How does outward behavior impact inner feelings and thoughts? - I believe for most people in most situations outward behavior impacts inner feelings and thoughts accordingly; i.e. if it is positive behavior it encourages / enhances positive feelings and thoughts, and vice versa. There is one caveat or requirement - the behavior must be a sincere or truthful effort. In other words, if one is sincerely looking to improve positivity, or truthfully looking to express disapproval or criticism (constructive or otherwise) or negative emotion such as anger, then said behavior will impact thoughts and feelings in said manner. However, if one is not sincere or truthful and is exhibiting outward behavior that is a lie, then resentment comes into play and a negative impact is likely felt; (I would think this more often occurs with behavior that is intended to be construed as positive; for example towards an authority figure - behavior that is employed to stay out of trouble or stay in someone's good graces).
5. How does purposeful inner behavior (such as spirituality, meditation, mental exercise) impact outward expression of feelings and thoughts? - I believe purposeful inner behavior will lead to growth. I believe growth will lead to more meaningful, productive, efficient expression (in words and actions). Much like a funnel, purposeful inner behavior will direct and focus swirling thoughts and feelings, allowing for a coherent, defined output. I believe inner work is always positive. The output, if it goes against the maxim DO NO HARM, can be negative or destructive. I would like to think that most of us will discover this in the process and choose to DO NO HARM.
6. How much should physical well-being or physical comfort impact one's judgment of a Good Day or a Bad Day? - Note that I'm asking how much it 'should' impact one's judgment. From personal experience I can say it does have an impact - but should it? The physical aspect of our humanity is unavoidable and will impact (at the end of the day) one's outlook and therefore will likely impact one's judgment of good or bad. I believe one should attempt to rationally discount / subtract physical comfort and/or well-being from a judgment of a Good or Bad day. This is difficult at the end of the day; easier to do the following day or later in the week. I go back to Epictetus (55 - 135 CE) who said that nothing can truly be taken from us. He maintained that inner peace begins when we stop saying "I have lost it" and instead say "it has been returned to where it came from." This of course includes one's physical being and physical well-being, which strengthens the argument that physical well-being or physical comfort should NOT impact one's judgment of a Good Day or a Bad Day. On the last day of one's Life, physical comfort and well-being will not be a consideration for judging a Good Life, and if my goal is that each day be a microcosm of that Good Life, then (as Epictetus has stated) the things of this world should not come into play.

Bottom Line - I believe if at the end of each day I review it rationally and subjectively, appreciate the fact that I have survived, and make plans to live another Lifetime tomorrow, then perhaps I will consistently close the gap on (unattainable) 'Ideals' such as Truth, Wisdom, Happiness, Inner Peace, Exoteric Goodness, and 'The Good Day' that will perfectly reflect how I would like to live the entire span of all my days. Each day I am given, is a new opportunity.

Have A Good Day!