A Dialogue in Space
Slam.
The table shakes as the first person pushes their hands against the table with an odd maniacal laugh. The second person scoffs at the reckless but comedic deed.
Person 1: "There's no way of knowing the entire world all at the same time! Some answers to life aren't meant to be known. The mystery is what carries human existence."
The first person finally sits back down and sips their coffee with a certain look, a smug smirk on their face, and an air of victory over the second person.
In reply, the second person looks at the first person in the eyes.
Person 2: "Yet we can only move forward by knowing more things, by the very attempt at it. It's human nature you know? Discovery? Tell me, friend. Have you ever been willing to exchange your soul for more knowledge? Faust-style? Don't all humans give themselves to a higher deity? Anything higher than existing itself is considered a deity. And some, if not all, give themselves to the global consciousness rather than their miniscule lives to feel whole."
Person 1: "But isn't the global consciousness rather too overwhelming for the ordinary mind? You'd go absolutely mad! But then again, isolation also drives you mad. Where do you think we should stand? The day-to-day mind, though, only cares about the life that they are living and the day-to-day occurrences. Yet, there's nothing inherently wrong with that. You don't need to be amazing to live."
Person 2: "It's still essential though, isn't it? Both a global consciousness and isolation. We breathe the same way this earth breathes. And to go on, to feel like we're doing something, we should be capable of creating a life where people feel like they have a purpose. Some realize it through solitude and isolation, and some by interacting with the external reality and accessing the global consciousness(or collective unconscious)."
Person 1: "Purpose isn't something for us to really decide though. The only reason why this world goes around is because everyone believes and lives with different things."
Person 2: "Which is exactly why we're having this conversation right now, isn't it?"
The second person laughs.
Person 1: "It's still obvious to me that there's no way of knowing the entire world all at the same time. We live with what little beautiful life we have and the limits that were set upon us. The world changes every day. There's isn't necessarily an end to knowing things. The more you know, the more you go mad."
Person 2: "It's probably why I'm mad in the first place, huh? And you, with your life in the mountains with your birds and all, seem to be satisfied with existing."
Person 1: "That is correct."
The first person sweetly smiles to the second person.
Person 2: "But limits, huh? Why don't we talk about that instead. I'll give you the win for that previous debate we had just now. I do agree that life is only comprehensible by what our minds can technically work with."
Person 1: "Hahah! See?! You do agree with me. I was able to conjure all that up on my own. It makes logical sense right?"
Person 2: "Surely. Now limits, have you ever read the Picture of Dorian Gray? It's a novel by Oscar Wilde. A quite interesting one at that."
Person 1: "No, I haven't. I have heard of it though."
Person 2: "Well, right. Anyways, there's this lovely quote that Alan Watts paraphrases and expounds from the book. The initial quote said that 'To define is to limit.' Alan Watts, on the other hand, says something very intriguing to add to it."
Person 1: "What does he say?""
Person 2: "He says, 'To define is to limit, to set boundaries, to compare and to contrast, and for this reason, the universe, the all, seems to defy definition....Just as no one in his senses would look for the morning news in a dictionary, no one should use speaking and thinking to find out what cannot be spoken or thought.'"
A silence creeps between them.
Person 1: "Hmm, that is quite intriguing. I'm pretty speechless actually."
The second person laughs.
Person 2: "Read that quote again and think about it more deeply."
Person 1: "What you're saying is that we basically do need certain limitations in life? As if having something at a limit makes it a lot more reachable and achievable. About the matter of the universe though, I would have to agree with Mr. Watts, everything seems to defy definition yet we somehow end up limiting it with definition anyways. But because it's necessary right?"
Person 2: "I would suppose so. In your case and in mine, so as not to go mad."
Person 1: "What is madness anyway? Do you think it's a good thing?"
Person 2: "There has always been that famous quote that goes around ever since a long time ago about how madness is quite a rational conclusion after living in a world that's already gone mad."
Person 1: "And do you think the world is mad?"
Person 2: "I think we live reality according to our own self-created delusions."
Person 1: "Hm."
Person 2: "Yes, and mass beliefs on the other hand are just mass psychoses and mass delusions. Either way, we really don't have any objective sense of reality. That's what I believe. I think every human sees life through a glass mirror, but you can't blame them. When you look at reality the way... say... 'God' sees it... you brains would flip and your mind would turn inside out. That's what I've concluded."
Person 1: "That's a strangely odd and yet logical conclusion to make."
Person 2: "It surely is. With regard to the delusions that we all live in, this has somehow forced society to progress and move forward in time from history itself."
Person 1: "I would say that every age and decade just means living one delusion after another."
Person 2: "We're all mad and living in wonderland."
Person 1: "A wonderland existing lonesomely in space-time it seems."
Person 2: "Now that's a topic we can discuss with another cup of coffee. But not today, I still have to wear my human suit and mask and attend to my duties of coexisting with other human beings..."
"...despite the fact that I'm an alien of course."
Person 1: "Yep, It's strange why the 'galactic federation' sent us on earth to experience the simulation."
Person 2: "Don't talk about that in public."
Person 1: "Oh! Right."
Both of them look at each other, and each burst out laughing.
Person 2: "Well! See you fellow alien colleague!"
Person 1: "May the force be with you."
Person 2: "And with you as well!"
- End -