Are we, by nature, simple minded? Are we "educated" into simple mindedness? I'm using the term here in a way that links it to/is perhaps identical with, the well known characteristic of all addiction oriented personality structures. Extremes. No, or very little awareness of or orientation to the immense gray zone between the extremes. In other words, blindness to most of reality.
Do we simply operate this way because we have little choice, that is, because we are made this way? This seems to be an important question, since the experience is so wide spread, almost universal, and it may therefore be concluded, apparently logically, that we can't help ourselves. I suggest that the logic is indeed only apparent, based on "appearances", and not on substance. I suggest that the experience becomes almost a universal human one because it is cultivated almost universally. That it, the preference for simple mindedness is at least a somewhat deliberate choice, attached to at least a somewhat deliberate strategy of "selective reality propagation" by the ignorant who routinely govern, rule, control, propagandize, and otherwise determine (or at the very least, strongly influence) the material and psychological reality of virtually everyone else. Since these people are routinely the same - with regard to the limitations of their grasp of reality - where ever and when ever they occur, the blindness and ignorance they both live and propagate is routinely the same. Hence the appearance of a universal human experience, supposed to be based on "human nature".
One obvious problem with this logic is that there just as routinely appear exemplars of a much more deeply and broadly reality based, healthier, more creative, more collaborative, more peaceful, more humane, more compassionate and ultimately more sane way of seeing and living, who show up to put the lie to the propaganda. We of course routinely ignore them, for the most part. The propaganda has been, and remains, extremely effective, to the point where its message has been internalized as "the truth" for all time and in all places. It's just human nature. What can one do?
I'm especially interested in the confluence of psychology and spirituality/mysticism. Those points of intersection between the findings of psychological investigations into what constitutes mental health and basic sanity, and the perennial teachings of the world's spiritual/mystical/contemplative traditions. Happily, in my opinion, these points of intersection continue to appear and to expand, until the two realms become, virtually, identical. The Emperor - the controllers, the power intoxicated, the "reality" determiners - has always been naked, despite his insistence on the glory of his new suits of clothes. Fortunately, we have the ability to listen to the folks who point out this discrepancy. That we do not do so more routinely is perhaps our ultimate, and fatal flaw.
Matthew's website
