Have you ever had a dream that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?
How do you even know for sure that you are reading this post and not just imagining it while staring at a blank screen? If there is even a screen that is...
Delusions. Everyone has probably heard of some suicide cults in other parts of the world where they convince themselves that the world is going to end like yesterday, and that they have to kill themselves, but there is more of it closer to home too.
Well, not that close to home - the examples are from quite far away. Take Pakistan. For the people to accept that the Taliban were bad news, many have had to delude themselves into imagining links between them and either India or Israel. Or both.
And there is tasawwuf/sufism - Imagine that you no longer what that thing which you actually really do want. TO fight your will to the extent that you do not matter. Many people succeed, so it is probably possible to delude yourself.
Can you? convince yourself that you had eggs for breakfast? (if you really did - before this exercise - then convince yourself that you had no breakfast.
Do you think you can make yourself believe that an actual real world event did not happen? What about making a person not exist? or the other way around - make yourself believe that a non existing event/person really does truly exist and that you were there?
So, class, your exercise to imagine you actually read this post instead of jumping to the end, this line.
Welcome to the real world.
Comments
I would say it depends on how you define "real". If your talking about what you can see, smell, touch then all your really talking about is information interpretated by your brain.
In which case you would have to manipulate that input to a degree that the end result is what you want... or what you think you want.
Its all about creating a construct that your mind is willing to accept.
The Matrix.
Thanks :roll:
I'm sure most people gathered that from the quote xD
#Before you look at the thorns of the rose , look at it's beauty. Before you complain about the heat of the sun , enjoy it's light. Before you complain about the blackness of the night, think of it's peace and quiet... #
I had wanted to go further in the blog post, but I forgot my thoughts.
A question was if what you believe/see/remember can be twisted through your own though processes, what is more real/important? the facts that happen, the events on the ground or the story that you tell yourself?
(a forum post earlier on reminded me of this bit.)
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.