Somewhere betwixt the realms of human and the evergazing orbs of earthbound beasts playing silent witness to their unyielding vices, we find a space in which a mind initiates its opening sequence and hears the innate language through which the heart speaks to seekers of values beyond riches; now that words mean nothing, the truth exists as the resonating frequencies we emit, receive and reflect at all times.

Chronus was brought forth of the nothingness with the other Protogenoi. These were the first to exist among the primordial waters, before the Cosmos came to be.

Helios, in his Golden palace knew his purpose, and by its fulfillment, Bios was understood. The natural signs and markers of Time were to ensure all could prepare.

The question of how we are alive and able to ponder our place within the enormity of the unsurvivable void ruled over by Erebus, is as perplexing today as it has seemingly been throughout history and across civilizations. With the realization of our fragility being like that of a newborn baby, protected only by the mothering Gaia, the produce of Demeter and her children Persephone and Plutus, the flowering hydration offered by Tethys, and the seasonal rains of Hyas, we can begin to form a new appreciation of the infinite wonder there is to be had when truly reflecting upon this world which we have come to view as ordinary.

Further, the sole --or perhaps soul-- purpose for developing the meticulous methodologies created by our ancestors’ ancestors, which would ultimately give birth to the empirical sciences, namely astronomy and physics, was to demystify the divine, to know the unknowable, to lift the veil and peek behind the curtains of Nyx. We have yet to realize that the Cosmos can be understood by the intellect of Coeus alone.

With motives in question, we must ask why Time was dissected and denaturalized until it is unrecognizable at (for lack of a better term) times. We might assume that if we recognized and embraced Nature’s form of Time, we would be more inclined to behave in accordance with Natural Life. I believe we can find our answer if we truly inquire.

Formulating thoughts is perhaps the best way to go about thinking.

The ability to take the reins and tame the wild ass of the mind is a forgotten practice. There are those of us who walk the same path as Phaeton, and will no doubt find our unbridled self-assurance, backed by naivety, maps our undoing.

Thus, the herd marches. Devouring all it encounters. Trampling all forms of growth. Denying all paths forward, though none among them knows the destination. Defecating upon all that was made available to them through the exhaustive efforts of the disciplined minds, the sages and their ilk.

The vast assortment of knowledge made available during the technology boom has undermined the importance of learning and the encouragement of curiosity. There is a surplus of information at our fingers but no one to explain the lesson, no one to give us the moral of the story. No one to tuck us in as we close our sleepy, sluggish eyes and trust that the decisions are best left to the experts we see on television.

If there were anything we should be worried about...

If there were something we need to figure out prior to our deaths, prior to being pulled back into the great blender-in-the-sky, prior to the mind-fuck, the soul-wipe, the heart-plunge, the hard-reset, prior to spinning the wheel of Samsara...again...

Surely, someone would have told us.

Right?

#philosophy #religion #fiction #prose

After having been wronged, it is often the case that, in choosing to embrace the doctrines of love and resisting the deluge of retributive potentialities we imagine, we will have done a greater service to all parties involved, ourselves included.

Love, in the metaphysical sense, is the essence of creation, the nectar of the gods. In its presence, all is divine, and the individual may embrace and feel accepted in the acts which are in accordance with their inner-nature in the truest sense.

In the absence of love, the flame of eternal spirit within us is extinguished, run out of the fuel by which we remain within our corporeal husk as we dwell within this realm. Without love, there is no purpose for being, no final-cause to which we strive ever onward.

The doctrine of hate is nonextant, for none who have lived by its forbidding mandates has ever sought to preserve any sutras or pass-down any legacies, save for the smouldering ruins and sundered bodies left in the wake of those who delve into the unknowable emptiness and stoke the beast, from whose unremitting rage there is no escape.

Oftentimes, we make the mistake of believing some callous or mean individual to be hate-filled. In nearly all instances, this can be found to not be the case. The slip into an unhealthy love of oneself will inevitably cause the downfall of said individual, having made themselves vulnerable to corruption and avarice. Is narcissism not an unyielding, obessive love of oneself above any and all others?

Walk with love and play host to your emotions but remain ever wary that both ends of the spectrum are extreme.

