We are failing our fellow human beings. Many of us know the great joy and happiness that can occur in life. Effort is required, to be sure, but that joy is there. There is great excitement in simply being alive! Historically, humanity strove to improve the lot of others. Slavery was banned, economic servitude was gradually curtailed, and knowledge widely spread. And yet today, sadness and loneliness are rampant. Suicide rates are alarming, and a lack of human fulfillment has become the norm.
Why? It seems to make no sense. But perhaps it does. A sunrise takes time to reveal itself fully. Initially, the American (1776) and French Revolutions (1789) promised political emancipation. Then the Industrial Revolution (1) exploded onto the world stage with a subtle promise: if you worked hard enough, you could become economically liberated — you could be free. This was the “American Dream,” if you will. The stage was set for a new nirvana, a new beginning. But then we stumbled.
A key component of life is psychological and spiritual well-being — our sense of place in the universe. Mankind has always struggled with himself and with the Transcendent. Even cave paintings often signify a relationship between humanity, the world, and the Divine, and these paintings are tens of thousands of years old. (2)
Political and economic progress should have prepared the way for a renewed relationship with God. But then Nietzsche arrived with his profound declaration in The Gay Science: “God is dead, and we have killed him.” (3) Much like the child announcing that the emperor has no clothes, (4) Nietzsche forced humanity to redefine its relationship with the immortal and the supernatural.
Transcendentalism, from thinkers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, offered one response: God was everywhere and in everything. Many accepted this, at least in a traditional spiritual sense, but others — the outsiders and outliers — opted out entirely. Protestantism (1517) had already suggested that humanity did not need a priest to speak to God, and now many believed they no longer needed institutions at all.
Unfortunately, no one told us that a genuine conversation with the Universe — with God — is not easy. It requires commitment: a willingness to learn, to become introspective, and to truly open one’s soul. Yet this is the Age of Comparison, (5) not the age of reflection. It is far easier to avoid a sacred understanding until one is confronted with death, disease, or catastrophe. Then many rush toward religion, desperately trying to board the bus of faith, only to discover that “it may already have left the station.”
Life confronts us with three fundamental questions: Why am I here? What is my mission? What happens when I leave this world? These questions form a single package. One must answer all three together. Yet the modern world refuses to even address the third question, and by refusing the third, the first two are left incomplete, distressing, and ultimately unanswerable. It is time for those who wish to impart knowledge to speak honestly: life is hard. One may possess the trappings of material success and yet still feel empty inside. Why? Because life without meaning becomes hollow.
Every human being is unique and valuable. But discovering who you are requires work. You must uncover what you are meant to accomplish with your piece of life. We must believe that our knowledge has value and that it can ultimately contribute to the Common Good — to human understanding, wisdom, and peace. The Dalai Lama leaves us with a thought: Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
A closing thought: Many young people today exist in precisely this state of uncertainty. Few claim to possess the complete answer. Yet, from Ralph Waldo Emerson, (6) we are offered at least a beginning: get a notebook and simply start writing. Write about anything at all. Eventually, your thoughts will begin to converge into a coherent vision and plan of action.
This resembles the reflections of the great Taoist philosopher, Zhuangzi, and his story of the butterfly dream: upon awakening, the philosopher questioned whether he was a man dreaming he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was a man. (7) The question remains: where does true knowledge lie? It must reside with the self. Each of us, especially in the age of AI, is obligated to seek “the truth behind the door,” which is behind another, and then another, etc. We cannot simply accept the physical world at face value. We must take responsibility for our own perception of reality and for our role within it. And, when we discover some deeper ontological understanding of life, we must share it with others. Knowledge is meant to be disseminated.
To sum up: This week, we spoke about the necessity of sharing our knowledge with others.
To be noted: A traditional proverb — A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
Just for fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hN-mKXLfYg&list=RD6hN-mKXLfYg&start_radio=1
For reflection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6ZccGWuQWQ
This week, on your dynamic walk, please remark on the knowledge you can share with others.
Every day, look for something magical and beautiful.
Don’t be a wage slave – critical thinking is great!
Quote: Knowledge is meant to be tested
Footnotes:
1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e05kNGD_cY
2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjejoT1gFOc
3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smq5uRhM_IA&t=5s
4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ym0u-KweN4
5) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_comparison_theory