Thursday, July 22, 2010

Guilty As Charged

Driving down the road just now, it appeared that I was purposely cut off by a clean Lexus 330 who slowed down just as I approached a truck with fifth wheel pulling a huge trailer. They slowed down just as I was about to change lanes, making it impossible. The SUV had CA plates, which surprised me 'cause in California changing lanes is sacred. After we went through the next intersection, they slowed down more and got into the middle lane. I blared my horn and shouted "go back to CA" as I passed.
Through my rear view mirror, I saw that they made a U-turn and realized that their behavior had nothing to do with me. I fell into a trap for no apparent reason and behaved inappropriately. I eased back and said "look at yourself, Charlie."
I have been thinking of writing a blog for a week or two now on how narrowly we as humans judge one another without all the facts. What got me thinking about this was the realization that I personally cannot communicate everything that I am in this form, something stated in the "Ghost Writer" blog. I learn things all the time by writing; dictating what comes to me. To be a god, is to be who we truly are without the hindrance of mortal flesh (as opposed to immortal flesh), and using more of this marvelous brain that we currently use. Heresy to most Christian beliefs, but truth nonetheless.
This has also dawned on me because this blog site will get more exposure than it currently does after "Butterfly" is published, and people will judge me by taking one thing I say out of context, by not reading these blogs from the beginning, or by not taking the time to do nothing more than skim.
Especially since we are trained as a "one line headline" society by the way we receive information online, and the fact that in our fast-paced, slow to read between the lines mentality, it's easy to only see what's on the surface. (Don't worry, I'm not going to quote Machievelli again... : ).
If we lived in a utopia more stress would be put on understanding different points of view and respecting the differences. As far as I'm concerned, we waste too much time on earning a living and not enough time on appropriate education. That's why there are those who are in certain professions but not really talented in the job. Too little attention is given to vocation placement.
As an example, I saw this "shrink" once during that stage when marriage counseling wasn't working where the focus went from us to me because all their conclusions were that if change were to take place, she was incapable of it. So the burden fell on me to change, and it was concluded that I needed to take medication which would basically "numb" me into not reacting to anything she did. The diagnosis was continually thrown in my face. Like who wouldn't react negatively to certain situations?
How we decide to change society in a positive way, determines success or not. Prison reform, practicing the values this country was founded on like equality and pursuit of happiness are not questions of debate. Whether we actually practice what we preach is another story. We entertain ideas of how to achieve this all the time, but the exercise of control by the powers that be limit what is actually accomplished. The two party system must be abolished like slavery because people will continue to agree to disagree rather than change.
Ever changing is the only constant. "The more things change, the more they stay the same," but real change is to evolve rather than continually working to destroy the opposite point of views. Carl Jung proved that two opposing POV can both be correct. Also true is the fact that they can also be half truths. "Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, and don't worry about Mr. In-between." Balance is the key.
We are a country of pilots that oppose the other, taking the wheel to the left, then to the right, left, right, left, right... It's no wonder we're not accomplishing anything. We use words that mean different things to different people continually, like the growing abyss between the English language of Britain and United States. A real leader needs to speak both languages, because it is unrealistic to expect the whole of society to change.
Like my example of the drive in traffic today, each of us have to look at ourselves instead of the other to change. That is something most are afraid of, especially religious people (of which I am--again my "enigma" reference to myself stated in the "Ghost Writer" blog).
to be continued...

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Galileo's Letter To The Grand Duchess-Part IIA

It is sometimes more imperative to follow a backwards motion when reading certain blogs so they are not out of context.

(This was an assignment for History: 1500-Present Day that was a presentation to the class 7/9/2010 on the Scientific Revolution)

In the words of Galileo himself, "the novelty of these things, as well as some consequesnces which followed from them in contradiction to the physical notions commonly held among acedemic philosophers, stirred up against me no small number of professors- as if I had placed these things in the sky with my own hands in order to upset nature and overturn the sciences. They seem to forget that the increase of known truths stimulates the investigation, establishment, and growth of the arts; not their diminution or destruction."

*Galileo challenges his contractors to prove to themselves his conclusions
*Seeing truth puts Bible in better light
*Challenges them to prove St. Augustine’s theory against prejudice
*Exerts them to put reason over passion

Some scientists needed to see to believe, but then came to his conclusions. Galileo produces what he calls counter-arguments which pits the field of philosophy and religion against science, bringing up that simplicity of their reason gives way under a complex system (i.e. like John Calvin, who concluded being saved by grace over every word that proceeded from the mouth of God, & Catholicism, which concocted the Doctrine of the Trinity, three in one, in the Nicene Creed in 325 A.D., central themes which can be attributed to modern religions and why they believe what they do on tradition rather than merit).

*We defile ourselves by not accepting intrinsic truth and curtail future discoveries
*Advocated leaving examinations of science to scientist-let matters of faith be separate; knowledge is the assertion of truth over belief.
*As a matter of challenge, no other claim has disputed Galileo’s facts.

If balance is the key, then each form of study will unite all truths. It is the difference in how we see from our POV, whether it is finite or infinite. (Science, psychology, philosophy, religion, politics, nutrition, and exercise --Balance of Human Medians).