Born of society’s unchecked obsession with technology, the use of various forms of social media as platforms to voice opinions and share ‘information’ has resulted in a myriad of unforeseen consequences. It is important to remember that all the information we take in from the outside world tends to have an affect in our perception of reality, whether said information is true or false is beside the point. So, in the age of fake news, divisive rhetoric, corporate influence, unverified sources, mainstream media agendas and social media voicing millions of individual opinions, how do we know who or what to believe? If we aim to be consistent in our actions and constructive in our decisions, we must do our best to be critical of the information we receive before we allow it to influence our thoughts, alter our beliefs and guide our behaviors. Lucky for us, philosophers have been dealing with issues like these for thousands of years, and by learning the methods of thought developed by some of the greatest minds in history, we can better address the situations we encounter.

Impressions-

The definition of impression, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is:

‘an idea, feeling, or opinion about something or someone, especially one formed without conscious thought or on the basis of little evidence.’ ②

The various forms of media we encounter on a daily basis give us particular impressions of things, often framing the story in a way that gives certain things more emphasis than others, which has an effect in the way we interpret them. Framing an article or interview is a common tactic utilized by mainstream media and there are plenty of historical examples where the media sources which were owned and operated by individuals whose interests were aligned with government agendas, were successful in demonizing any dissenting opinions that they considered a threat to their profits. We still see this in today’s media: the fact that all media sources are owned by five or six men and their industrial armies, we should think about how much of what we know has been learned through the media and what we can truly claim to know in the first place.

Epistemology- The branch of philosophy devoted to the analysis of what constitutes knowledge, examining its sources, validity, whether it is truly attainable and why these things matter.

According to epistemologists, there are (at least)4 sources of knowledge:

Senses- Plato proposed that they can not truly be trusted. Many Western philosophies follow in this view, including the Stoics, the Idealists, the Skeptics, and is also largely recognized as the concept of maya, which is prominent in several Eastern philosophies, such as Hinduism and Jainism.

Reason- The faculties of the mind, once given the foundations from which to build, can allow us to reach further understanding of many things. Two forms of reasoning are Deduction, using what we already know to draw further conclusions about its relationship to other things; and Induction, developing general hypotheses to explain a set of facts, which are subject to change with the addition of new facts.

Intuition- Although not officially acknowledged by mainstream science, there are many cases in which intuition, or the subconscious process of decision making often performed instantaneously, is attributed. Most of us have likely experienced that ‘gut feeling’ which informed our decision, or an instinctual reaction that was either intuition or sheer luck at some point in our lives.

Knowledge from others- Hearsay, we are offered information from an endless number of sources but how can we trust them? These are a few methods developed by some of the greatest minds of ancient times.

Trivium- The trivium is the name given to the 3 subjects comprising the foundation of the liberal arts, the essential subjects expected of any and all free men in ancient times, these 3 subjects comprise the foundations of our abilities to learn and think effectively, they include:

Grammar- “Discovering and ordering facts of reality, comprises the basis for systematic Knowledge.”③ Grammar allows us to recognize and discern between things and their categories, enabling communication between individuals about the external world we share. This is where the world is experienced, the stimulus occurs and the sensations are felt.

Logic- “Developing the faculty of reason in establishing valid relationships among facts yields basis for systematic understanding.”③ After learning and recognizing the categories and classifications of things in the world, we can reflect on their relationship to other things, interpreting their functions or other qualities they possess. This is where questions are formed, problems are solved and processing occurs.

Rhetoric- “Applying knowledge and understanding expressively comprises Wisdom or, in other words, it is systematically usable knowledge and understanding.”③ Once we have interpreted the experience and have come to an understanding of the experience, we generate a response and send it into the external world.

These three subjects were the fundamentals of classical education dating back to at least Athens, as we know by Plato’s dialogues. The term trivium was attributed to the subjects during the middle ages. The symbol of the trivium depicts an equilateral triangle with one corner pointed downward and the other two corners in a straight horizontal on top, with a line going horizontally through the middle. This separation represents the barrier separating the external and internal worlds and explains the relationship and occurrence for each step. The first, grammar, is the categorization of the external world which is taken inward where we analyze and interpret the information, and respond or react externally after we understand what is occurring.

Elenchus- The central idea of the Socratic method, the cooperative ‘question and answer’ exchange with the goal of reaching a greater understanding of our own thoughts, searching for the root of our ideals and beliefs, and improving and modifying them based upon what we find.

