Human Condition

I have read pieces of the book - here is what I have to say thus far;

We humans tend to personify things in an effort to mold and shape our world in our image. It tends to add an emotional content which enables us to feel closer to things, concepts, etc. Speeches usually will intertwine their messages with an emotional content to "lure" or persuade. Sometimes, the emotional piece is what gets us humans into trouble. A good example is if your car dies on the highway - you can get upset, mad, but it is not going to help your situation. Religion and spiritually have always been tied together with emotion. Good things (joyous) are attributed to being favored by the Divine; negative things tend to be attributed to some nebulous default "things happen for a reason," I must be going the wrong way in life and needed a wake up call, forces of evil are assailing me to drag me down, etc.

I believe that belief makes one's reality - but beliefs can change - so our perceived reality can change! Reality here not pertaining to physical things - fire will still burn, bones will still break, people will still die, taxes must get paid.

In getting back to nature, which sets the stage for our reality, we can appreciate the framework that is given to us. Our bodies and minds are complex - regardless whether or not you are religious, believe in intelligent design, it is a wonderment to behold. Trees that make oxygen, animals to provide food, water, spouses and kids, the miracle of birth, pooches to keep us company, etc. Religion consists of beliefs - religions tend to be exclusionary by and large. This reflects human nature to classify reality around us into categories (many by exception) - we need differences in order to discriminate to make choices. But discrimination isn't always a good thing. We humans tend to use group consensus to make seemingly unpalatable decisions and facts more comfortable and acceptable. Two examples - Native Amercans and slavery. When expanding west and slaughtering/displacing the Indian tribes, things like progress, manifest destiny, considering them less than human (savages) helped make these actions more acceptable. Slavery also used the concept that slaves were less than human, worth less due to the color of their skin. These two examples both were used to accumulate land, wealth and power, on both the individual and national level. I believe that many people (especially the people in leadership positions) knew these things were wrong at a base level, but greed, groupthink, fear, divine cause/direction, and arrogance contributed to why these things occured and were encouraged.

But our beliefs about these things changed. So too did our beliefs about women's rights and their abilities. There is a certain arrogance about pushing beliefs (projection) onto other peoples simply because they are different - the assumption is that their beliefs are wrong, not different. I guess it's human nature to want to expand and look beyond rather than maintain status quo - we get bored easily. Example - gay rights - marriage, etc. Looking at beliefs ten years ago, beliefs today, and beliefs ten years from now, what do you think the result will be? Gays in the military - policy is to "don't ask, don't tell" - members who are gay couldn't be open about it, but this technically didn't preclude gays from serving! So if this rule changes, and gays are openly allowed to serve in the military, why did this change? Beliefs changed - and an authority directed (and captured it in policy) that it happen.

Projection of beliefs is a strong part of the human soul - I think the author tries to get away from this fact.

Rob