Highnoone
Thu, Jul-18-02, 01:04
The Meaning of the Mid-life Crisis
I hear the primal howl of desolation from our young. They feel
that we feel we have lost our way. We have but we tamp our
confusion down with false consolations and new toys. We think
we are being good nurturers by thrusting everything we have at
our children and then saying, "Here, you take it. Maybe you
can figure it out".
The child is father to the man who is father to the child of
the man who is father of the child to the man. We are all
still children. We are getting so many new toys that we
don't know which way to turn. Some us will pick up one or
two new toys and spend the rest of our lives playing with
them. Some of us will try to break the other children's
toys. Some of us will ignore the new toys and keep playing
with our old ones. Some of us will simply sit down in the
middle of all the toys and cry.
Think of all the ramifications of new technology. Genetic
engineering, cloning, life support, transplants, etc. We are
poised on the brink of being able to scientifically advance
evolution. The problem is that we don't have the slightest
idea of how to apply these new procedures. Where are we going,
what is beneficial? Who do we save? The kings will cry out,
"Save me" but we have seen what happens to kings when they
interbreed. They produce idiots. The masses will cry out "I
have individual rights" but we have seen what happens when the
rights of the individual supersedes the good of the tribe. We
can now prolong almost any lifespan to its maximum capacity
but at what cost? We see our aged suffering and becoming
children again because we have tampered with nature. We hear
them crying out to die but we will not let them.
The perception of absolute evil and absolute good or of polar
opposites is subjective. There are positives and negatives to
everything. What we consider evil today may evolve into
something beneficial tomorrow. The trick is to take the two,
and there are many twos, and form their positive aspects into
one. This one will also be subjective but if we can agree on a
common goal, it will at least be beneficial to the species.
When all the twos are ones and all the ones are one, then we
may proceed. This cannot be done by a single individual. Each
person must pick his own set of twos to consolidate.
A single life should be symbolic of opposite ideals merging
into one goal. The first half should be dedicated to
fulfilling the biological imperative. Have children and help
them achieve maturity. Your ego should close around your
immediate family until you are sure they are safe. Once they
have achieved maturity (and I mean in a biological sense), set
them free to walk their own path. The path cannot be taught
and you cannot carry them along it, they must experience it
themselves. Then you are free to dedicate yourself to
concentrating on the ego ideal or the betterment of society.
Release your sense of self (it has done its job) and widen
your world. Absorb the wisdom of others. Use this knowledge to
guide your children but do not force it upon them. They must
walk their own way. Learn the rites of passage. Interpret the
symbols. Embrace the world and know that you know nothing.
These two different mindsets have a common goal –to provide
our young with a better future. Consolidate the twos.
I hear the primal howl of desolation from our young. They feel
that we feel we have lost our way. We have but we tamp our
confusion down with false consolations and new toys. We think
we are being good nurturers by thrusting everything we have at
our children and then saying, "Here, you take it. Maybe you
can figure it out".
The child is father to the man who is father to the child of
the man who is father of the child to the man. We are all
still children. We are getting so many new toys that we
don't know which way to turn. Some us will pick up one or
two new toys and spend the rest of our lives playing with
them. Some of us will try to break the other children's
toys. Some of us will ignore the new toys and keep playing
with our old ones. Some of us will simply sit down in the
middle of all the toys and cry.
Think of all the ramifications of new technology. Genetic
engineering, cloning, life support, transplants, etc. We are
poised on the brink of being able to scientifically advance
evolution. The problem is that we don't have the slightest
idea of how to apply these new procedures. Where are we going,
what is beneficial? Who do we save? The kings will cry out,
"Save me" but we have seen what happens to kings when they
interbreed. They produce idiots. The masses will cry out "I
have individual rights" but we have seen what happens when the
rights of the individual supersedes the good of the tribe. We
can now prolong almost any lifespan to its maximum capacity
but at what cost? We see our aged suffering and becoming
children again because we have tampered with nature. We hear
them crying out to die but we will not let them.
The perception of absolute evil and absolute good or of polar
opposites is subjective. There are positives and negatives to
everything. What we consider evil today may evolve into
something beneficial tomorrow. The trick is to take the two,
and there are many twos, and form their positive aspects into
one. This one will also be subjective but if we can agree on a
common goal, it will at least be beneficial to the species.
When all the twos are ones and all the ones are one, then we
may proceed. This cannot be done by a single individual. Each
person must pick his own set of twos to consolidate.
A single life should be symbolic of opposite ideals merging
into one goal. The first half should be dedicated to
fulfilling the biological imperative. Have children and help
them achieve maturity. Your ego should close around your
immediate family until you are sure they are safe. Once they
have achieved maturity (and I mean in a biological sense), set
them free to walk their own path. The path cannot be taught
and you cannot carry them along it, they must experience it
themselves. Then you are free to dedicate yourself to
concentrating on the ego ideal or the betterment of society.
Release your sense of self (it has done its job) and widen
your world. Absorb the wisdom of others. Use this knowledge to
guide your children but do not force it upon them. They must
walk their own way. Learn the rites of passage. Interpret the
symbols. Embrace the world and know that you know nothing.
These two different mindsets have a common goal –to provide
our young with a better future. Consolidate the twos.