If you have read any of Plato’s dialogues, you will likely recognize the process of Elenchus. By presenting his premises one-by-one, the other parties were often clueless as to the end goal of Socrates’ line of questions, and by accepting and agreeing with each premise, they were inadvertently accepting the truth of his argument’s conclusion. “To solve a problem, it would be broken down into a series of questions, the answers to which gradually distill the answer a person would seek.”④

Pyrrhonian Skepticism- The school of Hellenic philosophy known as Pyrrhonism, aimed on reaching the state of ataraxia, which they considered a state of tranquility and psychological stability characterized by ongoing freedom from distress and worry. This was achieved through the application of Epoche, or suspension of judgment/withholding from assent, toward all matters that are not self-evident. The suspension of judgments prevents us from suffering further as we are likely to experience from acting on the various (un)qualified judgments we are constantly making, and the opinions and beliefs they inspire. Sextus Empiricus was a Roman physician and philosopher and the source of nearly all of our knowledge of Pyrrhonism, since Pyrrho, like Socrates, did not write down a word of his own philosophy. In describing ataraxia, Empiricus explains,

“For the person who believes that something is by nature good or bad is constantly upset; when he does not possess the things that seem to be good, he thinks he is being tormented by things that are by nature bad, and he chases after the things he supposes to be good; then, when he gets these, he falls into still more torments because of irrational and immoderate exultation, and, fearing any change, he does absolutely everything in order not to lose the things that seem to him good. But the person who takes no position as to what is by nature good or bad neither avoids nor pursues intensely. As a result, he achieves ataraxia”⑤

“Whoever wants eudaimonia (to live well) must consider these three questions:

First, how are pragmata (ethical matters, affairs, topics) by nature?

Secondly, what attitude should we adopt towards them?

Thirdly, what will be the outcome for those who have this attitude?"⑥- Aristocles

Fallacies- A mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound argument. A failure in reasoning that renders an argument invalid. A fallacious argument may be misleading by appearing to be better than it really is. News channels and news programs, politicians and their talking points, advertisements; arguably the 3 most prominent media forms in our society, are LOADED with fallacies as you are likely aware, it is in our best interests to remain vigilant in our skepticism.

Method- The application of some of these ideas might help us in reaching a better understanding of the truth of things. To clarify, the trivium allows us to organize the information we experience, then process and understand its meaning before we respond or act upon it. Elenchus can help us question, reevaluate and reflect upon what we believe we know, and make adjustments and amendments as necessary; there is no harm done in admitting being wrong. The epoche of pyrrhonism allows us to reflect upon the information, consider what attitude we have toward them and what potential consequences we might expect for taking that stance, and decide whether to truly have a stance on the issue or not. Recognizing fallacies in the information presented to us allows us to avoid distractions and unnecessary distress, in order to focus on the real issues we are facing.

Here are some important questions to consider as we encounter information from some form of media:

1.Who- Who is providing this information? Who is it about? Who does it affect? Who stands to gain and/or lose from this content or its implications?

2. What- What is being said? Are they offering facts? Opinions? What are the implications resulting from the information and what benefit is being had in the spreading of said information?

3.Where- Where is the information presented? Publication? Public platform? Social Media? What are the political affiliations and ideologies of the media form and its owners?

4. When- When was the information released/presented? What could be the significance for the timing of its release?

5. Why- Why is this information being brought to light? Does the source share why they are coming forward? Why is it being broadcast through the particular media forms/sources covering it? Who is opposing or refuting its validity and why?

6. How- How is the information framed? How are the oppositional stances responding/reacting?

Good look and remain vigilant! (if you want.)

Works Cited

①- "Chris Marker On Plato's Allegory Of The Cave And The Myth Of Cinema." YouTube. N. 2018.

②- "Impression | Definition Of Impression In English By Oxford Dictionaries." Oxford Dictionaries | English. N. p., 2018. Web. 24 June 2018.

③-"Trivium - Trivium Education.Com." Triviumeducation.com. N. p., 2018.

④- Gregory Vlastos. The Socratic Elenchus. Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy I, Oxford 1983, 27–58.

