RE: Do You Really Think You Think What You Want To Think?
This is interesting and I'm with you on the actual presence of manipulation (overt and covert) in almost every facet and level of human existence.. that this is used as a tool of distraction or disempowerment in order that the majority may remain compliant, disempowered and asleep. Your provided examples of subliminal messaging are striking, and I am also with you on the capacity of the sub/un-conscious mind to record the entirity of the information coming in, of which only a small subset gets filtered through to the conscious mind.
I therefore also agree with the implication that the vast majority of human interaction is likely to be driven by impulses that the individual is not consciously aware of. In other words, most reactions, states of mind, preferences and prejudices, beliefs and attitudes etc etc are a result of learnt, conditioned or programmed behaviour - they are neither natural, nor do they have anything much to do with who that individual really is or feels about life. This is my own experience of myself anyhow!
The analogy of 'programming' is perfect in this context IMO. We are conditioned/programmed to believe we are something we are not, and to put a keen sense of personal identity in externalities - job, status, possessions, relationships etc and many more subtle things besides. There are the familiar, everyday super-structures of the 'Matrix', which support and encourage fake notions of ourselves (social myths like 'competition', 'scarcity', etc; personal myths like 'unworthiness', 'entitlement' etc). These messages have been hammered into us everywhere our entire lives-long; not only by institutions and mass-media, but by parents & friends etc who couldn't know better (blame is just the same old game) and therefore just played along and amplified versions of these messages to us.
How can we know what is real? How can we know what is fake? We can't control it, as you also say above! Are we then its victims?
One of the major subliminal messages emanaing from the Matrix seems to be that it is not worth exploring inner space, and that reality is to be found only in the exernal material world! Yet wisdom from ancient times has it the other way around - that an enquiry into the self (along the lines of 'who am I?') is the starting question from which all the answers of the Universe may follow. I consider this to be a most practical approach as it has the potential to bring the contents of the un/sub-conscious mind into conscious awarenes.
Many thanks for an interesting and thought-provoking post @futuremind
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I must say, I am sitting here slack jawed at how well you are able to convey your thoughts regarding the topic , and also, your ability to recap, and further explain what I was trying to convey here.
When this has been a prevalent topic of thought in one's mind for so many years, and you begin to realize, that it is getting worse every day, that the programming is becoming better, but yet for some reason you have the ability to recognize it, to see even your closest family effected by its sway, and know that you're powerless against it, it really starts to take somewhat of a toll. Does it not?
Then you begin to wonder. Why am I interested in the things I find interesting? Have I been preselected to utilize my mind in this way? Am I just going through the motions of my selected programming? Knowing full well that you are of a rare select if that is the case, it becomes kind of scary.
I think sometimes, who, or what has the scope on me, and am I deviating from the standard? Or am I right where I am supposed to be in this selection. Am I just lucky enough to be endowed in the rare group of individuals who are slightly in the "knowing" Or is it a farse?
Man I could go on and on with my thoughts regarding subliminal programming, and the power of suggestion.
I'm gonna check out your blog, and see what your brilliant mind has to offer to the Steemit community. I would love to see you blog on this topic as well, because it is clear you have given it much thought before composing your response to my blog.
Thank you for your very well thought out, and composed comment. I'm humbly grateful for that.
I'd like to use your second para as the starting point to respond to what you say. This is an interesting conversation, here are my thoughts:
So there is sensitivity without knowing why; there is the perception of others caught in traps and nothing one can do - any direct pointing out leads to alienation or conflict... yes indeed! However, we can fly in a plane and not know how it works - I think knowing why comes after the event. There is a sense of 'powerlessness'. There is also powerlessness to either change the Matrix or to change the opinions or perceptions of another. However, we are very very far from being powerless ourselves, and I think this is a very important point. Fighting where we don't stand a chance certainly drains us - ie resisting the Matrix with physical or emotional energy, or being hurt by rejection and dismissal. This is disempowering. I think (now) that sensitivity is a gift - it's not easy, and it appears to be much more convenient and satisfactory to have a fuckyou attitude to life and others, but that is an approach that is Matrix-approved, and it never works out in the long run. I know a fair number of 'successul' people, most acutely unhappy!
I can only give you my angle. For me, everything is accurate. There is a benign flow of Universal Energy which is very powerful and which is available to all of us all the time and in equal measure (it is unconditional and doesn't have to be deserved). Going with the flow is also to be guided by it - the process becomes the teacher. The why of things become clear as we explore the experience and understand it. Nothing is random. We have the natural ability to shape our reality. We are not enslaved, except by choice.
Everything is accurate, there is no deviation coz you always get back to where you need to be, and any detour is to explore a particular aspect in greater depth. There is no good/bad, these are value judgments and as such, part of the Matrix setup to fool us into giving up our power to outside forces. There is no power or authority that is higher than you - the Universe is, in a sense, the highest and greatest version of YOU! There is no power in the universe that can take over your being against your will.
The tougher the apparent life experience, the greater the potential for learning. If one considers that we may have actually chosen the life we live (pre-birth and therefore without the notions of good/bad, just with the intention of learning from experience), then surely, we must commend ourselves for having selected something as challenging as we have? It's not really a bullshit feelgood point at all. We do not need any external authority to validate our experience for us.
I consider myself to be neither more, nor less than; not better, not worse than - any being of any type. We are all unique expressions of ONE infinite source (no conventional notions of God here), and as such there is no basis for comparison. Comparison, along with appearance, is deceptive, and yet another tool of the Matrix :D. On a positive note, I consider many people to be ready to wake up, just fearful of showing it and unknowing of how to!
There is nothing to fear. We carry the energy of pain and trauma from childhood (I read your other response) and it manifests through life until we learn to let it go. In doing so we grow. But the gaze, as stated, has to be resolutely inwards; without blame, without judgement etc, just with the clear intention of understanding through observation.
Your response was such a delight to read @futuremind, thank you so much for your kind words.
You are one of the deepest thinkers I have ever had the pleasure to speak with. I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts, and all of it really makes complete sense to me. I really am not sure how to respond because my mind is completely blown right now..
Furthermore, I need to learn this awesome markup text you are doing (If that is what it's called?) I ONLY know that, and
THATso far! lolThanks for saying that - am a fellow traveller, like you and all of us :D
Do you mean the markdown on some of my poetry? That's just using the kind of stuff that's listed here. I also added in-line custom images to space it out and add some elements. Not sure if that's what you meant.
Yes, the custom formatting so to speak. How you showed my paragraphs in a lighter greyscale color, with the line going down, also the different size lettering and structuring of your poetry. I was taken back. It's one thing to be able to lay down some some powerful poetry, the the "Word Art " as one of your commenters described, is truly astounding.
Thanks man, and I get you now! The quote is when you insert the code '>' at the start of the para and leave a single blank space between it and your text
you can have sub or sup script by using these opening and closing tags.
Just listened to Working Class Hero - respect my friend, I enjoyed your passionate rendition of it. Thanks
Have taken a screen-shot of what the box looks like to me, so you can see the code :D
Thank you for the compliment on my video, and
Piece of cake!!!