⑤- Sextus Empiricus. The Skeptic Way, Trans. Benson Mates, Book I, Ch. XII, "What Is the Goal of Skepticism?", p. 6

⑥- Beckwith, Christopher I. (2015). Greek Buddha: Pyrrho's Encounter with Early Buddhism in Central Asia. Princeton University Press. pp. 22–23

On Narrative:

Everything is at a standstill, but one might squinty-eyed-ly discern it all as motion. A motion like the staggered pace of the last to leave. These heralds of lineages of the greatest nation's best and brightest, baby-brained buffoons and their sweat glistening, tattooed-scowls chiseled deep into their face, nay, where their soul ought be, due to the hard-lived humbugging, heretical handshaking, and heavy-hitting hurrahs of their dearly depraved death; that is, to say they were alive would be a mockery of the wonder of living, natural things.

On Tradition:

The "beasts" have uncorked from their fathers' reserve. In their celebration of the good old fraternity of farcical fecundity, they smear greases, gasses and glazes from whatever poor creature constituted today's four-course carcass. Festivities of profligacies are made all the more intimate as rotund fingers fumble upon the last trembling buckle on respected girdles, which always lie hidden behind fine satins and velvets as a means of upholding the shell of civility, esteem and luxurious etiquette. Of course, these types know what’s best for themselves, as it was dictated to each nobleman by the director of his father's estate. They were born of another day, a day of "national heroes" and "war heroes" and all those paradoxical cowboy, western ideologies, john wayne-is-tic

reagan-o-philiacs salute in solemnity, sincerely from the center of their substantially voided souls.

With frivolity and justice, on call.

On Framework:

• see also reframing

There can be no change in the means by which a dinosaur exists: their place in our world is a memory, our accustomed imagining of the majesty and splendor these creatures must have lived within, a colorful luscious landscape.

This is a daydream which we sympathetically indulge for their liveliness and our Downfall. They serve us no purpose. Their mere existence is allowed and upheld by us, they entirely depend upon us to keep them as they are.

Why not change our imaginings? Why allow the perpetuation of a world in which we pretend they lived? The dinosaurs had their turn to exist, failed horribly, and we keep them alive?

Why?

What cowards are we?

Toward Meaning From Life:

• Motive For The Rest (of)

We play along. We view the world, as we speculate it may have been, due to what they are now.

Their smiles thrive on our acceptance of pretense.

Their voices lead by introducing new fears.

Their hands divide us by misrepresenting the world.

Their bones are given power by our acceptance of deaths, regardless of the details of its life.

They know they have no place in this world, we know they have no place in this world: let us make an end to the existence of the dinosaurs.

◦ Let us exist.

“The glimmer of some indiscernible feature-

seems silly and bleak,”

so grumbled the creature.

Where have I hands,

what need shall I speak?

If everything’s flavorless,

what’s one more week?

I’ve seen it on postcards,

signed, mailed to self,

Its me in some semblance,

yet fairer in health.

Besides me, my armspan. You pass me the glass

as I look in your eyes,

time slows all too fast.

So drink of the high times,

the mornings and dew

Cheers to old rose-tints,

and once more to you.

You’ve slipped into sadness, I shudder to glance

O’er world’s worth of carpet..

a blood stained expanse..

“So what’s wrong in rotting? we’ve harmed none to date”

“’Cept one who tried helping,”

“a lifetime too late.”

“The problems I felt,

a fickle repose,

Were not worth the mention.”

She says that she knows.

“There’s nothing or all of it, you choose which fist.”

“The Right one”

She smiles,

“If you insist.”

It is interesting indeed to come across people who are willing to believe in things without any firsthand evidence with which to support their claim.

That being said, this practice is by no means exclusive to flat-earthers, round-earthers, hollow-earthers, simulation-ers, solipsists, nihilists, conservatives, liberals, etc.

The tendency to ridicule and target a group whose beliefs challenge the current mainstream narrative, (evidence of which can be seen during the spanish inquisition, the salem witch trials, the commie-scare of the 20th century, etc.) threatens to further weaken any potential conversation and coexistence between groups with opposing views.

Can't we all just get along?

How we gaze upon thou vast expanses

in humbling awe, and trembling wonder.

For what do we know, despite all our glances?

To speak with yon Giants would tear us asunder.

Men paint you as planets, claim ye unliving.

These words do they teach, as if it could be.

To look upon things, no purpose needs giving

The reach of the Allness spans more than we see.